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Along with many key rural branch lines, it was cross-country links such as this that were lost during the Beeching era. Good to see at least one being restored.
It’s great to see it coming back to life I grew up in Bedford and remember watching the line east of the town being lifted around 1972 time I remember talking with an old driver and he told me sometimes he only picked up half a dozen passengers between sandy and Cambridge so it was no surprise it closed It’s a pity the line between Bedford and sandy wasn’t kept as that would have been a useful link I also watched the lifting of the remains of the Bedford hitchin line in 1970 which had it survived could have given a Bedford Cambridge route via hitchin I’m almost seventy now and may finally get to go over the Bletchley flyover I enjoy your updates as they are very informative Many thanks Andy
Sadly it doesn't look the Bedford - Cambridge section will be built !! It would be better to have Cambridge - Oxford trains run via Peterborough , Leicester then to Bedford !? But I suppose the journey times would be far too long and the direct bus quicker and cheaper ?
Thanks for this update - very clear with lots of detail! Re the Aylesbury link, I checked the bus options - Red Rose run a commendably fast hourly service 100, MK to Aylesbury (50 minutes: Google Maps estimate 35-40 mins by car. But the 100 doesn't call at MK station - how crazy is that? If only bus and train managers could bear to talk to one another ... A sensible solution pro tem would be for Chiltern (say) to run a half-hourly express service calling at both Aylesbury and MK stations (rather like Sadiq Khan is proposing for the Bakerloo line extension in south London). It should of course be timed to make reasonable connections. This would test the water to see what the demand for the rail link would be, and would start building up custom. And, importantly, it could be done right now!
Never thought about using a bit of HS2’s land to link Aylesbury with EWR. Though that said, it would be a bit of a shame to bypass Quainton Road as that had the potential to link up with the railway museum there.
Who would be prepared to fund a Quainton Road station to the tune of £millions? A station that only opens on limited days in a year - would it achieve? Much rather a bus link to Aylesbury on the open days.
Bicester and Aylesbury have strong connections with many people living in one and commuting to the other for work, so a fast rail link via EWR (even with a change) would be beneficial over the slower current rail link (via Princes Risborough) or bus.
@@ds1868so what, short term sacrifice for long term gain itnis uniquely British disease of skimping and the beginning and paying more for it in the end
@@Tonydjjokerit The ORR's policy on new third rail installation is that they won't sanction it other than for "filling in" gaps in existing third rail networks. So small extensions of new third rail around London and the south-east or on Merseyside for example might be possible but not on something new like E-W rail; it would have to be 25Kv overhead or nothing at all.
Real time trains were showing pathing times for trains from Oxford to MK on route learning this December ahead of services starting. Any idea if there is track work taking place at Gravary Junction? They were supposed to be lift the track to lower the trackbed to increase clearances.
You mention Parkway stations. I think that if they are away from city centres they are attractive to people who live in rural areas without a station . Oxford Parkway gets very busy . I hear that Worcester Parkway is also very popular .
I think there's still a place for parkway stations. But the name parkway isn't preferred anymore. Better driving 2-3 miles to a station than driving into a city centre.
First Chiltern Trains test run from Oxford to MKC on 21.10.24. 168323 +168328. Return run to Bicester Village. It's a shame that the old line from Cheddington to Aylesbury can't be restored. No use for London bound commuters but ideal for an MKC-Aylesbury service. Too much development to reach the old terminus but the large amount of house building to the north of the town could make an Aylesbury North station ideal for northbound destinations.
@@Rail_Focus Depressing that Manchester to Sheffield link cannot ever have a reasonable high speed line but the Woodhead would be the route. Talk of northern power house is empty with fast links between all northern cities.
It is going to depend on services. If they are strictly E-W only, then bi-modal has little point as none of the route is electrified, or likely to be for some time. If, however, there were direct routes from Oxford to destinations on the West Coast mainline then they could be bi-modal. However, I rather doubt there's capacity on the West Coast mainline and the rule will be changing at Bletchley for that line. For now, I would expect the trains to be operated from Oxford to Bletchley to be diesel multiple units of some sort as there's no benefit from using anything else. Oxford to Bletchley is not exactly a long run and the existing line to Bedford is not exactly suited to bi-modal trains.
Question: Is the new rail infrastructure constructed as part of the EWR project compliant with UIC C gauge, ie. European mainland spec, or not, ie. constrained to GB standards?
@@ds1868 I'm sure it (W12) is good enough in the short to medium term because after all, the "business case" must always be adhered to but you've missed the point I was trying to make (perhaps you don't even know what I'm talking about?). If the UK really was forward thinking ALL "new" rail infrastructure would be constructed to the wider continental gauge thereby enabling potential future services using that form of rolling stock. It is sticking rigidly to business plan driven orthodoxy that has resulted in the lack of service to Aylesbury referenced in this TH-cam video. Why was there no junction facilitating future North/South and East/West services utilising HS2/EWR incorporated into the original plans, for example?
@@Rail_Focus Reading up on the MVL, they say many (if not all ?) portions are W8 and limited to 60mph at this time. So this EWR eastern section (most recent) to Bedford will take a large upgrade project, and possibly adding bypass loops.
Does anybody have any idea of specific times / dates that testing will take place? We received a letter notifying that there will be testing taking place starting from the 21st of October but I’d love to be able to know more specifically.
You say Aylesbury isnt a big draw, but this is a town of some 95,000 people who have appalling rail route options basically anywhere but south (and its still an hour into Marylebone) and although not mentioned, the road access between MK (and Leighton Buzzard) and Aylesbury is pitiful, leading to many delays during peak time. The part to Bedford will be interesting, I have heard rumour of a new Woburn Sands station (they are planning to build a whole new estate round here), but the level crossing in the town must be a barrier. I wonder also if eventually they might incorporate the new potential station at Wixams, which will serve the new Universal Studio theme park.
The theoretical plan for Woburn Sands, if money is available, is to build a new larger station between there and Bow Brickhill, on currently empty farmland, with a road bridge over the rail line. The current Woburn Sands, Bow Brickhill, and Aspley Guise stations would then be closed and service consolidated to the new site. At this point it’s a long-term plan, since money for upgrading the Marston Vale line is not available. Wixams will be on the MML, so will not interfere with EWR. Stewartby or Kempston Hardwick would be rebuilt for that role.
with all the economies going into recession/depression, and layoffs (2020, 2024 in the USA studios) I would not expect too much in the amusement park growth. 2020-2021 had devistation in public transit and amusement parks. It will take some time for things to go positive again, and since there are so many debts and deficits now.
Bletchley - Bedford will be upgraded so trains will be able to operate from Oxford to Bedford within the next few years. But until we know what Labour has planned we won't know if Bedford - Cambridge will go ahead or if funding for further Marston Vale upgrades will be provided
Yes, Mr. Focus. The Bedford to Cambridge stretch of the EWR (if it ever happens) will certainly be problematic. Having misspent some time today on Google following the old trackbed it appears that most of it is still there but significant sections are not. The city of Cambridge has, of course, expanded massively in recent years and some of the old 'Varsity' line is now incorporated as a semi-automated bus lane where the driver can read the paper for a few minutes before taking back full control. There are other parts between Bedford and Cambridge that have some development on them but that could probably be CPOd by a government with any balls. Interestingly, Network Rail is still touting the upgraded Cambridge South station as a 'potential connection to the EWR'. Well, good luck with that. I'll watch this space with interest ...
Road names. The north south root was known as Thame Rd in the days of the bricworks and is named as such in books about the brickworks HS2 called it Perry Hill for a while but that is only In Edgecott to the south. School hill runs east west from the cross roads to the south of the lakes, to Charndon and Werner Terrace from the crossroads East and over the Calvert bridge. Portway Rd runs east from Twyford towards Steeple Claydon and becomes West Street as it crosses the Thame/ Gawcott Road. The use of West Street in addresses for EKFB and GMSC is I believe a hangover from the time that the Farms on West Street and GMSC on Thame Rd shared the same post code. Verry confusing!
to be fair, the parking at Winslow might not just serve the villages and hamlets considering that neither Buckingham or Brackley have any rail connection
I don’t really understand the alignment of EWR going Eastwards. I’m led to believe that the people of Wixhams and Stewartby were promised a station on the MML. With that in mind, why on Earth doesn’t the EWR route peel off after the waste recycler at Millbrook and head toward the Midland on a perpendicular angle, then dive under the Midland and up the valley to St Neots? Where the MML and EWR intersect, could be the promised station for Wixhams and Stewartby, with platforms up top for the Midland and lower platforms for EWR. It absolutely fries my brain when I think about the insane amount of demolition they’d rather do at Bedford to get EWR out the north side of town and back across to St Neots. Not only that, but it’d still be slow and congested. Are they seriously not considering this cheaper, faster alternative?!
I think the only way to understand it fully is to the read the preferred option report eastwestrail-production.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/public/MediaObjectFiles/a72dbd2d81/Preferred-Route-Option-Announcement-Preferred-Route-Option-Report-v2.pdf
while true, its not exactly a convenient journey is it? And if you are anywhere east of the Chiltern line then the point is moot. You are almost better off changing at Watford J to Watford tube (maybe a taxi ride) and making your way from there.
Righto. The Street With No Name is indeed just that. After 30 minutes of delving, the best I can offer is that: At the south end Buckingham Road becomes Perry Hill as it heads towards the area of interest. It then crosses School Hill just south of the reservoirs. Much further north the same road is named Hillesden Road. So, take your pick.
@@simonlloyd74sl Gawcott Road is definitely the road North past Hillesden. So maybe it’s also going down to Calvert Green and Edgcott. At the moment EKFB wants to close it to realign the north end with the new bridge, but their option of diverting traffic via Chardon isn’t being accepted by locals.
werner terrace looks like the road running east west between the village of Calvert and the lake. There is a the EKFB "West Street" compound on there that says it is on Gawcott Rd, so lots to choose from
Take a look at the September issue of Trackside magazine. Interview with Buckinghamshire Railway Centre (BRC) general manager Steven Green. BRC now have a 5 year rolling contract/lease with Network Rail to the part of the proposed Aylesbury route that bisects the BRC, witin its boundaries. It is implied in the article that the BRC would like Network Rail to abandon plans to reuse this route for commuters and binliners, so they can extend it and run their trains on it in perpituity. It is also implied by the GM that land, that the BRC own, being redeveloped adjacent to the track might prove troublesome in providing a siting area for any construction works needed. The arrogance of the BRC beggars belief.
Some people seem to think the railways are museum pieces for people's entertainment. Accommodations should of course be made for heritage, but it shouldn't stop reopening lines.
5 year rolling contract just means "we'll stop this when we need it for Aylesbury-MK services, but that we have no plans to rebuild the link for at least 5 years" rather than anything more final than that. And given we're talking a new-build railway anyway for Aylesbury - Calvert, it would be easy to bypass the BRC site by going alongside HS2 for a bit longer. Probably would be easier than going through BRC as the site is on both sides of the former through-tracks (one of which isn't there and the trackbed won't have been maintained well, likely meaning a much more thorough rebuild than just laying down the surface stuff) - and was even when occasional binliners ran - so GBR (as NR will be by then) would have all sorts of issues threading a fast modern-spec railway through there with all the safety features that would require.
The original plan for HS2 was no stations between London and Birmongham. My view is this: At one point HS2 and EW rail cross, what's the betting they'll put a station there. The follow on from that is that they'll look at the HS2 route and think "if we put a station here it will serve the people of this town here." This will continue until the HS2 journey from London to Birmingham willl be no faster and possibly even slower than at present.
There's very little chance of a station being constructed and despite the existence of the EWR I can't see it being justified. Also fitting a 400m long station in that spot would be challenging to say the least.
With regards to the Bletchley to Bedford route, I have to believe that the scale of works required will be significantly affected by the decision on whether or not to go ahead with building the proposed Universal Studios theme park alongside Stewartby and Kempston Hardwick between the Marston Vale line and the Midland Mainline... after all, with a major theme park to serve, I doubt that two trains an hour (or two-car trains for that matter) will be sufficient for demand on the route
The frequency isn't so much about the Marston Vale line service, but E-W connectivity. But I tend to believe in build it and they will come. Recent line reopenings have surpassed the predicted demand.
@@Rail_Focus This is all true, but my point is that a theme park of similar size to Disneyland Paris would quickly make the line with onlt the most modest upgrades utterly inadequate for the increase in demand, considering the Marston Vale route would likely be the best rail route to the theme park from the West Midlands- and as such, any determination on the scope of further works beyond minimal upgrades is going to be influenced by whether the theme park goes ahead
The initial £240m funding is more of a kick starter to get the ball rolling. But I'd agree that if the park is delivered then 3 tph which is the ultimate goal may not be sufficient
@@Rail_Focus If so, there may be a strong argument to go back to the original plans for this section! This would allow much more flexibility in providing more services than the revised plan, which is much more modest.
@@MercenaryPen Seems to me it makes sense for services from Milton Keynes Central to Bedford would be useful also in light of this, as a much bigger interchange then Bletchley.
The 2022 Elizabeth line length (total miles) is similar to EWR; however EWR is without the OLE and electrification expense. I don't know how to compare both efforts, but many purple line were probably upgrades on existing infrastructure. EWR is making tradeoffs about infrastructure repair vs. upgrades, and EWR is assessing adding rail passing loops to allow fast/slow trains on the Marston Vale section of the EWR. Yes, Bedford to Cambridge is all new so in the billions cost.
Winslow station ??? Complete??? I ask has this station got a D.N.A. Arrival screening room ...remember compatable winslow D.N.A.stock imperative to have a match for residency in winslow ...
@@Rail_Focus Please refer to the most excellent film of village life in the u.k. ...called ..."The Wicker Man" ( the original film please , with Edward Woodward actor and Jenney Auguter.) All will become clearer to you ..thank you ....
Now Aylesbury has its first Labour M P we might get lucky with the link but I doubt it because it’s not a priority.I have emailed about it but just got the same old bland comments we need it to compensate for the years of HS2 disruption and get connected to the rest of the rail network
That would be better, but the roads don't look the easiest to establish bus routes on. Would have to be small minibuses to get to some of the smaller villages
Upgrade Bletchley to Bedford ? This is a line where, when the rolling stock company went bust, rather than finding more trains, they just put on buses for over a year. Any time there's a staff shortage, they just randomly cancel trains for the rest of the day. They don't run any trains on a Sunday. But still the line is deemed worthy of an upgrade ? Really ? It's dual track, but still has just one train an hour in each direction.
@@Rail_Focus At present, capacity isn't a problem. One train per hour in each direction and I've never seen it more than about 25% full. Obviously that might go up a fraction if they run trains from Oxford to Bedford. I suspect east-west rail is a freight project, but disguised as a passenger project to reduce objections.
Yes I was thinking more train capacity than passenger capacity on the Marston Vale line. The capacity will be needed for direct Oxford to Bedford services which will likely be operated by Chiltern Railways who have been recruiting train crews ahead of the opening of the Bicester Bletchley section
maybe like Milton Keynes or Aylesbury they can add simple access turnouts or continuous operating spurs ? As EWR matures ? The entire EWR extent (Oxford to Cambridge) is approximately 100 miles, but spurs would probably not go too far off field from the EWR. Existing major lines run the hundred miles from Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, Northampton which intersect EWR at Milton Keynes and Bedford. Since EWR is mostly West / East lateral and now lacking funds to go from Bedford to Cambridge (Connection Stage 3) perhaps use the existing North / South lines ? On the other hand... Maybe one day the GCR alignment will make a comeback, for faster north-south line, and tied back together through some EWR extension (versus the HS2 eastern phase cancelled); and instead tie into HS2 Infrastructure Maintenance Depot (vs. Birmingham interchange) and to London ? Maybe, why not ?
@@_RabbitLeader depends what you mean by "destroyed" even if the line had been closed but rails left it would've still needed to be upgraded to meet modern standards. If it had remained open it may have been upgraded over time, but would've still left low bridges and level crossings to remove.
2:26 365 parking spaces for an expected deluge of commuters at Winslow. And two piddly little awful bus stop style so-say "shelters" on the platforms to cope. How our more sensible Victorian ancestor engineers must be spinning in their graves!
Unfortunately the Treasury is obsessed with value engineering rather than providing a lasting legacy. But it is better that than not being funded at all
I've got low expectations for new stations, and building an ugly station is better than not building a station. But my god Wilnslow is the ugliest station I've ever seen!
I know the Treasury is obsessed with value engineering. But I'm sure a more attractive station could've been built for not much extra cost. Winslow just looks industrial.
There is no HS2 link. Just provision for a link from EWR to Aylesbury running alongside the HS2 tracks. The only link to HS2 is for the infrastructure maintenance depot.
On recent maps of the maintenance depot at calvert a passenger loop for use in emergency is planned could this be extended latter as the area has been identified by the national infrastructure commission as a site for a city scale development.
@@Rail_Focus fair enough although and interchange station, might have merit and a business case if there is a large amount of travellers wanting to travel to London and the North/Scotland from Oxford and Cambridge, however I would imagine connections to the ECML and WCML already cater for that travel pattern
@@ds1868 well that is a damming indictment - you’ve got about another 20 years on me. The whole situation is a shambles. His child being allowed to hang out in an £18m mansion to fail his GCSE’s for example. They literally are all the same. We could do with GF this bonfire night.
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the Wirral swan song is in action
I know 😭
Along with many key rural branch lines, it was cross-country links such as this that were lost during the Beeching era. Good to see at least one being restored.
It’s great to see it coming back to life
I grew up in Bedford and remember watching the line east of the town being lifted around 1972 time
I remember talking with an old driver and he told me sometimes he only picked up half a dozen passengers between sandy and Cambridge so it was no surprise it closed
It’s a pity the line between Bedford and sandy wasn’t kept as that would have been a useful link
I also watched the lifting of the remains of the Bedford hitchin line in 1970 which had it survived could have given a Bedford Cambridge route via hitchin
I’m almost seventy now and may finally get to go over the Bletchley flyover
I enjoy your updates as they are very informative
Many thanks Andy
These are the schemes that are important over road infrastructure, i love rail, thsnks for this update Chris
Sadly it doesn't look the Bedford - Cambridge section will be built !! It would be better to have Cambridge - Oxford trains run via Peterborough , Leicester then to Bedford !? But I suppose the journey times would be far too long and the direct bus quicker and cheaper ?
@@Sam_Green____4114 I suspect the Universal studios will make the route happen.
Thanks for this update - very clear with lots of detail! Re the Aylesbury link, I checked the bus options - Red Rose run a commendably fast hourly service 100, MK to Aylesbury (50 minutes: Google Maps estimate 35-40 mins by car. But the 100 doesn't call at MK station - how crazy is that? If only bus and train managers could bear to talk to one another ... A sensible solution pro tem would be for Chiltern (say) to run a half-hourly express service calling at both Aylesbury and MK stations (rather like Sadiq Khan is proposing for the Bakerloo line extension in south London). It should of course be timed to make reasonable connections. This would test the water to see what the demand for the rail link would be, and would start building up custom. And, importantly, it could be done right now!
Never thought about using a bit of HS2’s land to link Aylesbury with EWR. Though that said, it would be a bit of a shame to bypass Quainton Road as that had the potential to link up with the railway museum there.
Who would be prepared to fund a Quainton Road station to the tune of £millions? A station that only opens on limited days in a year - would it achieve? Much rather a bus link to Aylesbury on the open days.
It will not bypass Quinton Road; the HS2-rebuilt section is north of that
Bicester and Aylesbury have strong connections with many people living in one and commuting to the other for work, so a fast rail link via EWR (even with a change) would be beneficial over the slower current rail link (via Princes Risborough) or bus.
E-W rail should’ve been fully electrified
@@ds1868so what, short term sacrifice for long term gain itnis uniquely British disease of skimping and the beginning and paying more for it in the end
It wouldn’t be electrified before Didcot-Oxford is
Can't agree more! Third rail is the effective answer!
@@Tonydjjokerit The ORR's policy on new third rail installation is that they won't sanction it other than for "filling in" gaps in existing third rail networks. So small extensions of new third rail around London and the south-east or on Merseyside for example might be possible but not on something new like E-W rail; it would have to be 25Kv overhead or nothing at all.
@@mikenorman2525 Pity! This has to be changed! Third rail is the only cost effective solution other wise it won't be electrified at all!
Real time trains were showing pathing times for trains from Oxford to MK on route learning this December ahead of services starting. Any idea if there is track work taking place at Gravary Junction? They were supposed to be lift the track to lower the trackbed to increase clearances.
Not sure about the junction to be honest. If they're training in December there's a good chance the service could begin by the spring 🤞
They are paths for testing trains on the East West Rail Link from the December Timetable change. It will be interesting once it opens, great update.
Is this a sign that trains will start running from December? The project has been very quiet about entry into service.
If driver training is due to begin in December the start of passenger services will likely be spring
Getting exciting now. Could be open early 2025 🤞
6:39 That's meant to be MML just in below Bedford, not WCML.
I still think that the Bedford-Cambridge section should be given the go ahead with a new station at Cambourne between Sandy and Cambridge.
Let's hope it gets the go ahead
I think it will because of Cambridge South railway station that is due to be completed before the end of this year.
It was given the go ahead yesterday by the chancellor
You mention Parkway stations. I think that if they are away from city centres they are attractive to people who live in rural areas without a station . Oxford Parkway gets very busy . I hear that Worcester Parkway is also very popular .
I think there's still a place for parkway stations. But the name parkway isn't preferred anymore. Better driving 2-3 miles to a station than driving into a city centre.
@@Rail_Focus It's more the issue of parking.
Warwick has a perfectly good station complete with a paucity of parking hence Warwick Parkway.
Always good with your updates -they are so educational for us living overseas
Cheers, glad you liked it 🙂
First Chiltern Trains test run from Oxford to MKC on 21.10.24. 168323 +168328. Return run to Bicester Village. It's a shame that the old line from Cheddington to Aylesbury can't be restored. No use for London bound commuters but ideal for an MKC-Aylesbury service. Too much development to reach the old terminus but the large amount of house building to the north of the town could make an Aylesbury North station ideal for northbound destinations.
Bedford to Cambridge will go ahead if Universal Studios want it to.
It was given the go ahead yesterday in the budget
And what’s missing? WIRES. The uk is the only country with a highly developed rail network still building Diesel railways. Fucking shameful.
That's not the most shameful thing network rail have done, what about using diesels on all electrified lines
quick question for you do you have an electric car.
The US still relies on diesel only power, and nearly all new trackage is diesel only
@@darrylrichardson7940Maybe! That, however is not a reasonable comparison as I’m sure you can work out yourself.
@@sandycheeks7865 Your assertion is contradicted below by Andrew Reynolds.
I hope they restore the Woodhead route between Sheffield and Manchester. That cost would be more beneficial than electrification on other lines.
Can't see that ever happening to be honest
@@Rail_Focus Depressing that Manchester to Sheffield link cannot ever have a reasonable high speed line but the Woodhead would be the route. Talk of northern power house is empty with fast links between all northern cities.
Will the line from the current platform 6 to fenny stratford be obsolete when trains start calling at the new platform 7?
Not sure to be honest. I don't know if the Marston Vale service will continue to use platform 6 for the time being or not.
Just wondering what power is going to be used? diesel electric or bi-modal. sorry I am blind so can’t see if your video shows any wires
It seems Chiltern will be sub-leasing Class 196 DMUs from WMR to begin with. But not sure long term as the line isn't being electrified.
It is going to depend on services. If they are strictly E-W only, then bi-modal has little point as none of the route is electrified, or likely to be for some time. If, however, there were direct routes from Oxford to destinations on the West Coast mainline then they could be bi-modal. However, I rather doubt there's capacity on the West Coast mainline and the rule will be changing at Bletchley for that line. For now, I would expect the trains to be operated from Oxford to Bletchley to be diesel multiple units of some sort as there's no benefit from using anything else. Oxford to Bletchley is not exactly a long run and the existing line to Bedford is not exactly suited to bi-modal trains.
Question: Is the new rail infrastructure constructed as part of the EWR project compliant with UIC C gauge, ie. European mainland spec, or not, ie. constrained to GB standards?
I believe Bicester-Bletchley is cleared for W12, so 'UK' loading gauge.
@@Rail_Focus Sounds about right - why make something future proof when you can save a bit on the budget - classic British shortermism in action!
@@ds1868 I'm sure it (W12) is good enough in the short to medium term because after all, the "business case" must always be adhered to but you've missed the point I was trying to make (perhaps you don't even know what I'm talking about?).
If the UK really was forward thinking ALL "new" rail infrastructure would be constructed to the wider continental gauge thereby enabling potential future services using that form of rolling stock.
It is sticking rigidly to business plan driven orthodoxy that has resulted in the lack of service to Aylesbury referenced in this TH-cam video.
Why was there no junction facilitating future North/South and East/West services utilising HS2/EWR incorporated into the original plans, for example?
@@Rail_Focus Reading up on the MVL, they say many (if not all ?) portions are W8 and limited to 60mph at this time.
So this EWR eastern section (most recent) to Bedford will take a large upgrade project, and possibly adding bypass loops.
Does anybody have any idea of specific times / dates that testing will take place? We received a letter notifying that there will be testing taking place starting from the 21st of October but I’d love to be able to know more specifically.
Not specific times no. To begin with it may only be a couple of trains per day. I can't find anything on Realtime Trains.
We just had 4 go past and we live very close to the track. Very quiet!
You say Aylesbury isnt a big draw, but this is a town of some 95,000 people who have appalling rail route options basically anywhere but south (and its still an hour into Marylebone) and although not mentioned, the road access between MK (and Leighton Buzzard) and Aylesbury is pitiful, leading to many delays during peak time.
The part to Bedford will be interesting, I have heard rumour of a new Woburn Sands station (they are planning to build a whole new estate round here), but the level crossing in the town must be a barrier. I wonder also if eventually they might incorporate the new potential station at Wixams, which will serve the new Universal Studio theme park.
The theoretical plan for Woburn Sands, if money is available, is to build a new larger station between there and Bow Brickhill, on currently empty farmland, with a road bridge over the rail line. The current Woburn Sands, Bow Brickhill, and Aspley Guise stations would then be closed and service consolidated to the new site. At this point it’s a long-term plan, since money for upgrading the Marston Vale line is not available.
Wixams will be on the MML, so will not interfere with EWR. Stewartby or Kempston Hardwick would be rebuilt for that role.
with all the economies going into recession/depression, and layoffs (2020, 2024 in the USA studios) I would not expect too much in the amusement park growth. 2020-2021 had devistation in public transit and amusement parks.
It will take some time for things to go positive again, and since there are so many debts and deficits now.
When are they hoping to get started on Bedford to Cambridge section ?
At least 3-4 years off yet, still in the early planning phase. Bletchley - Bedford needs to be upgraded first
Will the Bletchley Cambridge half ever be built as that is the most difficult half and you know how long the first half took?
Bletchley - Bedford will be upgraded so trains will be able to operate from Oxford to Bedford within the next few years. But until we know what Labour has planned we won't know if Bedford - Cambridge will go ahead or if funding for further Marston Vale upgrades will be provided
Yes, Mr. Focus. The Bedford to Cambridge stretch of the EWR (if it ever happens) will certainly be problematic. Having misspent some time today on Google following the old trackbed it appears that most of it is still there but significant sections are not. The city of Cambridge has, of course, expanded massively in recent years and some of the old 'Varsity' line is now incorporated as a semi-automated bus lane where the driver can read the paper for a few minutes before taking back full control. There are other parts between Bedford and Cambridge that have some development on them but that could probably be CPOd by a government with any balls. Interestingly, Network Rail is still touting the upgraded Cambridge South station as a 'potential connection to the EWR'. Well, good luck with that. I'll watch this space with interest ...
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Road names. The north south root was known as Thame Rd in the days of the bricworks and is named as such in books about the brickworks HS2 called it Perry Hill for a while but that is only In Edgecott to the south. School hill runs east west from the cross roads to the south of the lakes, to Charndon and Werner Terrace from the crossroads East and over the Calvert bridge. Portway Rd runs east from Twyford towards Steeple Claydon and becomes West Street as it crosses the Thame/ Gawcott Road. The use of West Street in addresses for EKFB and GMSC is I believe a hangover from the time that the Farms on West Street and GMSC on Thame Rd shared the same post code. Verry confusing!
to be fair, the parking at Winslow might not just serve the villages and hamlets considering that neither Buckingham or Brackley have any rail connection
test runs last week by Chiltern and gwr services to milton Keynes central
I was just looking the other day if anyone posted an update on the rebuilding of East West Rail - the last ones were mainly posted 1 to 2 years ago
When are the overhead electric lines being installed?
Never 😬
Third rail would be a better option!
Not before Oxford is electrified, which probably means a decade or more
I don’t really understand the alignment of EWR going Eastwards.
I’m led to believe that the people of Wixhams and Stewartby were promised a station on the MML.
With that in mind, why on Earth doesn’t the EWR route peel off after the waste recycler at Millbrook and head toward the Midland on a perpendicular angle, then dive under the Midland and up the valley to St Neots? Where the MML and EWR intersect, could be the promised station for Wixhams and Stewartby, with platforms up top for the Midland and lower platforms for EWR.
It absolutely fries my brain when I think about the insane amount of demolition they’d rather do at Bedford to get EWR out the north side of town and back across to St Neots. Not only that, but it’d still be slow and congested.
Are they seriously not considering this cheaper, faster alternative?!
I think the only way to understand it fully is to the read the preferred option report eastwestrail-production.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/public/MediaObjectFiles/a72dbd2d81/Preferred-Route-Option-Announcement-Preferred-Route-Option-Report-v2.pdf
The unknown road name is called Gawcott Road
Further south its Perry hill.
Gawcott Road is the road name you are missing
Thanks
Does anyone of you know whether East-West Rail will go into operation in spring 2025 or the following winter?
Hopefully spring, driver training slots showing on Realtime Trains starting December 🤞
Aylesbury can be accessed from the north by changing at Princes Risborough.
*North of Birmingham 😉
while true, its not exactly a convenient journey is it? And if you are anywhere east of the Chiltern line then the point is moot. You are almost better off changing at Watford J to Watford tube (maybe a taxi ride) and making your way from there.
Righto. The Street With No Name is indeed just that. After 30 minutes of delving, the best I can offer is that: At the south end Buckingham Road becomes Perry Hill as it heads towards the area of interest. It then crosses School Hill just south of the reservoirs. Much further north the same road is named Hillesden Road. So, take your pick.
Thanks for looking. Even the business and farms on the lane don't have a road name, just 'Calvert'.
In Steeple Claydon we refer to it as Gawcott Road. The Addison Road bridge is closed until October now.
@@johnbull-dev EKFB West Street Compound also name Gawcott Road in their address
@@simonlloyd74sl Gawcott Road is definitely the road North past Hillesden. So maybe it’s also going down to Calvert Green and Edgcott. At the moment EKFB wants to close it to realign the north end with the new bridge, but their option of diverting traffic via Chardon isn’t being accepted by locals.
Wonder what's going on at Addison Rd, was supposed to be completed in December last year. Very strange.
Cheers
i cant wait to not be able to easily get to school when the construction work gets to the marston vale portion
Unfortunately you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs
Google maps says Werner Terrace if you go into streetview mode.
Ah yes, that does ring a bell actually. Thanks
werner terrace looks like the road running east west between the village of Calvert and the lake. There is a the EKFB "West Street" compound on there that says it is on Gawcott Rd, so lots to choose from
I think the main point of the car park at Winslow is to cater for passengers from Buckingham, not the surrounding villages.
Okay
Take a look at the September issue of Trackside magazine. Interview with Buckinghamshire Railway Centre (BRC) general manager Steven Green. BRC now have a 5 year rolling contract/lease with Network Rail to the part of the proposed Aylesbury route that bisects the BRC, witin its boundaries. It is implied in the article that the BRC would like Network Rail to abandon plans to reuse this route for commuters and binliners, so they can extend it and run their trains on it in perpituity. It is also implied by the GM that land, that the BRC own, being redeveloped adjacent to the track might prove troublesome in providing a siting area for any construction works needed. The arrogance of the BRC beggars belief.
Some people seem to think the railways are museum pieces for people's entertainment. Accommodations should of course be made for heritage, but it shouldn't stop reopening lines.
5 year rolling contract just means "we'll stop this when we need it for Aylesbury-MK services, but that we have no plans to rebuild the link for at least 5 years" rather than anything more final than that.
And given we're talking a new-build railway anyway for Aylesbury - Calvert, it would be easy to bypass the BRC site by going alongside HS2 for a bit longer. Probably would be easier than going through BRC as the site is on both sides of the former through-tracks (one of which isn't there and the trackbed won't have been maintained well, likely meaning a much more thorough rebuild than just laying down the surface stuff) - and was even when occasional binliners ran - so GBR (as NR will be by then) would have all sorts of issues threading a fast modern-spec railway through there with all the safety features that would require.
The original plan for HS2 was no stations between London and Birmongham. My view is this: At one point HS2 and EW rail cross, what's the betting they'll put a station there. The follow on from that is that they'll look at the HS2 route and think "if we put a station here it will serve the people of this town here." This will continue until the HS2 journey from London to Birmingham willl be no faster and possibly even slower than at present.
There's very little chance of a station being constructed and despite the existence of the EWR I can't see it being justified. Also fitting a 400m long station in that spot would be challenging to say the least.
With regards to the Bletchley to Bedford route, I have to believe that the scale of works required will be significantly affected by the decision on whether or not to go ahead with building the proposed Universal Studios theme park alongside Stewartby and Kempston Hardwick between the Marston Vale line and the Midland Mainline... after all, with a major theme park to serve, I doubt that two trains an hour (or two-car trains for that matter) will be sufficient for demand on the route
The frequency isn't so much about the Marston Vale line service, but E-W connectivity. But I tend to believe in build it and they will come. Recent line reopenings have surpassed the predicted demand.
@@Rail_Focus This is all true, but my point is that a theme park of similar size to Disneyland Paris would quickly make the line with onlt the most modest upgrades utterly inadequate for the increase in demand, considering the Marston Vale route would likely be the best rail route to the theme park from the West Midlands- and as such, any determination on the scope of further works beyond minimal upgrades is going to be influenced by whether the theme park goes ahead
The initial £240m funding is more of a kick starter to get the ball rolling. But I'd agree that if the park is delivered then 3 tph which is the ultimate goal may not be sufficient
@@Rail_Focus If so, there may be a strong argument to go back to the original plans for this section! This would allow much more flexibility in providing more services than the revised plan, which is much more modest.
@@MercenaryPen Seems to me it makes sense for services from Milton Keynes Central to Bedford would be useful also in light of this, as a much bigger interchange then Bletchley.
I thought that line would be electrified too.
Unfortunately not
This is the easy bit. Bedford to Cambridge is a lot harder because it is all new.
The 2022 Elizabeth line length (total miles) is similar to EWR; however EWR is without the OLE and electrification expense.
I don't know how to compare both efforts, but many purple line were probably upgrades on existing infrastructure.
EWR is making tradeoffs about infrastructure repair vs. upgrades, and EWR is assessing adding rail passing loops to allow fast/slow trains on the Marston Vale section of the EWR.
Yes, Bedford to Cambridge is all new so in the billions cost.
Winslow station ??? Complete??? I ask has this station got a D.N.A. Arrival screening room ...remember compatable winslow D.N.A.stock imperative to have a match for residency in winslow ...
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@@Rail_Focus Please refer to the most excellent film of village life in the u.k. ...called ..."The Wicker Man" ( the original film please , with Edward Woodward actor and Jenney Auguter.) All will become clearer to you ..thank you ....
East West Rail should use the original route to Cambridge and it should be OHL 25KV A C.
pathfinder railtours are going over the railway in November this year. caroline
Pathfinder railtour in November has been cancelled....redated to Feb 2025.
thanks for letting me know. Geoff.
Needs to happen sooner
Portway Road according to the sign at the end of the road
Apparently it's Gawcott Rd, according to HS2.
You think that hs2 phase 2a should be resumed
Absolutely, as a minimum
Thanks for the update
Now Aylesbury has its first Labour M P we might get lucky with the link but I doubt it because it’s not a priority.I have emailed about it but just got the same old bland comments we need it to compensate for the years of HS2 disruption and get connected to the rest of the rail network
November 16 two class 33 charter will run Oxford to bletchley at a cost of 135 POUNDS per person what a ripoff 😮,
I just wish the opening of Winslow came with expanding the bus network to the surrounding villages rather than relying so much on the big car park.
That would be better, but the roads don't look the easiest to establish bus routes on. Would have to be small minibuses to get to some of the smaller villages
Secure cycle storage would help a great deal. Cycles, and especially e-bikes make for a very good feeder system for thinly spread populations.
west str i think
Upgrade Bletchley to Bedford ?
This is a line where, when the rolling stock company went bust, rather than finding more trains, they just put on buses for over a year.
Any time there's a staff shortage, they just randomly cancel trains for the rest of the day.
They don't run any trains on a Sunday.
But still the line is deemed worthy of an upgrade ? Really ? It's dual track, but still has just one train an hour in each direction.
Too many level crossings and short platforms also needs new signalling. So yes it needs to be upgraded to increase the capacity.
@@Rail_Focus At present, capacity isn't a problem. One train per hour in each direction and I've never seen it more than about 25% full. Obviously that might go up a fraction if they run trains from Oxford to Bedford.
I suspect east-west rail is a freight project, but disguised as a passenger project to reduce objections.
Yes I was thinking more train capacity than passenger capacity on the Marston Vale line. The capacity will be needed for direct Oxford to Bedford services which will likely be operated by Chiltern Railways who have been recruiting train crews ahead of the opening of the Bicester Bletchley section
SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED SHEFFIELD TOWN STATION.
@@joechampion.296 no need to shout
maybe like Milton Keynes or Aylesbury they can add simple access turnouts or continuous operating spurs ? As EWR matures ?
The entire EWR extent (Oxford to Cambridge) is approximately 100 miles, but spurs would probably not go too far off field from the EWR.
Existing major lines run the hundred miles from Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, Northampton which intersect EWR at Milton Keynes and Bedford.
Since EWR is mostly West / East lateral and now lacking funds to go from Bedford to Cambridge (Connection Stage 3) perhaps use the existing North / South lines ?
On the other hand...
Maybe one day the GCR alignment will make a comeback, for faster north-south line, and tied back together through some EWR extension (versus the HS2 eastern phase cancelled); and instead tie into HS2 Infrastructure Maintenance Depot (vs. Birmingham interchange) and to London ? Maybe, why not ?
Has to be built the whole way
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Imagine how little this would cost if they had not destroyed the line in the first place!
@@_RabbitLeader depends what you mean by "destroyed" even if the line had been closed but rails left it would've still needed to be upgraded to meet modern standards. If it had remained open it may have been upgraded over time, but would've still left low bridges and level crossings to remove.
Great to hear the government committing to finishing EWR although my guess is it won’t be til 2035 until they reach Cambridge
Mid 2030 sounds about right. The partial upgrade of the Marston Vale line to allow 1 direct train per hour won't be completed until 2030.
I like your videos but please consider upgrading your microphone!
I have quite a good microphone set up. But unfortunately the room isn't ideal
Bicester, all the commuters in their Taylor Wimpey homes waiting with excitement.
East - West? Bicester to Bletchley? Are you kidding me? I thought you were going to talk about Hereford to Norwich or something similar.
That's the name of the project, what do you want me to do?
The first scheduled passenger service will be a rail tour charter that’s scheduled for November, I believe
2:26 365 parking spaces for an expected deluge of commuters at Winslow.
And two piddly little awful bus stop style so-say "shelters" on the platforms to cope.
How our more sensible Victorian ancestor engineers must be spinning in their graves!
Unfortunately the Treasury is obsessed with value engineering rather than providing a lasting legacy. But it is better that than not being funded at all
@@Rail_Focus just.
Thanks for your continuous welding err entertaining videos I mean.
portway road
why not use the cancelled lines they have axed and use them for steam trains brilliant idea
I've got low expectations for new stations, and building an ugly station is better than not building a station. But my god Wilnslow is the ugliest station I've ever seen!
I know the Treasury is obsessed with value engineering. But I'm sure a more attractive station could've been built for not much extra cost. Winslow just looks industrial.
Its truly hideous akin to a toilet block and probably wont last 30 years. The Victorians had style and built things to last.
HS2 should not have any link here, it is a strategic rail corridor joining cities, not villages and hamlets
There is no HS2 link. Just provision for a link from EWR to Aylesbury running alongside the HS2 tracks.
The only link to HS2 is for the infrastructure maintenance depot.
On recent maps of the maintenance depot at calvert a passenger loop for use in emergency is planned could this be extended latter as the area has been identified by the national infrastructure commission as a site for a city scale development.
@@Rail_Focus fair enough although and interchange station, might have merit and a business case if there is a large amount of travellers wanting to travel to London and the North/Scotland from Oxford and Cambridge, however I would imagine connections to the ECML and WCML already cater for that travel pattern
I don’t think Labour know what they’re doing in general. Apart from allowing people to die this winter.
@@ds1868 they’re too busy trying to please Europe. He’s a traitor.
@@ds1868 well that is a damming indictment - you’ve got about another 20 years on me. The whole situation is a shambles. His child being allowed to hang out in an £18m mansion to fail his GCSE’s for example. They literally are all the same. We could do with GF this bonfire night.
These roads are indeed "unclassified" according to OS
never reach cambridge
We shall see.
@@Rail_Focus not a hope in this century...
@@rickreid8572 Hello, given the huge cost of the section Bedford to Cambridge, I wouldn't be surprised!
I’m all right, Jack. I travelled Cambridge-Oxford and back around 62 years ago.
Dear Ms. Haigh, please electrify this railway.
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