Oxford to Bicester Line - FGW and Chiltern Railways (merged topics)

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

There are a couple of extra trains from December as FGW^▸ (First Great Western) slowly increase the service up towards the level they were at up until Thames Trains cut them back about five years ago. More details, and news on other related topics concerning the line are contained in the following quote from the OBRAG (Oxford to Bicester Rail Action Group) website by its Secretary, John Watts.

Dear All,
 
Various bits of news to report:
 
New Services

    * Alongside the extra Christmas services, which FGW will run on the same basis as last year for the four weeks either side of Christmas, we shall get some extra trains in December for the whole year.  First off, there will be an extra evening train from Oxford on weekdays - around 9.00pm, with an extra one on Fridays around 11.00pm (times tbc when we know them).  There will also be extra trains on Saturday - to a total of about 10, I understand, so that there's a reasonably frequent daytime service, I think going into the evening.  From May 2009, there should be further improvements - FGW are looking at a Sunday service (probably on a smallish scale) and at filling the gap between the last morning trains (9ish) and the first afternoon ones (1.30ish).  All these trains will stop at Islip as well as Bicester (some of the Christmas services may not).
    * These developments, which are great news, are made possible by investment on the part of Oxfordshire County Council, but they also reflect FGW's interest in the potential of our line and the strong passenger-growth that has occurred in recent years.  As awareness and patronage increase, especially in Bicester, so do the possibilities for a really good train service.  If any of you know people who commute to Oxford and could use the train, do urge them to give it a try.

 
Improvement Works

    * The long-awaited works to convert a length of track between Oxford North Junction and Oxford Station for passenger use are now certain to go ahead.  Late 2009 is the likeliest time for these works.  Once complete, they will mean an easier, more reliable ride into and out of Oxford, cutting journey times by a couple of minutes or so and eradicating delays at the junction.

 
Parking

    * May I remind season-ticket holders that FGW have introduced a parking scheme at Bicester Village.  You need to collect a notice to put in your windscreen, which you can get from the ticket office at Oxford, but then you can park free of charge in the part of the BV car-park nearest the Station, and simply walk through the footpath to the trains.  People who've been using it say it works well, and it avoids the risk of driving to the Station and finding the spaces full.

 
Chiltern Scheme

    * You may have seen press reports about Chiltern Railways' plan to build new track connecting our line with theirs (Snow Hill to Marylebone), and to double our track into Oxford, allowing 100 mph trains and a much more regular service.  This has been welcomed by the East-West Rail Consortium, who have been working towards the upgrading and reopening of the Oxford-Cambridge line, and also by the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about).  What makes it serious and likely to go ahead is that Chiltern's owners - Deutsche Bahn, the German railway network - are prepared to invest their own money to pay for the scheme.  Fingers crossed that the present financial crisis doesn't rule it out, but, as things stand, we should have a transformed railway, with new stations at Bicester and Islip, by the early-to-mid 2010s.

 
Islip and Weston Otmoor

    * We are campaigning to protect Islip, which is threatened by the Weston Otmoor development plan.  It's hard to gauge how likely WO is to come off - on the one hand, local authorities are against it, and there are vigorous protests from the Weston Front and others (see their website, and note upcoming meeting at the end of the month); on the other hand, it's rumoured to be high on the government's list of proposed eco-towns.  We hope that Tony Baldry may be able to ask a direct question about the threat to Islip in Parliament, which would put a government which pledged not to close stations in a difficult position.
    * In the meantime, the more people who use Islip the better.  If you have friends in Kidlington who drive into Oxford or are tired of sitting in stationary buses, you might mention the big car-park at Islip, which is easily accessible from the Kidlington-Islip road.

 
That's about it for now, but we're moving into exciting times!
 
All best,
John
 
John Watts,
Secretary, OBRAG.

[John R]

Good news, as another branch cut back in recent years seeks to recover its services. Only one left now.....

Just one question and thought. Why does the OBRAG keep it's website to members only? I'm sure a public website (as say for Severn Tunnel Action Group) would be more effective in communicating their opinion, informing people and encouraging debate about the line.

[Lee]

All sounds very positive (apart from the Islip issue) , and a great turnaround from 2004, when withdrawing the service was recommended in two Greater Western franchise reports.

On a related note, there is an OBRAG noticeboard at Bicester Town station (photo taken on 28/10/2008) :



More photos can be found in the link below.
http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=3769.msg29098#msg29098

[John R]

But you'll need to improve the resolution of the photo somewhat to make it readable, otherwise the OBRAGs sole web offering remains for members only.

[IndustryInsider]

But you'll need to improve the resolution of the photo somewhat to make it readable, otherwise the OBRAGs sole web offering remains for members only.

It's only a members website in so much as you have to be a member of the group through a Yahoo account - you don't have to be a member of OBRAG. With a free Yahoo account just log in and access the group at http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/obrag/

Then click on 'Join this Group' in the top right-hand corner and after setting your e-mail preferences you can access the site. NO charges or actual OBRAG membership need apply.

[Lee]

Islip and Weston Otmoor

    * We are campaigning to protect Islip, which is threatened by the Weston Otmoor development plan.  It's hard to gauge how likely WO is to come off - on the one hand, local authorities are against it, and there are vigorous protests from the Weston Front and others (see their website, and note upcoming meeting at the end of the month); on the other hand, it's rumoured to be high on the government's list of proposed eco-towns.

But not anymore, it would appear (link below.)
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/3816982.Surprise_move_in_eco_town_battle/

All sites on the shortlist ^ including Weston-on-the-Green, between Kidlington and Bicester ^ have been graded A to C, with A meaning the site is suitable for development, B meaning it might be suitable and C meaning it would be suitable only if substantial and exceptional innovation took place.

Weston Otmoor is the only site currently ranked C.

However, in an surprise development, Oxfordshire might still have to find room for an eco-town, as Cherwell District Council has tabled an alternative to Weston Otmoor, it has been revealed.

The scheme - called North West Bicester (Cherwell) -has been included on the shortlist and given a B ranking.

See link below for background.
http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=2433.msg18240#msg18240

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Oxford Mail:

Passengers between Oxford and Bicester Town were delayed yesterday (sic) after signalling problems in the Oxford area caused services to be cancelled.

First Great Western (FGW^▸ (First Great Western)) offered passengers a replacement bus service between Oxford and Bicester after the problems emerged at 6am.

The technical difficulties also caused 20-minute delays on services running from Oxford to Didcot Parkway.

For the full articles, see http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/3944111.Signal_failure_delays_trains/
and http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/3942475.Train_services_back_on_track/
and http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/3941863.Commuters_endure_railway_delays/

[willc]

The Oxford Bicester Rail Action Group is holding its annual meeting on Tuesday - April 7.
The event is at Oxford Youth Hostel, in Botley Road, alongside the station, from 5.30pm to 7pm and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Oxford station manager Geoff Capes and service delivery manager Dave Barlow will be there to talk about the improved timetable from May.
Members will will also hear about Chiltern's plan to create a new Oxford-London route via Bicester.

[willc]

Points discussed were:

Enhanced branch service from May, which will see 11 trains each way Mon-Thurs and 12 on Fridays (when there is already an extra at 23.01 from Oxford) - extras will run at 10.00, 11.00 and 15.00 from Oxford, and leave Bicester 29 minutes later. Current 13-train Saturday service continues, but there will be the first Sunday trains for a good few years, with nine each way, first from Oxford at 9.26, last from Bicester at 22.03. FGW^▸ (First Great Western) managers said they are planning a publicity blitz. FGW is tendering for a new passenger information system based on the kit installed at Oxford and both branch stations will be equipped as part of this programme.

Track and signal alterations at Oxford to keep the branch trains off the main line - a progress report from Network Rail on this work.

Chiltern's plans to upgrade the line and run to London this way - broadly welcomed, but members want to see Islip served at something like the level FGW is planning from May and some had concerns about Water Eaton station, in terms of the traffic it might generate on nearby roads.

East-West Link, an update on progress with the development work for this.

Issues around cancellations and delays, information available when this happens, alternative transport if no train and security at Bicester Town and Islip - NR^» (Network Rail - home page) said age of signalling an issue but will have to wait for Chiltern scheme or Oxford resignalling in 2016 for this to change. FGW is working on better liaison between traffic controllers and passenger information team, and has tried, unsuccessfully so far, to set up a deal with taxi firms in Bicester to provide cover if a train is cancelled. Hoped that moving the position of the bike shed at Bicester to a new more open position would help to deter thieves.

[IndustryInsider]

Thanks for updating us, Will.

There's more information on these points at the OBRAG Website:

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/obrag/message/77

Note that you have to have a Yahoo! account and join the Yahoo! website group 'OBRAG' (which is free) before you can access the site.

[gwr2006]

The Bicester Link was celebrated at Bicester Town today when the Mayor &  Mayoress of Bicester, the Deputy Lord Mayor of Oxford, Station Manager from First Great Western and Director from Oxfordshire County Council got the new enhanced services underway.

Speeches were made and guests toasted the new services with free food and drink, including a special commemorative cake featuring the new line logo. A town crier announced the arrival of the train fitted with a special commemorative headboard as it set off detonators on the track to announce its arrival at the station.

Celebrations then continued on the trains throughout the day with a saxophone quartet, children's entertainer and face painting being enjoyed by mums, dads and children alike. The many overseas visitors travelling to Bicester Village enjoyed the hospitality and took photographs of the festivities and town crier in his ceremonial outfit.

All the trains during the day were busy, with passengers enjoying free travel and complimentary food, drink and promotional giveaways. There were up to five times more passengers than a normal Saturday and local people came out in large numbers to support the new service - a terrific start which bodes well for the future.

More information on the line and the new services is on the Bicester Link website - www.bicesterlink.info

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Oxford Mail:

All trains were cancelled between Oxford and Bicester for 20 hours because a bridge on the route was feared unsafe. Engineers found damaged timbers on the bridge near Islip on Thursday, and the line was closed until 10.30am yesterday.

First Great Western spokesman Ellie Banks said: ^We had to stop running trains at 3pm after the problem was discovered.^ She said the company ran replacement buses between Bicester and Oxford until the line reopened.

A Network Rail spokesman said engineers had noticed that some of the bridge timbers were twisted. He added: ^Upon further inspection, several cross beams were found to be rotten and no longer offering adequate support. A response team was dispatched to the site, working through the night to remove and replace the rotten timbers.^

[IndustryInsider]

I like the dramatic 20 hours wording - with no trains actually scheduled to run from Oxford after 21:00 until 05:50, that's over 8 hours when it wouldn't matter a jot whether the line was open or closed! Of course it sounds much more dramatic than saying that 8 return trips had to be cancelled...

[eightf48544]

Adds credance to the issues Chiltern are said to be having, with their plans to go to Oxford, regarding the state of the  existing infrastructure and the costs of redoubling.

[willc]

These are now online here http://www.obrag.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/OBRAG-AGM-2010-Minutes.pdf