The Anonymous Widower

East West Rail Unveils Next Phase For Oxford-Cambridge Growth

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from the UK Government.

These three bullet points act as sub-headings.

  • more frequent trains on the horizon for millions of passengers between Oxford and Cambridge as multibillion pound East West Rail project confirms next steps 
  • new rail station set to help serve upcoming Universal theme park in Bedford, as well as improvements planned for several existing stations  
  • new route delivers on the government’s Plan for Change, unlocking £6.7 billion of regional economic growth and delivering up to 100,000 new homes

These two introductory paragraphs make a few general points about the overall project, housing and jobs.

Millions of people across the Oxford to Cambridge corridor are set to benefit from more frequent trains as the East West Railway Company (EWR Co) has revealed the next steps for the second phase of the project today (19 November 2025).

As one of Britain’s largest transport projects, East West Rail forms a cornerstone of the government’s Plan for Change, unlocking £6.7 billion of regional economic growth by 2050, enabling up to 100,000 new homes and supporting tens of thousands of new jobs along the route.

These sections make some more  detailed points.

How Many Permanent Staff Will Be Employed At Universal Studios Bedford?

As many will want to live locally, this will surely encourage many to use the trains on the East-West Rail to travel to work, so this will be an important factor.

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

Universal Studios plans to employ 8,000 permanent staff at its new resort in Bedford. This number is part of an overall total of approximately 28,000 jobs, which includes 20,000 jobs during the construction phase.

My project management knowledge is telling me that the station should be built before the theme park.

How Many Daily Visitors Are Expected At Universal Studios Bedford?

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

The Universal Studios theme park in Bedford is expected to have 55,000 visitors on peak days from its launch, based on its plan to handle 8.5 million annual visitors. The project, planned to open in 2031, is expected to attract 8.5 million annual visitors in its first year, with numbers rising to 12 million within 20 years.

I would expect a large number of visitors and staff will probably be encouraged to come by train, just as they are at some Premier League football stadiums.

Will Universal Studios Bedford Be Marketed As A Low Carbon Theme Park?

I’m asking this question, as it seems, the railway is being upgraded make this easier.

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

Yes, it appears Universal Studios Bedford will be marketed as having a low-carbon focus, as evidenced by its planning applications that highlight sustainability efforts. The project outlines include goals for water conservation, energy reduction and clean energy use, waste minimization, and the use of low-carbon materials, all of which will likely be part of the marketing narrative for the theme park, according to LinkedIn.

How Many Car Parking Spaces Will Be Provided At Universal Studios Bedford?

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

The Universal Studios resort planned for Bedford will include a minimum of 7,106 parking spaces and 100 coach bays. The resort is also expected to have 250 cycle spaces and enough room for over 7,100 cars

That is a lot of car parking spaces. Hopefully, there will be a lot of car charging points.

 

Increased Train Frequency And Capacity

These two paragraphs from the press release, talk about increased train frequency and capacity.

Following extensive consultation with local communities, the multi-billion-pound project has confirmed it is exploring a series of transformative plans including increasing the proposed frequency of trains from 3 or 4 to up to 5 per hour.

These enhancements could provide up to 70% more seating across the route, easing overcrowding and speeding up boarding, as well as cutting average waiting times, improving service resilience and creating a smoother, more reliable passenger experience.

When you consider that London Overground, Merseytravel, the South Wales Metro, West Midlands Trains and other local lines in the UK consider than four trains per hour to be a minimum service, then five trains per hour is to be welcomed.

Station Improvements And New Stations

These two paragraphs from the press release, talk about station improvements and new stations..

Several other improvements across the route have also been confirmed, including new station entrances at Bletchley, Cambridge and Bedford, as well as four brand-new stations along the Marston Vale Line – the first significant investment since the 1960s.

With the current stations on the Marston Vale Line seeing some of the lowest usage in the country, the new stations will better serve local communities by providing faster, more frequent services, as well as helping to serve the upcoming Universal theme park.

I thought Bletchley, Cambridge and Bedford stations had already been substantially improved in recent years.

A New Station At Stewartby

Are the station improvements to upgrade public transport access to the Universal theme park at Stewartby station?

  • An East-West Rail service between Oxford and Stansted Airport via Bletchley, Milton Keynes Central, Stewartby, Bedford and Cambridge would give the Universal theme park all-important airport access.
  • Would an upgraded Bletchley station improve interchange between the West Coast Main Line and East-West Rail give better access to the theme park from London, the West Midlands and North-West for visitors?
  • Would an upgraded Bedford station improve interchange between the Midland Main Line and East-West Rail give better access to the theme park from London, the East Midlands and North-East for visitors?
  • An upgraded Bedford station could also be marketed as a zero-carbon route between the theme park and the Continent via St. Pancras International and Eurostar.
  • Would an upgraded Cambridge station give better access to the theme park from the East of England?

In addition four new stations on the Marston Vale Line would improve access for visitors and staff, who live locally.

Will Battery-Electric Trains Be Used On The East-West Rail?

As five major East-West Rail stations; Bedford, Bletchley, Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Reading are substantially served by main line electric trains, and it is likely that more stations will be in future, I believe that East-West Rail must either be electrified or services should be run by battery-electric trains, which would enable zero-carbon rail routes to and from London and all the city’s airports, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and an increasing number of cities  in the North and Midlands of England, and Scotland and Wales.

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

Yes, the East West Rail (EWR) project plans to use battery-electric trains as part of a discontinuous electrification strategy. This means trains will run on overhead electric power in sections where they are installed, and on onboard batteries in other sections of the route.

It does appear that discontinuous electrification and battery-electric trains will be used.

Electrification At Bedford Station

This OpenRailwayMap shows The East side of Bedford station.

Note.

  1. The red tracks are electrified and black tracks are not.
  2. The black track looping into the station from the East is the Marston Vale Line, which will connect the East-West Rail to Bedford station.
  3. At the Easternmost part of the curve is Bedford St. Johns station, which serves Bedford hospital.
  4. The Marston Vale Line services normally connect to Platform 1A at Bedford station.
  5. But it also appears trains can also use Platforms 1 and 2 at Bedford station.
  6. It also appears that that Platforms 1A, 1 and 2 are all electrified.

This picture confirms electrification in Platforms 1A and 1.

Note.

  1. Platform 1A is on the left.
  2. Platform 1 is on the right.
  3. The Thameslink train on the right is in Platform 2.
  4. Platforms 1A, 1 and 2 are all clearly electrified.
  5. Platform 1A is 81 metres long, so could accept a typical four-coach train.

Battery-electric trains with pantographs could certainly by charged in either of these two platforms at Bedford station.

Electrification At Milton Keynes Central Station

It would appear that East-West Rail services will use Platform 2A at Milton Keynes Central station.

This OpenRailwayMap shows Platform 2A at Milton Keynes Central station.

Note.

  1. The red tracks are electrified and black tracks are not.
  2. Platform 1 is the through platform on the North-East side of the station.
  3. Platform 2A is the bay platform tucked underneath Platform 1.
  4. Platform 2A is clearly electrified.
  5. Platform 2A is 124 metres long, so could accept a typical five or six-coach train.

These pictures show Platforms 1 and 2A at Milton Keynes Central station.

Battery-electric trains with pantographs could certainly by charged in Platform 2A at Milton Keynes Central station.

Electrification At Oxford Station

It would appear that terminating East-West Rail services will use Platform 1 or 2 at Oxford station.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the platforms at Oxford station.

Note.

  1. The red and black tracks are to be electrified and black tracks are not.
  2. Platforms 1 and 2 are shown in black and are likely to be used by terminating East-West Rail trains.
  3. Platforms 1 and 2 would need to be electrified to be able to charge trains.
  4. Platforms 1 and 2 would also be used by Chiltern’s London services.
  5. Platform 1 and 2 are respectively 157 and 160 metres long, so could accept a typical five or six-coach train.
  6. As Oxford and Reading is to be electrified, through East-West Rail trains could use that electrification to travel to and from Reading.

These pictures show Platforms 1 and 2 at Oxford station.

Battery-electric trains with pantographs could certainly by charged in Platform 1 and 2 at Oxford station, if the platforms were electrified.

Electrification At Reading Station

The West-facing platforms at Reading station are all electrified and longer than 120 metres, so could accept a typical four or five-coach train.

What Trains Should Be Used?

Consider.

  • There is only one battery-electric train, that has been tested on the UK rail network – The Hitachi Class 802 train or similar.
  • There is only one battery-electric train, that has been ordered – The Hitachi Class 802 train or similar.
  • The longest distance on battery, between Reading and Bedford, is probably about thirty miles.

The Government could do a lot worse than order some more Class 802 trains, that were tailored for East-West Rail.

The Hitachi Class 802 train has five-cars, which are 26 metres long.

  • It has a 125 mph operating speed.
  • It has a range of 45 miles on battery power.
  • The trains have been proven in service.
  • The trains are made in the UK.
  • The trains could handle extended routes like Birmingham and Stansted Airport or Cardiff and Cambridge.

A four-car variant of the train with a 100 mph operating speed could be an alternative.

What Will Be The Initial East-West Rail Service?

I asked Google AI, the question in the title of this section and received this answer.

The initial East West Rail service will be between Oxford and Milton Keynes/Bletchley, with passenger services delayed until at least 2026 due to a dispute over train crew roles. Freight services began in June 2025, and temporary diesel services will run until the line is electrified. The full project aims to connect Oxford and Cambridge.

Note.

  1. Stewartby station for Universal Studios Bedford will not be served by East-West Rail initially.
  2. But I suspect, that the current Marston Vale Line service will continue, with a change if needed at Bletchley or Bedford to get to Stewartby.
  3. Earlier I showed that Google AI is predicting 20,000 construction jobs at Universal Studios Bedford, which I am sure will need some form of high-capacity rail transport, if grid-lock is to be avoided in much of Bedfordshire.

Perhaps an initial fleet of four- or five-car Class 802 diesel-electric trains could be ordered and they would run the full route between Oxford and Bedford stations, with a reverse in Platform 2A at Milton Keynes station.

  • The trains would run initially on diesel.
  • By using stepping-up in Platform 2A at Milton Keynes station, I believe a two trains per hour (tph) service could surely be run.
  • Hitachi could probably deliver the trains quickly, as they have not long been out of production.
  • Those living locally would get a much improved train service from their local station to and from Bedford, Milton Keynes or Oxford.
  • A large portion of the onward connectivity of the East-West Rail would be delivered early to the benefit of locals and visitors.
  • If extra services are needed, semi-fast services could be added between Bedford and Reading with stops at Stewartby, Bletchley, Bicester Village, Oxford Parkway and Oxford stations.

When Platforms 1 and 2 at Oxford station are electrified and the trains are converted to battery-electric operation, the route could be converted to zero-carbon operation.

Virtually Nothing Is Said About The Route Of The East-West Rail Between Bedford and Cambridge South Stations Via Tempsford Station

This quote from David Hughes, CEO, East West Railway Company, is the only time, that Tempsford is mentioned in the press release.

“From a new station at Cambridge East to better access in Oxford and clear alignment through Tempsford, East West Rail is shaping the modern, sustainable transport link this region needs to thrive.”

I asked Google AI, if  the proposed route of the East-West Rail between Bedford and Cambridge South stations through Tempsford is controversial and I received this reply.

Yes, the proposed route of East West Rail between Bedford and Cambridge is controversial, with opposition from some local residents and political figures who have expressed concerns about the southern alignment through Tempsford and surrounding villages. However, East West Rail Co has selected the route north of the Black Cat roundabout as the preferred alignment, citing reasons like cost-effectiveness and fewer disruptions, while also updating designs to include a southern station entrance to connect with planned growth areas around Tempsford.

Does Government or Artificial Intelligence have precedence?

Cambridge East Station Gets A First Mention

This quote from David Hughes, CEO, East West Railway Company, is the first time, that I’ve seen Cambridge East station mentioned.

“From a new station at Cambridge East to better access in Oxford and clear alignment through Tempsford, East West Rail is shaping the modern, sustainable transport link this region needs to thrive.”

In this document on the East-West Rail Consortium web site, there is extensive talk of an A14 Parkway station.

  • The document dates from 2018.
  • Google AI can’t find any trace of the A14 Parkway station referred to in the document.
  • This article on the BBC, which was written five days ago and is entitled Additional City station Proposed By East West Rail, is the only reference on the Internet, that references Cambridge East station.
  • The BBC article also says that other proposals after consultation include a new eastern entrance for Cambridge station, locating Cambourne station closer to the town and a mined tunnel for Bourn Airfield.
  • I also have to assume that A14 Parkway has also morphed into Cambridge East station.
  • To access all my posts, that relate to A14 Parkway, click this link.

But it does seem that consultation appears to have produced an acceptable compromise.

Between Kempston Hardwick and Tempsford Stations Through Bedford

I’ve now found that OpenRailwayMap  has been updated between Bedford and Cambridge.

This first section shows the route between Kempston Hardwick and Tempsford stations through Bedford.

 

Note.

  1. Kempston Hardwick station is in the South-West corner of the map.
  2. The yellow track is the Marston Vale Line, which goes through Bedford St. Johns and Bedford stations.
  3. The red track on the West side of the map is the Midland Main Line.
  4. The red track on the East side of the map is the East Coast Main Line.
  5. The dotted red line across the top of the map will be the route of the East-West Rail.
  6. Tempsford station will be to the South-West of where the East Coast Main Line and East-West Rail cross in the North-East cornet of the map.

I hope the good people of Bedford are happier now!

Between Tempsford and Cambourne

I’ve now found that OpenRailwayMap  has been updated between Bedford and Cambridge.

This second section shows the route between Tempsford and Cambourne stations.

Note.

  1. The dotted red line across the top of the map will be the route of the East-West Rail.
  2. Tempsford station is in the South-West corner of the map on the route of the East-West Rail.
  3. The red track on the West side of the map is the East Coast Main Line.
  4. Cambourne is the village in the North-East corner of the map.

 

November 23, 2025 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

East West Rail Train Door Row May See Launch Delayed

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

The launch of a new £7bn railway faces being delayed because of a row over who will control the opening and closing of carriage doors.

These three paragraphs add more details.

The BBC understands train operator Chiltern Railways is in a standoff with the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, which represents train guards, over how East West Rail services between Oxford and Milton Keynes will run.

The RMT said the operator wants train drivers to open and close the doors at stations, with no guards required.

Passenger trains were scheduled to start running between Oxford and Milton Keynes for the first time in nearly 60 years by the end of December.

I suspect that the unions won’t be satisfied until all trains in the UK have a crew of two.

November 21, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , | 3 Comments

An Interesting Comment From Lord Peter Hendy

This article on Modern Railways is entitled Chiltern FINALLY Signs Mk 5 Deal.

This extract from the article describes the deal.

An agreement for Chiltern Railways to lease the Mk 5A coaches previously operated by TransPennine Express and owned by Beacon Rail Leasing has been signed – and the trains are due to replace the current Mk 3 stock in phases from 2026. A 10-year lease has been agreed for the vehicles.

Chiltern will take on all 13 five-car sets as well as the spare Driving Trailer and the dedicated pool of 14 Class 68 locomotives.

The article also, has this excellent quote from Lord Peter Hendy, who is the Rail Minister at the end.

This government is putting passengers back at the heart of the 21st century railway by investing to make journeys easier, greener, and more comfortable.

“We are continuing to support Chiltern as they develop a plan to introduce additional services into their timetable, giving people more opportunities to work, live, and socialise.

I agree with much of what Lord Peter Hendy says, but could we see some actions to back up the words.

I have a few thoughts.

Lumo To Glasgow

I wrote about this new service in Lumo Will Extend Its King’s Cross And Edinburgh Service To Glasgow.

Given the opposition of the Transport Minister to open access services, I didn’t think this innovative service would be approved.

  • But it does add an affordable passenger-friendly service to London and Glasgow routes.
  • It will certainly be an easier route to London for some in Scotland.
  • It also adds some much-needed direct services between Newcastle and Glasgow.

Did Lord Peter Hendy have words to help Lumo get its approval?

As I wrote in Could London And Central Scotland Air Passengers Be Persuaded To Use The Trains?, I also believe that this new Lumo service could persuade more air passengers to take the train to Scotland.

Lumo To Stirling

I wrote about this service in ORR: Open Access Services Given Green Light Between London And Stirling.

  • First Group has taken over Grand Union Trains and the service will now be run by Lumo, who will use diesel Class 222 trains.
  • But Lumo will have the option of running their electric Class 803 trains on the route, as it is fully electrified, when their fleet receives more trains.

This was another service, that I didn’t think would be approved, as no other services on the West Coast Main Line were approved, as Network Rail objected.

But it certainly meets the words in Lord Peter Hendy’s statement.

Like Lumo’s service to Glasgow, when the Stirling service gets electric trains, it will surely cut carbon emissions of travellers to Central Scotland.

Chiltern’s Replacement Trains

Chiltern Railways are replacing this fleet of locomotive hauled trains.

  • 8 Class 68 locomotives
  • 25 Mark 3 coaches
  • 6 Driving Van Trailers

As services between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street stations consist of one locomotive, five coaches and one driving van trailer, that means there are two spare locomotives, one spare coach and one spare driving van trailer, if there are five rakes of coaches in service.

The new fleet will be.

  • 14 Class 68 locomotives
  • 52 Mark 5A coaches
  • 14 Driving Van Trailers

If services between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street stations consist of one locomotive, four coaches and one driving van trailer, that means there are one spare locomotive and one spare driving van trailer, which gives a possible thirteen rakes of coaches in service.

There are certainly enough to expand Chiltern’s services. The obvious destination would surely be Oxford. These pictures show the two North-pacing platforms at Oxford station.

The platforms would be shared with East-West Rail, but they are around 160 metres in length.

The Modern Railways article quote Arriva Group Managing Director UK Trains Amanda Furlong as saying this.

Upgrading our fleet is a vital next step in Chiltern’s modernisation plans and an important part of Arriva’s wider ambition to support the transition to more sustainable rail travel across the UK and Europe.

We are proud to support this important milestone for Chiltern Railways, which is a great example of what can be achieved through strong collaboration with Government to deliver practical improvements for passengers. We look forward to seeing these upgraded trains improve journeys and lower emissions across the network.

She certainly would agree on some issues with Lord Peter Hendy.

So will Chiltern Railways do something to reduce the carbon footprint of their fourteen Class 68 locomotives?

  • The Class 68 locomotives don’t have too many miles on the clock.
  • Chiltern have already run some their Class 68 locomotives on HVO, so this must be a possibility.
  • In total there are thirty-four Class 68 locomotives in service all of which have Caterpillar engines, so a conversion to zero-carbon power could be worthwhile.

I asked Google for an AI Overview on How many diesel locomotives have caterpillar engines worldwide? I got this answer.

While a precise worldwide count of diesel locomotives powered by Caterpillar (CAT) engines is difficult to pinpoint, it’s estimated that hundreds, if not thousands, of locomotives are equipped with CAT engines. Caterpillar has a long history of supplying engines to the rail industry, with engines like the 3500 series powering both mainline and switcher locomotives. Additionally, CAT engines are also used in generator sets for Head End Power (HEP) in passenger locomotives.

Note.

  1. It appears that, Caterpillar might have given up making truck engines because of emission issues.
  2. London Marylebone and Oxford is 66.8 miles
  3. London Marylebone and Birmingham Snow Hill is 112.3 miles.

Perhaps one of the consultants like Ricardo could convert these locomotives to run on hydrogen.

 

August 7, 2025 Posted by | Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Government Response To Crossing Petition ‘Shameful’

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

The government has “moved the goalposts” in its response to calls for an underpass to be installed at a busy level crossing, an MP has said.

These three opening paragraphs add more detail.

More than 4,500 people signed a petition calling for any replacement of the level crossing at London Road in Bicester to include access for cars, as well as for cyclists and pedestrians.

In its response, the Department for Transport said vehicular access to any crossing replacement would be “subject to both affordability and feasibility”.

Callum Miller, the MP for the north Oxfordshire market town, said the response – and in particular the suggestion of a footbridge – was “shameful”.

A few weeks ago, I went to see this important level crossing and wrote Bicester Village Station – 28th May 2025.

July 5, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , | Leave a comment

Darlington Station – 26th June 2025

I visited Darlington station, three times on my trip.

These pictures are in chronological order.

Note.

  1. The station is being given a major upgrade, so it can handle more trains.
  2. The station has a large number of top-quality Victorian features.
  3. The station is Grade II* Listed.
  4. Inside the enormous train-shed are two long platforms, that handle most of the trains and two South-facing bay platforms.
  5. Two new platforms, which are numbered 5 & 6,  and possibly a double-track avoiding line are being added outside the train-shed on the East side.
  6. In images with a comment saying Note Platform 5, the new long electrified Platform 5 can be seen.
  7. Platform 5 appears to be already electrified at its Southern end.

These three OpenRailwayMaps shows the future layout.

 

The first OpenRailwayMap shows the junction, where the branch to Newton Aycliffe, Shildon and Bishop Auckland connects.

Note.

  1. The red tracks are electrified and indicate the East Coast Main Line.
  2. The track curving off to the North-West is the Bishop Auckland Branch.
  3. The black tracks are not-electrified.
  4. The Bishop Auckland Branch is shown dotted black and red, as it will be electrified, so that Hitachi can get their new trains to the East Coast Main Line.
  5. The two tracks of the East Coast Main Line are very straight and the map shows them to have a 125 mph operating speed.

The second OpenRailwayMap, shows the lines immediately to the South of Darlington station.

 

Note.

  1. The red tracks are electrified.
  2. The black tracks are not electrified.
  3. Tracks are number 4, 3, 2 and 1 from the West.
  4. The Southern ends of Platforms 1 and 4, and Platforms 2 and 3, which are inside the current train-shed appear to be virtually unchanged.
  5. Platform 1 is electrified and will probably still cater for Southbound trains.
  6. Platforms 2 and 3 are bay platforms without electrification for trains terminating at Darlington.
  7. Platform 4 is electrified and will probably still cater for Northbound trains.
  8. There is an electrified avoiding line to the East of Platform 1.
  9. The brick wall of the current train shed is in the white space to the East of Platform 1.
  10. Outside the current train shed are two electrified 125 mph lines, an electrified through platform and a South-facing bay platform without electrification.
  11. The  new electrified platform looks very long. Could it be long enough to handle a pair of High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains? I suspect though it is long enough to handle the splitting and joining of a pair of five-car Hitachi Class 80x trains.
  12. The new bay platform looks longer that the current bay platforms 2 & 3. Is it long enough to handle a five-car Hitachi Class 80x train?
  13. It does appear from the track layout, that the new electrified platform is connected to the East Coast Main Line, the Saltburn branch and stabling sidings to the North of the station.
  14. The new bay platform appears to be connected to the Saltburn branch.

The two new platforms also appear to be adjacent to an area of the station, which is labelled Darlington Station Gateway East. I would assume, that this proximity will be used to make the station easy for changing trains.

The third OpenRailwayMap shows the section of the station between the two previous maps.

Note.

  1. The red tracks are electrified.
  2. The black tracks are not-electrified.
  3. The Darlington end of the Bishop Auckland Branch is shown dotted black and red, as it will be electrified, so that Hitachi can get their trains to and from the East Coast Main Line.
  4. Both Platforms 1 and 4 appear to connect to the East Coast Main Line, so high speed services can operate as they do now, by taking a diversion through the current Darlington station.
  5. To the East of the East Coast Main Line, there appear to be some very useful stabling sidings.

I have some general thoughts about Darlington station.

Will Trains Not Stopping At Darlington Station Use The New 125 mph Lines Through the Station?

It does appear that the two 125 mph lines through the new part of the station are very straight.

  • They are shown as 125 mph, but could be faster.
  • It should be remembered that according to Wikipedia, British Rail built the Selby Diversion for 160 mph in 1983.
  • Between Durham and York stations is 66.2 miles of mainly 125 mph railway.

I believe that cutting out the need for trains to slow to go through Darlington station could save several minutes.

Will Trains Stopping At Darlington Station Use The Current Platforms 1 And 4 As They Do Now?

The track layout would seem to allow this and those changing to another train, would not have to walk a long way.

Can Trains Stopping At Darlington Station Use The New Eastern Platforms?

I have examined the second and third maps in detail and it looks as if the track layout will allow trains on the East Coast Main Line in both directions to stop at the long electrified platform.

The shorter bay platform appears to be only connected to the Tees Valley Line to Middlesbrough and Saltburn.

How Long Are The New Eastern Platforms?

Estimating against the scale on the map, I reckon these are the likely lengths.

  • Long electrified platform – 400 metres – Appears to be numbered 5
  • Bay platform – 200 metres – Appears to be numbered 6.

These are very useful lengths.

An Aerial View Of The New Platforms

This image from Tees Valley Combined Authority shows the Northern ends of the new platforms and the new footbridge.

Note.

  1. The original four-platform Victorian station is on the right, which is the Western side.
  2. The East wall of the Victorian train shed can be clearly seen.
  3. The two absolutely straight 125 mph lines, that allow trains to bypass the original station are closest to the wall.
  4. The long electrified platform, which appears to be numbered 5, also appears to be absolutely straight.
  5. The unelectrified bay platform, which appears to be numbered 6, is to the left.
  6. Platforms 5 and 6 would seem to be separated by a wide island platform, which would make interchange easy.

This page on the Network Rail web site, gives more information.

Car Parking At Darlington Station

This image from Tees Valley Combined Authority shows the Northern end of the station.

Note.

  1. The three sections of the Victorian station.
  2. The two new platforms ; 5 and 6 at the top of the image.
  3. The two 125 mph lines bypassing the Victorian station.
  4. There are two new footbridges connecting the Victorian station to the land on the other side of the 125 mph lines.

To the left of the station, there appears to be a massive multi-story car-park.

I asked Google about the new car park at Darlington station and got this reply.

The new multi-story car park at Darlington Station will have a capacity of more than 650 vehicles. This is part of a larger £140 million redevelopment of the station, which also includes new platforms and an eastern concourse. The car park will include accessible parking bays and electric car charging points.

This image from Tees Valley Combined Authority shows the car parking from the South.

Note.

  1. The building appears to be a five-story car park.
  2. There appears to be a very easy connection between the car park and the bridge to the station.
  3. From the roof layout, there appears to be several lifts.
  4. It looks like there will be a large area between the platforms and the car park, where travellers can meet and socialise.
  5. The bay platform 6 already has a pair of red buffer stops.

Railways may have come to Darlington two hundred years ago and it looks like they are getting the car parking at the station ready for at least the next two hundred.

Further Electrification

If as I expect, the UK embraces battery electric technology for local and regional trains, I can see the three South-facing bay-platforms being electrified, so they could charge he battery-electric trains.

This picture shows that bars have been placed across Platforms 2 and 3, that could be used to support the electrification.

This method has been used in Victorian stations in the UK before. I show some installations and discuss electrifying Victorian stations in Could Hull Station Be Electrified?.

 

Darlington Station And High Speed Two

This graphic shows the original service pattern for High Speed Two.

Note.

  1. There are seventeen paths terminating in the South at Euston station.
  2. Six of these paths go to Leeds, Newcastle or York.
  3. As the Eastern leg has been abandoned, that means there will be no High Speed Two trains to Leeds HS2, York, Darlington, Durham and Newcastle via the East Coast Main Line.

Darlington was to be served by these hourly services.

  • Train 17 – Birmingham Curzon Street and Newcastle via East Midlands Hub, York, Darlington and Durham.
  • Train 23 – London and Newcastle via York and Darlington.

Both trains would have been a single 200 metre long High Speed Two Classic-Compatible train.

Joining And Splitting Trains At Darlington

As Platform 5 looks like it would be a 400 metre long platform, it would look like it would be possible to handle a pair of High Speed Two Classic-Compatible trains.

But these trains will not now be serving Darlington in the near future, as the Eastern leg of High Speed Two has been cancelled.

A pair of nine-car Class 801 trains would be 467.4 metres long and might be able to fit into Platform 5.

But a pair of seven-car trains would certainly fit into a 400 metre Platform 5.

In Do Class 800/801/802 Trains Use Batteries For Regenerative Braking?, I found this snippet in an Hitachi document.

To simplify the rearrangement and management of train configurations, functions are provided for identifying the train (Class 800/801), for automatically determining the cars in the trainset and its total length, and for coupling and uncoupling up to 12 cars in
normal and 24 cars in rescue or emergency mode.

So I suspect with software updates two nine-car trains could run together.

Suppose LNER wanted to attack the airlines on the London and Scottish route.

  • Two seven- or nine-car Class 800 or 801 trains would leave Edinburgh working as a pair.
  • First stop would be Platform 5 in Darlington.
  • The trains would split in Darlington.
  • One train would go to King’s Cross stopping at perhaps Doncaster and Peterborough.
  • The other train would go to St. Pancras stopping at perhaps Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and Bedford.

Note.

  1. A seven-car Azuma would be under 200 metres long.
  2. Seven-car trains would fit in St. Pancras.
  3. LNER have run an Azuma train into St. Pancras.
  4. The train would interchange with East-West Rail at Bedford.
  5. Travellers to and from East Anglia would change at Peterborough.

Large areas of England would have a fast route to and from Scotland.

 

 

 

 

June 30, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Footage Released Of East West Rail’s First Commercial Freight Train

The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item from Network Rail.

These four paragraphs give detail to the story.

The inaugural journey was part of a dual first, as it also saw the entry into service of Maritime Transport’s Northampton Gateway Terminal.

This Easter Network Rail completed its work there to join the 35-acre freight facility directly to the West Coast Main Line via the Northampton Loop.

The modern junction design allows freight trains to enter and exit the site at speeds of up to 40mph, which is eight times faster than conventional freight connections.

Clearing the railway junction much faster will significantly improve both passenger and freight journeys – as it reduces the impact on other services running on the main line.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the location of Maritime Transport’s Northampton Gateway Terminal.

Note.

  1. The red track running diagonally across the bottom half of the map is the West Coast Main Line.
  2. The orange track running North-South is the Northampton Loop of the West Coast Main Line.
  3. The blue arrow indicates Northampton station.
  4. The grey line running diagonally across the map, vaguely parallel to the West Coast Main Line is the M1 Motorway.
  5. The SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton Gateway is indicated between the Northampton Loop and the M1 Motorway.

This Google Map shows the layout of the logistics park to a larger scale.

Note.

  1. The Northampton Loop of the West Coast Main Line running North-South across the map.
  2. The M1 Motorway running between the North-West and South-East corners of the map.
  3. Junction 15 is the M1 junction in the South-East corner of the map which connects the logistics park and the A45 to the M1.
  4. Junction 15A is the M1 junction in the North-West corner of the map which connects the A43 and Northampton services to the M1.
  5. There is probably space to add more warehouses and other facilities.

The logistics park is well connected to both rail and road.

This second Google Map shows the rail connection to the logistics park in more detail.

From this map, it appears that Network Rail have met their objective outlined in this paragraph of the news item.

The modern junction design allows freight trains to enter and exit the site at speeds of up to 40mph, which is eight times faster than conventional freight connections.

As only freight trains and slower passenger trains use the Northampton Loop, I would expect that freight trains should be able to enter and leave the logistics park with the minimum of disruption to traffic on the Northampton Loop.

The Route Of Yesterday’s Train

These three paragraphs from the Network Rail news item describe the route.

The first commercial freight train has travelled along the East West Rail line as part of its journey into a new strategic rail freight interchange in Northampton.

Shortly after 13:00 yesterday (Monday 16 June) the service* from Didcot came onto the new infrastructure at Oxford, travelling the 35 miles to Milton Keynes to connect with the West Coast Main Line.

It marked the first time East West Rail infrastructure has been used for commercial freight, after many months of signaller training and train driver learning since the £1.2bn railway was completed in October 2024.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the route from Didcot to Milton Keynes.

Note.

Didcot Parkway station is in the South-West corner of the map.

Milton Keynes Central is in the North-East corner of the map and marked with a blue error.

The route is via Oxford, Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow and Bletchley.

This video shows the train passing Winslow.

June 17, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bicester Village Station – 28th May 2025

I went to Bicester Village station today and took these pictures.

Note.

  1. The station is fully step-free, with lifts.
  2. There is a reasonable coffee-shop.
  3. There is a very large car-park.

There are two trains per hour (tph) in both directions between Marylebone and Oxford stations.

This Google Map shows the station.

Note.

  1. London is to the North.
  2. Oxford is to the South.
  3. The footbridge dates from October 2021 and is not shown on the map.
  4. The London Road level crossing is in the North-East corner of the map.
  5. The London Road level crossing is a problem, as I indicated in Bicester MP Calls On Chancellor To Fund London Road Crossing.
  6. To take the pictures of the level crossing, I crossed the footbridge to the North-West side of the station and walked through the car park to the station entrance on Station Approach. I then walked past the Bicester Bodyshop and Edmundson Electrical to the level crossing.
  7. The Shell garage can be clearly seen behind the level crossing.

During my walk of about thirty-five minutes three trains passed over the level crossing.

These are my thoughts.

The Long Platforms

The platforms are long.

  • The Oxford-bound platform, which is Platform 1, is 240 metres long.
  • The London-bound platform, which is Platform 2, is 230 metres long.

Both platforms will take a pair of five-car Hitachi Express Trains.

It looks to me, that East-West Rail are expecting a large number of passengers.

East-West Rail Plans For Powering Trains

I detailed these in Plans For Powering Trains And Details Of Our Upcoming Consultation.This post was based on an East-West Rail news item with the same title.

Distances include.

  • London Marylebone and Oxford – 66.8 miles.
  • Bletchley and Oxford – 47.2 miles.

Both distances are within range of five-car Hitachi Express Trains, that have been fitted with batteries.

I also suspect other manufacturers could supply suitable trains.

Thoughts On The London Road Level Crossing

This article on the BBC is entitled Level Crossing Petition Supported By Thousands.

This is the sub-heading.

A petition calling for a fully accessible underpass at a town’s level crossing has received more than 3,000 signatures.

These three paragraphs add more detail.

Launched by MP for Bicester and Woodstock Calum Miller, the petition calls on the government to ensure any replacement of the level crossing at London Road in Bicester includes access for cars, not just cyclists and pedestrians.

It is set to be closed on safety grounds when the East West Rail (EWR) line becomes fully operational, which many fear would cut off crucial access to thousands of residents.

Mr Miller will present the petition, which can only be signed in person, in Parliament on 3 June.

The argument is certainly hotting up.

But I believe, that a bridge that meets everybody’s requirements might be possible to be built.

  • Suppose that all trains and locomotives passing through the level crossing had to be self-powered. Passenger trains could be battery-electric and freight locomotives could be either hydrogen or battery powered through the location of the level crossing.
  • The track could also be lowered through the crossing.
  • These actions would reduce the height of any bridge taking the road over the railway.

It looks to me that on the Northumberland Railway, which has recently opened, they had a similar problem, but they were able to squeeze a bridge into the space, as this 3D Google Map shows.

Note.

  1. The bridge looks like it carries a two-lane road and a pedestrian/cycle way.
  2. There is no electrification.
  3. I believe that the Northumberland Line could be run by battery-electric trains.
  4. The road bridge has been built to accept all traffic using the railway.

In Newsham Station – 30th March 2025, there are several pictures of the bridge. This one shows the bridge with a train.

In Trains: £34m For Revival Of 50-Year-Old North-East Railway Line, I said this about battery-electric trains for the Northumberland Line.

I’m drawn inextricably to the conclusion, that the trains should be 100 mph battery-electric trains.

Hitachi, who have a factory in the North-East, have announced their Regional Battery Train in July 2020, which is described in this Hitachi infographic.

These trains can be based on Class 385 trains.

  • They are 100 mph trains.
  • They come in three- and four-cars lengths.
  • The three-car trains have 206 seats.
  • They can work in pairs.
  • They can use 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
  • They have a range of 90 kilometres or 56 miles on battery power.
  • The batteries would be charged on the ECML between Benton North junction and Newcastle station.
  • The battery packs will be designed and manufactured by Hyperdrive Innovation in Sunderland.
  • They have big windows for the views.

I’m sure Hitachi and Hyperdrive would like a fleet in service, just up the road from their factories.

Could a similar or even thinner bridge be squeezed in at Bicester Village station to take London Road over the railway?

I think it can, if they use some of the latest 3D modelling.

 

May 28, 2025 Posted by | Design, Energy, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

From Reading To Gatwick Airport Along The North Downs Line

After writing Connecting Reading And The West To Gatwick Airport And Eurostar, I decided to go and look at the reality of the North Downs Line between Reading and Gatwick Airport stations.

I took my usual route to Reading, which is to go to Moorgate and get the Elizabeth Line direct to Reading using my Freedom Pass, after having breakfast in the Leon on Moorgate.

  • I then had to leave the station at Reading, so that I could buy my ticket to Gatwick Airport.
  • It would be so much easier, if there ere a couple of ticket machines on the bridge or platform at Reading station, so that passengers, who were changing trains could buy tickets quickly and easily.

In the end, I caught the 11:24 train to Gatwick with only a few minutes to spare.

From Reading To Gatwick Airport Along The North Downs Line

Along the North Downs Line, the train was a well-refreshed Great Western Railway Class 165 train.

These are some of the pictures, that I took on the route.

Note.

  1. The route goes through a lot of typical Surrey heathland.
  2. I noticed several pubs along the way.
  3. I suspect that there are some good walks from the stations.
  4. Reading and Guildford are university cities.
  5. Sandhurst is home to the Royal Military Academy.
  6. Farnborough Airport used to be home to the Royal Aircraft Establishment.
  7. Most of the seats on the train were taken.

I would expect that for a mainly rural route it is fairly busy.

Hitachi’s Intercity Battery Trains

Hitachi have developed an Intercity battery train and it is described on this page on their web site, where this is said about converting the trains to battery-electric operation.

A quick and easy application of battery technology is to install it on existing or future Hitachi intercity trains. Hitachi Rail’s modular design means this can be done without the need to re-engineer or rebuild the train and return them to service as quickly as possible for passengers.

Replacing one diesel engine with just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%. Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance.

That performance is certainly enough for Reading and Ashford via Gatwick, as only 37.7 miles in total, is not electrified.

Does The North Downs Line Mirror The East-West Rail?

Consider.

  • The East West Rail will encircle London to the North, between Oxford and Cambridge.
  • The North Downs Line encircles London to the South, between Reading and Ashford.

They could be considered two complimentary rail lines.

A Milton Keynes And Ashford International Service

Looking at the track layout on OpenRailwayMap, it would appear that one of Hitachi’s proposed Intercity Battery Trains fitted with dual voltage could pick its way elegantly along the East West Rail and the North Downs Line between Milton Keynes and Ashford International via Oxford, Reading and Gatwick Airport.

An Occasional Sheffield And Ashford International Service

If you could run a service between Milton Keynes and Ashford International, why not extend it to Bedford or even Sheffield in the North?

I believe if you put these Hitachi’s proposed Intercity Battery Trains on a cross-country route, that they will quickly suffer from London Overground Syndrome. This is my definition of the syndrome.

This benign disease, which is probably a modern version of the Victorian railway mania, was first identified in East London in 2011, when it was found that the newly-refurbished East London Line and North London Line were inadequate due to high passenger satisfaction and much increased usage. It has now spread across other parts of the capital, despite various eradication programs.

Put simply, it can probably be summed up as Quality Attracts Passengers.

Serving Heathrow

There have been various plans to get rail access into Heathrow from the West, but none have so far got off the starting blocks.

It is my view, that in the interim period, after my trip last weekend in the superb Wrightbus hydrogen double deck bus from Sutton to Gatwick, that I wrote about in Sutton Station To Gatwick Airport By Hydrogen-Powered Bus, that we should ask Wrightbus, who are designing a hydrogen-powered coach, to design the ultimate coach to connect rail hubs to major airports.

I would then run these coaches every ten minutes between Reading station and Heathrow Airport.

Serving Attractions

I believe that pairing Hitachi’s proposed Intercity Battery Trains with Wrightbus’s hydrogen coach could be a winner for passengers and operators.

As an example, Lumo are hoping to run an open access service between Paddington and Carmarthen, if Heidi the Spoilsport permits. Would it not be sensible, if one of Wrightbus’s hydrogen coaches did the last mile duties to the ferry for Ireland at Fishguard harbour.

 

March 1, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A Bespoke Tram-Train For The UK

Trams, tram-trains, trains and anything that runs on rails is generally very expensive.

Does this partly explain, why the UK has relatively few urban tramways and railways?

In Stadler Presents Mock-Up Of Tram-Trains For German And Austrian Operators, I discussed how five German and Austrian operators had got together to create a common tram-train design, that would be suitable for all the operators.

The mayor of one of the cities involved in the joint order, said savings of the order of a million euros per vehicle may have resulted from the common design.

I would also feel that savings in operational costs, design of infrastructure, spares inventory and other costs would also result.

Identical tram-trains would make through running between networks easier.

Where Could Tram-Trains Be Used In The UK?

Consider.

  • Currently, tram-trains are running in Sheffield and a battery-electric version of the same Stadler Citylink tram-train will soon be running in Cardiff.
  • Cardiff, is developing a Cardiff Crossrail on tram-train principles across the city.
  • Sheffield have said that they will be replacing their trams and I believe they could use developments of their excellent Stadler tram-trains.
  • Sheffield is likely to extend their tram system and might include tram-trains to Doncaster.
  • Cities that have talked about adding tram-trains to their tram networks include Birmingham, Blackpool, Manchester and Nottingham.
  • Leeds is developing a metro system, which could be developed using tram-train principles.
  • Glasgow has talked about a tram-train to Glasgow Airport for some time.
  • The East-West Rail Link is proposing a tram-train link between Ipswich and Felixstowe to allow more freight trains into the Port of Felixstowe.

There could be quite a number of tram-trains being used in the UK, especially if they are used as at Felixstowe,  to increase freight capacity into ports.

These are a few of my thoughts.

Battery-Electric Tram-Trains

I would envisage, that a lot of the new tram-trains would operate using batteries. Especially, as battery-electric trains are showing quite long ranges of upwards of thirty miles.

Already trams in Birmingham and trains on Merseyside, are operating using batteries and it avoids the expense of putting up catenary, if enough exists to charge the trams.

Replacement of Diesel Multiple Units By Battery-Electric Tram-Trains

There are some branch lines, where diesel multiple units run off a branch of an electrified main line.These services could be decarbonised by changing the rolling stock.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the St. I’ves Bay Line in Cornwall.

Note.

  1. The St. Ives Bay Line is shown in yellow.
  2. The Southern terminal is St. Erth station, where it connects to the Cornish Main Line, which is shown in orange.
  3. The Northern terminal is St. Ives station, which is towards the top of the map.
  4. The St. Ives Bay Line is 4.25 miles long.
  5. No tracks are electrified.
  6. There are three intermediate stations.

This second OpenRailwayMap shows St. Erth station in more detail.

Note.

  1. The St. Ives Bay Line has its own platform at the side of the station.
  2. I am fairly certain, that some form of charging could be installed in this platform.
  3. At the other side of the Cornish Main Line are two sidings, which could be used for cleaning and maintenance.

A neat zero-carbon branch line could easily be created.

New Branch Lines To New Developments

In Sheffield Region Transport Plan 2019 – A New Tram-Train Route To A New Station At Waverley, I gave my view on a tram-train loop from the Sheffield-Lincoln Line to serve the Advanced Manufacturing Centre and new housing at Waverley.

The tram-train would run as a train to the branch line for the development and then run as a battery-electric tram, through the development.

As the Midland Main Line to Sheffield will be electrified, the tram-trains could be charged on the electrification in Sheffield station.

Build Them In Doncaster

Wabtec are closing Doncaster works.

Surely this would be the site to assemble the scores of tram-trains that could be needed in the UK.

Conclusion

Tram-trains could do a lot to improve the railways of the UK.

They would also help to decarbonise the existing system.

 

 

February 13, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Council Opposes Six Track Plan For East West Rail

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

Councillors have voted to oppose part of a major railway line being built through their district.

These four paragraphs add detail to the story

Bedford Borough Council wants the East West Rail (EWR) line to be made up of four tracks, rather than six, in the Poets area north of the town.

Thirty-seven homes would need to be demolished in order to accommodate the two additional tracks.

However, in their full-council meeting on Wednesday, members agreed to support other parts of the project, such as the relocation of Stewartby station and the closure of Kempston Hardwick.

An EWR spokesperson said it was committed to working with local communities.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the Midland Main Line and the East-West Rail through Bedford.

 

Note.

  1. The solid orange line running from the North-West corner of the map to its Southern edge is the electrified Midland Main Line.
  2. The blue arrow on this line indicates Bedford station.
  3. The blue lettering to the South-East of Bedford station, indicates Bedford St. Johns station.
  4. The yellow line connecting the two stations is the Eastern end of the Marston Vale Line, which connects Bedford and Bletchley stations.
  5. The Marston Vale Line will be taken over by the East-West Rail.
  6. Just North of Bedford station is Bedford North junction.

The East-West Rail branches away from Bedford North junction  to the North-East on its way to Cambridge. It is shown as a dotted orange line.

This OpenRailwayMap shows Bedford station to a larger scale.

Note,

  1. The Western pair of orange lines are the current fast lines of the Midland Main Line.
  2. The Eastern pair of orange lines are the current slow lines of the Midland Main Line.
  3. To the East the orange dotted line shows indicates a proposed route of the East-West Rail.
  4. There appear to be crossovers that allow East-West Rail services to use Platforms 1 and 2 through Bedford station.

Between the Midland Main Line and East-West Rail platforms, the current Platform 1A used by the Marston Vale Line can be seen.

This picture show the current Marston Vale Line platform at Bedford station,

 

Note.

  1. The Marston Vale Line platform is on the left.
  2. It is numbered 1A.
  3. The platform is electrified, so can it be it used to terminate some Thameslink services.

It could also be used to terminate East-West Rail services from the West and if they were battery-electric trains they could be charged.

Oxford and Bedford is 51 miles or 82 kilometers, which is within range of a modern battery-electric train. Es[ecially, if it did a ‘splash and dash’ at Milton Keynes Central or Bletchley!

This OpenRailwayMap shows the lines to the North of Bedford station.

Note.

  1. The current four-track Midland Main Line running diagonally across the map.
  2. The East-West Rail running along on the East side and branching off to Cambridge.
  3. Crossovers between the Midland Main Line and East-West Rail.

It looks to me, that operation of East-West Rail trains through Bedford station will be as follows.

  • Oxford to Cambridge trains will use the crossovers to call in the existing Platform 2 at Bedford station.
  • Cambridge to Oxford to will use the crossovers to call in the existing Platform 1 at Bedford station.
  • Trains that are not stopping could use the avoiding line along the East side of the station.
  • Oxford to Bedford terminating trains, would stop in Platform 1A.

Because there would be a crossover between the Midland Main Line slow lines and the East-West Rail to the South and North of Bedford station, I suspect for operatuional reasons and safety Network Rail want a double track avoiding line.

 

January 17, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

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