East West rail, Bletchley to oxford line

[Rugd1022]

19 hours ago, Pannier Tank said:

 

I was born and bred just a couple hundred yards from that bridge. I spent many an hour there watching the trains go by; Black Fives, 8F's and BR Std 4's, 5's and 9F's etc happy days.

 

p.s  forgot to add D2510 coming home for the weekend having worked all week at Aylesbury.

 

 

Have they installed a double junction just north of the Bletchley Platforms? 

 

The bridge over the dual carriageway is still single though?

 

Yes it's a proper double junction up on the flyover, and the single line bridge over the A5 just past Fenny Stratford is a bit of a bottleneck but there's also a single line section at the other end leading up to Bedford St.John's.

 

 

[Pannier Tank]

25 minutes ago, Rugd1022 said:

Yes it's a proper double junction up on the flyover, and the single line bridge over the A5 just past Fenny Stratford is a bit of a bottleneck but there's also a single line section at the other end leading up to Bedford St.John's.

 

Thank you for your reply, that makes sense to me now.

[RJS1977]

6 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

In cynical mode, it seems that the opening date moves forward a year each year, but now seems to be 2025. 

 

 

 

Maybe the project is being managed by certain model railway manufacturers.... ;-P

[lmsforever]

 Typical of the idiot  thank god he is probably destined for oblivion  EWR is a line that is essential as the country gets back on its plus frieght can divert around London. He is typical of MP,s no brain dont give a dam for the voters wonder what he would have done with the money?

[Chris116]

13 minutes ago, lmsforever said:

 Typical of the idiot  thank god he is probably destined for oblivion  EWR is a line that is essential as the country gets back on its plus frieght can divert around London. He is typical of MP,s no brain dont give a dam for the voters wonder what he would have done with the money?

Probably held a party! 

[KingEdwardII]

On 03/08/2022 at 08:26, Pete the Elaner said:

When will I be able to travel on it?

I think the Spanish have a good word for that: "mañana" ;-)

 

Yours, Mike.

[Davexoc]

Coming back home yesterday from the south west, I went over the new bridge at Bicester, and there a tracks beneath it heading east, don't know how far they go east though....

[Ray H]

And there was a ballast train under the Whaddon Road near Mursley.

[Pannier Tank]

Some images of the Bicester end of EWR.

https://twitter.com/Marshrail/status/1557811483043659776?s=20&t=iUZPmaXELnxEDhQOeGb4lw

[Davexoc]

Looks like we have Freightliner working the trains in from the Bletchley end, and GBRF in from the Bicester end. Or is it whoever can cover it?

[Ron Ron Ron]

2 hours ago, Davexoc said:

Looks like we have Freightliner working the trains in from the Bletchley end, and GBRF in from the Bicester end……

Will we see a modern day “Battle of Havant” when the two meet in the middle?

 

 

.

[Mike Storey]

4 minutes ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

Will we see a modern day “Battle of Havant” when the two meet in the middle?

 

 

.

 

I presume you mean the day Hrotheweard's army was destroyed by Duke FitzOsbern?

 

[jamie92208]

They won't meet though. HS2 is doi g the bit in the middle.  Just hope that it all lines up and they've all used the same type of rail.

 

Jamie

[Davexoc]

16 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

They won't meet though. HS2 is doi g the bit in the middle.  Just hope that it all lines up and they've all used the same type of rail.

 

Presumably HS2 will just hand over a bridge, leaving the cost of adding embankments to get up to it on the EWR budget.

 

As for rail types, code 80 and code 55 connect reasonably well. Just needs a quick rub over with a file and some fine abrasive material....

[Northmoor]

48 minutes ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

Will we see a modern day “Battle of Havant” when the two meet in the middle?

I'd assumed something like the meeting at Promontory Summit, Utah.  Similarly, we would also have two American-built locos from the two companies.

[melmerby]

On 04/08/2022 at 14:52, KingEdwardII said:

I think the Spanish have a good word for that: "mañana" ;-)

 

Yours, Mike.

 

But with not so much urgency.....

(with apologies to a certain other rmwebber)

[melmerby]

6 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

I'd assumed something like the meeting at Promontory Summit, Utah.  Similarly, we would also have two American-built locos from the two companies.

Weren't the 66s built in London (Ontario, Canada)?🙂

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, Davexoc said:

 

Presumably HS2 will just hand over a bridge, leaving the cost of adding embankments to get up to it on the EWR budget.

 

As for rail types, code 80 and code 55 connect reasonably well. Just needs a quick rub over with a file and some fine abrasive material....

I should have said that my tounge was firmly in my cherk.  IiIRC HS2 are doing the embankments.

 

Jamie

[Northmoor]

1 hour ago, melmerby said:

Weren't the 66s built in London (Ontario, Canada)?🙂

Which is in NORTH America, just not the UNITED STATES of America.

 

<Phew, think I successfully side-stepped there>

[Edwin_m]

14 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

I should have said that my tounge was firmly in my cherk.  IiIRC HS2 are doing the embankments.

 

Jamie

And I think EWR put the track down when they're finished.  

[corneliuslundie]

But will they have any trains?

Jonathan

[simon b]

1 hour ago, corneliuslundie said:

But will they have any trains?

Jonathan

I'm sure Chiltern would be able to operate a service to Milton Keynes with the stock they have already, at least until a decision has been made about if Bletchley to Bedford is to go ahead or not.

[Nearholmer]

26 minutes ago, simon b said:

at least until a decision has been made about if Bletchley to Bedford is to go ahead or not.

Presumably, by ‘made’ you mean ‘announced’. I’m sure it’s already been put in the ‘too difficult’ tray. 

[corneliuslundie]

Presumably in due course we shall hear that the project is to be called Central-West Railway.

Jonathan

[john new]

On 04/08/2022 at 10:14, Mike Storey said:

 

It is odd. The line is still shown on EWR maps both on EWR's site and NR's site, but is nowhere mentioned in the text. The "Review" promised last Autumn does not appear to have reported yet.

 

The cynic in me says if cancelling announce it publicly one week after next general election and the converse if it is a go ahead.