The previous reply looks a little truncated, as it should say that Platform 5 would be for trains continuing North, then Platform 4 would become available for trains terminating from the South. Though as you note, even using Platform 4 would involve crossing over the through lines to head back South.
You’re right. It would probably have been better to have written that up trains leaving P4 would have reduced conflicts with down passenger trains compared to leaving from P5.
The track layout in https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-co...Oxford-Corridor-Phase-2-Public-Engagement.pdf (which is 4 years old and could well be out of date), has the platform 5 line diverging before the existing crossover, so that move ought to possible. I assumed that was the whole point of building platform 5 to be honest.
Post #214 includes a couple of photos following installation of the new points which will lead to P5, they’re basically just south of and extending under the Osney footbridge. They required the footbridge to be lengthened slightly at the west side. They were installed by the end of Dec 2023, and I think conform to the drawings in that pdf.
www.railforums.co.uk
I think if necessary , Plat 5 could accommodate Southbound trains too.
Railway bridge foundations work
Work is continuing under the railway bridge to prepare for installation of the new walkway/cycleway on the station side of the road.
The current work is to install temporary infrastructure that will support the bridge walls while the ground is excavated. Over the Easter weekend, metal frames were installed and then concrete has been poured into them.
A series of metal props will then be installed across the road between the two concrete structures (see diagram below). Once in place, this temporary structure will allow the ground to be excavated safely to work on the 40m-long concrete piles that were previously installed (shown as white circles in the diagram). This will see the installation of drainage and pile caps which will sit under the new structure.
Water main and sewer work
With two weeks of testing the new water main successfully completed, the old pipe has now been disconnected and the ends will be grouted up. This means the site between Mill Street and Abbey Road (see image above) can be removed, with the road due to be reinstated.
The next phase will see work on the connection area for the smaller water main pipe, as well as a start to preparations for the sewer diversion beside the Westgate Hotel. Direct access onto Botley Road to/from Mill Street will be restored and the walkway diverted, with an entrance/exit being created next to The One restaurant (see image below). Unless any issues arise, the schedule will be as follows:
* Ongoing – Reinstatement of the road between Mill Street and Abbey Road
* Thursday 1 May – Change to traffic management, with reopening of direct access to/from Mill Street onto Botley Road. The pedestrian crossing will be moved back to beside The One restaurant, between Mill Street and Abbey Road
* Thursday 1 to Tuesday 5 May – Construction of walkway diversion
* Tuesday 6 May – Change to new walkway route.
So there is little point in the railway bridge reopening until June 2026.
Even with traffic lights restricting traffic on Osney Bridge, the city desperately needs the railway bridge reopened.
It seems unlikely that the railway will learn anything.
Sad isn’t it
Are the Botley road works within the absolute control of the railway, or were they reliant on the water/highways authority for them?
NR should have adequately investigated what was on site and engaged with third parties to make adequate solutions to manage them. They didn't.
Funny, but I have a long list of their strikes, luckily mostly fixed now for GWEP but not on another electrification job, still about a dozen repairs to carry out there!
I bow to your better knowledge of signal cables.
If we learn anything from history, it's that we learn nothing from history.
Records, plans etc are often incomplete and inaccurate, failing to be kept up-to-date and perhaps diagrammatic at best. Changes are often made on site while work is underway; delays and extensions of time cost money and 'as built' drawings often a 'low priority'. There can be further 'complications' if a contractor goes bust because they bid too low in order to get the job. As seen with the Carillion Liverpool Hospital, who 'carries the can' for possibly defective work?
Probably an element of "let's get building before they cancel it" going on as well, given that they did in fact cancel some pretty crucial parts.
Bottom line is you always end up paying for a site investigation in one form or other. Best practice should be to do this before you put the business case together and seek authority.
Not going to guarantee no unpleasant surprises though - as the number of unexploded bombs that still turn up on building sites will testify. Going to take a very through site investigation to find a bomb that managed to bury itself near vertically in soft earth.
And the county councils records of what was under the road were inaccurate both in terms of major structures and utilities alignments.
Same as the Great Western Mainline, then.
