R A I LT R AC K - The Railways Archive

Route characteristics
DESCRIPTION The route is mainly single track, with double track between
Ascott-under-Wychwood and Moreton-in-Marsh and between Worcester and
Malvern. Linespeed is mainly in the 80–100mph range but some sections are
restricted to 40–75mph.
Route vision
Our vision is to provide more capacity on this route, through reduced journey
times, to meet the aspirations of our customers and the Franchising Director.
The route’s facilities were reduced during the 1970s, but there has been
considerable growth in traffic in the last 20 years, and we project that further
growth will come. Having considered strategic options with our customers, we
have concluded that the most cost-effective option for improving capacity and
performance is to increase the linespeed between Oxford and Worcester.
Signalling is currently adequate for considerably higher speeds, but is constrained
by speed restrictions at accommodation level crossings. By increasing protection
at these crossings, we will raise linespeeds to match the signalling system and thus
improve capacity and performance.
We will expand car parks at stations on the route, where viable, to meet
growth in demand.
These are the route improvements we plan to deliver
The East–West rail project, linking Cambridge, Bedford, Milton Keynes, Oxford
and Bristol, will make many more rail journeys possible between East Anglia, the
Midlands and the South West without the need to travel via London. This
involves upgrading existing routes, reopening closed lines, and constructing new
lines. The work could be carried out in stages. We have been developing the
scheme as part of a consortium of local authorities, and public-sector funding will
be key to taking this project forward. Interest has now focused on the western
end of such a route, with a Bristol–Oxford–Milton Keynes or Bedford service
proposal emerging. This would involve increasing capacity and linespeeds
between Oxford, Bicester and Bletchley. We will continue to work with the local
authority consortium, and progress will be reported in future Statements.
CAPACITY CHANGES TO MEET FRANCHISING DIRECTOR, PTE AND CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS AND DELIVER ROUTE VISION
LOCATION PROPOSED SOLUTION YEAR REF
Worcester–Oxford Analysis shows that there is sufficient capacity for future services. The route is busiest at the Oxford end,
where the speed improvements that we plan will enhance performance and capacity
Oxford–Bletchley Upgrade of route to provide additional capacity and higher linespeed for east–west route services
CAPABILITY CHANGES TO ACHIEVE ROUTE VISION
JOURNEY TIMES km STOPS CURRENT POSITION 2001 POSITION SUSTAINING THE ROUTE ACHIEVING ROUTE VISION
Worcester Shrub Hill–Oxford 92 7 49mph (1hr 10min) No change No change 53mph (1hr 05min)
Hereford–Worcester Foregate Street 46 4 44mph (39min) No change No change No change
Hereford–Oxford 139 10 46mph (1hr 53min) No change No change 48mph (1hr 48min)
Droitwich Spa–Worcester Shrub Hill 9 0 48mph (07min) No change No change No change
Oxford–Bicester 17 1 24mph (26min) No change No change No change
LINESPEEDS (km of track)
Up to 35mph 23 23 23 23
40–75mph 145 145 145 145
80–105mph 69 69 69 69
110–125mph 0 0 0 0
Over 125mph 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 236 236 236 236
GAUGE (km of route)
W6A 160 160 160 160
W7 75 75 75 75
W8 16 16 16 16
W9 0 0 0 0
W10 0 0 0 0
AXLE WEIGHT (km of track)
Up to 20.3 tonnes 0 0 0 0
20.4 tonnes to 23.4 tonnes 187 187 187 187
23.5 tonnes to 25.4 tonnes 49 49 49 49
TOTAL 236 236 236 236
B
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