Civils and stations

Ray Gunn   13/06/2017 at 12:35

A modernised station for the new electric - sorry diesel - service from Paddington.............?

Rupert Le Bere   13/06/2017 at 13:58

Obviously to attract the hordes of extra passengers who'll have to change at Didcot to go anywhere east or west.

Huguenot   13/06/2017 at 21:53

Ahem, trees are felled, not demolished. I hope that all this work includes the proposed new south-facing bay platform, completion of resignalling and full implementation of the remodelling of Oxford North Jn so that the Bicester line can at last become double-track throughout instead of being single-track west of Oxford Parkway.

Noam Bleicher   14/06/2017 at 09:25

To take your points in turn Huguenot: - The work includes four through platforms plus the two north-facing bays, which should be enough for a half-hourly service in all directions. - Resignalling is planned, whether it will happen in CP6 or not remains to be seen! - Resignalling will mean the doubling of Oxford North Jn. The double track is there already, it's only single lead because the panel at Oxford has only got sufficient circuits or whatever to accommodate a single-lead junction at this point.

Jimbo   14/06/2017 at 10:03

The plan is for 4 through platform faces and 1 north-facing bay platform (with what looks like passive provision to make this a through line as well), as well as retaining the 2 non-platform through lines. This annoucement is from Oxford City Council so only covers the station, car park, bus interchange and surrounding area, not the rail works. Whilst it looks to be a great improvement, I don't see anything paticularly compelling about the design of the building and £125m seems a huge amount of money for this work.

Ampox   14/06/2017 at 11:47

This is an old plan that takes no account of the other developments in West Central Oxford at Oxpens, Westgate and Osney Mead. The required rail improvements would be achieved more cheaply at the Oxpens with a new station with two island platforms, where there would be much greater chance of funding from parallel developments, giving a better interchange hub ( buses/cycles), and far less disruption during construction.

Andrew Gwilt   14/06/2017 at 21:11

I think it's a brilliant idea to revamp and redevelop Oxford railway station. Since Oxford's newest station-Oxford Parkway which opened few years ago (2015) which serves villages northwest of Oxford and also serves nearby London Oxford Airport as Chiltern Railways operates between London Marylbone and Oxford via Bicester. Plus also the new East-West rail link from Oxford to Cambridge and East Anglia will also be completed in some years time if the new section between Bedford and Cambridge via Sandy or Hitchin is planned to be built (which going via Sandy is a better option and between Bedford and Cambridge is at least 25 minutes once the new railway is completed with a new station at Sandy). If the East-West rail link is finished in 2020/2021 or in the mid 2020's.

Andrew Gwilt   14/06/2017 at 21:13

Correction. northeast* of Oxford.

Henry Law   16/06/2017 at 09:18

As Ampox points out above, I wonder if the existing station is even in the right place in the city? The traffic jams at the approach to the station are horrendous at times. The proposal to relocate to Oxpens seems a better solution.

Andrew JG   16/06/2017 at 09:48

Oxford Parkway is only a mile away from Oxford Airport which makes it more better and easier to avoid Oxford City Centre during peak time rush hour by using the A34 Oxford Bypass to get to Oxford mainline station much quicker. Or go to Oxford Parkway and get the train and change at Oxford for the trains to London and elsewhere or from Oxford Parkway to London which takes roughly 45-50 minutes.

John Gilbert   17/06/2017 at 22:51

This station will undoubtedly be striking when it is completed - say in about 25 years time if we're lucky. Perhaps by then the Chiltern Line platforms may even have received canopies!! All this allowing for the usual British delays, cost increases and rethinks.