East-West Rail: Along The Marston Vale Line

AnonW

Jun 3

For the initial phase of the East West Railway, it doesn't appear that the Marston Vale Line will be improved.

As I write this, I have not heard of any improvements between Bedford and Bletchley.

Perhaps, with all the arguments about the section of the East West Railway between Bedford and Cambridge, the Government, Network Rail and the East West Railway feel that the best approach, is to do what they can with the existing track layout and the rebuilt viaduct at Bletchley.

These are my thoughts.

The Capacity Of The Marston Vale Line

In the Wikipedia entry for the Marston Vale Line, this is said about the infrastructure of the line.

Apart from a short length of single track at both ends, the line is double track, and is not electrified. It has a loading gauge of W8 and a line speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). The line's signalling centre is at Ridgmont.

The line has a length of only 16.5 miles.

I believe with modern signalling and well-trained drivers, that the line could accommodate at least two trains per hour (tph) in both directions.

At its simplest every half hour, a train would leave both end stations and the two trains would pass each other on the long double-track section in the middle.

Proposed Train Services

Train services on the East West Railway will be as follows, when it opens between Oxford and Milton Keynes and Bedford, are proposed to be as follows.

2 tph - East West Railway - Oxford and Milton Keynes Central via Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow and Bletchley
1 tph - East West Railway - Oxford and Bedford via Oxford Parkway, Bicester Village, Winslow, Bletchley, Woburn Sands and Ridgmont
1 tph - West Midlands Trains - Bletchley and Bedford via Fenny Stratford, Bow Brickhill, Woburn Sands, Aspley Guise, Ridgmont, Lidlington, Millbrook, Stewartby, Kempston Hardwick and Bedford St Johns

If the East West Railway uses the Marston Vale Line between Bletchley and Bedford, then there will be two tph along the Marston Vale Line.

I believe that if the Marston Vale Line is not improved until later, then the proposed initial train service pattern can be achieved.

The New Bletchley Viaduct

The tracks appear to have been laid on the Bletchley Viaduct.

This Google Map shows the tracks on the viaduct.

Note.

The double-track viaduct runs North-South in the middle of the map.
The two platforms appear to be substantially complete.
The two lift and stair towers are at the Southern end of the platforms.

This second Google Map shows the section of the viaduct by the roundabout.

Note.

The viaduct splits with two tracks going North-West to Milton Keynes Central and two tracks going North-East to Bedford.
There is a complicated junction, which appears to allow a lot of flexibility for train operations.

I have followed the Milton Keynes tracks and there are cross-overs, so that trains can go between Platform 5 at Milton Keynes Central station and either of the viaduct platforms at Bletchley station, which they will need to do to run services between Oxford and Aylesbury, and Milton Keynes Central.

This Google Map shows the tracks between the viaduct and Fenny Stratford, which is the first station towards Bedford.

Note.

The Princes Way roundabout in the West of the map.
The Milton Keynes and Bedford tracks divide close to the roundabout.
Fenny Stratford station in the East of the map.
The tracks gradually combine from West to East, so there is only one track for the single platform at Fenny Stratford station.

This Google Map shows the Western section of the tracks between the viaduct and Fenny Stratford.

Note, how the two tracks on the viaduct join into one for going towards Fenny Stratford in the North-East corner of the map..

I'm certain, that this track layout, allows a train to go between the single platform at Fenny Stratford station and either of the viaduct platforms at Bletchley station.

A Milton Keynes Central And Bedford Service

In the Wikipedia entry for the Marston Vale Line, there is a section, which is entitled Extension to Milton Keynes Central, where this is said.

In June 2005, the then franchisee, Silverlink Trains announced an intention to extend the Marston Vale service via the West Coast Main Line to Milton Keynes Central, where a new platform and track would be built alongside the up slow track. Work began on 4 December 2006 at the station to prepare for a service connection. The platform was ready for use in January 2009 but the service did not materialise and there are no longer any published plans for it to do so. A firm service pattern on East West Rail remains to be announced but the illustrative pattern has no Bedford–Milton Keynes Central service; passengers will continue to have to change at Bletchley. There is no east-to-north chord between this line and the WCML: As of December 2020, the route the chord might take is occupied by trade outlets and a warehouse.

But.

Supposing a Milton Keynes to Bedford train did this.

It ran from Platform 5 at Milton Keynes Central to the Northbound platform on the Bletchley viaduct.
It would then reverse and run to Bedford along the Marston Vale Line.
It would terminate in Platform 1A at Bedford station.

And supposing a Bedford to Milton Keynes train did this.

It ran from Platform 1A at Bedford to the Northbound platform on the Bletchley viaduct.
It would then reverse and run to Milton Keynes Central along the tracks alongside the West Coast Main Line.
It would terminate in Platform 5 at Milton Keynes Central station.

Note.

There would be some bi-directional running.
Trains would only reverse on the Northbound platform on the Bletchley viaduct.
Platform 5 at Milton Keynes Central would handle 4 tph.
Platform 1A at Bedford station would handle 2 tph.

As the only reversing happens on the Northbound platform on the Bletchley viaduct, would it be sensible for a new driver to step-up, so that the reverse was fast?

I believe that with some innovative running, that a Milton Keynes and Bedford service is possible, because of the comprehensive track layout that has been installed.

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