Varsity Line

Legend Ipswich to Ely Line Cambridge Fen Line / West Anglia Main Line M11 Note: Alignment west of Cambridge taken over by Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory's moving telescope Lord's Bridge Old North Road Gamlingay Potton Former LNWR Station Sandy East Coast Main Line Girtford A1 Blunham Willington Bedford St Johns (former site) Bedford St Johns (current site) Bedford to Hitchin Line Kempston and Elstow Bedford Midland Midland Main Line A421 Kempston Hardwick Wootton Broadmead Stewartby Millbrook Lidlington Ridgmont M1 Husborne Crawley Aspley Guise Woburn Sands Bow Brickhill A5 Fenny Stratford Bletchley West Coast Main Line Newton Longville (proposed) Newton Longville landfill Swanbourne Winslow Metropolitan Railway to Aylesbury Verney Junction to Buckingham Claydon Reversing siding of freight line to Calvert Great Central Railway Calvert landfill Quainton Road (only on Bank Holidays) Waddesdon Manor Aylesbury Vale Parkway (under construction) Aylesbury (For clarity) London-Aylesbury Line towards Amersham Marsh Gibbon & Poundon Launton Chiltern Main Line Bicester Town Note: End of passenger services between Oxford and Bicester A41 Depot at Upper Arncott Wendlebury M40 Charlton Oddington Islip Oxford Road Cherwell Valley Line towards Birmingham Cotswold Line towards Worcester Wolvercote Wolvercote Roundabout tunnel Oxford Canal Cherwell Valley Line towards Banbury Port Meadow Oxford General Oxford Rewley Road (up to 1951) Cherwell Valley Line towards Didcot Parkway

Varsity Line (or Oxford to Cambridge Line) is an informal name for the railway service which formerly linked the English university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, operated by the London and North Western Railway and then British Railways. Cambridge railway station is a Railway station serving the city of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire, England. The Fen Line (sometimes Fenline without the space runs from Cambridge in Cambridgeshire to King's Lynn, Norfolk. The West Anglia Main Line is one of the two main lines which run from London Liverpool Street, the other being the Great Eastern Main Line. This page is about the M11 motorway in England For the M11 motorway in the Republic of Ireland see N11 road. Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory ( MRAO) is home to a number of large Aperture synthesis Radio telescopes including the One-Mile Telescope, Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory ( MRAO) is home to a number of large Aperture synthesis Radio telescopes including the One-Mile Telescope, Lord's Bridge railway station was a station on the eastern outskirts of Cambridge on the Varsity Line which ran between that city and Oxford. Old North Road railway station was a lightly used station in Cambridgeshire, on the Varsity Line between Cambridge and Oxford which closed in Gaminglay railway station was a station in Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire on the Varsity Line which ran between Cambridge and Oxford. Potton railway station was a station in Potton, Bedfordshire on the Varsity Line that closed due to underuse Sandy railway station serves the town of Sandy in Bedfordshire, England. Sandy railway station serves the town of Sandy in Bedfordshire, England. The East Coast Main Line ( ECML) is the electrified high-speed railway link between London and Edinburgh connecting Yorkshire, North East Bedford St Johns railway station is one of the two Railway stations that serve the town of Bedford in Bedfordshire. History The previous Bedford Midland station was built by the Midland Railway in 1859 originally on its line to join the Great Northern at Hitchin The Midland Main Line is a major railway line in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system. The A421 is an important road for east/west journeys across the southern midlands of England. Kempston Hardwick railway station serves the village of Kempston Hardwick in Bedfordshire, England. Stewartby railway station serves the village of Stewartby in Bedfordshire, England. Millbrook railway station serves the villages of Millbrook and Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire, England. Lidlington railway station serves the village of Lidlington in Bedfordshire, England. Ridgmont railway station is a small (unstaffed Railway station that serves the villages of Ridgmont in Bedfordshire (about 2km (1 The M1 is a major south – north Motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where Aspley Guise railway station is a Railway station that serves the village of Aspley Guise in Bedfordshire, England. Bow Brickhill railway station is a Railway station that serves the village of Bow Brickhill in the Borough of Milton Keynes, and the Caldecotte Tilbrook Fenny Stratford railway station is a Railway station that serves the Fenny Stratford area of Milton Keynes. Bletchley is a Railway station that serves Bletchley Milton Keynes ( ceremonial Buckinghamshire) southern districts of Milton Keynes generally The West Coast Main Line (WCML is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom. Swanbourne is a disused Railway station that served the villages of Swanbourne, Little Horwood and Mursley in north Buckinghamshire Winslow is a disused Railway station that served the town of Winslow in north Buckinghamshire, England. The Metropolitan Railway (MetR and the Metropolitan District Railway (District were the first two underground railways to be built in London, creating the world's Aylesbury railway station is the only Railway station in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. Verney Junction is a hamlet in the Parish of Middle Claydon in north Buckinghamshire, England. Claydon railway station is a former railway station serving the village of Steeple Claydon in Buckinghamshire and is where the Aylesbury branch of the Varsity The Great Central Railway ( GCR) was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed Quainton Road is a station closed to scheduled passenger services on the freight-only line from Aylesbury to Claydon (LNE Junction and Bicester. Aylesbury Vale Parkway railway station is under construction to serve the Berryfields and Weedon Hill housing development in the north of Aylesbury. Aylesbury railway station is the only Railway station in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. The London to Aylesbury Line is the main Railway line between London ( Marylebone) and Aylesbury, going via the Chiltern Hills; it Amersham station is a Railway station serving Amersham in Buckinghamshire. The Chiltern Main Line is an intercity regional and commuter main line Railway in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system. Bicester Town is one of two Railway stations serving the town of Bicester in Oxfordshire; the other being Bicester North. The A41 is a formerly-major Trunk road in England that links London and Birkenhead, although as stated below it has now largely been Upper Arncott is a Village in Oxfordshire, England. The M40 Motorway is a motorway in the English Transport network that connects London to Birmingham. Islip railway station serves the village of Islip Oxfordshire, England. Tilting With the exception of the West Coast Mainline, this route is the only route that domestic UK trains can tilt on something that Virgin Cross Country Route Towns and villages served by stations on the line are listed below from east to west The Oxford Canal is a 78 mile (130 km long narrow Canal in central England linking Oxford with Coventry via Banbury and Tilting With the exception of the West Coast Mainline, this route is the only route that domestic UK trains can tilt on something that Virgin Cross Country Banbury railway station serves the town of Banbury in Oxfordshire, England. Port Meadow is a large area of Common land to the north and west of Oxford, England. Oxford is a mainline Railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. Oxford Rewley Road railway station was a Railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. Tilting With the exception of the West Coast Mainline, this route is the only route that domestic UK trains can tilt on something that Virgin Cross Country Didcot Parkway is a railway station serving the town of Didcot in Oxfordshire in England. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Oxford is currently bidding for the 2010 Wikimania Conference Oxford () is a city, and the County town of Oxfordshire, The city of Cambridge (ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England The London and North Western Railway (LNWR L&NWR was a Railway company of the United Kingdom which existed between 1846 and 1922 See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" A pun on the railway term main line was sometimes employed by describing the line as the "Brain Line". "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. The Mainline or Main line of a Railway is a track that is used for through trains or is the principal artery of the system from which Branch lines,

Although not listed in the original Beeching report, the sections of the line from Oxford to Bletchley, and Bedford to Cambridge were closed at the end of 1967. The Beeching Axe is an informal name for the British Government 's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system Bedford is the County town of Bedfordshire, England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the Bedford borough Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. The section from Bletchley to Bedford remains open as the Marston Vale Line, and the section between Oxford and Bicester as the Oxford to Bicester Line. The Marston Vale Line (Network Rail route MD 140 is the railway line from Bletchley to Bedford in England. The Oxford to Bicester Line is a short Branch line linking Oxford and Bicester in Oxfordshire, England.

The line forms a major portion of the proposed East West Rail Link (a project to establish a strategic railway connecting East Anglia with Central, Southern and Western England) and its present status presents a significant obstacle to the realisation of such a plan. East West Rail Consortium is a group of local authorities and businesses in England formed in 1995 to promote the re-opening of defunct railway lines and services to provide a fast outer

Stagecoach presently operates the X5 bus service between Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge which seems to be well-used, indicating public demand for a direct public transport link on the former Varsity Line route. For other meanings see Stagecoach (disambiguation. A stagecoach (also called diligence) is a type of four-wheeled enclosed At present, travelling between Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge by train requires a change of train (and station) in London.

Historic route

• Oxford (prior to 1951, Oxford Rewley Road)
• Port Meadow (station closed)
• Wolvercote (station closed)
• Oxford Road (station closed)
• Islip
• Oddington (station closed)
• Charlton (station closed)
• Wendlebury (station closed)
• Bicester
• Launton (station closed)
• Marsh Gibbon and Poundon (station closed)
• Claydon (station closed)
• Verney Junction (station closed)
• Winslow (station closed)
• Swanbourne (station closed)
• Bletchley (for West Coast Main Line)
• Fenny Stratford
• Bow Brickhill
• Woburn Sands
• Aspley Guise
• Husborne Crawley (station closed)
• Ridgmont
• Lidlington
• Millbrook
• Stewartby
• Wootton Broadmead (station closed)
• Kempston Hardwick
• Kempston and Elstow (station closed)
• Bedford St Johns
• Willington (station closed)
• Blunham (station closed)
• Girtford (station closed)
• Sandy (for East Coast Main Line)
• Potton (station closed)
• Gamlingay (station closed)
• Old North Road (station closed)
• Lord's Bridge (station closed)
• Cambridge (for West Anglia Main Line and branches)

The line was built in various stages, with the first part between Bletchley and Bedford opening in 1846, then Bletchley to Islip in 1847, and Islip to Oxford in 1851. Oxford is a mainline Railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. Oxford Rewley Road railway station was a Railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. Port Meadow is a large area of Common land to the north and west of Oxford, England. Islip railway station serves the village of Islip Oxfordshire, England. Oddington is a village in Oxfordshire, England Bicester Town is one of two Railway stations serving the town of Bicester in Oxfordshire; the other being Bicester North. Launton is a small Village, located to the east of Bicester in Oxfordshire, England. Steeple Claydon is a Village and also a Civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. Verney Junction is a hamlet in the Parish of Middle Claydon in north Buckinghamshire, England. Winslow is a small Market town and also a Civil parish designated as a Town council within Aylesbury Vale district in north Buckinghamshire For the suburb of Perth, Western Australia see Swanbourne Western Australia; Swanbourne Lake is in the grounds of Arundel Castle Bletchley is a Railway station that serves Bletchley Milton Keynes ( ceremonial Buckinghamshire) southern districts of Milton Keynes generally The West Coast Main Line (WCML is a busy mixed-traffic railway route in the United Kingdom. Fenny Stratford railway station is a Railway station that serves the Fenny Stratford area of Milton Keynes. Bow Brickhill railway station is a Railway station that serves the village of Bow Brickhill in the Borough of Milton Keynes, and the Caldecotte Tilbrook Aspley Guise railway station is a Railway station that serves the village of Aspley Guise in Bedfordshire, England. Ridgmont railway station is a small (unstaffed Railway station that serves the villages of Ridgmont in Bedfordshire (about 2km (1 Lidlington railway station serves the village of Lidlington in Bedfordshire, England. Millbrook railway station serves the villages of Millbrook and Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire, England. Stewartby railway station serves the village of Stewartby in Bedfordshire, England. Kempston Hardwick railway station serves the village of Kempston Hardwick in Bedfordshire, England. Bedford St Johns railway station is one of the two Railway stations that serve the town of Bedford in Bedfordshire. Willington is a village in the English County of Bedfordshire. Blunham is a village and Civil parish in the Mid Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England, about eight miles east of Bedford Sandy is a small Market town in northern Bedfordshire, England. The East Coast Main Line ( ECML) is the electrified high-speed railway link between London and Edinburgh connecting Yorkshire, North East See also Potton Island. Potton is a Town in Bedfordshire, England. Gamlingay is a Village and Civil parish in South Cambridgeshire, England, near the border with Bedfordshire. Cambridge railway station is a Railway station serving the city of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire, England. The West Anglia Main Line is one of the two main lines which run from London Liverpool Street, the other being the Great Eastern Main Line. These sections of the line were built by the Buckinghamshire Railway, which also built a Bletchley to Banbury railway meeting with the Varsity Line at Verney Junction. From 1857 the line was absorbed by the LNWR and was extended from Bedford to Cambridge in 1862. This extension provided a vital cross-country link between Oxford and Cambridge, but trains usually ran from Oxford to Bletchley and Bletchley to Cambridge.

During the Second World War, the tonnage on the line was at a high with many trains heading to the Bicester Military Railway. A connection between the line and the Great Central Railway was built near Calvert/Claydon for trains from Aylesbury. The Great Central Railway ( GCR) was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed See also Aylesbury Urban Area Aylesbury is the County town of Buckinghamshire in south east England. An attempt to close the line in 1959 failed due to large local pressure. The line was not mentioned in the Beeching report. However, the introduction of fast trains from London to Oxford and Cambridge made it quicker for passengers to go via London. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Thus, the patronage of the line fell and was closed from Oxford - Bletchley and Bedford - Cambridge in 1967, a year after services north of Aylesbury ceased. The line between Bletchley and Bedford remained opened.

The line between Aylesbury and Bletchley was used a lot in the 1980s due to the closure of the London Marylebone depot, thus transferring the maintenance of the Chiltern Lines' Class 115s to Bletchley. Marylebone station or London Marylebone station is a National Rail and London Underground station in central London, England. 1586 at London Victoriajpg|thumb|right|A train in modified NSE livery with rounded corners These 41 high density sets operated the outer-suburban services from Marylebone usually to destinations such as High Wycombe, Aylesbury and Banbury This stopped when a new depot opened in Aylesbury and the introduction of the Class 165. The British Rail Class 165 "Network Turbo" Diesel multiple units (DMUs were built by BREL at York Works from 1990-92

Present status of route

The Varsity Line and the lines it meets. Disused or freight-only sections are in blue.

Swanbourne, showing the dilapidated condition of the track there (February 2006).

From Oxford to Bicester, the track remains open and in regular passenger and freight use (see Oxford to Bicester Line), but limited to 30-40mph. Bicester ( IPA /ˈbɪstɚ/ is a town in the Cherwell district of north-eastern Oxfordshire in England. The Oxford to Bicester Line is a short Branch line linking Oxford and Bicester in Oxfordshire, England. Since 1951 passenger trains have started from the former Great Western Railway Oxford station. The Great Western Railway ( GWR) was a British railway company and a notable example of Civil engineering, linking London with the West Oxford is a mainline Railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. From Bicester to Swanbourne, the track is in place but overgrown. For the suburb of Perth, Western Australia see Swanbourne Western Australia; Swanbourne Lake is in the grounds of Arundel Castle Within this the stretch between Bicester and Claydon Junction is used for regular freight trains full of refuse bound for the landfill site at Calvert. WASTE is a Peer-to-peer and Friend-to-friend protocol and software application developed by Justin Frankel at Nullsoft in 2003 that features For other uses see Water treatment and Land reclamation. A landfill, also known as a dump (and historically as Calvert is a Village in Buckinghamshire, England, near the village of Steeple Claydon. From Swanbourne to Mursley, the track has been lifted, but the trackbed remains and makes reinstatement feasible. Mursley is a small Village in and also a Civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district Buckinghamshire From there^[1] to Newton Longville, the track is in place but overgrown. Newton Longville is a Village and also a Civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. The stretch from Newton Longville to Bletchley was re-laid in spring 2006 and opened on 27 March 2006 for freight traffic, again of refuse for the Newton Longville landfill site. Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. From Bletchley to Bedford, the track is open and in daily passenger use (as the Marston Vale Line). The Marston Vale Line (Network Rail route MD 140 is the railway line from Bletchley to Bedford in England.

Between Bedford and Cambridge all of the track has been removed and some sections of the trackbed have been lost. At Sandy and Potton new housing occupies the former route. Sandy is a small Market town in northern Bedfordshire, England. See also Potton Island. Potton is a Town in Bedfordshire, England. At Lord's Bridge near Cambridge the Ryle Telescope of Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory now occupies a 3-mile (4. The Ryle Telescope (named after Martin Ryle, and formerly the '5-km Array' was a linear east-west Radio telescope array at the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory ( MRAO) is home to a number of large Aperture synthesis Radio telescopes including the One-Mile Telescope, 8 km) length of the former route.

A further problem is the lack of through platforms at Bletchley and Bedford. The current track layout at Bletchley means that, without the proposed new high-level station, through trains would have to go around the station without stopping. Similarly, Bedford St Johns station was rebuilt on a different site, and is no longer on the through alignment towards Sandy. Bedford St Johns railway station is one of the two Railway stations that serve the town of Bedford in Bedfordshire.

Revival plans

Main article: East West Rail Consortium

Confirmed plans

In May 2006 the Department of Transport announced^[1] specific plans for Bletchley station. East West Rail Consortium is a group of local authorities and businesses in England formed in 1995 to promote the re-opening of defunct railway lines and services to provide a fast outer The document states that "it is likely" that Bletchley area renewals and network simplification will take place by 2010, "to include a high-level platform" for the Bedford trains. "The network will be suitable for the later addition of any 'East-West' link to and from Oxford and for the operation of through links from either Oxford or Bedford to and from Milton Keynes. "

In the expansion plans for Milton Keynes, the area around Newton Longville is to be extensively developed. In January 2004 Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced the United Kingdom government's Expansion plans for Milton Keynes He proposed that the population A new passenger station for Newton Longville is included^[2] in the "MK2031" strategic plan, with a spur to a new platform at Milton Keynes Central. Milton Keynes Central is a Railway station that serves the central area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire An upgraded line is already in place (see above) and a simple halt would not be expensive.

On 4 December 2006, work began at Milton Keynes Central to prepare for a service connection from the Marston Vale Line, with completion scheduled for December 2008. The Marston Vale Line (Network Rail route MD 140 is the railway line from Bletchley to Bedford in England. ^[3][4]

Chiltern Railways have announced that a new station, known as Aylesbury Vale Parkway, will be built 3 miles (4. Chiltern Railways is a train operating company in England. It was formed by the Privatisation of British Rail in 1996 and operates mainline passenger Aylesbury Vale Parkway railway station is under construction to serve the Berryfields and Weedon Hill housing development in the north of Aylesbury. 8 km) north west of Aylesbury town station, adjacent to the A41 and the major development at Berryfields. The existing track, currently only used by freight trains, will be upgraded and new signalling equipment will be installed. This line could be extended further north to reach a rebuilt Oxford-Bletchley line at Verney Junction and Chiltern Railways have long term aspirations to reach Milton Keynes^[5]. Verney Junction is a hamlet in the Parish of Middle Claydon in north Buckinghamshire, England.

It has also been announced that the line from Oxford to Bicester Town railway station will be upgraded with funding from property developers as a condition of enlarging Bicester Village Shopping Centre. Bicester Town is one of two Railway stations serving the town of Bicester in Oxfordshire; the other being Bicester North. Bicester Village Shopping Centre is an outlet centre in Bicester in the English county of Oxfordshire, for several high-end brands including Ralph

In March 2008, a £2 million engineering survey into the state of the existing and removed track was launched^[6].

Prognosis

Hopes for a revival of the Varsity Line rested on the proposed East West Rail Link. East West Rail Consortium is a group of local authorities and businesses in England formed in 1995 to promote the re-opening of defunct railway lines and services to provide a fast outer As well as upgrading the track from Bicester to Bletchley, this scheme was aiming to construct a new 9-mile (14 km) trackbed between Bedford and Sandy on roughly the same alignment as the original. At Sandy, trains would then have joined the East Coast Main Line to Biggleswade - Arlesey - Hitchin and then switched north-east to Letchworth - Baldock - Ashwell and Morden - Royston - Meldreth - Shepreth - Foxton - Cambridge. The East Coast Main Line ( ECML) is the electrified high-speed railway link between London and Edinburgh connecting Yorkshire, North East See also Biggleswade (hundred Biggleswade is a small and quaint market town on the River Ivel in Bedfordshire, England. Arlesey is a small industrial town and Civil parish in the district of Mid Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire. Hitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, and has an estimated population of 30360 For the US businessman see William Pryor Letchworth. For the New York State Park see Letchworth State Park. The town Baldock is a town in Hertfordshire, England where the River Ivel rises Royston is a town and Civil parish in the District of North Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire, England. Meldreth is a Village in South Cambridgeshire with about 1600 inhabitants Shepreth is a small village in South Cambridgeshire. Shepreth railway station is on the Great Northern Line, the main line between Cambridge Foxton, a small village in South Cambridgeshire, England, is celebrated in Rowland Parker's classic of local history The Common Stream (1975 (ISBN However, a spur would have to be built to enable southbound trains from Sandy to round the corner onto the Hitchin - Cambridge branch as the existing junction only serves northbound trains from London onto this branch. This would mean that trains would not actually stop at Hitchin and a new station might have to be built there unless another solution could be found.

However little progress was made with the project and development plans were further dashed when, in 2001, the Strategic Rail Authority rejected the option to reopen the stretch of line between Bicester and Bletchley. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. In existence from from 2001 to 2006 the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up under the Transport Act 2000 Then, in April 2006, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister reported^[7] itself to be in favour of the principle of re-opening the link between Bedford and Oxford but gave no indication of underwriting that opinion. The Department for Communities and Local Government (branded as Communities and Local Government) is the United Kingdom government department for communities Most recently, in March 2008, a £2 million engineering survey of the existing and removed tracks was launched ^[6].

An alternative alignment for the line eastwards from Sandy has been proposed in order that East Coast Main Line line capacity is not affected by the new line. This alignment would continue from Sandy to the east along the original line, skirting Sandy Warren, before heading directly east with stations at Wrestlingworth and Bassingbourn before joining the existing railway network again at Foxton. RSPB The Lodge is a Nature reserve run by the RSPB. It is located south-east of the town of Sandy Bedfordshire, in England. Wrestlingworth is a parish in the English County of Bedfordshire, six miles east-north-east of Biggleswade.

Despite the development opportunities for the fast-growing Oxford-Cambridge Arc, it is unlikely that the Varsity Line can be revived within the next 20 years. The Oxford-Cambridge Arc is a notional arc of agricultural and urban land at about 75km (about 50 miles radius of London The problem of reconstructing the Bedford to Sandy route is a particular obstacle. However, hope remains alive that the line between Bletchley and Bicester may re-open to provide an Oxford to Milton Keynes Central train service. Milton Keynes Central is a Railway station that serves the central area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

In summer 2006 it was announced^[8] that, in a bid to co-host the 2012 London Olympics, a large rowing lake would be built near the former station site at Willington in Bedfordshire, in return for a licence to extract gravel. Willington is a village in the English County of Bedfordshire. The lake will cut through the route of the trackbed between Bedford and Sandy and any subsequent bridging costs would seem to be prohibitive, especially given the uninterrupted span that would be required to avoid obstructing the lake.

In March 2007, a study (funded by the councils and other interested parties along the route) declared at p. 38, 5. 1 A very good operating and business case exists for [a "base case" for a] 2 trains per hour passenger service between Oxford and Milton Keynes, and an operating case also exists for the Aylesbury spur which would bring further economic and strategic advantages to the subregion. Capital cost for the base case is between £100m - £135m. The base case and the Aylesbury options should be further considered in the next phase of work. ^[9]

In March 2008, those undertaking the engineering survey stated that a 100mph link between Oxford and Bletchley could be achieved for around £190 million. Assuming construction was to start in 2009 as they current hope, the upgraded / re-opened line could be in service by 2012^[6]

In April 2008, the Department for Transport responded to an e-petition for support by reiterating that they would encourage private funding. ^[10]

See also

• Rail transport in Great Britain
• High Speed Two

Further reading

• Bill Simpson - The Oxford To Cambridge Railway: Forty Years On 1960-2000 ISBN 1-899246-05-3

External links

• East West Rail Link proposal
• East West Rail Link support group
• East West Rail petition
• Oxford-Bicester rail action group
• http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/content.php?nID=29&ID=158&yID=2006

References

Notes

^  Bridge at grid reference SP813306 on Whaddon/Mursley road, observed 31/7/2005