Nottingham to Bristol TM open access service proposed

[whole diary]

[anthony215]

Good evening all.

Just seen this on Rail magazines website.

https://www.railmagazine.com/news/2025/03/25/two-new-open-access-cross-country-routes-set-to-be-submitted-to-rail-regulator


8 Nottingham to Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) services daily with 6 on sundays via east-west rail to Oxford then GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) to Bristol TM.  They also proposed a Liverpool to Cardiff airport service.  Both routes to.use class 221/222's

[ChrisB]

Oh god - yes, it is in my list to post here too.

Now, would you rather an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) from BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) to MKC^▸ (Milton Keynes Central) or a vomiter from BRI to NOT?

I doubt there's room for both. Hence GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) trying to get in first with BRI-MKC, I guess.

[ChrisB]

Rail consultancy firm SLC^▸ (Service Level Commitment, or possibly SLC Rail (a consultancy firm), depending on context) is planning two new services: Nottingham-Bristol via Oxford and Liverpool-Cardiff via Hereford.

SLC is also behind the Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway (WSMR^▸ (Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone Railway)) plan linking Wrexham and London Euston, one of several applications currently awaiting Office of Rail and Road approval.

The first new application, under the Midland Central and Western Railway (MCWR) banner, is for a seven-year operation for eight Nottingham-Bristol services in each direction Monday-Saturday, with six on Sunday.

Trains would call at East Midlands Parkway, Loughborough, Leicester, Kettering, Market Harborough and Bedford on the Midland Main Line. The proposed route would then use the Marston Vale line, stopping at Stewartby, and then the new East West Rail route from Bletchley High Level station to reach Bicester Village, Oxford Parkway and Oxford. From there, the service would call at Swindon, Chippenham and Bath Spa, before terminating at Bristol Temple Meads.

[Mark A]

Good evening all.

Just seen this on Rail magazines website.

https://www.railmagazine.com/news/2025/03/25/two-new-open-access-cross-country-routes-set-to-be-submitted-to-rail-regulator


8 Nottingham to Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) services daily with 6 on sundays via east-west rail to Oxford then GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) to Bristol TM.  They also proposed a Liverpool to Cardiff airport service.  Both routes to.use class 221/222's

The only obstacle to that being a runaway success between Oxford / Leicester / Nottingham is that need to run via Bedford. Since it'll offer simple travel between its destinations it'd be good if it happened. Recalling Oxford - Nottingham proposals via Coventry though...

Mark

[ellendune]

I doubt there's room for both. Hence GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) trying to get in first with BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)-MKC^▸ (Milton Keynes Central), I guess.

I doubt there is room on EWR^▸ (East West Railway (Oxford to Bedford), or possibly East Worthing station, depending on context) for open access once it gets past Bletchley, if you look at all the planning that has gone into minimising the necessary works, there is only going to be room for the planned services.  That is before capacity on GWR is considered.   

[paul7575]

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) explicitly ruled out ‘cross-country type’ services via EWR^▸ (East West Railway (Oxford to Bedford), or possibly East Worthing station, depending on context), this was done before the TWA^▸ (Transport and Works Act 1992) process got going, and is mentioned in the TWA inspector’s report.  The same section of the report included removing through services from EWR into Marylebone via Princes Risbrough and High Wycombe.   

I’m surprised this proposal has come up, I’d assumed EWR’s own proposals including future Cambridge extensions use up all the designed paths.

[Mark A]

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) explicitly ruled out ‘cross-country type’ services via EWR^▸ (East West Railway (Oxford to Bedford), or possibly East Worthing station, depending on context).
**snip**

**Splutters**

Mark

[ChrisB]

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) explicitly ruled out ‘cross-country type’ services via EWR^▸ (East West Railway (Oxford to Bedford), or possibly East Worthing station, depending on context), this was done before the TWA^▸ (Transport and Works Act 1992) process got going, and is mentioned in the TWA inspector’s report.  The same section of the report included removing through services from EWR into Marylebone via Princes Risbrough and High Wycombe. 

That woud certainly explain why the DfT now refuses to countenance upgrading the Aylesbury Vale parkway to EWR line then, if they can't allow trains via PRR^▸ (Princes Risborough) from EWR

[Oxonhutch]

That woud certainly explain why the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) now refuses to countenance upgrading the Aylesbury Vale parkway to EWR^▸ (East West Railway (Oxford to Bedford), or possibly East Worthing station, depending on context) line then, if they can't allow trains via PRR^▸ (Princes Risborough) from EWR

Is that decision driven by capacity constraints on the single line from AYS to PRR?

[ChrisB]

I think so - but the answer will be in the TWA^▸ (Transport and Works Act 1992) report from the Inspector, available somewhere on the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) website, I suspect