Cotswold Line redoubling: 2008 - 2011

[whole diary]

[Adrian the Rock]

Moreton's box is to be retained.

I also believe they're planning to add a new signal to enable terminating trains from the Oxford direction to start back directly from the down platform, avoiding the need for any shunting.

[willc]

How things look at the Oxfordshire end of the line

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/8104748.Network_Rail_reveals_final_plans_for_Cotswold_Line_upgrade/

I am drip-feeding more details out - because there are a lot - into the various papers the firm I work for publishes, so there will be a bit more about Moreton and Evesham/Honeybourne coming next week.

[IndustryInsider]

Thanks, Will.  Five trains a day each way at Ascott - I wonder what the speed merchants will make of that!  Good to see the few metres of extension to the existing platform to a 3-car length will be done at the same time to stop additional cost later.  Will the same be happening at Shipton?

[willc]

Won't worry the speed merchants over-much as almost all will be Turbos extended beyond Oxford out to Moreton-in-Marsh, though I gather the 19.22 is slated to stop.

Shipton's platform will not be extended out of the redoubling project team's budget but I have been told it is being looked at elsewhere within Network Rail, so there's still the possibility it could be done if money is authorised from under another budget heading, in the same way that some track replacement at Evesham and Ascott-under-Wychwood will be done this summer using renewals funding.

[Moreton134]

Regarding the signalling, there will be quite a variety along the line when redoubling is complete ranging from semaphores, 2 & 3 aspect colour lights and presumably new LED type signals along the new sections.

However having travelled the line yesterday between Moreton and Oxford (the particular train was an hour late due to signalling problems between Evesham and Moreton), I noticed that on the UP line to Oxford there where quite a few existing 2 aspect intermediate signals between Kingham and Ascott.   But no intermediate signals between the last home semaphore at Moreton and east of Kingham, very strange! Possible opportunity to install 1 or 2 new signals between this long section to help any increase in service, and reduce headways.

[IndustryInsider]

However having travelled the line yesterday between Moreton and Oxford (the particular train was an hour late due to signalling problems between Evesham and Moreton), I noticed that on the UP line to Oxford there where quite a few existing 2 aspect intermediate signals between Kingham and Ascott.   But no intermediate signals between the last home semaphore at Moreton and east of Kingham, very strange! Possible opportunity to install 1 or 2 new signals between this long section to help any increase in service, and reduce headways.

Those 2-aspect signals (there are four in total) are only there to protect Bruern level crossing, and Ascott-Under-Wychwood's junction onto the single line - you still can't have two trains in the entire section between Moreton and Ascott.

[willc]

The new issue of the CLPG^» (Cotswold Line Promotion Group - about) Cotswold & Malvern Line News gives the following proposed dates for engineering work later this year that will affect all or parts of the line.

Mon-Thurs, May 31-June 3, August 23-26 and November 15-18, the 21.48 London to Worcester will terminate at Oxford and 21.53 Hereford-London ends at Worcester, with replacement buses running  due to overnight possessions.
Sunday June 27, buses between Oxford and Kingham due to work in the Charlbury and Ascott-under-Wychwood area (track renewal).
Sat-Sun, July 2-3; Sun July 11; and Sat-Sun October 2-3. Buses between Worcester and Moreton-in-Marsh during work at Evesham (track renewal), Aston Magna (realignment and equipment repositioning) and Mickleton (where embankment strengthening will be done ahead of track work). The October possession is for installation of the new double track bridge east of Honeybourne, over the old Cheltenham line, and for work on the River Avon bridge at Evesham, including waterproofing, plus track work at Littleton & Badsey.

All dates still subject to confirmation and more could be added if required.

The extended overnight closures for the main tracklaying effort will kick in from the December timetable change, once the leaf-fall season is over and the Sandite train has stopped running. The tracklaying programme is due to last 20 weeks, to the start of May next year. Once that is done, then the focus will be on connecting up everything at Charlbury and Ascott, for that section to open to traffic with the timetable change at the end of the month, allowing the extra Oxford-Moreton services to start.

[willc]

Cotswold Journal variation of redoubling tale

http://www.cotswoldjournal.co.uk/archive/2010/04/22/news_other/8111913.Historic_signal_box_will_be_spared/

By way of a footnote, more signal cable was stolen between Moreton and Evesham last night, with pilotman working in force during the morning peak. This was at least the third such theft since last summer.

[Adrian the Rock]

Cotswold Journal variation of redoubling tale

http://www.cotswoldjournal.co.uk/archive/2010/04/22/news_other/8111913.Historic_signal_box_will_be_spared/ ...

That's in accordance with my understanding of the plans - and it makes total sense.

The point is that at both Evesham and Ascott a significant proportion of the track layout will change.  For example the double-single junction at the country (Worcester) end of Evesham will move, the double-single junction at the London end will be removed, and there is the new layout at Honeybourne to be incorporated.  Though possible, it doesn't make sense to spend a corresponding amount of money on the re-locking that would be required to control all that from the existing lever frames.  Given that significant money has to be spent, it is better used for installing modern signalling equipment, even though for now it will be controlled from panels in the existing signalboxes.  The way signalling equipment is constructed these days, it wouldn't be a huge job at a suitable future date to re-control this new signalling from a more strategic location, such as Didcot.

At Moreton, on the other hand, the only substantive track changes are the removal of the double-single junction at the country end, and the provision of facing point locks on the point at the station end of the trailing crossover and on the exit from the siding immediately before the station (if that is to be retained at all).  The rest of the layout and signalling (apart from the new reversing signal and the method of block working to Evesham) can be left unaltered, saving the cost of a lot of new equipment.  If it ain't broke...

[Oxman]

I understand the long siding on the downside at Moreton is to be retained, but the tamper siding on the up side is to go - to be replaced by the sidings at Honeybourne.

[Moreton134]

Can anybody clarify the following rumours i've heard before preliminary work last summer regarding the redoubling.   
Early last year I heard that Moreton was to receive a new turnback signal and cross over at the Worcester end as well, but I can't imagine thats right.
If not will Evesham still retain a turnback/crossover facility?
At Honeybourne will there be a cross over junction at the eastern end (to form a loop with the junction at the western Evesham end) to allow traffic to Long Marston from Oxford without blocking the up main.
Will the new reversing signal at Moreton be a modified semaphore or a colour light?

Not sure if any of these are correct.

[willc]

Doing the best I can to answer in order:

1. No, Moreton will only be set up to turn back trains from Oxford from platform 1 (ie the main station building side).
2. There will be a turnback facility at Evesham for trains arriving from and returning to Worcester (didn't have the chance to ask quite how this will be arranged, ie with a crossover just outside the station, or by bi-directional running from the new junction west of the town)
3. A diagram released by Network Rail in 2008 showed a crossover to the east of Honeybourne to allow trains from the Oxford direction to reach the new sidings that will be built west of the station, which will be both for use by traffic to/from Long Marston and for engineering trains, tampers etc. (note that the sidings at Evesham will be isolated for later removal this summer when the track through the station is renewed). On the press run the specific point was made that there will be much easier access to and from Long Marston, rather than the maximum two paths a day available at present (which can fast become one or none if there is disruption to the passenger timetable).
4. Not sure, but given that it will be within spitting distance of the signalbox, so a very easy pull reusing one of the spare levers in the box, and they can presumably recycle a signal from Evesham, would be a pity to fit a colour light amid the last cluster of Cotswold Line semaphores. Recycling is a bit of a theme, as the panels of track now piled up at Honeybourne, which were removed from Campden tunnel last summer, will be reused in the new sidings.

Re some of the points made by Oxman and Adrian. The refuge siding south of Moreton looks to have had some attention from the track gang recently, with all the wooden keys knocked firmly into the chairs and missing ones replaced - perhaps with a view to stabling tracklaying machinery there and saving on travelling time from and back to Hinksey or Worcester.

The new signalling kit at A-u-W and Evesham is indeed designed to be easily plugged into any future centralised control scheme for the line

[Moreton134]

Thanks for the info willc,

I think that the new refurbished turnback signal going in at Moreton could be that small type home starter semaphore in Evesham, just the right size!   I've heard in the past that train drivers have complained about this signals current location at Evesham (just behind the bridge arch on the opposite running line).   

Any ideas when the bullhead track through Moreton station will be replaced?

[willc]

Not any time soon I should think. Wear and tear is minimal since all trains are running at low speed, with just the odd sleeper needing replacement now and again. As was said of the signals, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, so I expect the track will stay so long as the station is mechanically signalled.

I think most of the rails are stamped Workington 1956, which gives them a good few years of life yet. When they relaid the goods loops north of Oxford last year to allow their use by passenger trains, I think Industry Insider posted here that most of the rails that were removed dated back to when the loops were built in about 1940 as part of emergency wartime capacity enhancements around Oxford.

[Adrian the Rock]

...Will the new reversing signal at Moreton be a modified semaphore or a colour light?

The word I've had is it will be a semaphore.

... I think that the new refurbished turnback signal going in at Moreton could be that small type home starter semaphore in Evesham, just the right size!

I would suspect that's unlikely, I'm not aware of any new centrally balanced signals having been installed since early BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) days.

Probably most of the redundant signals from Evesham will find homes on one or other of the heritage railways.

...I've heard in the past that train drivers have complained about this signals current location at Evesham (just behind the bridge arch on the opposite running line).   

What you have to remember is that, in steam days, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) drivers stood on the right-hand side of the cab, unlike those of other railways.  As a result, the GWR tended to position more signals on the right-hand side of the line than other companies.  There are still a number of surviving examples of this at Worcester - SH2, SH12, SH78/75/26, SH82 and TJ6 - and DS71 at Droitwich.

Incidentally, on the subject of new semaphore signals, I also understand a new upper quadrant is due to be commissioned shortly at Shrewsbury to allow trains to depart from Platform 3 towards the Hereford/Machynlleth line.