Bedford And Bletchley For £1.30 Return
I am not talking, rubbish, but that is the ticket price, I was charged to go between Bedford and Bletchley stations today.
Note.
- I bought the two tickets from the machine at Bedford station.
- I did get £0.70 pence off for my Senior Railcard.
These are some more pictures I took along the route.
Note.
- Platform 1a at Bedford station is electrified.
- The train was a Class 150 train, that had had a quality refurbishment.
- The stations were neat and tidy.
- The flyover and the extra platforms at Bletchley station seemed ready for the East West Railway.
- There were several level crossings.
- Platform 6 at Bletchley station is electrified.
- Trains took over fifteen minutes to turn at both ends of the journey.
- Bedford and Bletchley is 16.2 miles
- The train was moderately full both ways.
This press release from London Northwestern Railway is entitled London Northwestern Railway: Full Timetable To Resume On Marston Vale Line As £1 tickets Launched.
This is an extract.
The full hourly train service will resume on Monday 19 February. To celebrate its return and encourage passengers to return to the route, LNR is also announcing a major ticket offer today. For three months from Monday, a single journey between any two stations on the Marston Vale Line will cost just £1 (50p for children). The promotion represents a discount of up to 90% on the usual fare, depending on the journey.
Jonny Wiseman, LNR customer experience director, said: “The return of the full timetable to the Marston Vale Line is fantastic news and marks the end of a frustrating period for our customers.
“Our focus now is on encouraging passengers to make full use of their local train service, which is why we have reduced the cost of a trip on the line to £1 for the next three months.
When were tickets between Bedford and Bletchley, last this price?
Will Bedford And Bletchley Be Electrified?
It is not a question of will, as the route already is.
- Platform 1a at Bedford is already electrified.
- Platform 6 at Bletchley is already electrified.
- The schedule gives battery-electric trains sufficient time to charge, whilst the driver changes ends at the two terminal stations.
- Bedford and Bletchley is just 16.2 miles.
- There is even electrified track from Platform 6 at Bletchley station to Bletchley depot, which is being extended.
All it needs is a small fleet of battery-electric trains, which have a 25 KVAC overhead capability.
These pictures show a Class 321 Renatus.
Note.
- The trains were recently refurbished by Greater Anglia.
- In Eversholt Rail And Vivarail To Develop Class 321 BEMU, I talked about how Eversholt Rail planned to get Vivarail to convert the Class 321 Renatus trains into battery-electric multiple units.
- The Class 321 train is a 100 mph four-car train.
- Four-car trains would future proof the route for many years.
- Thirty trains were converted to the Renatus specification.
These trains converted to battery-electric multiple units could certainly handle Bletchley and Bedford services.
Could Four-Car Battery Electric Multiple Units Handle The Next Phase Of East West Rail?
It is likely, when the East West Rail opens that this could be the service.
- Oxford and Milton Keynes – 2 tph – Calling at Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow and Bletchley
- Oxford and Bedford – 2 tph – Calling at Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow, Bletchley, Woburn Sands, Ridgmont and Bedford St Johns
- Bletchley and Bedford – 2 tph – Calling at Fenny Stratford, Bow Brickhill, Woburn Sands, Aspley Guise, Ridgmont, Lidlington, Millbrook, Stewartby, Kempston Hardwick and Bedford St Johns
Note.
- tph is trains per hour.
- I have assumed that the existing Bletchley and Bedford service is doubled in frequency.
- I estimate that Oxford and Milton Keynes Central is 41.6 miles.
- I estimate that Oxford and Bedford is 54.7 miles.
This would mean the following.
- Oxford and Bletchley would have a frequency of 4 tph.
- Bletchley and Bedford would have a frequency of 4 tph.
- Oxford station would have to charge and turn 4 tph.
- Bedford station would have to charge and turn 4 tph.
- Bletchley station would have to charge and turn 2 tph.
- Milton Keynes Central station would have to charge and turn 2 tph.
There would need to be some form of charging at Oxford.
But Oxford station has two North-facing bay platforms.
These platforms could be electrified or fitted with a Vivarail/GWR Fast Charger.
As it takes less than fifteen minutes to fully-charge a train, two platforms could charge eight tph.
East West Rail: Bedford Mayor Unveils Eight Alternative Routes
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The Mayor of Bedford has unveiled other potential routes for the East West Rail (EWR) project through the borough.
These four paragraphs outline the current plans and the result of the Mayor’s study.
EWR has already announced its preferred route, linking Oxford and Cambridge via a new track running through Bedford to the north.
Conservative Tom Wootton has defended spending £40,000 to commission consultants to explore alternative routes to the south.
Their report concluded that all options would boost the Bedford economy.
The mayor reflected: “While there is no definitive winner among the proposed routes, the economic potential of the project for Bedford is significant.”
This map from the article shows the current planned route.
Note.
- Bedford St. Johns station will be rebuilt.
- Trains will go straight through Bedford station.
- Tempsford station will connect the East West Railway to the East Coast Main Line.
- The East West Railway will unlock the building of much-needed housing and commercial developments at Cambourne.
- Trains will go through Cambridge South, Cambridge and Cambridge North stations, and thus serve all important areas of the UK’s Eastern Powerhouse.
As there is no definitive winner among the proposed routes and the economic potential of the project for Bedford is significant, perhaps we should just get on and build the East West Railway’s preferred route.
Bedford Depot’s Massive Solar Roof Helps Thameslink On Way To Net Zero
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on RailUK.
These four paragraphs give full details of the project.
Work has begun installing one of Bedford’s biggest solar arrays – on the roof of Govia Thameslink Railway’s (GTR’s) train depot, in Cauldwell Walk.
Almost 1,000 photovoltaic panels (932) will generate 322 MWh of electricity a year – enough to power 120 homes every year, saving more than 66 tonnes of CO2e. They form part of GTR’s commitment to become carbon ‘net zero’ for all its energy needs by 2050.
The solar roof – one of four at different depots across GTR’s vast 11 county network – is being installed by not-for-profit community climate action group Energy Garden.
When it comes online in the New Year, Energy Garden will sell half the solar electricity to GTR to power the depots and plough profits from selling what’s left over into community development projects – Energy Garden already works with more than 50 community groups.
This Google Map shows the location of Bedford Cauldwell Park TMD with respect to Bedford station.
Note.
Bedford station is at the top of the map.
Bedford Cauldwell Park TMD is marked by the red arrow.
This second map shows the depot to an enlarged scale.
Note.
- The map appears to show several roofs, that could be candidates for solar panels.
- At least one shed sells cars. Do they sell electric ones?
As the rail depot appears to be the largest building of its type in the centre of Bedford, in the future will it be serving as a advert for Energy Garden?
This project sounds like a good idea.
And I like the way it’s financed.
East West Rail: Could A New Rail Link ‘Tear Apart’ A Village?
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
A new £5bn railway line connecting Cambridge and Oxford will transform much of the area between the two university cities. It could see one Bedfordshire village grow from a population of about 600 to more than 44,000. What would that change mean for people living there and how do they feel about it?
This Google Map shows the village.
Note.
- On the West side of the map there is the Great North Road and the Great Ouse.
- On the East side of the Map, there is the electrified East Coast Main Line.
- The village is strung along the East-West lane in the middle of the map, which is inevitably named Station Road.
It appears to have a surgery, a playing field and a Methodist church, but not much else.
I have some thoughts.
Bedford And Tempsford
This Google Map shows Bedford and Tempsford.
Note.
- Bedford is in the South-West corner of the map.
- Tempsford is in the North-East corner of the map.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the East West Railway take an East West route to Tempsford, that skirted to the North of Bedford.
In East-West Rail: Through Bedford, I discuss how the East West Railway could branch away to the East from the Midland Main Line.
Tempsford And Cambourne
The next station to the East is Cambourne station.
This Google Map shows Tempsford and Cambourne.
Note.
- Tempsford is in the South-West corner of the map.
- Cambourne is in the North-East corner of the map.
- St. Neots station can be picked out on the Northern edge of the map.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the East West Railway take a North-Easterly route from Tempsford.
The Possible Station Site At Tempsford
This Google Map shows where Station Road crosses the East Coast Main Line.
Note.
- There are a few industrial businesses on what was probably the old station site.
- There doesn’t appear to be any housing.
I flew my virtual helicopter lower and took this image.
Note.
- It is a level crossing.
- There is a car waiting to cross on the Eastern side.
- There is also a bus stop on the Western side.
This must be an accident waiting to happen as the speed limit on the trains through here is 125 mph. Remember Upton Nervet, where seven were killed and sixty-six were injured!
Hopefully, the new design of Tempsford station will incorporate a combined rail and road bridge or tunnel.
The Route Of The Railway At Tempsford
I think it is more likely that the railway would go roughly East-West to the North of Station Road.
East-West Rail: Electrification
The first paragraph of the Wikipedia entry for the East West Railway, says this about electrification.
As of March 2020, electrification of the line is not planned, but the 2019 decision (to rule it out) is under review.
But I don’t think it’s a simple decision of electrify or not!
These observations are guiding my thoughts.
Milton Keynes Central Station
This OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms and whether they are electrified in Milton Keynes Central station.
Note.
- Lines shown in red are electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires.
- The short platform is Platform 2A, which can take a five-car train and was built recently to terminate the Marston Vale Line service.
- Could Platform 2A be ideal for handling and charging, battery-electric trains, that terminate in Milton Keynes station?
The Wikipedia entry for Milton KeynesCentral station, has a section called Platforms and Layout, which gives full details.
Bletchley Station
This OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms and whether they are electrified in Bletchley station.
Note.
- Lines shown in red are electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires.
- The wide swath of red going North is the West Coast Main Line.
- The smaller patch of red to the East of the West Coast Main Line are electrified sidings.
- All low-level platforms at Bletchley station are electrified.
- The viaduct platforms, are shown in black as they are not electrified.
- A non-electrified line leads North-West from the viaduct towards Milton Keynes Central.
- The Milton Keynes end of the line between Milton Keynes Central station and the viaduct is electrified.
- A non-electrified line leads North-East from the viaduct towards Fenny Stratford and Bedford.
The Google Map shows a 3D visualisation of Bletchley station.
I can’t see much sign of any electrification.
Bedford Station
This OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms and the electrification around Bedford station.
Note.
- All platforms at Bedford station are electrified.
- The lines to the West of the station are the electrified Midland Main Line.
- The Marston Vale Line services terminate in the short Platform 1A, which is the South-East corner of the station.
- The track into Platform 1A is electrified for about two hundred metres, through the sidings South of the station.
This picture shows the electrified track as it crosses over the river.
Could Platform 1A be ideal for handling and charging, battery-electric trains, that terminate in Bedford station?
It’s odd that there is the same platform layout at both ends of the Marston Vale Line.
Is it just a coincidence or does Engineer Baldrick have a cunning Plan?
Oxford Station
This OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms and the electrification around Oxford station.
Note.
- The dotted red and black tracks, indicate electrification is planned.
- The planned electrification will connect Oxford station to Didcot Junction station.
- The two bay platforms at the North of the station are not electrified and Platform 2 is now used by Chiltern’s London services.
- Platform 1 could be used by trains on the East West Railway that terminate at Oxford.
When Oxford station is electrified, it wouldn’t be the largest project to add 25 KVAC overhead electrification to the two bay platforms.
Aylesbury Station
This OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms and the lack of electrification around Aylesbury station.
Note.
- No tracks are electrified.
- Platforms are numbered 3, 2, 1 from the top, so 2 and 3 are paired in the middle.
- All freight trains go through Platform 2 and most seem to go via Princes Risborough and High Wycombe.
- Chiltern services use Platforms 1 and 3.
Putting a charging system in Aylesbury station could be tricky.
I wonder if the simplest system for East West Railway would be to electrify between Aylesbury and Aylesbury Vale Parkway stations.
Chiltern Railway’s time between the two stations is as much as seven minutes.
Some trains to Aylesbury take over twenty minutes to do the short journey to Aylesbury Vale Parkway and return, which is more than enough to fully-charge a battery-electric train.
You can even have Chiltern’s hourly Aylesbury Parkway service, sharing the same stretch of electrification with East West Railway’s Aylesbury service, as there is a loop, which creates double-track for some of the way.
It should be noted that between Marylebone and Aylesbury Vale Parkway stations is only 41.1 miles, so some battery-electric trains could do that with a full charge at one end.
East West Railway Distances
In Trains Needed For The East West Railway, I calculated some of these distances.
- Oxford and Bedford – 46.8 miles
- Oxford and Milton Keynes – 33.4 miles
- Aylesbury and Milton Keynes – 25.9 miles
With charging at both ends, all of these routes are possible using modern battery-electric trains, where even a Class 777 IPEMU, designed for extending Merseyrail’s suburban network has done 84 miles on one charge.
On To Cambridge
In this document on the East-West Rail Consortium web site, these services are suggested, for when the East West Railway is complete.
- An hourly train via Norwich terminating at Great Yarmouth.
- An hourly train via Ipswich terminating at Manningtree.
These are distances on these routes that are not electrified, that are to the East of Cambridge.
- Ely and Norwich – 53.7 miles
- Norwich and Great Yarmouth – 18.3 miles
- Cambridge and Haughley Junction – 40.3 miles
Note.
- The Manningtree service would be able to charge its batteries after passing Haughley junction going East and it would be nearly an hour before it needed to use the battery for traction.
- If the Yarmouth service could handle the full route on batteries, then it could return to Cambridge with an efficient charger at Great Yarmouth, which for 25 KVAC overhead electrification trains is an off the shelf item.
- But it does look to me that the trains must leave Cambridge with full batteries, so they can reach electrification at Bedford, Haughley or Norwich.
This map shows the route of the East West Railway between Bedford and Cambridge.
Note.
- Bedford is on the electrified Midland Main Line to London.
- Tempsford is on the electrified East Coast Main Line to London.
- Cambridge has two electrified main lines to London.
- These connections should ensure a good power supply to the East of Bedford for electrification.
I suspect the easiest option will be to add some more electrification at one or more of these places.
- At the Eastern end of the Bedford and Cambridge section.
- To the West of Haughley junction, when it is rebuilt.
- To the North of Ely, when the railways in that area are improved.
Although, as it will be a new route, it might be best to build Bedford and Cambridge as an electrified railway.
East-West Rail: Along The Marston Vale Line
For the initial phase of the East West Railway, it doesn’t appear that the Marston Vale Line will be improved.
As I write this, I have not heard of any improvements between Bedford and Bletchley.
Perhaps, with all the arguments about the section of the East West Railway between Bedford and Cambridge, the Government, Network Rail and the East West Railway feel that the best approach, is to do what they can with the existing track layout and the rebuilt viaduct at Bletchley.
These are my thoughts.
The Capacity Of The Marston Vale Line
In the Wikipedia entry for the Marston Vale Line, this is said about the infrastructure of the line.
Apart from a short length of single track at both ends, the line is double track, and is not electrified. It has a loading gauge of W8 and a line speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). The line’s signalling centre is at Ridgmont.
The line has a length of only 16.5 miles.
I believe with modern signalling and well-trained drivers, that the line could accommodate at least two trains per hour (tph) in both directions.
At its simplest every half hour, a train would leave both end stations and the two trains would pass each other on the long double-track section in the middle.
Proposed Train Services
Train services on the East West Railway will be as follows, when it opens between Oxford and Milton Keynes and Bedford, are proposed to be as follows.
- 2 tph – East West Railway – Oxford and Milton Keynes Central via Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow and Bletchley
- 1 tph – East West Railway – Oxford and Bedford via Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow, Bletchley, Woburn Sands and Ridgmont
- 1 tph – West Midlands Trains – Bletchley and Bedford via Fenny Stratford, Bow Brickhill, Woburn Sands, Aspley Guise, Ridgmont, Lidlington, Millbrook, Stewartby, Kempston Hardwick and Bedford St Johns
If the East West Railway uses the Marston Vale Line between Bletchley and Bedford, then there will be two tph along the Marston Vale Line.
I believe that if the Marston Vale Line is not improved until later, then the proposed initial train service pattern can be achieved.
The New Bletchley Viaduct
The tracks appear to have been laid on the Bletchley Viaduct.
This Google Map shows the tracks on the viaduct.
Note.
- The double-track viaduct runs North-South in the middle of the map.
- The two platforms appear to be substantially complete.
- The two lift and stair towers are at the Southern end of the platforms.
This second Google Map shows the section of the viaduct by the roundabout.
Note.
- The viaduct splits with two tracks going North-West to Milton Keynes Central and two tracks going North-East to Bedford.
- There is a complicated junction, which appears to allow a lot of flexibility for train operations.
I have followed the Milton Keynes tracks and there are cross-overs, so that trains can go between Platform 2A at Milton Keynes Central station and either of the viaduct platforms at Bletchley station, which they will need to do to run services between Oxford and Aylesbury, and Milton Keynes Central.
This Google Map shows the tracks between the viaduct and Fenny Stratford, which is the first station towards Bedford.
Note.
- The Princes Way roundabout in the West of the map.
- The Milton Keynes and Bedford tracks divide close to the roundabout.
- Fenny Stratford station in the East of the map.
- The tracks gradually combine from West to East, so there is only one track for the single platform at Fenny Stratford station.
This Google Map shows the Western section of the tracks between the viaduct and Fenny Stratford.
Note, how the two tracks on the viaduct join into one for going towards Fenny Stratford in the North-East corner of the map..
I’m certain, that this track layout, allows a train to go between the single platform at Fenny Stratford station and either of the viaduct platforms at Bletchley station.
A Milton Keynes Central And Bedford Service
In the Wikipedia entry for the Marston Vale Line, there is a section, which is entitled Extension to Milton Keynes Central, where this is said.
In June 2005, the then franchisee, Silverlink Trains announced an intention to extend the Marston Vale service via the West Coast Main Line to Milton Keynes Central, where a new platform and track would be built alongside the up slow track. Work began on 4 December 2006 at the station to prepare for a service connection. The platform was ready for use in January 2009 but the service did not materialise and there are no longer any published plans for it to do so. A firm service pattern on East West Rail remains to be announced but the illustrative pattern has no Bedford–Milton Keynes Central service; passengers will continue to have to change at Bletchley. There is no east-to-north chord between this line and the WCML: As of December 2020, the route the chord might take is occupied by trade outlets and a warehouse.
But.
Supposing a Milton Keynes to Bedford train did this.
- It ran from Platform 2A at Milton Keynes Central to the Northbound platform on the Bletchley viaduct.
- It would then reverse and run to Bedford along the Marston Vale Line.
- It would terminate in Platform 1A at Bedford station.
And supposing a Bedford to Milton Keynes train did this.
- It ran from Platform 1A at Bedford to the Northbound platform on the Bletchley viaduct.
- It would then reverse and run to Milton Keynes Central along the tracks alongside the West Coast Main Line.
- It would terminate in Platform 2A at Milton Keynes Central station.
Note.
- There would be some bi-directional running.
- Trains would only reverse on the Northbound platform on the Bletchley viaduct.
- Platform 2A at Milton Keynes Central would handle 4 tph.
- Platform 1A at Bedford station would handle 2 tph.
As the only reversing happens on the Northbound platform on the Bletchley viaduct, would it be sensible for a new driver to step-up, so that the reverse was fast?
I believe that with some innovative running, that a Milton Keynes and Bedford service is possible, because of the comprehensive track layout that has been installed.
East-West Rail: Through Bedford
This Google Map shows the route of East West Rail through Bedford.
Note.
- Bedford St. Johns station in the South-East corner of the map.
- Bedford station is in the North-West corner of the map.
- Tracks run between the two stations to allow Marston Vale Line trains to terminate in Platform 1A at Bedford station.
- There are a lot of sidings for Thameslink trains South of Bedford station.
- The Great Ouse divides the town into two.
I’ll now explore further.
Bedford St. Johns Station
This Google Map shows Bedford St. Johns station.
Note.
- Bedford St. Johns station towards the North-East corner of the map.
- The single-track Marston Vale Line passing through the station.
- The track becomes double track to the North of the station.
- Although not shown on the map, the Marston Vale Line becomes double track to the South of the station.
- If it was all double-track, this would surely make operation of the Marston Vale Line easier for two trains per hour (tph).
- In the South-West of the map is Bedford hospital.
The Wikipedia entry for Bedford St. Johns station, says this about the future of the station.
In March 2021, plans were unveiled which, if taken forward, would see Bedford St Johns railway station relocated as the track through the station will be realigned. In May 2023, EWRL announced that it proposes to relocate the station further north (to Kempston Road) to better serve Bedford Hospital.
That sounds sensible, as it would allow either a full two-platform step-free station or a smaller single-sided one-platform station to be built.
Over The Great Ouse
This Google Map shows the railway crossing the Great Ouse.
Note.
- The Marston Vale Line runs to the South -West of the long-stay car park in the South-East corner of the map.
- The Western bridge takes the line over the Great Ouse.
- It then runs between the sidings to Bedford station.
This picture, which was taken from the Spiral Footbridge on the North bank of the Ouse, shows the double-track rail bridge.
There are two tracks all the way from where the single-track divides to the North of Bedford St. Johns station.
The Southern Approaches To Bedford Station
This Google Map shows the Southern approaches to Bedford station.
I have looked at the track layout and I’m fairly sure of the following.
- Current Marston Vale trains can go directly into Platform 1A without crossing any other tracks.
- Marston Vale trains can use Platform 1 if required.
- Thameslink trains can terminate in Platforms 1, 2 or 3.
- Southbound Corby trains can call in Platforms 1, 2 or 3.
- If they stop in Platforms 1 or 2, they appear to cross over South of Bedford station to the Midland Main Line.
If 2 tph were running on the Marston Vale Line; one fast and one stopping, a single platform should be able to handle the trains, if it was long enough.
Bedford Station
These pictures show Bedford station.
Note.
- The first two pictures were taken from the footbridge.
- The fast line between Platforms 3 and 4, is clearly visible in the second picture.
- Platform 1A is electrified.
This Google Map shows Platform 1A, where Marston Valley Line trains currently terminate.
Note.
- Platforms from the right are 1A and 1, 2 and 3 on the islands, with 4 to the left.
- Judging it against the three cars of the train in Platform 2, I reckon that Platform 1A could be updated to hold a six-car train.
Would a six-car train be long enough?
Initial East West Rail Services To Bedford
According to the Wikipedia entry for the East West Railway, these services will run on the railway between Oxford and Bedford.
- East West Railway – Oxford and Milton Keynes Central via Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow and Bletchley – 2 tph
- East West Railway – Oxford and Bedford via Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow, Bletchley, Woburn Sands and Ridgmont – 1 tph
- East West Railway – Aylesbury and Milton Keynes Central via Aylesbury Vale Parkway, Winslow and Bletchley – 1 tph
- West Midlands Trains – Bletchley and Bedford via Fenny Stratford, Bow Brickhill, Woburn Sands, Aspley Guise, Ridgmont, Lidlington, Millbrook, Stewartby, Kempston Hardwick and Bedford St Johns – 1 tph
Note.
- tph is trains per hour.
- There a fast train and a stopping train between Bletchley and Bedford.
- It appears that both these trains could terminate in Platform 1A at Bedford station.
I believe this will be possible with the current track layout, as the Marston Vale Line is almost all double-track.
East West Rail Services To Cambridge And Beyond
In this document on the East-West Rail Consortium web site, these services are suggested, for when the East West Rail is complete.
- An hourly train via Norwich terminating at Great Yarmouth.
- An hourly train via Ipswich terminating at Manningtree.
Would this mean three of four passenger tph on the Marston Vale Line?
If Cambridge and Oxford services, were running under digital signalling, I suspect trains could cross between the Thameslink and Marston Vale Lines, so that they could call in the through platforms at Bedford station.
How Would Trains Connect To The East At Bedford Station?
This Google Map shows the Midland Main Line through Bedform.
Note.
- Bedford station in the South-East corner of the map.
- The Midland Main Line runs diagonally from Bedford station across the map.
- The A6 seems to take a curious route in the North-West corner of the map, where it connects to a roundabout with an Aldi and a Sainsbury’s
This Google Map shows the countryside to the North-East of the roundabout.
Judging by the colours of the fields to the North-East of the roundabout, I suspect, that a high proportion of the land is in one ownership.
This map clipped from the East West Rail route map, shows the route between Bedford and the East Coast Main Line between St. Neots and Sandy stations.
This Google Map shows the area of the junction, that would connect the East West Rail tracks to the slow lines through Bedford station.
Note.
- The four-track Midland Main Line runs diagonally across the map.
- The beige-coloured diamond-shaped area by the railway is an electrical substation.
- There doesn’t appear to be many properties that would need to be demolished.
- There would need to be a viaduct over the A6.
- Once over the A6, the land seems to be in one ownership, which should ease building the railway across.
I feel it would be feasible, possibly with the use of a dive-under or flyover to connect the East West Rail tracks to the slow lines through Bedford station.
East-West Rail: Oxford And Bedford
This map from East West Rail shows the route between Oxford and Bedford.
Note.
- The proposed route is shown in blue.
- The possible Southern extension to Aylesbury is shown dotted.
- The route between Bicester and Bletchley is rebuilt track along a former alignment.
- The route between Bletchley and Bedford will surely be rebuilt track along the Marston Vale Line.
- The Bicester and Bedford sections of track will be joined by the Bletchley Flyover, which is well on the way to completion.
This Google Map shows Bletchley station.
Note.
- Bletchley Station has six platforms.
- The double-track Bletchley Flyover runs North-South at the Eastern side of the station.
- There are the beginnings of two platforms on the flyover, which will increase the number of platforms at Bletchley station to eight.
- There is a junction at the Northern end of the flyover, where one pair of tracks go North to Milton Keynes Central and the other takes the Marston Vale Line to Bedford.
The track-layout at Bletchley station allows trains between Oxford and Bedford and Oxford and Milton Keynes Central to call at Bletchley station.
Proposed Passenger Trains Between Oxford and Bedford
According to the Wikipedia entry for the East West Railway, these service will run on the railway between Oxford and Bedford.
- East West Railway – Oxford and Milton Keynes Central via Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow and Bletchley – 2 tph
- East West Railway – Oxford and Bedford via Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow, Bletchley, Woburn Sands and Ridgmont – 1 tph
- East West Railway – Aylesbury and Milton Keynes Central via Aylesbury Vale Parkway, Winslow and Bletchley – 1 tph
- West Midlands Trains – Bletchley and Bedford via Fenny Stratford, Bow Brickhill, Woburn Sands, Aspley Guise, Ridgmont, Lidlington, Millbrook, Stewartby, Kempston Hardwick and Bedford St Johns – 1 tph
Note.
- tph is trains per hour.
- All larger stations get at least a half-hourly service.
- There are three tph between Oxford and Bletchley via Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village and Winslow.
- There a fast train and a stopping train between Bletchley and Bedford.
- It is still undecided, whether provision will be made for the Aylesbury service.
I think that this service pattern is achievable, with or without the Aylesbury service.
East-West Rail: Route For £5bn Bedford To Cambridge Link Announced
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The preferred route of part of £5bn railway line connecting Oxford and Cambridge has been announced.
The first two paragraphs summarise the route.
The East-West Rail (EWR) project confirmed details of the section between Bedford and Cambridge.
It will include new stations at Tempsford and Cambourne, and enter Cambridge via the south of the city.
This map from East West Rail shows the route.
Note.
- The proposed route is shown in blue.
- The possible Southern extension to Aylesbury is shown dotted.
- The Wikipedia entry for East West Rail has conflicting information, as to when trains can run between Bicester and Bedford.
These related posts describe and discuss various parts and issues of the route.
East-West Rail: Along The Marston Vale Line
East-West Rail: Aylesbury Spur
East-West Rail: Electrification
East-West Rail: Oxford And Bedford
East-West Rail: Through Bedford
East-West Rail: Bedford’s Mayoral Candidates Split On Rail Project
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the first sentence.
Part of the route of the controversial East-West Rail project will not be decided before we know the winner of Bedford’s mayoral elections.
Unfortunately, the four candidates for Mayor all seem to have different ideas for East-West Railway through the town.
I have a few thoughts and observations.
Thameslink
Thameslink has the following connections to the East West Railway.
- Four tph at Bedford.
- Three tph at Cambridge.
Note.
- tph is trains per hour.
- All Bedford trains terminate at Bedford.
- The half-hourly Luton Airport Express between London St. Pancras and Corby stops at Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough and Kettering.
- Cambridge trains may extend to Cambridge North station.
- Cambridge has additional through services between London King’s Cross and Ely and/or King’s Lynn.
Both Bedford and Cambridge will be busy stations.
Extra Tracks At Bedford
Bedford station has four tracks; two which are generally used by Thameslink services and two main lines used by through trains.
- The fast lines must accommodate the following trains.
- East Midlands Railway – 6 tph in both directions. Two tph stop in Bedford station.
- Freight Trains – 2 tph in both directions.
- East West Railway – 2 tph in both directions. All trains will stop in Bedford station.
It strikes me, that the station may need at least one and possibly two extra tracks.
If there are extra tracks, there will need to be some demolition of houses.
Freight Trains
In Roaming Around East Anglia – Newmarket Station, I wrote this about the plans of the East West Rail Consortium in the area.
In this document on the East-West Rail Consortium web site, this is said.
Note that doubling of Warren Hill Tunnel at Newmarket and
redoubling between Coldham Lane Junction and Chippenham Junction is included
in the infrastructure requirements. It is assumed that most freight would operate
via Newmarket, with a new north chord at Coldham Lane Junction, rather than
pursuing further doubling of the route via Soham.
So would it be possible to create a double-track railway through Newmarket station?
In the related post, I came to this conclusion.
Newmarket can benefit from East West Rail, but the two parties must agree objectives that don’t cause problems for the other.
But I do think, that Newmarket will not welcome the building of a double-track railway through the town.
I do wonder, if the East West Rail Consortium plan to run freight trains between Felixstowe and South Wales and the West of England through Bedford and Oxford.
Four freight tph, through Bedford would certainly need extra tracks and the demolition of houses in the centre of Bedford.
Electrification
Two of the candidates for Bedford’s mayor, think that the line needs to be electrified.
As the route is full or partially-electrified at Didcot, Bletchley, Bedford and Cambridge, I believe that battery-electric trains could handle the route.
But then there are no plans to purchase any passenger trains of this type.
Freight trains would still need to be diesel hauled, unless more progress is made fairly quickly in the development of hydrogen-powered freight locomotives.
The Cambridge Effect
Cambridge is one of the most important cities in the world, because of its strength in innovation in high technology industries.
But Cambridge is bursting at the seams and needs more space for laboratories, advanced manufacturing and housing.
A fully-developed double-track and electrified East West Railway would open up Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Newmarket, Bury St. Edmunds and Ipswich to act as satellites to help Cambridge build a shared and successful future.
The Felixstowe Effect
If Cambridge will stimulate the growth of passenger traffic, then Felixstowe will promote the growth of East-West freight traffic.
Conclusion
It may not be initially built that way, but probably by 2040, the East West Railway will be a fully-electrified double-track railway between Didcot and Felixstowe.
Extra tracks will also be needed through Bedford. This will mean demolition of houses.
The Anonymous Widower 