East West Rail Bicester to Bletchley

In today's video we will be taking a look at some of the progress made on the East West Rail route through Buckinghamshire between Bicester and Bletchley.
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#HS2 #EastWestRail #Buckinghamshire

[@Rail_Focus]

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[@tomwatts703]

As someone who lives (relatively) close to the route of the Central section I'm glad to see EWR going ahead, it's a sorely-needed link outside of London. It's just a shame that electrification is still up in the air.

[@Rail_Focus]

I believe it will be transformation for people living in the area and rail travellers in general. It will certainly provide increased options for travelers

[@eldrago19]

Electrification still up in the air? Wtf?

[@ionardlegras]

@@eldrago19 Yep - built with passive provision (i.e. bridges high enough etc) but no electrification done.

[@dixiedean1955]

With all the redundant EMUs lying around various sidings in the UK you'd think they'd get on with electrification on the basis that there wouldn't be a need to buy new stock. I'm not sure that even now there are any spare DMUs around.

[@Rail_Focus]

By 2024/5 there should be sufficient cl196s which will be sub leased to Chiltern to operate the initial service. But ultimately it should be electrified, seems like it's been built to a price just to make sure the DfT would actually fund it.

[@amethyst7084]

Thanks for this upload. The EWR project has received no mention in the mainstrean news - at least not in London, where HS2 grabs all the headlines. Thanks for sharing this info.

[@Rail_Focus]

Unfortunately HS2 does grab most of the headline, mostly because the media knows it'll get the views, especially if they publish negative stories. Unfortunately the mainstream media doesn't really know how to cover news stories about rail, so transformational projects like EWR get forgotten about

[@johntyjp]

My late grandmother remembered the opening of the GCR in 1899, never thought I d see a main line open in my lifetime?!🧐

[@IanClarke-bi3se]

After spending many hours trainspotting along the line at Swanbourne Station and in Swanbourne sidings signal box in the 70s I'm so pleased to see this line comming to life again

[@SirKenchalot]

Thankyou for another great video on this interesting and ongoing project. I've followed this idea for around 2 decades now and it's great to see it really happening. I also got to visit the BRC at Quainton Road by train before they stopped running occasional services there though it would be great if they start running them again in the future on the way to Milton Keynes, otherwise, you'll just have to set your camera to a high shutter speed and try to snap a pic out the windows at 300+kmph from HS2.

[@AndreiTupolev]

A new rail project that's going to be USEFUL!!

[@Rail_Focus]

🙄

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

but most of it is NOT new, it is just restoring what those idiots Beeching and Marples took away.

[@paulwright5728]

Please, please connect EWR to both East. & West Coast Mainlines so we can have decent connection out of East Anglia. At the moment we only have rattle trains to Peterborough to go North without going to London. Or a commuter train with no facilities that goes from Norwich to Liverpool. We want no station direct trains to the Midlands & North. At the moment we are the only region not served by Cross Country, you can sit in New St Birmingham & go anywhere in the country other than East of the M11 and you wonder why we drive everywhere. From Ipswich at peak it’s £95 to London then it’s a taxi to Euston & then 3hrs to Manchester. Building in allowances it’s a 6 to 7hr journey that I can do in 4hrs by car & not spend over 2hrs going in the wrong direction. East West has to be more than Oxford to Cambridge it has to connect to Ipswich, Colchester, Harwich (so you can transit by boat from Europe to Ireland) Norwich etc. Then that must mean trains from the East can go to Wales, the Sth via Reading, and North. Otherwise it’s a wasted investment to create a commuter line for to Cities that are doing alright already.

[@jackking5567]

Meanwhile, on The Blyth and Tyne at South Newsham, it's taken almost two years to put shuttering up for a road bridge build. It's amazing how much investment the south gets when compared to the north..

[@MrGreatplum]

So pleased this is finally happening - albeit slowly…. Pleased to see the line will have a station at Cambourne - this is a modern new town outside Cambridge and is watched with interest by town planners!

[@Rail_Focus]

Having visited the Buckinghamshire stretch twice now it's amazing how much work is required to open a new line. New bridges and realigning roads, all means it takes a long time to accomplish. With the stretch from Bedford to Cambridge being on a new alignment I think it's going to be a decade before we see any trains running east to west

[@Jack_Warner]

I used to work for Anglian Windows as a service engineer. I was always over Cambourne working. I can't say I like the place as everything is on top of itself. Badly planned in my opinion, I'm glad I don't have to live there.

[@MrGreatplum]

@@Jack_Warner - I don’t disagree - I’m not a fan of how crammed in new builds often are - cambourne is better than most amazingly 😢

[@lukealexander6233]

⁠@@Rail_FocusI expect that plans from Milton Keynes to Cambridge will experience significant delays, as there is a significant overlap with EWR plans and the MK eastern expansion area.

[@QALibrary]

It is really annoying that they did not even consider from the start of this rebuild to run overhead power lines from the start - what a waste of money and time

[@s125ish]

All about the £££

[@Rail_Focus]

DfT / Treasury penny pinching. The only saving grace is the new bridges built were done so with electrification in mind, however existing bridges now replaced will have to be adjusted

[@EdgyNumber1]

Tory government for you. I never trust them with infra projects like this. You always get a cut down half-arsed project (CTML,) or one thats seriously over time and/or over budget (Crossrail) through lazy oversight (thanks Mayor Boris.)

[@quantisedspace7047]

Be grateful it's happening at all. If they had costed for electrification, it would have been deemed too expensive.

[@EdgyNumber1]

​@@quantisedspace7047I hope futureproofing provisions were made though.

[@peterwoodcock8464]

Very good Chris 👍

[@Rail_Focus]

Thank you 😁

[@streetrambler134]

Great video and footage of the progress so far. Definity looking forward to riding the train on the EWR in the future.

[@Rail_Focus]

Thanks, certainly is great to see a new railway being built

[@michaelcoles6140]

Could do with it continuing to Great Yarmouth and Felixstowe, could be good for the east coast.

[@fenpikey]

The line between Felixstowe and Westerfield almost got doubled until a disagreement in 1939. This line still has scope for improvements in my opinion.

[@sandrabennett6166]

Wonderful ❤

[@dianarolph1770]

That is such a valid point!

[@stephengeraghty3368]

Never been near this area but looks a brilliant project .Great video ✋🏻

[@andrewjameson5918]

Love the work going on at Calvert. It does seem very slow, though.

[@Rail_Focus]

I think because so many of the existing structures need rebuilding that it is slowing the project down. Seems reopening existing railways isn't as easy as people make out

[@Paul_707]

I think they’ve been restricted to closing only one north south road at a time, to prevent forcing all road traffic down unsuitable routes. There’s a brick arch overbridge on Gawcott Rd that’s still being used, it’s replacement underbridge is complete right alongside it, (at 3m 36s), waiting for the road to be realigned through it.

[@andrewjameson5918]

@@Paul_707 thanks

[@Sim0nTrains]

Nice video, honestly cannot wait to see this finished, even know it a while off yet

[@Rail_Focus]

Cheers Simon. It's going to be so good when it opens, I'm sure 2025 will come around quickly

[@dominiccottrill2387]

Crackin vid. Can't wait for a deep dive into the Bletchley/Bedford and Bedford/Cambridge sections... when they have finalised the designs.

[@ds1868]

Latest on the Marston Vale section is a reduced investment plan than originally intended. All the stations are being kept and some of the level crossings retained. The idea is half hourly stopping service and one faster service per hour. This will require one passing loop location yet to be decided. Biggest change is reduction in line speed below 100 mph. This is mainly due to noise concerns for 100 mph running. It will be anything between 70 and 90 mph but not yet decided. So the overall cost for this section will be reduced. So the cost constraints due to inflation plus other factors are beginning to bite. To be fair this is very much the second of two options for this section, but the big surprise is the reduction in line speed. This was never suggested in the original option, as several passing loops were proposed not just one.

[@Rail_Focus]

Thanks, still working my way through the consultation document but will hopefully have something ready for Sunday

[@ds1868]

​​@@Rail_FocusYep the consultation document goes into a great amount of detail. The individual analysis of crossings and footpaths is quite interesting. The retention of several level crossings does make sense in terms of reducing disruption and cost. The reduction in line speed isn't surprising given all the changes. No figures have been given for this, just a general statement ' above current line speed of 60mph and below the previously suggested 100 mph'. Whichever way you look at it, the original plan of 100 mph running for this section is gone. I just wonder how this mpacts the business case and the financial return for EWR. The idea was to have a regional fast link between Oxford and Cambridge. This is going to be a bit more difficult to justify now. Or perhaps the importance of freight will be more underlined now than previously.

[@dominiccottrill2387]

@@ds1868 I always thought the elimination of level crossings were no.1 priority for both safety and disruption reasons. But what do I know? You can't exactly run 6 tph each direction through a busy town level crossing...notwithstanding kids and idiots playing on the line.

[@Rail_Focus]

30 level crossings will be dealt with in some manner, but the service frequency and speed has been reduced from 5tph to 3tph and sub 100mph limit so some can be retained in order to keep the costs down.

[@AndrewG1989]

The East-West Rail link is coming along very nicely and I still think that the section between Bedford-Cambridge should still happen. And new trains to be ordered for the East-West line.

[@ds1868]

Bedford to cambridge will happen, but like the latest news for the Marston Vale line, I suspect there will be some trimming back of the infrastructure. I'm also expecting the line speed to be reduced below 100 mph to meet noise constraints. This will save money but the concept of a fast 100 mph regional service for EWR is now just a bit undermined.

[@AndrewG1989]

⁠True.

[@garethwilliams976]

East- west is between Liverpool and Newcastle!!! Get the priorities right.

[@scottpeacock5492]

@@garethwilliams976 What the hell you on about this is the reopening of the East West Rail route for the Oxford to Cambridge that Labour party order British Rail to close, Not Liverpool to Newcastle route.

[@Rail_Focus]

@garethwilliams976 you mean the multi £bn TRU ? That is currently underway

[@PetertheRock.]

Interesting and informative

[@quantisedspace7047]

How come I'm hearing about this only now ? I've been interested in this route for ages but was unaware that there was any progress

[@Rail_Focus]

Maybe not being promoted as much as it should be. Unless you follow the project closely like I have been doing or live close to the route you wouldn't know so much progress has been made on the route.

[@Jack_Warner]

I bet Beeching is swivelling in his grave. Didn't he close the original line from Cambridge to Oxford? They should also reopen the line north of Cambridge and get rid of that ridiculous bus way.

[@ds1868]

Beeching wasn't responsible for the closure of this line. The Beeching Report recommended it stay open. Most of the line closed for other reasons.

[@Jack_Warner]

@@ds1868 what reasons?

[@Mishima505]

Another project which would be very useful would be to extend the line from Stansted airport through to Braintree which would connect it to the line to Ipswich and Norwich.

[@mphillimore2]

I live next to Woburn Sands and it will be interesting to see how the section from BL to Bed will be completed, the lines are already in place. Theres a number of level crossings on that route though and I wonder with the increase in traffic if some till need to be taken out/replaced with bridges. The road connections west of MK are so poor and its such a pain to get to Oxford (and further) by road, I think it will have quite a lot of use, and even more so if they can make a spur to Aylesbury where you cant get to by rail short of going through London or across Watford by foot. I wonder if some of those trains might even run through to High Wycombe.

[@Rail_Focus]

It seems a lot of work will have to be carried out along the Marston Vale line to make it suitable, especially in relation to the level crossing.

[@jenniferjones5967]

Thanks for the connection, my main concern of my great interest in railway as a whole, is east/west rail as I don't want them to make the same mistake as the A14 project, where they didn't build enough lanes. Once it is open every rail company in GB will seek track space eg container traffic FELIXSTOWE/HARWICH - SOUTHAMPTON, passenger companies cross-country trains NORWICH - PENZANCE TRAINS TO OXFORD -READING GATWICK CARDIFF ETC ETC I personally think they need two fast & two slow tracks. I might just add that my wife has set up the account for me, I am Trevor Jones.

[@Rail_Focus]

I think the biggest issue for freight is capacity beyond EWR. So there may be demand but existing lines don't have the paths for additional freight via EWR, Oxford will remain particularly constrained even after 2 upgrades. I think EWR Co want to downplay any potential for freight, as the idea of freight trains using the line seems to upset local residents. I'm sure though that there will be capacity for freight, the planned passenger service shouldn't push the capacity available.

[@oluladeemmanuel6444]

@rail_focus do you have any information on the section near St Neots? Will they be using cutouts or Viaducts to cross the existing A428?

[@Rail_Focus]

Not entirely sure, although a preferred route has been selected the details of that route seem a bit thin at present.

[@francophiletb]

Thankyou for the video, but where are all the new transport links in the northof the uk.

[@Rail_Focus]

Still on the drawing board, but the TRU is going ahead, we just don't hear much about it

[@davidklyne5134]

Thank you, interesting video. I had not realised that there was potential for a link to HS2. Would that take the form of an interchange station rather than trains sharing tracks?

[@Rail_Focus]

The link would allow trains to travel from Aylesbury to Milton Keynes. The connection from HS2 would just be for the infrastructure maintenance depot.

[@davidklyne5134]

OK, Thanks for the info.@@Rail_Focus

[@tremensdelirious]

Can’t believe a place like Winslow deemed cost effective for a service to MK, yet Aylesbury to MK not worth it. Just madness Any news on if it will ever happen?

[@Rail_Focus]

Winslow is quite isolated so would benefit from re-establishing a rail link and will serve places like Calvert and Steeple Claydon. No news on the connection from Aylesbury, but it is still being investigated and HS2 doing a lot of the ground work should help the business case.

[@tremensdelirious]

@@Rail_Focus can’t get a bus to Aylesbury after 1930 or at all on a Sunday. It’s almost as if they want people in cars polluting the planet

[@mphillimore2]

the road connection from Aylesbury to MK is particularly poor so it would be beneficial IMHO. I think re: Winslow - again the road is poor and bus routes are being scrapped all the time, it would not just serve Winslow but also Buckingham is closeby. Would be great news for commuters from those places to MK or Oxford@@Rail_Focus

[@clivejohnson6468]

PPP - Where is / was the NIC, NIA in all the planning? What are they for? Not sure about high level station access, not sure about HS2 connection. Not sure about funding decisions.

[@michaeldupree5801]

Sorry, I just need to check - @1:40 - the new design saved 70 billion pounds? Did you mean 70 million?

[@Rail_Focus]

Million 😅

[@tremensdelirious]

Knowing HS2, it is 70 billion

[@nathan_scofield_ynwa]

What will the top speed of line be?. And what would it have been it if was electrified?

[@Rail_Focus]

EWR is supposed to be a 100mph railway, however the Marston Vale line section will be limited to somewhere between 60 and 100mph. Electrification wouldn't alter the top speed, but obviously electric trains do accelerate better than diesel

[@thetessellater9163]

Sherwood Drive, not Sherwood Road.

[@Tsass0]

Question: Are they building top a big loading gauge, or the same small Victorian gauge u have now?

[@Rail_Focus]

W12 I believe

[@peteregan3862]

Need stations where the east-west line crosses the west and east coast main lines, HS2 and the Western Line.. Essentially, build loops at the crossovers, then platforms on the loops, then an interchange concourse. Also include bus interchange and carparks where appropriate.

[@Rail_Focus]

Bletchley will act as the interchange between EWR and WCML, whilst a new station at Tempsford will connect with the ECML. However I don't think there would be enough demand for a HS2/EWR station to justify the cost.

[@peteregan3862]

@@Rail_Focus The island of Great Britain (and the island of Ireland for that matter) need a rail grid - essentially treat the whole island as a metropolitan area with the grid serving the urban nodes. Obviously, the grid is rather useless if you can't change between lines on the grid. The East-West line is the first major east-west line north of London and it connects many important small cities in the knowledge economy. The East-West line must extend coast to coast - perhaps Hereford- Gloucester-Oxford-Cambridge-Norwich-Great Yarmouth?? The point of the grid is everybody person and business does not need to live in expensive London but the economic benefits of living in a metropolitan area are achieved. The UK has drawn the line at not installing continuous electric power along every rail line. High charge rate batteries (LFP) are cheap, can charge using a pantograph at stations. CBTC using wi-fi style radio is cheap. Trains don't need drivers. Train control centres can use cameras and radar to continuously monitor rail corridors. Technology will bring down the cost of rail. Rail functions better than roads in many UK weather situations. UK and Ireland need to envisage a low cost rail network for 2070 and set out to build it. Full cost recovery from fares, as TfL is required to do, is effectively double taxation of users. All beneficiaries must be taxed - that is why access infrastructure, road, rail, water pipes, electric poles and wires, and optical fibre land lines should largely be financed by sale of government bonds, and funded via general economic taxes. Access services and infrastructure must exist before they can be used. Government must plan what the land use and land access will be at least 50 years and then get it built, keeping an eye to the changing merits of transport modes with development of new technologies. NSW Australia between representative government in 1856 and WW2 is a great example of what can be achieved when access services and their supporting infrastructure are thought about in this fashion. While government plans, it should pay the private sector to design and build infrastructure and rolling stock. It should then pay the private sector to maintain and operate rolling stock. Government plans must include timetabled commuter transport as the service is provided to all beneficiaries - business owners and service users.

[@GaryJohnWalker1]

Glib remark maybe - but is concerning and indicative that the behind schedule bit is the Calvert crosing being developed by the HS2 contractor

[@Rail_Focus]

Tbf there were issues securing land I believe, a land owner at Addison Rd passed away which complicated matters.

[@daystatesniper01]

Great video ,what puzzles me is when this line was built back in the distant past from green fields and men with picks and shovels it took a LOT less time to build than today with all the modern machines .progress ?

[@Rail_Focus]

Mostly because builders in the past only had to deal with green fields. Whereas new bridges have had to be built on new alignments to new standards, with utilities to be diverted etc. Plus the railway is being built to a better standard with thoughts given to climate change, plus more effort is given to mitigate the impacts on residents and the environment. Modern machinery just means the same amount of work can be achieved with fewer people.

[@Tez2blessedmyrockets]

What train will they have

[@Rail_Focus]

Initially they will use Class 196 DMUs leased from West Midlands Railway

[@jamesbedford7327]

Its a shame that a HS2/EWR interchange station wasn't included, even as a passive provision. I could see it being a good link between the likes of Southampton, etc. meaning you could avoid travelling to London

[@Rail_Focus]

Difficult to justify £500 for a station that may have limited benefit and little scope to encourage new housing in the area. HS2 passengers from the North will have much better connections to the south and south west via Old Oak Common whilst EWR passengers will benefit from improved north south connections via Milton Keynes

[@Pesmog]

James, there are some missed opportunities with this line. EWR-HS2 interchange as you say, Aylesbury-MK is another, chords to enable MK-Stansted airport direct are yet another (before covid sometimes 20 buses a day ran that route) and I am not sure if we will even see a Norwich-Oxford service in the first few years. Maybe these will all happen in time, but the whole project seems to be so slow.

[@enemyofthestatewearein7945]

The interchange from the south/south west will be at moor street/curzon street, and from WCML south at interchange. The whole point of HSR is not to have too many stops.

[@Nick-zp3ub]

Wish they would hurry up and finish it. I want to travel to the west country without going through London to change trains

[@Rail_Focus]

Yep, will transform travel beyond London, when it's finally finished

[@lesliesmart6691]

Hi, It's Winslow, not Wilmslow and Waddesdon Road not Addison Road, but nevertheless very interesting coverage of the current works, and disappointing that the Aylesbury link is not yet confirmed, despite the fact the cost would be minimal compared with the total cost of EW Rail

[@Rail_Focus]

I thought I said Winslow, Wilmslow must of slipped out.

[@fnaticmatt20]

Does this mean I can get the train to Aylesbury instead of the bus 😂

[@Rail_Focus]

Unfortunately not (yet) still no funding for the Aylesbury link ☹️

[@Goodchappy]

Good video but your audio has too much bass.

[@IMTHEBIGGESTCUNT]

WHO’s going to drive all these new trains? What with all the strikes etc? AI? Oh, great!👍 All sorted then 👍 A super fast (high speed) interconnected community driven by equality, diversity and values!?..

[@Rail_Focus]

🤷

[@soj_89]

Pointless Journey anyone? Bletchley High Level - Low Level?

[@Rail_Focus]

That'd be a job for Nick Badley 😉

[@caramelldansen2204]

The south gets MORE rail... This country is despicable.

[@Rail_Focus]

£11bn for TRU isn't an insignificant sum, it's just we don't hear much about it.

[@caramelldansen2204]

You wouldn't see a project in the North like this - or anything at all!

[@62tdf]

Blot on the landscape, ****ing anoraks!

[@Rail_Focus]

🤷🙄