The Anonymous Widower

East West Rail Moves On Phase 2

East West Rail is the project to create an electrified 100 mph railway from Oxford to Ipswich and Norwich via Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge.

This map from the East West Rail web site, indicates the route.

East West Rail

Phase 1 is now almost complete with the linking of Bicester to Oxford.

Services are running between Oxford Parkway and London Marylebone via Bicester Village. Hopefully, Oxford will be reached in Spring 2016.

A statement by East West Rail entitled Alliance contracts awarded for East West Rail Phase 2, has been relkeased about the award of contracts for Phase 2 of the line to connect Bicester, Milton Keynes and Bedford. This is said.

An alliance of four equal parts between Network Rail, Atkins, Laing O’Rourke and VolkerRail will build East West Rail Phase 2 (EWR2) – linking Oxford, Milton Keynes and Bedford, and Milton Keynes with London Marylebone via Aylesbury.

The contracts will enable the following services.

• Oxford – Milton Keynes (calling at Oxford Parkway, Bicester, Winslow and Bletchley)
• Oxford – Bedford (calling at Oxford Parkway, Bicester, Winslow, Bletchley, Woburn Sands and Ridgmont)
• Milton Keynes – Aylesbury – London Marylebone (an extension of the existing service between Marylebone and Aylesbury Vale Parkway, with stops anticipated at Bletchley, Winslow, Princes Risborough and High Wycombe)
• Increased capacity for freight services

The following work will be done.

• A new station at Winslow
• Two new platforms at Bletchley – Click for some details
• Construction of 18 new overbridges.
• Construction of 22 new footbridges/subways
• Changes to 97 railway crossings

It is not a small project.

I find it interesting that the work is an alliance of four companies.

This method of working has been used successfully at Stafford, in the Stafford Area Improvements Program to relieve the bottle-neck at Norton Bridge Junction on the West Coast Main Line.

Hopefully, it will avoid another Great Western Railway style of fiasco.

December 4, 2015 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | East-West Rail, Trains