Christopher125

A terminus alongside Manchester Piccadilly, the city's main station on the edge of the city centre, served by train and tram services in every direction has poor connectivity? Unbelievable.

So did I, is that the relevant pronunciation? The following video has the convetional why-oh-ming:

I presume you mean the Deep Level Shelters - 8 pairs of 1200ft tunnels were completed, 7 under various Northern Line stations, which in theory could've been used as running tunnels after the war for future 'express' tube lines. Chris

Paul Withrington has been peddling this nonsense for many, many years unfortunately - there's a great article on London Reconnections about the proposals to convert the line into Marylebone which even had Paul engaging in a discussion in the comments, alas he appears to have ignored everything that was pointed out to him. Almost Terminal: Marylebone’s Brush With Destruction

For anyone interested in the background and preparation of these runs, LURS have written up a fascinating meeting with LU's Andy Barr: OPERATING HERITAGE UNDERGROUND by Andy Barr MBE, Heritage Operations Manager

I'm not sure it's anything more complex than a 2x5 car IEP having roughly equivalent capacity to a 9-car, which presumably reduces the issues if one has to operate instead of the other.

If that would involve more units they simply don't have more to use, though platform lengths may also be an issue. All East Coast HSTs will go off-lease as will the FGW 180s, the latter to Grand Central. Most of the 91/Mk4 sets will also go off-lease, but it seems 6 or so may be retained. FGW will also give up most of their HSTs but are currently expected to keep some for services to the South West. 27 shortened HSTs will go to Scotrail; it's been suggested that they will cascade their entire Turbostar fleet plus a few 156s and 158s south of the border as a result of this and electrification. I wouldn't be surprised if other franchises follow the example of Scotrail, with shortened HSTs replacing short-formation DMUs on longer distance workings. Chris

I doubt an isolated section of 25kv would be practical or worthwhile, especially if the branch is to be electrified anyway. Chris

I don't know if most services could spend long enough under the wires to recharge sufficiently, and they are all being electrified anyway bar the Greenford branch. Chris

Fantastic, especially as this work isn't attracting many photographers - are they cracking on with the tracklaying beyond Bicester now?

Won't be long till we find out, 2016 I think for wires down to Bromgrove? Some interesting comments regarding the tunnel in this article: As for the tunnels – the big one I guess you’re interested in on GW is the Severn which in fact is really quite an electrification-friendly tunnel with quite good clearances. From the initial survey work we’ve done already, we’ve found that the room in the roof of the tunnel is capable of accommodating normal low encumbrance equipment like we put in tunnels elsewhere in the UK. And it would also be perfectly appropriate to use solid beam technology through the tunnel. We will consider both options when we move into the detail design phase. Chris

They could have to wait some time and the sooner the wires go up the better IMO, though that section surely falls under the GWML programme (Reading-Newbury) anyway. Chris

An interesting document detailing proposed changes to the Enhancements Delivery Plan suggests Reading-Basingstoke electrification has been moved from the Electric Spine to the Thames Valley Branches programme. W003/ ES003 – Thames Valley Branches Electrification/ Electric Spine Development Programme This request is to update the entry to add the Reading to Basingstoke scope into this project. We welcome the visibility that this will give as it is removed from the Electric Spine project and note the aspiration for an earlier delivery. You have also changed the delivery milestone to the entry into service date which makes it clear that the infrastructure will be available before the timetable change that was previously shown as the milestone. We approve this change. Chris

It seems the next Heritage Railway Magazine (available Thursday) will report news of a 5-year deal for the continued use of the Bluebell's Metropolitan set in London. The latest Commissioner's Report has also revealed that over 2700 tickets were sold for heritage trains in August. Chris

Though not strictly Oxford-Bletchley, on a related note.... New study supports economic case for ‘Central Section’ rail link The East West Rail Consortium has published a report into the economic benefits of reopening the central section through to Cambridge: East West Rail Central Section Conditional Outputs Statement – Explanatory Note East West Rail Central Section Conditional Outputs Statement – Executive Summary East West Rail Central Section Conditional Outputs Statement – Final Report Chris

Timings (thanks to the SE-gen group) are now available for this weekends runs: Chris

Though perhaps a little overshadowed by the H&C runs, this weekend (16th and 17th) will see the Rickmansworth-Chesham runs take place with the Chesham set steam hauled in both directions by Met No1 and L150. The first run, Wembley Park-Rickmansworth, departs at 10:23 (30mins) with return trips from Rickmansworth to Chesham departing at 11.51, 13:51 (1hr) and 15:51 (1hr20) - the last of which terminates at Harrow-on-the-Hill. Chris

With trains to Birmingham/Manchester/Leeds/Liverpool/Newcastle/Scotland there'll be little spare track capacity between London and Birmingham, at least during the peaks, but that's how the huge cost is justified - that said they aren't all going to justify 400m trains from day one and some routes that use the existing network won't allow them so there will be some potential for increasing the number of seats. Chris

Timings are now available from the se-gen group: Northfields dep 08 24½ Acton Town (pfm 4) 08 30 Turnham Green 08/35½ Hammersmith 08/41 West Kensington 08/44 Earl’s Court (pfm 1) 08b48½ High Street Kensington 08/52½ Paddington (Circle) 08/58½ Praed Street Junction 09/00 Edgware Road (pfm 1) 09/01½ Baker Street (pfm 5) 09/03½ King’s Cross 09/09 Farringdon 09/12½ Moorgate (pfm 4) arr 09 17 Moorgate (pfm 4) dep 09 55½ Farringdon 09/59 King’s Cross 10/02½ Baker Street (pfm 6) 10/08 Edgware Road (pfm 4) 10a11 Praed Street Junction 10/12 Paddington (Sub) 10/13 Latimer Road 10/19½ Goldhawk Road 10/24 Hammersmith (pfm 1) arr 10 26½ Hammersmith (pfm 1) dep 10 58½ Goldhawk Road 11/00 Latimer Road 11/04½ Paddington (Sub) 11/11 Praed Street Junction 11/14 Edgware Road (pfm 1) 11/15½ Baker Street (pfm 5) 11/18 King’s Cross 11/23½ Farringdon 11/27 Moorgate (pfm 4) arr 11 32½ Moorgate (pfm 4) dep 12 10½ Farringdon 12/14 King’s Cross 12/17½ Baker Street (pfm 6) 12/23 Edgware Road (pfm 4) 12a26 Praed Street Junction 12/27 Paddington (Sub) 12/28 Latimer Road 12/34½ Goldhawk Road 12/39 Hammersmith (pfm 1) arr 12 41½ Hammersmith (pfm 1) dep 13 13½ Goldhawk Road 13/15 Latimer Road 13/19½ Paddington (Sub) 13/26 Praed Street Junction 13/29 Edgware Road (pfm 1) 13/30½ Baker Street (pfm 5) 13/33 King’s Cross 13/38½ Farringdon 13/42 Moorgate (pfm 4) arr 13 47½ Moorgate (pfm 4) dep 14 25½ Farringdon 14/29 King’s Cross 14/32½ Baker Street (pfm 6) 14/38 Edgware Road (pfm 4) 14a41 Praed Street Junction 14/42 Paddington (Sub) 14/43 Latimer Road 14/49½ Goldhawk Road 14/54 Hammersmith arr 14 57 (pfm 1) dep 15 28½ Goldhawk Road 15/30 Latimer Road 15/34½ Paddington (Sub) 15/41 Praed Street Junction 15/44 Edgware Road (pfm 1) 15/45½ Baker Street (pfm 5) 15/48 King’s Cross 15/53½ Farringdon 15/57 Moorgate (pfm 4) arr 16.02½ Moorgate (pfm 4) dep 16 25½ Farringdon 16/29 King’s Cross 16/32½ Baker Street (pfm 6)16/38 Edgware Road (pfm 4) 16b41½ Praed Street Junction 16/42½ Paddington (Circle) 16/44 High Street Kensington 16/50 Earl’s Court (pfm 4) 16 54 West Kensington 16/56 Hammersmith 16/59½ Turnham Green 17/05 Acton Town (pfm 1) 17 09½ Northfields arr 17 14 Chris

A video has just been uploaded of the Ruislip-Northfields transfer, which also included 5521. Chris

I don't think this is really too great a surprise... Dawlish railway track alternatives 'too expensive' Chris

I believe it had already been modified when in departmental use - according to the blog the wiring was already a combination of that in prototype and production power cars, and it has now been re-wired as close to the latter as possible. Chris

Interesting - the last I saw East West Rail was being designed for 100mph, where has 125mph been mentioned? Chris

RailNews also reporting the clarification from Network Rail - Network Rail denies Dawlish Plan Chris

I can't see Iver producing savings at Euston - HS2 is currently getting an interchange with Great Western services at both Old Oak Common (which has no need for relief) and Heathrow post-western access. While Iver may be more convenient than those two for some, it will have next to no impact on demand at Euston. Besides, given the dubious case for the HS2 Heathrow branch seems more based on politics than economics, it has to serve Heathrow directly or it simply won't happen - especially as the airport will be expected to stump up some of the cash. Chris