A decision is expected soon by the Office of Rail and Road for Alliance Rail’s proposed new service from Marchwood to Southampton and London Waterloo.
The decision is expected within the next two months.
Work has progressed to develop a timetable and make the Class 769 trains ready for use.
The trains have now received certification to be operated on the South West Main Line for testing and can be operated up to 100mph.
The Class 769s are now ready to begin testing and gauging runs if the service is approved
Network Rail is working on a new 2027 timetable, which includes Alliance’s new service, which Alliance says shows that there is sufficient track capacity for the new service.
“The news regarding the Class 769 is particularly welcome as Porterbrook, the owner of the trains, has worked tirelessly over the last 12 months to ensure our planned trains could operate on this route. Being a bi-mode train, both third rail electric and diesel, means it can operate on the non-electrified route between Totton and Marchwood, otherwise the only other option would be a diesel train operating on the entire route”.
“The significant cross party support we have received from MPs, local authorities and other stakeholders has been very important in promoting the value of the service for this important but overlooked part of Hampshire, which had expected to see the line re-opening before hopes were dashed once again in late 2024. The recent reopening of the Okehampton line in Devon and the Northumberland line show how important local rail re-openings are for their communities and both have been a huge success”.
Ian Yeowart, Alliance Rail’s Managing Director
Responses
I think that’s a great ideal for Grand Union open access train operator to operate a new service from Marchwood to London Waterloo using Class 769. That GWR were going to use them on the Reading-Gatwick Airport via Redhill (North Downs Line). But GWR decided not to use the Class 769. Hopefully we could see them in service before the end of this year or in the beginning of next year.
All support to the Totton to Marchwood proposed line. Their attention to detail of the Orr´s application is superb. On the further extension to Fawley, we are in the “chicken and egg” situation of the thousands of houses proposed to be built around Fawley area have yet to be built and the railway will not be built before it gets a quick return on the upgrading of existing former stations etc.