East-West Rail (EWR): Oxford-Bletchley construction progress

[Elecman]

All the operational DNO electric supplies are installed and live for Signalling/GSMR/Points Heating

 

[fishwomp]

Tracks were already continuous from Bicester and Bletchley to either side of the “HS2 interface area” by November 2023, the signals were already powered up and being tested by then, and the tracks through the HS2 area were reported completed in March - so appearing complete is not really a surprise?

When the line was mothballed in 1990-ish, it was mothballed, not lifted.. until some track was stolen. Good that someone's checking it's still there, there's a thief about!

 

[vuzzeho]

Section between Bletchley and Bicester Village now appears on Apple Maps, albeit without any service shown (obviously) - even Winslow station and Bletchley HL are mapped, just doesn’t have the NR station flags yet.

 

[absolutelymilk]

Do we know when the western section of EWR is planned to start operating? I had read 2024 but wouldn't be surprised if it's delayed!

 

[The Planner]

Do we know when the western section of EWR is planned to start operating? I had read 2024 but wouldn't be surprised if it's delayed!

Passenger is next year. You might get some freight before that.

 

[12LDA28C]

Do we know when the western section of EWR is planned to start operating? I had read 2024 but wouldn't be surprised if it's delayed!

The Western section between Oxford and Bicester has been operating for a number of years as part of Chiltern services to/from Marylebone. Oxford to Milton Keynes services are currently predicted to commence in Summer 2025.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

The Western section between Oxford and Bicester has been operating for a number of years as part of Chiltern services to/from Marylebone. Oxford to Milton Keynes services are currently predicted to commence in Summer 2025.

You have to wonder why its going to take another year before the service starts

 

[richieb1971]

You have to wonder why its going to take another year before the service starts

Ditto. Be rusty and graffiti'd by then.

 

[fishwomp]

Ditto. Be rusty and graffiti'd by then.

Track looked pretty rusty at Launton yesterday.

The track's in place, the signals are working. Does this mean the line is available for use by freight or for route learning (for freight or passenger), or are there further items of work required before either can happen?

 

[BrianW]

The Western section between Oxford and Bicester has been operating for a number of years as part of Chiltern services to/from Marylebone. Oxford to Milton Keynes services are currently predicted to commence in Summer 2025.

Are you sure you mean MK, and not Bletchley?

 

[richieb1971]

Services from Oxford go to MK. With services to Bedford about 5 years later.

 

[fishwomp]

Services from Oxford go to MK. With services to Bedford about 5 years later.

"accelerated to commence in 2030" apparently, per EWR website. Yep, 14 miles of already open track..

You'll be able to change at Bletchley for Bedford before the line is rebuilt - hourly service and 45 min journey - but am not sure how soon the line shuts for rebuild,

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

"accelerated to commence in 2030" apparently, per EWR website. Yep, 14 miles of already open track..

You'll be able to change at Bletchley for Bedford before the line is rebuilt - hourly service and 45 min journey - but am not sure how soon the line shuts for rebuild,

Its pointless to rebuild that section until its clear that going to Oxford is going to happen.

 

[richieb1971]

Its pointless to rebuild that section until its clear that going to Oxford is going to happen.

It's not a rebuild, just replacing crossings with bridges. How are folk from Cambridge getting to Oxford without it?

Bedford doesn't seem important by itself otherwise it would open ASAP. Obviously waiting for the Cambridge connection.

 

[lachlan]

It's not a rebuild, just replacing crossings with bridges. How are folk from Cambridge getting to Oxford without it?

Bedford doesn't seem important by itself otherwise it would open ASAP. Obviously waiting for the Cambridge connection.

Has any construction/preparatory works began on the Oxford-Bedford bit? Could still be cancelled. The connection to Aylesbury was already paused

 

[richieb1971]

Has any construction/preparatory works began on the Oxford-Bedford bit? Could still be cancelled. The connection to Aylesbury was already paused

It's been fast tracked, it's just that its been fast tracked from what seems like a very slow timetable.

I'm not sure if anything still needs signing off all the action is still on the Bedford to Cambridge section politically speaking.

There isn't a Oxford Bedford bit. Oxford to Bletchley is all re build. Bedford to Bletchley is getting a makeover and Cambridge to Bedford is a new build.

Every "bit" is being treated politically different from the other. Which is strange when it has the goal of being end to end.

 

[JamesT]

Has any construction/preparatory works began on the Oxford-Bedford bit? Could still be cancelled. The connection to Aylesbury was already paused

What do you mean by Oxford-Bedford? EWR splits those into Oxford-Bletchley and Bletchley-Bedford. The former of those is almost finished as per https://eastwestrail.co.uk/news/latest-stories/east-meets-west

The final section of track has now been laid between Bicester and Bletchley

East West Rail Alliance is on track to hand over the project to Network Rail later in 2024, with remaining work this year focusing on completing the installation of railway systems equipment, testing and commissioning, the construction of Winslow station car park, completion of Winslow station and landscaping. Passenger services are due to start from 2025.

You could not bother to run any services over it, but there’s effectively no point trying to cancel Oxford-Bletchley.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

It's been fast tracked, it's just that its been fast tracked from what seems like a very slow timetable.

I'm not sure if anything still needs signing off all the action is still on the Bedford to Cambridge section politically speaking.

There isn't a Oxford Bedford bit. Oxford to Bletchley is all re build. Bedford to Bletchley is getting a makeover and Cambridge to Bedford is a new build.

Every "bit" is being treated politically different from the other. Which is strange when it has the goal of being end to end.

New govt will have a lot of calls on the public purse so risk is of further delay

 

[lachlan]

Sorry, muddled up - meant to say Cambridge-Bedford!

 

[DavidGrain]

Are you sure you mean MK, and not Bletchley?

Oxford to MKC via Bletchley due to open next Year

 

[snowball]

Has any construction/preparatory works began on the Oxford-Bedford bit? Could still be cancelled. The connection to Aylesbury was already paused

Sorry, muddled up - meant to say Cambridge-Bedford!

No, there is no authorisation to build the Beford-Cambridge route yet. An application for a Development Consent Order has not even been submitted yet. There have only been preliminary rounds of consultation, the most recent of which was in May 2023 if I remember correctly (though it feels much longer ago). Among other things there is local opposition to the proposed demolition of houses to widen a short section of the Midland Main Line to six tracks north of Bedford Station.

 

[edwin_m]

Assuming Cambridge goes ahead as currently planned, Bedford station will need a re-build from the ground up, with significant disruption to service. They probably want to prioritise keeping MML and Thameslink going, so I guess would rather not have extra EWR service using it until it's finished.

 

[The Planner]

You have to wonder why its going to take another year before the service starts

Ditto. Be rusty and graffiti'd by then.

Track looked pretty rusty at Launton yesterday.

The track's in place, the signals are working. Does this mean the line is available for use by freight or for route learning (for freight or passenger), or are there further items of work required before either can happen?

It hasnt been signed off into use yet and Chiltern don't have any 196s to driver train on yet either. Freight will run on it before the end of the year.

 

[BlueLeanie]

It hasnt been signed off into use yet and Chiltern don't have any 196s to driver train on yet either. Freight will run on it before the end of the year.

If freight is operating, is it likely that we'll see a rail tour operate on the route this year?

 

[12LDA28C]

Are you sure you mean MK, and not Bletchley?

Yes, certainly Milton Keynes. EWR trains currently planned to use the Bay platform at MK although drivers will sign all platforms.

You have to wonder why its going to take another year before the service starts

Pretty straightforward - drivers are still being recruited and training takes around 12 months or more, dependent on various factors.

Track looked pretty rusty at Launton yesterday.

The track's in place, the signals are working. Does this mean the line is available for use by freight or for route learning (for freight or passenger), or are there further items of work required before either can happen?

Handover from the project team for route learning / driver training etc isn't due until October / November this year.

 

[The Planner]

If freight is operating, is it likely that we'll see a rail tour operate on the route this year?

No idea, if someone wants to put a tour across there with a route trained driver then I assume its up to them.

 

[John R]

Pretty straightforward - drivers are still being recruited and training takes around 12 months or more, dependent on various factors.

Except that a more logical timescale would have been to have been in a position to start this process so that it finishes when the assets become available for use. (Accept that route learning would need to wait until then, but I would have thought that would be a relatively small part of the process.) Unfortunately I don't think the DfT do "logical" very often, and in particular the delays in choosing a TOC to run it won't have helped.

 

[12LDA28C]

Except that a more logical timescale would have been to have been in a position to start this process so that it finishes when the assets become available for use. (Accept that route learning would need to wait until then, but I would have thought that would be a relatively small part of the process.) Unfortunately I don't think the DfT do "logical" very often, and in particular the delays in choosing a TOC to run it won't have helped.

I quite agree, and your last sentence in particular neatly sums up why we are where we are.

 

[DavidGrain]

Except that a more logical timescale would have been to have been in a position to start this process so that it finishes when the assets become available for use. (Accept that route learning would need to wait until then, but I would have thought that would be a relatively small part of the process.) Unfortunately I don't think the DfT do "logical" very often, and in particular the delays in choosing a TOC to run it won't have helped.

Six class 196 units were included in the WMR order for use on EWR and those units are in the process of being introduced into service and bedded-in on WMR routes.
Drivers have been recruited and are in training.
The line will be signed off for route learning some time this year.
Work to increase capacity at Oxford station so that trains can reverse at Hinksey (rather than reversing in the bay platforms) if required is in progress. This will also help with the planned extension to Cowley if that goes ahead.

All this coming together over the next few months, so I would say that this is fairly good long term planning.

 

[The exile]

Except that a more logical timescale would have been to have been in a position to start this process so that it finishes when the assets become available for use. (Accept that route learning would need to wait until then, but I would have thought that would be a relatively small part of the process.) Unfortunately I don't think the DfT do "logical" very often, and in particular the delays in choosing a TOC to run it won't have helped.

The risk then is of course that there is an unexpected last minute delay in finishing off the civil engineering and you’ve got trained drivers and “millions of pounds worth of new trains sitting doing nothing” for 12 months and, in the case of the drivers possibly jumping ship through boredom.