Leisure Market Boom? GWR’s Vision For Direct Bristol-Oxford Services
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Magazine.
This is the first paragraph.
Great Western Railway has hopes on running direct services between Bristol Temple Meads and Oxford from September 14, subject to approval of its new trial proposal by the Department for Transport and Network Rail. The move is a test of growth in demand for leisure travel by train.
It is an interesting idea.
These are some points about the service, given in the article.
- The route will be via Swindon, Chippenham and Bath Spa.
- Fastest journey time would be 71 minutes.
- The route will be aimed at the leisure market.
- There will be two trains per day (tpd) in each direction on Saturdays.
This is GWR’s handy route map.
These are my thoughts.
Will The Trains Call At Didcot Parkway?
This OpenRailwayMap shows Didcot Parkway station and the large triangular junction, that connects Oxford to the Great Western Main Line.
Note.
- The red tracks are the Great Western Main Line.
- The blue arrow indicates Didcot Parkway station.
- Oxford station is about ten miles to the North.
- Chords in the junction allow trains to go between Oxford and Paddington and Oxford and Swindon, with or without a stop at Didcot Parkway station.
The article says that GWR has asked to run the following services.
- 1018 Bristol Temple Meads-Oxford – Would arrive at Oxford at 1129.
- 1155 Oxford-Bristol Temple Meads (via Didcot) – Would arrive at Bristol Temple Meads at 1306.
- 1518 Bristol Temple Meads-Oxford – Would arrive at Oxford at 1629.
- 1712 Oxford-Bristol Temple Meads – Would arrive at Bristol Temple Meads at 1823.
Note.
- I suspect that the 1155 will reverse at Didcot Parkway station.
- There is a two train per hour (tph) service between Didcot Parkway and London Paddington stations.
- It looks like the four services could be run by a single train shuttling up the Great Western Main Line.
Would it be sensible if all Oxford and Bristol trains called at Didcot Parkway station, so that travellers could use the London service to their advantage?
But, calling at Didcot Parkway station would slow the service as there would need to be a reverse.
What Class Of Train Would Be Used?
Consider.
- A Bristol and Didcot Parkway via Bath Spa service takes 55 minutes.
- This is an average speed of 71.1 mph over a distance of 65.2 miles.
- 24.4 miles at the Bristol end of the route is not electrified.
- 10.3 miles at the Oxford end of the route is not electrified.
- The four services can be run by a single train shuttling up the Great Western Main Line.
It looks to me, that a bi-mode train with good performance is needed.
So I suspect that a five-car Class 800 or Class 802 train will be used.
Will The Train Be Battery-Electric Powered?
This is an interesting possibility.
- An ideal route for a battery electric train, is surely one with a long electrified section in the middle, which can be used to fully charge the train’s batteries.
- The train would have to run for 48.8 miles on its own power at the Bristol end of the route.
- The train would have to run for 20.6 miles on its own power at the Oxford end of the route.
The data sheet for a battery-electric Class 800/802 train can be downloaded from this page on the Hitachi web site.
In a section on the page, which is entitled Intercity Battery Trains, this is said.
A quick and easy application of battery technology is to install it on existing or future Hitachi intercity trains. Adding 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. 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.
The range of 70 km is 43.5 miles, which would appear to be a little bit short to go from the end of the electrification at Chippenham to Bristol Temple Meads and back.
But various measures could be taken to make sure the train can handle the route.
- The regenerative braking strategy could be used to conserve battery power.
- A second battery could be added to the train.
- Methods to charge the train at Bristol Temple Meads could be installed.
As London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads is an important route, I suspect that Hitachi and Great Western Railway have a strategy to handle trains from Chippenham and sending them back.
Could This Route Be A Trial Route For Battery-Electric Trains?
Consider.
- Hitachi and Great Western Railway wouldn’t want to introduce an unreliable train without full full testing.
- Trains can probably limp to either Stoke Gifford or Reading depots, after a battery failure.
- Great Western Railway could test a new route.
- A full test only needs one train.
- Passenger reaction to a battery-electric train can be assessed.
- Staff need to be trained.
- The route can be run by a standard bi-mode if required.
- It could be the world’s first high-speed battery-electric train.
- Enthusiasts would flock to have a ride.
Could this be a trial service to make sure everything goes right?
Chiltern Railways Seeks Proposals For Low-Emission Multiple-Unit Fleet
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
These are the first three paragraphs.
Chiltern Railways is seeking proposals for the supply of between 20 and 70 new or converted ‘low-emission’ multiple units.
The operator has called for ‘established’ rolling stock manufacturers, owners and modifiers to propose vehicles which would provide a ’meaningful’ reduction in the emissions and external noise compared to its existing diesel multiple-units, particularly in urban areas.
The envisaged five-year framework agreement has an estimated value of up to £400m, including supply and maintenance of the fleet, refuelling infrastructure and any depot modifications.
I have my thoughts.
Chiltern’s Rolling Stock
Chiltern Railways have two different types of rolling stock; diesel multiple units and rakes of coaches haled by diesel locomotives.
Chiltern’s Diesel Multiple Units
Chiltern has these diesel multiple units.
- Class 165 diesel trains – 28 x two-cars – 56 cars
- Class 165 diesel trains – 11 x three-cars – 33 cars
- Class 168 diesel trains – 9 x two-cars – 18 cars
- Class 168 diesel trains – 9 x three-cars – 27 cars
- Class 168 diesel trains – 10 x four-cars – 40 cars
Note.
- The trains were built between 1990 and 2004.
- The Class 165 trains are 75 mph units, whereas the Class 168 trains are 100 mph units.
- These total to 67 trains and 174 cars.
- This is an average train length of 2.6 cars.
Could a fleet of three-car low-emission 100 mph trains fit Chiltern’s requirements?
- They could work in pairs for six-car units for Birmingham Moor Street and Oxford.
- There may be a need for some four-car units.
But how will they be powered?
- Pure diesel will surely give out too many emissions!
- Would an mtu Hybrid PowerPack lower emissions enough?
- Could hydrogen-power be used, either with fuel-cells or a hydrogen internal combustion engine?
In Alstom And Eversholt Rail Sign An Agreement For The UK’s First Ever Brand-New Hydrogen Train Fleet, I wrote about Alstom’s proposed Hydrogen Aventra.
A version of these trains could be ideal, if Children could source the fuel economically.
Chiltern’s Diesel-Hauled Rakes Of Coaches
Chiltern have four rakes of Mark 3 coaches hauled by Class 68 locomotives.
These could be replaced by pairs of three-car low-emission’ multiple units.
Conclusion
A fleet of seventy three-car ‘low-emission’ multiple units, powered by hydrogen could be an innovative solution to the trains to run Chiltern’s services.
A Fraught Journey Between Worcester Shrub Hill And Reading Stations
My train home from Worcester Shrub Hill station didn’t make the most impressive of starts to my journey back to Reading.
- The five-car train was supposed to leave at 15:15.
- It was also supposed to arrive in Reading at 16:58.
- But the relief driver was delayed.
Eventually, we left at 15:31.
The train didn’t appear to be running at full speed and around Moreton-in-Marsh, staff started distributing water, which in my view is always a sign that all is not well.
I measured the temperature and humidity at 26.7 °C and 40% respectively, so the water was welcome.
I asked one of the staff what was up and was informed, that two of the engines were overheating because of the heat, so were we effectively running on the remaining cool engine?
Eventually, we were informed that the train would terminate at Charlbury station, where we would all be picked up by the following train, which would have nine cars.
After Charlbury, things didn’t get much better.
- The rescue train eventually left Charlbury at 17:38, which was twenty-six minutes late.
- The train wasn’t full and I had a table to myself, but after Oxford, there wasn’t a seat anywhere.
- We missed out the stop at Didcot Parkway station because of flooding, caused because of a violent thunder storm.
- The rescue train didn’t even make Paddington and it was terminated short in the bi-directional Platform 7 at Reading, because of an unwell passenger.
Eventually, when I arrived in Reading station at 18:55, the rescue train was fifty-five minutes late.
As my original train, should have arrived at 16:58, I was actually, three minutes short of two hours late.
By the time, I got to Platform 14 for the 16:59 Elizabeth Line train to Central London, it had gone, so I had another thirty minute wait.
I finally arrived home at 21:00, after a nearly 5¾ hour journey.
I have a few thoughts.
Changing At Reading
Part of the reason, that I missed my Elizabeth Line train, was that the escalators to Platform 14 were out of action and I had to wait for the lift, as I don’t trust myself going down stairs.
I have said before that if you need a ticket in your change a Reading, there should be a ticket machine on the bridge.
As Reading station is managed by Network Rail, perhaps, they should examine the operation of the station with a good dose of old-fashioned time and motion in more detail.
The Elizabeth Line Frequency To London
The Elizabeth Line only runs two trains per hour (tph) between London and Reading.
This may be fine when everything is going well, but on days like Sunday, when trains aren’t performing well and the weather is not behaving itself, would four tph be better?
Perhaps, the two extra trains would run between Reading and Abbey Wood, and only stop at say Twyford, Maidenhead, Slough, Hayes & Harlington, Southall, Ealing Broadway, Old Oak Common, Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Whitechapel, Canary Wharf, Custom House and Woolwich.
Great Western Railway Trains Between Oxford, Reading and Didcot Parkway and London
The three terminals get the following services to and from London
- Didcot Parkway – 4 tph
- Oxford – 4 tph
- Reading – 11½ tph – 8½ fast and 3 slow
Consider these questions.
- How many travellers between Didcot Parkway, Oxford and Reading and Paddington, now use the Elizabeth Line for onward travel from Paddington?
- How many of the endless visitors to Oxford start their journey on the Elizabeth Line?
- How many visitors to Oxford combine a trip with one to Bicester Village?
- How many travelling by train between Oxford and Cambridge will use part of the Elizabeth Line for the journey?
- Is it fair, that Cambridge is connected to four London rail terminals; King’s Cross, Liverpool Street, London Bridge and St. Pancras and Oxford is connected to just two; Marylebone and Paddington?
I suspect there’s considerable scope to reorganise services between the three stations and London to provide a better service.
GWR’s Paddington and Didcot Parkway service, which has a frequency of two tph, could be moved to the Elizabeth Line and possibly extended to Oxford, once Didcot Parkway and Oxford is electrified.
This would give.
- Didcot Parkway would have two fast tph to Paddington and two stopping tph on the Elizabeth Line with all its connectivity and delights.
- Oxford would have two fast tph to Paddington and two stopping tph on the Elizabeth Line.
- Reading will have a much-needed Elizabeth Line frequency of four tph.
Note.
- Terminating the Elizabeth Line at Oxford, means that there are services connecting Oxford and Cambridge, with a single change at either Farringdon or Liverpool Street.
- Oxford would also get one change connectivity to Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted Airports.
- The slow lines between Oxford and Maidenhead typically have operating speeds of 90-100 mph. So if the Class 345 trains on the Elizabeth Line and the track were upgraded to 100 mph, this might save a few minutes in the outer reaches of the Elizabeth Line.
- The Elizabeth Line could terminate in one or two South-facing bay platforms on the East side of the station. This position would reduce passenger traffic on the crowded footbridge.
- If all the bay platforms were on the same East side of the station, this would simplify and ease passenger flows.
- Chiltern and East West Railway services could be timed for an easy interchange.
- The proposed Cowley Branch could also use the South-facing bay platforms.
The more I look at it, the more I like the idea of running the Elizabeth Line to Oxford.
The Heat Problem On The Class 800 Trains
The Wikipedia entry for the Class 800 trains has this paragraph on the overheating of the engines or generator units (GUs) on the trains.
The GU is installed on vibration-isolating mountings, and fitted with side-mounted cowls to reduce external noise. Heat management measures include thermal insulation around key areas such as cable ducts. According to Modern Railways magazine, the limited space available for the GUs is responsible for them being prone to overheating. It claimed that, on one day in summer 2018, “half the diagrammed units were out of action as engines shut down through overheating”.
That was in 2018, which was five years ago. But it appears to be still happening.
Would Overheating Happen With Battery Units?
One of the reasons, I went to Worcester was to assess the feasibility of battery-electric trains on the route.
This article from EV-Lectron is entitled Electric Cars in Hot Weather – What You Need To Know, gives a detailed set of answers.
But it probably comes to the conclusion, that cold weather with the extra heating load might be more of the problem.
I suspect, that if you were running battery electric trains on a route of over fifty miles, the best thing would be to have electrification at both ends of the route.
If, as I have calculated in Reading And Oxford – 10th June 2023, that to run battery-electric trains to Hereford needs a length of electrification between Worcester Shrub Hill and Great Malvern stations, then when they leave the electrification, they should have the interiors at the right temperature for staff and passengers.
I also suspect that battery-electric trains need to be well insulated to cope better with cold weather.
Reading And Oxford – 10th June 2023
Yesterday, after breakfast on Moorgate, I went for an explore at the Western end of the Elizabeth Line.
My aim was to change at Reading for Oxford and then have a bit of an explore in the University City.
These are my observations and thoughts.
Changing Trains At Reading
There are two trains per hour between Liverpool Street and Reading station, but at the Moorgate end of Liverpool Street station, there is no way of buying a ticket, that would get me between Reading and Oxford. To make things more complicated, I needed to be quick with my change at Reading, as I only had a few minutes before the next Oxford train left Reading.
In the end I had to leave Reading station and walk across the concourse in front of the station.
O then bought a ticket in a machine and then re-entered the station.
Great Western Railway can do better.
In Germany, there would be a ticket machine inside the barriers for those changing trains. But we never do that!
In the end, I missed my train and had to wait thirty minutes for a very crowded London Paddington to Oxford train.
Electrification At Oxford
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the planned electrification at Oxford station.
Note.
- The four through lines are shown in dotted red-and-black, which indicates, that they will be electrified with 25 KVAC overhead electrification.
- The proposed electrification continues all the way to Didcot Parkway station on the map.
- The two black tracks are the unelectrified platforms for Chiltern and East West Railway services.
But the proposed electrification stops just outside the station. Why?
Great Western Railway Services Beyond Oxford
Great Western Railway run an hourly service to Great Malvern, which according to Wikipedia terminates as follows.
- 4 trains per day continue to Hereford calling at Colwall and Ledbury.
- 1 train per day terminates at Worcester Shrub Hill.
- 4 trains per day terminate at Worcester Foregate Street.
So what are the distances of these stations from Oxford?
- Great Malvern – 65.6 miles
- Hereford – 86.3 miles
- Worcester Foregate Street – 57.6 miles
- Worcester Shrub Hill – 57.2 miles
I suspect that one version of the Hitachi Intercity Tri-Mode Battery Train, which is shown in the infographic below
could handle all these distances.
After the Oxford and Didcot Parkway electrification is complete, trains will arrive at Oxford station with a full battery.
But how would the batteries be recharged for the journey back to Oxford?
This map from OpenRailwayMap shows the tracks at Worcester.
Note.
- Trains to and from Oxford, use the tracks in the South-East corner of the map.
- Trains to and from Birmingham, use the tracks in the North -East corner of the map.
- Trains to and from Great Malvern and Hereford, use the tracks in the South-West corner of the map.
I suspect that some selective electrification would be able to charge the trains.
Trains take around twenty minutes to go between Great Malvern and Worcester Shrub Hill via Worcester Foregate Street.
Electrifying this 8.5 mile section would surely enable the following.
- Trains to leave Worcester Shrub Hill for Oxford with a full battery.
- Trains to leave Great Malvern for Hereford with a full battery.
- As Hereford and Great Malvern are only 20.7 miles apart, I suspect a return trip without a recharge is possible.
- Trains terminating at Worcester Shrub Hill and Worcester Foregate Street to be fully recharged before travelling back to Oxford.
Other services to and from the Worcester stations could also be run by battery-electric trains.
As Worcester Shrub Hill and Oxford stations are only 57.2 miles and well within the capabilities of most battery-electric trains, there would be no need to electrify the route.
I may of course, be wrong about the length and position of the electrification at Worcester, but this could be just one of many solutions using partial electrification.
Does this explain the stopping of the proposed electrification at Oxford?
In addition, there must be marketing opportunities in running a battery-electric service to Hereford and Worcester.
The Bay Platforms At Oxford Station
These pictures show the two North facing bay platforms 1 and 2 at Oxford station.
Note.
- The platforms are not electrified.
- They appear to be easily updated with electrification to be able to charge Chiltern and East West Railway trains.
- Marylebone is only 66.7 miles from Oxford.
- Milton Keynes Central is just over 40 miles from Oxford.
- Bedford is just under 60 miles from Oxford.
I suspect that services from Oxford to Bedford, Marylebone and Milton Keynes can all be run by battery-electric trains.
Trains Back On Track After Repairs To Unsafe Nuneham Viaduct
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
Rail services between Didcot and Oxford have resumed after a two-month line closure caused by an unsafe viaduct.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Services had been expected to resume on Saturday but the first passenger train ran on the line earlier.
Nuneham Viaduct, which crosses the River Thames near Abingdon, was declared unsafe on 3 April.
It looks like it was a job well done.
Government Agrees To Fund £200m Cambridge South Station
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
The government has agreed to fully fund a new £200m railway station.
These are a few points.
- Work has already started.
- The station is next to the city’s Biomedical Campus and Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
- Cambridge South station will be on the East West Railway.
It is expected to be open within two years.
I have a few thoughts.
Services At Cambridge South Station
In a typical hour, it seems the following trains go through the proposed site of Cambridge South station.
- 2 tph – Greater Anglia – Liverpool Street and Cambridge North via Tottenham Hale, Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Roydon (1tph), Harlow Town, Harlow Mill (1tph), Sawbridgeworth (1tph), Bishop’s Stortford, Stansted Mountfitchet (1tph), Elsenham (1tph), Newport (1tph), Audley End, Great Chesterford (1tph), Whittlesford Parkway, Shelford (1tph) and Cambridge.
- 1 tph – Greater Anglia -Norwich and Stansted Airport via Wymondham, Spooner Row (1tpd), Attleborough, Eccles Road (1tpd), Harling Road (1tpd), Thetford, Brandon, Shippea Hill (1tpd), Ely, Cambridge North, Cambridge, Whittlesford Parkway and Audley End
- 1 tph – Great Northern – King’s Cross and Ely via Cambridge, Cambridge North and Waterbeach.
- 1 tph – Great Northern – King’s Cross and King’s Lynn via Cambridge, Cambridge North, Waterbeach, Ely, Littleport, Downham Market and Watlington.
- 1 tph – Great Northern – King’s Cross and Cambridge via Finsbury Park, Alexandra Palace, Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn North, Knebworth, Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City, Baldock, Royston, Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton.
- 2 tph – Thameslink – Cambridge and Brighton via Royston, Ashwell & Morden, Baldock, Letchworth Garden City, Hitchin, Stevenage, Finsbury Park, St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Blackfriars, London Bridge, East Croydon, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill
- 1 tp2h – CrossCountry – Birmingham New Street and Stansted Airport via Coleshill Parkway, Nuneaton, Leicester, Melton Mowbray, Oakham, Stamford, Peterborough, March, Ely and Cambridge.
Note.
- tph is trains per hour.
- tp2h is trains per two hours.
This gives a base frequency through Cambridge South, Cambridge and Cambridge North of 8.5 tph.
Could some services be extended to Cambridge South or Stansted Airport?
- 1 tph – Greater Anglia – Ipswich and Cambridge via Needham Market, Stowmarket, Elmswell, Thurston, Bury St Edmunds, Kennett (1tp2h), Newmarket and Dullingham (1tp2h).
- 1 tp2h – CrossCountry – Birmingham New Street and Cambridge via Coleshill Parkway, Nuneaton, Leicester, Melton Mowbray, Oakham, Stamford, Peterborough, March and Ely.
These two trains would gives frequencies of.
- Cambridge South – 10 tph
- Cambridge – 10 tph
- Cambridge North – 9 tph
I have assumed these services would terminate at Cambridge South.
There could also be some new services.
1 tph – Greater Anglia – Wisbech and Cambridge via March, Ely and Waterbeach, Cambridge North and Cambridge.
1 tph – East West Railway – Oxford and Great Yarmouth via Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winsford, Bletchley, Bedford, Tempsford, Cambourne, Cambridge, Cambridge North, Ely, Brandon, Thetford, Attleborough, Wymondham and Norwich.
1 tph – East West Railway – Oxford and Manningtree via Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winsford, Bletchley, Bedford, Tempsford, Cambourne, Cambridge, Newmarket, Bury St. Edmunds, Stowmarket, Needham Market and Ipswich.
These three trains would gives frequencies of.
- Cambridge South – 13 tph
- Cambridge – 13 tph
- Cambridge North – 11 tph
I have assumed these services would terminate at Cambridge South.
The A14 Parkway Station
The A14 Parkway station is a proposal from the East West Railway.
- It would be just to the East of Chippenham junction and would be served by both Greater Anglia’s services between Ipswich and Cambridge and Ipswich and Peterborough.
- It would also be close to the major road junction, where the A11 and the A14 meet.
- It would be a Park-and-Ride station.
I believe it could be a major factor in cutting road mileage in East Anglia, as drivers going to Cambridge from Ipswich, Norwich, a large area of North-East East Anglia and North Essex could find that using the A14 Parkway station an easier and faster route. But the A14 Parkway would need a frequent service to the soon-to-be-three main Cambridge stations.
A Soham and Cambridge service could reverse at the A14 Parkway station or by careful timetabling, passengers would be able to change trains in a minute or two.
A Soham and Cambridge service, that terminated at Cambridge South, would give an extra train between Cambridge South and Newmarket and these frequencies at the three Cambridge stations.
- Cambridge South – 13 tph
- Cambridge – 14 tph
- Cambridge North – 12 tph
There would be a minimum interval of no more than five minutes between trains, if you wanted to hop between any of the three Cambridge stations.
Frequencies between Cambridge station and other main stations in the area would be as follows.
- A14 Parkway – 2 tph
- Attleborough – 2 tph
- Bishop’s Stortford – 2 tph
- Bletchley – 2 tph
- Bury St. Edmunds – 2 tph
- Ely – 6 tph
- Great Yarmouth – 1 tph
- Harlow Town – 2 tph
- Hitchin – 3 tph
- Ipswich – 2 tph
- King’s Lynn – 1 tph
- Letchworth Garden City – 3 tph
- Manningtree – 1 tph
- March – 1 tph
- Needham Market – 2 tph
- Newmarket – 2 tph
- Norwich – 2 tph
- Peterborough – 1 tph
- Royston – 3 tph
- Soham – 1 tph
- Stansted Airport – 2 tph
- Stevenage – 3 tph
- Stowmarket – 2 tph
- Thetford – 2 tph
- Wisbech – 1 tph
- Wymondham – 2 tph
Looking at this list, I think that the timetable needs reinforcing, to perhaps Colchester, Haverhill, March, Peterborough, Soham and Sudbury.
But these services will help.
- 1 tph – Greater Anglia – Ipswich and Peterborough via Stowmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Soham, Ely, Manea, March and Whittlesea.
- 1 tph – East Midlands Railway – Liverpool and Norwich via Liverpool South Parkway, Widnes, Warrington Central, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Sheffield, Chesterfield, Alfreton, Nottingham, Grantham, Peterborough, Ely and Thetford
But I can’t help feeling that the Stour Valley Railway needs to be reopened.
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: 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
We’re Increasing Capacity At Oxford Station To Accommodate Additional Services From 2024
The title of this post, is the same as that of this news item on the Network Rail web site.
This is the sub-heading.
The rail infrastructure in the Oxford Station area is close to full capacity and currently wouldn’t support the start of East West Rail services from the end of 2024. Through Oxfordshire Connect, the station is being expanded and the wider area upgraded, bringing a range of benefits to passengers and residents alike.
I have a few thoughts,
East West Rail Services
East West Rail is aiming to get these services up and running. for Phase 2 of the project.
- Oxford and Milton Keynes Central via Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow and Bletchley – two trains per hour (tph)
- Oxford and Bedford via Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow, Bletchley, Woburn Sands and Ridgmont – one tph
- Aylesbury and Milton Keynes Central via Aylesbury Vale Parkway, Winslow and Bletchley – one tph.
I suspect not all services will be delivered by the end of 2024. But extra platforms may be needed at Oxford station to accommodate services on East West Rail.
Direct Services Between Oxford And London
There are two direct services in each hour, between Oxford and London Paddington.
- One service terminates at Oxford and the other service terminates at either Great Malvern, Hereford or Worcester.
- Both services stop at Slough and Reading.
- Both services are run by Class 800 electro-diesel trains.
Distances without electrification are as follows.
- Hereford – 96.9 miles
- Great Malvern – 76.1 miles
- Worcester Shrub Hill – 67.6 miles
- Oxford – 10.5 miles
Hitachi are developing a series of battery-electric Intercity trains, which I described in Hitachi Rail And Angel Trains To Create Intercity Battery Hybrid Train On TransPennine Express.
This Hitachi infographic shows the Hitachi Intercity Battery Hybrid Train.
And this Hitachi infographic shows the Hitachi Intercity Battery Hybrid Train.
It looks to me, that one or both of these trains could work some or all of the the four routes to and through Oxford.
A battery train with a range of 21 miles would certainly be able to go between Paddington and Oxford, with battery charging to the East of Didcot.
These trains could be running services by the end of 2024.
The Anonymous Widower 