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Author Topic: Oxford to Bicester Line - FGW and Chiltern Railways (merged topics)  (Read 63567 times)
ChrisB
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« Reply #105 on: May 27, 2011, 19:49:04 »

Probably deliberately.

Do the London Midland sets look like these?
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paul7575
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« Reply #106 on: May 27, 2011, 22:40:21 »

Probably deliberately.

Do the London Midland sets look like these?

No, they look just like SN Electrostars. It's the gangway that makes the difference...

Edit:  Found a decent picture now - http://www.shakespeareline.com/images/172_231_tys_brw_v.jpg

Paul
« Last Edit: May 28, 2011, 10:30:46 by paul7755 » Logged
ChrisB
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« Reply #107 on: May 31, 2011, 21:20:43 »

Modern Railweays screw up yet again.....

In June's Modern Railways (pp 74 - 77) there is an article headed "Chiltern main line set to challenge West Coast".
Of more relevance is the piece at the bottom of page 77 (LH corner) which reads :

Quote
It is anticipated that the TWA for this project (Evergreen 3, Marylebone - Oxford) will be confirmed during 2011. To cut down on paperwork in the future, the TWA application covers the work required for the proposed EWRL project fron Oxford to Bletchley, including the replacement of 38 level crossings and other works required east of Bicester Town station. All but one of the 38 crossings will be closed, with replacement bridges or alternative routes between Oxford/Bicester and Bletchley

So says Modern Railways.
However, the Project Manager - East West Rail Consortium, says in an email....

Quote
I just read the article. I^m afraid they have got it badly wrong! I spoke with Chiltern and they will be speaking to the editor!

I bet they don't print a correction, however.
 
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #108 on: August 05, 2011, 17:13:35 »

Any news on Evergreen 3?

Cabin rumours abound that there are problems with the construction side of things from Laing and that it'll be at least a year late opening, and in the meantime Chiltern are struggling to crew the trains between Oxford and Bicester Town and may hand the service back to FGW (First Great Western) for a while.

All cabin chat I hasten to repeat!
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ChrisB
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« Reply #109 on: August 05, 2011, 17:20:47 »

Lainmg aren't the contractors are they? Its the same lot doing the Phase 1 works isn't it?

I'm hearing that the Inspector hasn't yet reported to the Sec of State yet, so the TWA order is still some way off.....
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paul7575
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« Reply #110 on: August 05, 2011, 18:18:13 »

Laing aren't the contractors are they? Its the same lot doing the Phase 1 works isn't it?


I believe BAM Nuttall have both the phase 1 and phase 2 EG3 contracts - the latter phase, Bicester-Oxford, is presumably in some sort of 'pending approval' stage at the moment, awaiting the TWA order decision.

Found this:  http://www.bamnuttall.co.uk/news/JAN10/BAM_Nuttall_lands_Chiltern.html

AIUI (as I understand it) Laing have nothing directly to do with Chiltern any more, since selling the business to DB» (Deutsche Bahn - German State Railway - about).

PS  Google found the Oxford Mail article reporting Jarvis going bust.  IIRC (if I recall/remember/read correctly) at that time Jarvis's PR (Public Relations) dept had been giving every impression that they were working for Chiltern on the project, the last section of the Oxford Mail's report seemed to be BAM Nuttall putting the picture straight...

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/5083841.Evergreen_3_rail_firm_in_administration/

Paul

 
« Last Edit: August 05, 2011, 18:24:52 by paul7755 » Logged
IndustryInsider
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« Reply #111 on: August 05, 2011, 18:58:49 »

Thanks for clearing that up then guys.  Hopefully nothing is too amiss - though that Inspector really needs to pull his socks up...
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willc
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« Reply #112 on: August 05, 2011, 23:21:22 »

Modern Railweays screw up yet again.....

In June's Modern Railways (pp 74 - 77) there is an article headed "Chiltern main line set to challenge West Coast".
Of more relevance is the piece at the bottom of page 77 (LH corner) which reads :

Quote
It is anticipated that the TWA for this project (Evergreen 3, Marylebone - Oxford) will be confirmed during 2011. To cut down on paperwork in the future, the TWA application covers the work required for the proposed EWRL project fron Oxford to Bletchley, including the replacement of 38 level crossings and other works required east of Bicester Town station. All but one of the 38 crossings will be closed, with replacement bridges or alternative routes between Oxford/Bicester and Bletchley

So says Modern Railways.
However, the Project Manager - East West Rail Consortium, says in an email....

Quote
I just read the article. I^m afraid they have got it badly wrong! I spoke with Chiltern and they will be speaking to the editor!

I bet they don't print a correction, however.
 


They did actually.
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ChrisB
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« Reply #113 on: August 06, 2011, 09:36:10 »

After the rumpus, they had no choice.

Teach them for using the notes taken without checking with the speaker....
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #114 on: March 25, 2012, 21:17:31 »

From the Bicester Advertiser:

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Improved rail link survives end of subsidy

The enhanced train service that has operated between Oxford and Bicester for the past three years is to continue, despite the end of a subsidy for the extra trains.

The ^675,000 funding came from planning gain payments made by the Bicester Village shopping centre to Oxfordshire County Council to encourage shoppers to arrive by Rail.

It was used to increase the number of trains between Oxford, Islip and Bicester Town stations on weekdays and Saturdays and support the introduction of Sunday services.

The extra trains have led to a boom in custom on the line, with a 73 per cent jump in passenger numbers at Bicester Town between 2009 and 2010, with 105,329 journeys, up from 60,638 in 2008-9, and a 40 per cent rise at Islip, with 23,885 journeys, up from 17,062 the previous year.

Chiltern Railways, which took over the route from First Great Western last May, said it wanted to continue to increase traffic on the line.

A spokesman said: ^In our May timetable, we have kept the enhanced level of service between Bicester Town and Oxford despite the removal of funding from Oxfordshire County Council. This is because we are keen to develop the market and retain these services.^

The news was welcomed by the Oxford-Bicester Rail Action Group (Obrag).

Chairman Dr Ian East said: ^We welcome the fact that the current timetable will continue for now but are not so happy about the possible loss of trains at Islip under the Evergreen3 service.^

He added: ^The issue for us is to get the minimum public service requirement increased by the DfT» (Department for Transport - about). If a station is left below the level of service that is useful, then custom declines.

^At Islip, traffic was falling when there were only seven trains a day each way, but with 11, traffic jumped. That change took us past the tipping point where the service became useful. It showed the demand is there.^
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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
grahame
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« Reply #115 on: March 25, 2012, 22:36:29 »

Thanks for posting that, Chris ... yet another success story where an increase in service has resulted in a spectacular (and propotionately much greater) increase in traffic.


Chairman Dr Ian East said: [snip] ^... The issue for us is to get the minimum public service requirement increased by the DfT» (Department for Transport - about). If a station is left below the level of service that is useful, then custom declines. At Islip, traffic was falling when there were only seven trains a day each way, but with 11, traffic jumped. That change took us past the tipping point where the service became useful. It showed the demand is there.^


That figure of 11 is particularly interesting ... rather confirms our work / projections for the TransWilts
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #116 on: March 26, 2012, 00:07:49 »

"You may very well think that, grahame: I couldn't possibly comment."  Tongue
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William Huskisson MP (Member of Parliament) was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830.  Many more have died in the same way since then.  Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.

"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner."  Discuss.
anthony215
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« Reply #117 on: March 26, 2012, 12:43:02 »

I agree and if increasing the number of trains between Oxford & Bicester Town has worked then it in my opinion  boosts the argument for extra services between Swindon & Salisbury/Southampton
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Andrew1939 from West Oxon
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« Reply #118 on: March 26, 2012, 17:01:03 »

I wonder if the Bicester Line figures could be properly compared with the Mid Wilts possibility. Rail use has grown from all parts of Oxfordshire into Oxford at a much higher rate than on many other lines. The main reason for this growth is the positive local authority policies of discouraging commuters (and as many others) from travelling by private car into Oxford by operating a high public car park charging policy. For an all day public car park in Oxford it can cost up to nearly ^30 a day and that makes rail fares very good provided there is an adequate rail service as the Bicester Line case shows that a better service does produce more rail travellers. I am not familar with the current Mid Wilts rail use but assuming the present appallingly poor frequency rail service was improved to make rail travel more viable, are the parking charges at the destinations of these rail users high enough to encourage people to actually make the shift in the same numbers as in the case of Oxford? There are still plenty of people who drive into Oxford at peak hours as exemplified by the 10 mile bumper to bumper queue of traffic from Witney to Oxford each morning starting at around 07.00 for up to two hours. The reason for so many people still driving into Oxford is that Oxford, at a count some years ago, was noted for having the highest number of private off-street car parking places compared with any other town of similar size. The reason for this is that there so many car parking spaces tucked away in the grounds of the secluded 40 plus colleges in Oxford. To get more people on the already busy trains to Oxford there now needs to be the implementation of a work place car parking tax at, say, ^5 a day. That would reduce road use into Oxford by commuters but would not affect the shoppers and tourism market that Oxford so desperately wants to encourage.
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