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East West rail, Bletchley to oxford line


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 This project supposedly being carried out by an independant company is still micro managed by the DFT they seem to be deciding what happens and when. True works are happening  slowly but in a haphazard way such as brush cutting back and then nothing more for months .I suppose one day we will see trains but I am not holding my breath. 

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33 minutes ago, lmsforever said:

 This project supposedly being carried out by an independant company is still micro managed by the DFT they seem to be deciding what happens and when. True works are happening  slowly but in a haphazard way such as brush cutting back and then nothing more for months .I suppose one day we will see trains but I am not holding my breath. 

I would suggest you look at Companies House records where (as far as I can gather) the company has just 1 share of £1 which is invested in the "Secretary of State for Transport". (i.e. not an actual named person)
The registered address is Great Minster House, which is also the DfT.

 

Edited by melmerby
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I am on the mailing list for the East West company and have just received a mailshot which confirms this money is for the Oxford - Bletchley section and will enable it to be completed by 2025.

 

This is odd because so far as I knew this section was already funded and due to be finished by 2023.....

 

So the "new money" seems to have added 2 years to the end date! :scratchhead:

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2 hours ago, Tony Teague said:

I am on the mailing list for the East West company and have just received a mailshot which confirms this money is for the Oxford - Bletchley section and will enable it to be completed by 2025.

 

This is odd because so far as I knew this section was already funded and due to be finished by 2023.....

 

So the "new money" seems to have added 2 years to the end date! :scratchhead:

 

Well, yes. There is funded, as in budget provision has been made for the project, and then there is authorised, in that it can be spent. So it is an announcement of money already allocated, ie it is not "new" money, whereas the announcement of a few quid to get the Ashington to Newcastle branch re-opening is money new to that project, but is part of the £500m Beeching Reversal fund already announced some time ago.

 

Mr Shapps never misses a trick!

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3 hours ago, Mike Storey said:

 

Well, yes. There is funded, as in budget provision has been made for the project, and then there is authorised, in that it can be spent. So it is an announcement of money already allocated, ie it is not "new" money, whereas the announcement of a few quid to get the Ashington to Newcastle branch re-opening is money new to that project, but is part of the £500m Beeching Reversal fund already announced some time ago.

 

Mr Shapps never misses a trick!

Not just the current lot either, the A358 upgrade from the A303 to the M5 has been announced, and then reannounced, several times.

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9 hours ago, john new said:

Not just the current lot either, the A358 upgrade from the A303 to the M5 has been announced, and then reannounced, several times.

 

As has the A303 tunnel by the pile of rocks, there appears to have been some exploratory work, but little else.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Siberian Snooper said:

 

As has the A303 tunnel by the pile of rocks, there appears to have been some exploratory work, but little else.

 

 

 

That's been in the planning system since the Archdruid said the road has to be improved so he can bring in more heavy stones so he can finish the walls and put a roof on.

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There is a lot of activity taking place on the approach road to the back entrance to the former staff car park which also gave access to the goods yard.

 

They were removing soil behind the concrete wall identified by the lamp post in the centre of the picture. It is then being transported elsewhere by dumper trucks.

 

Picture taken earlier today.

20210127_114817.jpg

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On 22/01/2021 at 16:23, TylerTrainFan2001 said:

Any updates at the water eaton road bridge? I also saw a new piler where the new high level station will be.

 

Major work still going on. There were drainage channels being cut across the road and by the new entrance with a pump working presumably removing water but not visible from the reopened footpath.

 

Looks like Water Eaton Road will not be reopening anytime soon?

20210129_150721.jpg

20210129_150827.jpg

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A view of the former Telephone Rentals site taken this afternoon.

 

The large crane has been dismantled with lorries waiting to access the site whilst one left with a section of crane onboard.

20210129_151109.jpg

20210129_151023.jpg

Edited by 1E BoY
Grammar
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Some serious piling can be heard on our estate tonight. Started about 20 minutes ago.

 

Lots of lights on at the Telephone Rentals site, so presumably it is the piling for the box over the WCML that is being undertaken.

Edited by 1E BoY
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On 31/01/2021 at 11:59, porkie said:

I could here it as well up near the 3 tree's. 

I thought it may of been the site near Newton Longville Bridge. 

 

Looks like there will be more this weekend. We have recieved a "Dear Neighbour" letter through the post. I have a feeling that they have their East and West the wrong way round!?!

 

EW1.jpg

EW2.jpg

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A couple of shots taken on the 24th showing the reduction in the height of piers that previously supported the flyover. The first shows the cut marks and the second shows how it is being achieved. This has resulted in overnight road closures to enable it to be carried out in a safe manner. This pier is on the east side of the WCML adjacent to the zebra crossing across Buckingham Road.

20210224_160834.jpg

20210224_163055.jpg

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5 minutes ago, Welly said:

It's even got it's own anemometer - presumably to help with directing dust dispersal the right way?

Do they check whether Mrs Jones has got her washing out before starting.

 

Jamie

 

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Signs on Whaddon Road - Mursley seem to indicate the road is going from SALT controlled by lights, to closure, presumably to repair the bridge over the line. As I usually use the road daily, I checked that the Little Horwood to Winslow road had reopened. It has, but the deck of the bridge has now gone, and on the Winslow side a set of permanent looking traffic lights has sprouted up. Don't know if the lights signals some other future development, or whether the road is being singled when the new bridge deck is installed.

 

1124724970_Winslow-LittleHorwoodRoadbridge.JPG.8281291c0de1bc8aa9750d6374f85124.JPG

 

Anyway, the above is now somewhat different looking....

Edited by Davexoc
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So Whaddon Road closed, and this morning Little Horwood Road was also sign posted as closed. Ended up passing Swanbourne station worksite, and the parapets on the bridge have been rebuilt, substantially higher than before, presumably ready for electrification. So that probably puts the mockers on that.....

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I was rather surprised at the Northern route being chosen, it will lengthen journey times as it negotiates the slow route into Bedford Midland (BM) and then takes a circuitous route to the North and East. With the planned frequency of service it will be interesting to see how it all fits into the bottleneck that is BM.

 

There could be an accusation of Nimby-ism with the letter as the writer is in Ravensden (Crossroads and Church End) which is along the projected route.

 

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Last week on local tv news big moans about a bridge near Mursley being rebuilt  causing diversions for cars ,you would think it was the end of the world.A preschool moaned about getting the children up ten minutes early and others up in arms about extra journey time .What a load of prats  what are they going to do when the motorway is built causing more houses and cars.

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