New Chiltern Railways' timetable promises faster times from May 2011

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

That's right.  As far as I understand it the public enquiry has now just finished, the SoS for Transport will announce a decision towards the latter part of the year, with work starting almost immediately around the turn of the year with a complete closure for all of next year, followed by staff training and familiarisation with the view to a full public opening in Spring 2013.

Compared to their original announcements, I reckon that suggests they are running about 6 months behind the original schedule then.  Work was supposed to start this summer per the Evergreen 3 website - (although as Roger Ford reckons, always be suspicious of a target date expressed as a season).

Paul

[IndustryInsider]

I think the public enquiry was delayed a little?  This May's timetable recast on the Marylebone to Birmingham route was originally hoped to have been introduced last December, so that's also six months 'late' - though I can't remember a scheme which has been delivered early based on initial time-scales.

[ChrisB]

It was - the start date announcement was delayed.... the inspector has to report within a timescale set down in law (I think he gets 3 days per day of evidence?) and the SoS probably has to respond within x days of the inspector's report.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are not allowing Chiltern to use their stock - so it'll be a Chiltern train. I guess there's still time to train their drivers?.....Whatever Chiltern use, I guess would be stabled at Banbury & would form the late night (xx38ish) train from Oxford - Banbury.

There's nowt in their proposals for it to run south from Banbury in the morning though...so presumably ecs?

[IndustryInsider]

I guess there's still time to train their drivers?.....Whatever Chiltern use, I guess would be stabled at Banbury & would form the late night (xx38ish) train from Oxford - Banbury.

That's good news then - as long as the extra Turbo is put to good use!  Yes, it's not the most difficult route to learn, so there is still time to get their drivers trained up on it.

[ChrisB]

Errrrr....it's off to increase the refreshed stock turnover. MIght appear back in use for December TT

[anthony215]

Seems like Chiltern are starting another loco hauled iagram on 28th May 2011 according to  this report which i have copied from the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) railway group on google.

67+Mk3+DVT^‡(resolve)

0546 Moor St - Marylebone,
0620 Moor St - Marylebone,
0850 Marylebone - Snow Hill,
1112 Snow Hill - Marylebone,
1630 Marylebone - Moor St,
1704 Marylebone - Stratford Upon Avon,
1932 Stratford Upon Avon - Marylebone,
2220 Marylebone - Moor St.


Nice to have a late night loco hauled train.

[IndustryInsider]

Errrrr....it's off to increase the refreshed stock turnover. MIght appear back in use for December TT

Why? Are they behind schedule?

[ChrisB]

Not as far as I know......

[IndustryInsider]

So if the Bicester unit isn't in use in the peak hours working Bicester trains, it'll be an extra unit that could be used elsewhere then (a 5-car on the 18:45ex Paddington would be an obvious candidate)?

Or are you saying that Chiltern taking over the Bicester services was planned into the refresh programme, and that when that unit becomes available in May they are planning on one an extra unit being refreshed all the time, so there's no net gain?

[ChrisB]

Seems like Chiltern are starting another loco hauled iagram on 28th May 2011 according to  this report which i have copied from the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) railway group on google.

67+Mk3+DVT^‡(resolve)

0546 Moor St - Marylebone,
0620 Moor St - Marylebone,
0850 Marylebone - Snow Hill,
1112 Snow Hill - Marylebone,
1630 Marylebone - Moor St,
1704 Marylebone - Stratford Upon Avon,
1932 Stratford Upon Avon - Marylebone,
2220 Marylebone - Moor St.

Can you provide a link to the Google thread please? I've obviously missed this one.

Or are you saying that Chiltern taking over the Bicester services was planned into the refresh programme, and that when that unit becomes available in May they are planning on one an extra unit being refreshed all the time, so there's no net gain?

Not sure it was planned in when the refresh programme was initiated, but it certainly is now & yes, there's no gain.

[anthony215]

Here is the link:

http://groups.google.com/group/uk.railway/browse_thread/thread/1662a1f3732d897e/06eb2ed369a467cf#06eb2ed369a467cf

you may need  need to sign up to google groups before you can view it.

[ChrisB]

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are not allowing Chiltern to use their stock - so it'll be a Chiltern train. I guess there's still time to train their drivers?.....Whatever Chiltern use, I guess would be stabled at Banbury & would form the late night (xx38ish) train from Oxford - Banbury.

There's nowt in their proposals for it to run south from Banbury in the morning though...so presumably ecs?

Got Chiltern confirmation last night on this - the two car 165 will be coming ecs from BAN at around 0510 to Oxford. It will return to BAN ecs at the end of the day.
They are currently planning to reduce the number of turbos at the south end to release this unit.

[anthony215]

If a chiltern class 165 is used i say the people on the Oxford to Bicester Town branch would be getting a good deal especially since the chiltern class 165's are much nicer than the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) ones.

Well now i think i can see why the Oxfordshire day ranger is valid on Chiltern railways even though Chiltern hardly run any trains between Banbury & Oxford

[willc]

The day ranger is valid on Chiltern because they provide trains between Banbury and Kings Sutton (even though it's in Nothants)

[IndustryInsider]

Got Chiltern confirmation last night on this - the two car 165 will be coming ecs from BAN at around 0510 to Oxford. It will return to BAN ecs at the end of the day.
They are currently planning to reduce the number of turbos at the south end to release this unit.

A shame that the extra FGW^▸ (First Great Western) unit released can't be put to good use to relieve the horrendous suburban peak overcrowding from May then, but fingers crossed that this potential extra capacity can be utilised from December.

Perhaps one or two of their Class 172's will be ready and able to take up a diagram that the Bicester unit will leave short?  Also, I expect there will be a slight drop in reliability on the route as any problem with the set shuttling up and down between Oxford and Bicester will take much longer to resolve as a potential replacement won't be sitting in the sidings at Oxford as there often is now - off-peak at any rate.

Incidentally, there's a possession tomorrow which I believe involves putting in the new high speed point ends for the revised layout at Aynho Junction.