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