For the first time in 50 years, there is now a continuous railway line between Oxford and Bletchley as part of East West Rail (EWR), which will eventually provide a railway link between Oxford and Cambridge.
The start of the project required rebuilding of a flyover at Bletchley flyover, with track laying beginning in 2021.
Since then, 66 kilometres of new track has been laid and the final section of track connecting Bicester and Bletchley was laid on Thursday, 7 March.
During this first phase of the project, a New Track Construction train installed up to 85 percent of the track in 63 shifts, one shift laying 1.4 km of new track in ten hours.
All track materials were delivered by rail rather than road to reduce traffic and carbon emissions.
Almost 100,000 sleepers and more
Significant statistics include the laying of 99,320 railway sleepers, 66,353 metres of track, 267,266 tonnes of ballast, and 18 switches and crossings have been laid.
427 rails totalling 216 metres in length were delivered by a special Long Welded Rail Train.
East West Rail Alliance is delivering the project through a collaboration of four organisations, including Network Rail, AtkinsRéalis, Laing O'Rourke and VolkerRail, and is being fully funded by the government.
Challenges such as industrial action and national material shortages have been overcome with close collaboration with Network Rail's Supply Chain Operations team and supply chain partners.
Passenger services next year
The project is due to be handed over to Network Rail later this year, with passenger services on the East West rail line planned to start in 2025.
Work remaining to be completed includes installation and testing of signalling, testing and the construction of a station at Winslow.
Rail Minister Huw Merriman said: “This is a significant milestone for one of the country's most important rail projects and part of this Government's plan to invest in rail infrastructure.
“Having grown up in the area, I know just how much of a boost East West Rail will bring to local people. When complete, it will serve as a catalyst for economic growth in the region, bringing communities closer to job opportunities and education while making it easier to see friends and family.”
Eoin O Neill, Capital Delivery Director, Network Rail, said: “The completion of the track construction is a major achievement for the EWR project as they move towards the commissioning of the new railway.
“The challenges faced by the EWR Alliance in reaching this project milestone were not insignificant. Strikes, ballast supply issues and large parts of the network being unavailable due to a viaduct closure all meant that original plans and commitments were made more difficult to achieve.”
“Despite these challenges, the EWR Alliance team continuously adapted their plans and built a fantastic working relationship with our colleagues in Supply Chain Operations, and it was through this teamwork were able to deliver and overcome the challenges without affecting the infrastructure ready date. A lot of people talk about collaborative working but to me this is a tangible example of it working in practice to jointly deliver the programme.”
Mark Cuzner, EWR Alliance Director, said:” Joining the track east to west is clearly a hugely significant milestone for the project that has been achieved through the collaborative and innovative approach used by the project team. It is also a hugely symbolic moment as this is the first time the railway has been connected through this area in over 50 years.
“With the majority of our civil and track works now complete it signifies that we are entering the final stages of the project, with testing and commissioning already underway and the team on track to hand the project over to Network Rail later in 2024.”
Beth West, CEO, East West Railway Company, said: “This marks a significant milestone for our project and brings us another step closer to delivering a railway which will help people to access jobs, education and healthcare while making it easier to see family and friends, and travel for leisure.
I'd like to thank everyone who has helped to build this part of East West Rail which will connect communities and improve everyday journeys as we look forward to passenger services starting on the first phase between Oxford and Bletchley from 2025, as planned.”
Now the track is there the builders will move in next to concrete the area from Oxford to Cambridge, just in time to move all the immigrants in.
Seem to remember seeing a photo of Princess Elizabeth on the flyover years ago .
Just a thought will Chiltern end up running Marylebone to Euston services via Oxford and MK after all these new services will want London connections.
Good job they are building HS2 so northern traffic can get out of the way
Went on a Didcot Railway Society Xmas Special to MK early December 1985!
I have photo’s of South Wales to Wolverton stone trains taken at Swanbourne in 1986 using this route ,that’s 36 years ago. .I’m not sure if they went over the fly over to miss Bletchley station ,or went thro the later.
So are we to expect also a fast service from Bedford through to Bletchley and on to Oxford ….. And the Aylesbury service extended to Milton Keynes
I believe the ‘new’ services are going to be from Oxford to Milton Keynes, run by Chiltern Railways (though the detail isn’t being divulged yet, nor the expected date in 2025. It could be December, couldn’t it?). The Bletchley to Bedford part will continue to be run separately by London North Western until that part is upgraded for faster trains, I expect. As for the Aylesbury link, don’t hold your breath. The comment about ‘over 50 years’ probably referred to passenger trains rather than freight.
I travelled on the newly reopened Bletchley to Bedford line recently for a promotional £2. The train was well used and I thought it was a good promotion.
Andrew, freight services were still running over the Bletchley to Bedford line while the passenger services were suspended. It will require upgrading before it fully becomes part of the completed EWR route.
This is great, of course. But the question is ‘when in 2025?’.I also want to hear what frequency of service is planned and what trains are expected to be used. Don’t be surprised if there are a lot of people wanting to try them from the start. If they can’t get a seat, they may well go back to using their cars again. So proper length trains from the off, please or all that taxpayer’s money will be wasted. Get it right.
Typical to have strikes delaying the project – par for the course…
Why ‘typical’? There have been national rail strikes periodically for the last 2 years – they may have affected supplies but not the construction.