| Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/8923 Written by dewarw on Wednesday, 5th December 2007 A new petition has been launched, campaigning for better infrastructure- ie double track- on FGWs Cotswold line! Please sign it. Please tell your friends/advertise it. The url is below: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Cotswold/ Many thanks! :) Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/8925 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Thursday, 6th December 2007 Hi, William. I'll say what I know about this ... can you fill in with more? The Oxford to Worcester line was reduced from double track throughout to single track in the 1960s - just like the line from Thingley Junction to Bradford Junction on the TransWilts was - and the single track sections now provide a major bottleneck. I know that WE are worried on the "TransWilts" about a lack of capacity if freight traffic increases further, and already some of he proposals we're putting forward are having to be modified to provide a less-that-ideal set of timings because of availability of the single track ("a head on collision every 2 hours" I wrote about one suggestion!) ... and redoubling here would be sensible in the next 10 years or so, and relatively cheap compared to some alternative transport enhancements in the corridor where earthworks are not yet in place .... Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/8933 Written by Lee on Thursday, 6th December 2007 [quote author=dewarw link=topic=4891.msg8923#msg8923 date=1196888483] A new petition has been launched, campaigning for better infrastructure- ie double track- on FGWs Cotswold line! Please sign it. Please tell your friends/advertise it. The url is below: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Cotswold/ Many thanks! :) [/quote] Before I sign , can you confirm that you are in favour of providing the required extra platforms at Ascott - under - Wychwood , Combe and Finstock , and that these stations will not be shut on cost grounds if the line is redoubled? Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/8935 Written by Industry Insider on Thursday, 6th December 2007 I personally think that complete re-doubling of the whole line will not get approved any time soon due to the costs involved, whilst Graham is right in that earthworks are largely in place, the track in many sections has been realigned to allow higher speeds and slews from one side of the former double track to the other, so unfortunately it's not just a case of plonking another track down next to the existing one. Also, Lee has a valid point regarding Ascott-U-W, Combe and Finstock. As well as those smaller stations, the larger stations at Hanborough, Charlbury, Honeybourne and Pershore would have to have additional platforms added (though the old platforms are substantially complete still at Honeybourne and Pershore). Personally, I think that a more modest scheme should be called for as (given the current cost or re-instating railway infrastructure) that is much more likely to be funded, and would provide real, tangible improvements that are deperately required so that a punctual, slightly faster, hourly (half-hourly in peak) service can operate. I would suggest some, if not all, of the following improvements covering the Oxford-Norton Junction section should be included (although many of the problems with capacity are connected with the outdated signalling and track layouts at Worcester and Malvern too of course!) 1) Resignalling with colour-light Track Circuit Block signals throughout, replacing Norton Junction, Evesham, Moreton and Ascott signalboxes and associated token equipment. 2) Redoubling of short sections immediately beyond Wolvercote and Norton Juntions to enable trains waiting to go onto the single line to not have to block the main line whilst they wait. 3) Passing loops to be installed within the single track sections to virtually double capacity for service recovery, one in the Pershore area, one in the Chipping Camden area, and one between Finstock and Hanborough (there are two long straight sections of track which are ideal for this as the track has not been moved from the original days). 4) Line-speed increases from 75 to 90+ on most of the Moreton to Evesham section (with the exception of Aston Magna curve and possibly between Camden Tunnel and Honeybourne where track curvature would prevent this). 5) Upgrade of Switches & Crossings (S&C) at Norton Junction in the down directon to increase linespeed from 25mph to 70mph. 6) Upgrade of S&C at Evesham to allow 50mph working throughout station area. 7) Upgrade of S&C at Moreton to increase up direction working off the single line from 15mph to 40mph. 8) Upgrade of S&C at Ascott so that up trains can enter the single line section at 75mph instead of 40mph. 9) Upgrade of S&C at Wolvercote Junction from 40mph to 60mph both directions. Apologies if this is a little in-depth, but I believe that a good financial case could be made for the above schemes, and that they would help to vastly reduce delays on the Cotswold Line, give adequate capacity for an hourly off-peak service (with room for extra trains in the peak) and also speed up services so that Worcester is within the important aspirational journey time of 1hour to Oxford and 2hrs to London whilst largely maintaining the current calling patterns. What do people think? Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/8953 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Saturday, 8th December 2007 [quote] What do people think? [/quote] I think you know a lot more about this than I do ;D .... but all the suggestions about which I can comment seem sane and sensible. Personally I have to measure them against my own local "I wish it were redoubled" case. Point number 2 (a short stretch of double track just at the entrance to the line) seems like an excellent starter for robusteness and whilst it might not do much for the actual services on the Cotswold line itself, it would set up an environment where the timetable didn't have to be planned to mitigate the effect of any delays. My local comparison would be to suggest a double track section sufficient to hold a train just beyond Thingley Junction, and another at Bradford Junction ... then there would be less fear of TransWilts services blocking the London to Bristol line at Chippenham, or the Portsmouth to Cardiff at Trowbridge. Industry Insider - your input provides a good insite into alternatives here. You don't by any change have any very rough guesses as to the relative cost of each suggestion / gains that would be made / cost of William's whole scheme do you? Or perhaps this isn't quite the right forum and it might get a wider coverage and informed discussion on the coffeeshop? Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/8956 Written by Industry Insider on Saturday, 8th December 2007 [quote author=Graham Ellis link=topic=4891.msg8953#msg8953 date=1197099369] [quote] Industry Insider - your input provides a good insite into alternatives here. You don't by any change have any very rough guesses as to the relative cost of each suggestion / gains that would be made / cost of William's whole scheme do you? Or perhaps this isn't quite the right forum and it might get a wider coverage and informed discussion on the coffeeshop? [/quote] Basically I wouldn't have a clue :D However when you consider the cost of Projext Evergreen (stage 1) on the Chiltern Line which cost around Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/9869 Written by Lee on Monday, 4th February 2008 Some feedback on Industry Insider's proposals from the First Great Western Coffee Shop Forum : [quote author=stebbo link=topic=1129.msg10776#msg10776 date=1202049599] With reference to Industry Insider's suggestions, as a short term solution, why not adopt those ideas plus extend the length of the double track section in the middle. Start by redoubling Evesham to Moreton (how often do the early morning Hereford trains have to wait at Evesham) then Ascott to (say) Charlbury. [/quote] Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/10751 Written by Industry Insider on Thursday, 13th March 2008 The expected Network Rail announcement during February has now slipped to mid-March with silence prevailing still... >:( Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/11291 Written by Lee on Friday, 4th April 2008 Oxford Mail article link. http://oxfordmail.co.uk/display.var.2172240.0.rail_improvements_on_track.php [quote]Moves to improve the Cotswold Line rail route between Oxford and Worcester took a step forward today, when Network Rail indicated its preferred option for the project. "This would see double track reinstated for four miles from Finstock, near Charlbury, to Ascott-under-Wychwood, and on the 16-mile section from Moreton-in-Marsh, in Gloucestershire, to Evesham, in Worcestershire.[/quote] Isnt there a meeting in Charlbury tonight? What excellent timing Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/11292 Written by Industry Insider on Friday, 4th April 2008 Timing that's almost too co-incendental, Lee! ;) Good news as a first step towards modernising this main line, though I will be interested to hear more detail when they are released as to the connected infrastructure/signalling works that will be included - including the station situation. I would imagine the section of double track will commence after Finstock station as there's no chance the linespeed could not be affected on the curve through the station with two tracks/platforms otherwise. Platforms situations at Charlbury, Ascott and Honeybourne need clarifying though - though anybody who's been to Honeybourne will recognise that the old platform is in marvelous shape still and will need little more that a bit of packing and a layer of tarmac to almost accommodate a full-length HST (plus a footbridge of course)! Over to the Government, err, sorry, the ORR, to give it the green light. Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/11293 Written by Lee on Friday, 4th April 2008 Further article quote : [quote]After a Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/11304 Written by Lee on Friday, 4th April 2008 News from tonights Charlbury meeting, taken from the First Great Western Coffee Shop Forum : [quote author=IanL link=topic=2064.msg17533#msg17533 date=1207337067] Just back from meeting, NR route manager and FGW route manager there. NR manager claimed that the solution they are proposing will deliver 95% of the benefits at 33% of the cost of a full redoubling mainly due to not having to get into the Oxford signalling or tunnels at the Hereford end. If ORR give go ahaed for funding (june decision) then first sod cut in Jan09, finished May 2010. Platforms and footbridges included in funding plan. Lots more said at meeting, will try and note it down in another Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/11314 Written by Lee on Saturday, 5th April 2008 Further Coffee Shop quote : [quote author=willc link=topic=2064.msg17568#msg17568 date=1207352533] Station work-wise there would have to be new platforms at Charlbury and Ascott-under-Wychwood, but at Honeybourne, the old island platform (Stratford-upon-Avon and Cheltenham services used the opposite face) is pretty much intact and could be brought back into use relatively easily. The question here is whether the whole length would be restored to use, as it could probably take a 2+8 HST, in contrast to the three-coach platform on the single line. Not clear on footbridge locations (though CBY and HYB are obvious), but if they are going to spend the money, then Kingham really could do with a new disabled/cycle/baby buggy-accessible bridge while they are at it, because if you can't manage steps, then you can't reach the Oxford/London-bound platform at present. After questions about parking at Charlbury station - and people leaving cars in the town and walking down to the station - Dave Ward, Network Rail's western route director, said at the meeting tonight that he would be taking up the issue of providing adequate car parking at all the stations on the route with the team in charge of the project, as station facilities are very much part of the equation. More parking could be tricky, as previously noted, at Shipton. And new housing at Honeybourne has eaten up what would have been an ideal area to extend into, though there is a lot of railway-owned land on the opposite side, behind the island platform, with disused sidings on, so maybe there is parking potential there. However, if the shortlisted eco-town at Long Marston were to go ahead (and it would only make eco-sense if the rail link through to Stratford upon Avon is reinstated - and maybe even to Cheltenham via the Gloucester & Warwickshire preserved line - then they may need to reinvent Honeybourne Junction in all its four-platform glory, along with the spectacular triangular and burrowing junctions just to the east (the GWR didn't do things by halves in the 1900s). How about a Birmingham-Worcester-Evesham-Honeybourne-Long Marston-Stratford-Birmingham circular route and Stratford-Oxford via the Cotswold Line? And let's not forget Chipping Campden, where Gloucestershire County Council has long had aspirations to reopen the station. Until now, lack of capacity on the single line has always stymied this, but a green light for double track would change the equation here. Certainly interesting times in these parts. [quote]Shame it will take so long...[/quote] Give them a break - in rail project terms, this is warp speed. They are talking 15 months of work, while keeping trains running for as much of that time as possible. All told it would be just over three years from starting study work to completion, which compares pretty well with Chiltern's redoubling schemes. Now all we've got to do is hope that D(a)fT and the ORR see sense. [/quote] Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/12069 Written by Lee on Thursday, 1st May 2008 Commuters fed up with delays and cancellations are being urged to bombard Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly with letters in support of the upgrade scheme (link below.) http://www.oxfordmail.net/display.var.2241581.0.signal_support_for_rail_update.php The appeal comes from the county council, which says it is "taking nothing for granted" over plans to reinstate double track on 20 miles of the Cotswold Line, at an estimated cost of at least Re: Petition for double track on Cotswold Line... - 4891/12508 Written by Lee on Friday, 6th June 2008 The ORR have given their approval (link below.) http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=2934.msg22386#msg22386 link to index of articles |
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Save the Train was the campaign to bring an approriate train service back to and through Melksham. Most big contributors are still around writing at the Coffee shop forum where new members are very welcome. The train has been saved - sort of - we have stepped back up from an unusable service to a poorish one but it's doing very well. We did that through setting up the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership. That fulfilled its early objectives; it has been taken over by local and regional government types who are now doing medium and long term work. The team from this forun can also be found at the Melksham Rail User Group (which was the Melksham Rail Development Group at the time these articles were written and we had no users. We mustn't loose sight, though, that the train service remains poor and needs our community support in marketing and campaigning to keep it going in a positive direction ... and all the more so when we're expecting to find a different normallity once we get out of the Coronavirus Pandemic and head for zero carbon via the climate crisis. Yes, it's saved ... it's now a key community facility ... the need for enhancement and the strong and near-universal local support remain, and the rail industry and goverment remain slow to move and provide the enhancements even to level us up with other towns. Please support the Melksham Rail User Group - now very much in partnership rather than protest with the rail industry and local government, including GWR, TransWilts and unitary and town councils. And please use the trains and buses, and cycle and walk when you can. -- Graham Ellis, (webmaster), February 2021 | |||
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