Oxbridge East-West Rail in Private Eye Magazine and BRTA Windows.

Oxbridge pals must stick together eh?! If only the Universities had been charged with delivery of a direct rail link!

BRTA has long added its voice to a new curve linking Aylesbury with

the emergent East-West Oxford-Milton Keynes rail link as that adds to

the project in direct access from East-west to Old Oak Common and all

in between. As ever, email your MP to give support to speedy delivery,

not High Speed per se. In an era of rail campaigns, would benefit n

BRTA needs voices and champions to reopen local rail links x whatever

the political context - we need all-weather-proofed projects.

East-West Rail shows you can be qualified, clever and articulate, but

delivery is what counts and the delivery vehicle model and demands for

endless studies needs revision. Public should be able to put proposals

forward, DfT should do studies and Business Cases to reasonable

thresholds and encouragement to lay people for hope to get a look in

should be laddered so everyone can get into the process and usher it

along. Interesting a push for new-build high speed to Scotland from

Leeds now, when we still await to see the completion of the Borders

Railway, which the English side is the weakest link, not Scottish

desire to forge good rail connectivity per se. Our Dumfries-Stranraer

rail link would benefit South West Scotland on and off the tracks and

also Northern England flows and trade too. Over the coming months I

will be issuing a BRTA top list of local reopenings we measure size,

human and financial resources can facilitate, but more must be matched

with membership growth, revenue generation and competent people. Token

facilitation is what our Forums hold out, it is for local people and

those with leadership skills to work with it and make more. In short

we need people to take batons and make a go of them to the touch-line.

When writing to your MP, ask them to raise a question, encourage

support amongst colleagues and encourage their political party to

adopt pro-affirma policies towards delivery - making it quicker,

easier and more people friendly at all levels.

Oxbridge Railway started with locals concerned about closure and

aspiring for something better. It was piecemeal and hotchpotched.

East-west Rail Consortium from circa 1995 did bring a professional and

better resourced profile to the effort, but from 1997-2010, over 13

years Labour failed to deliver Oxford-Milton Keynes/Bedford and this

is where it picks up from where we are at today! The whole route to

Cambridge should be being delivered now, instead at Bedford it is

bogged down by dissent, poor communication and how involved in

leadership, resources and direction the emergent Universal Theme Park

near Bedford is to its outcome is yet to be quantified. Mayor Tom

Wootton talked about York-the Oxbridge Rail Corridor direct, but

without physical links at Tempsford, won't happen unless they come

onto the Midland Main Line near Chesterfield? Likewise, making

electrification of the Midland Main Line (MML) a priority, lends to

multiple options too. West Northampton Council will,not it seems,

email a letter of support to update the positive studies for a

new-build Northampton-Bedford rail link, so England's Economic

Heartlands has no incentive to support such either and so it goes on.

One tries not to get discouraged, downhearted and cynical, but it

needs a better approach, like a nationwide plan which knows where it

is going? Meanwhile in Wales, a plan is launched with 5 new stations,

but yet to hear of reopening the West Wales Main Line

Carmarthen-Aberystwyth-Criccieth-Caernarfon-Bangor... we support

campaign groups for such, bringing regeneration as it would. As for

East Anglia, Hunstanton needs a rail link and Stansted a direct order

from Rachel Reeves MP to get on with it, re-railing to Braintree and

Colchester, as currently they have no interest, no incentive or

responsibility to impact of airport expansion, another cart before the

proverbial airport expansion go ahead (horse!).Government comes across

as a child demanding 10 bananas when one is needed for a packed lunch!

There is money about, but in the wrong hands, being wasted on roads

and polluting in the name of regeneration and jobs, when cleaner rail

solutions and connectivity cries out for a look-in. BRTA will seek to

work through these issues and hopes to see a plan of what our

Westminster Team will do to move it forward. Our newsletters go to

most MP's and assistants are asking to join our loop too.

Meanwhile some bigger organisations do a wonderful job in North Devon,

but swathes of the country are abandoned to the winds of developer

whim. In short, the windows of opportunity are on a limited time-line.

Secretary of State for Transport should make the prime directive of GB

Railways "declutter and cut emissions on motorways and trunk roads on

the back of rail expansion" and that with a date when all will be done

too! That is where 'Brain of Britain' could be useful!.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Pill

BRTA CEO

Ps. I am not available for zoom or studio interviews, but hope to be

back in the swing in the next 8 weeks all being well. Thank you.

Please feel free to include our news and comment where appropriate.

SIGNAL FAILURES - Corridor of uncertainty

The gap between Labour rhetoric and reality on jobs and housing is obvious in the "Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor", where passenger trains still haven't started using infrastructure that was completed in 2024.

In January 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeve's package for going "further and faster to kickstart the economy" included funding the corridor's East West Rail (EWR) line, "with new services between Oxford and Milton Keynes this year". Two months later Rail Minister Lord Hendy said the line would be "up and running later this year".

Alas, it took the government until March to confirm that Chiltern Railways would run the trains; and when Chiltern managers belatedly inspected EWR's new Winslow station in Buckinghamshire, they found it wasn't fit for purpose. Cue yet more public cash to modernise a brand new station, where bare-minimum platforms will probably need lengthening given expected passenger growth in the 2030s.

Chiltern, which the government micromanages, insists on driver-only operation for EWR, triggering a predictable union tussle (RMT).

The government has already written off £2.6M - for 2024-25 alone - on leasing fees for the Oxford - Milton Keynes Central rolling stock (presumably the sub-lease for the WMR CAF Civity Class 196 2-car DMUs).

The new infrastructure's upkeep also costs money. With no EWR tickets being sold, the only offsetting revenue comes from occasional freight trains between the Midlands and Soyjampton or Cardiff (demonstrating EWR's potential as a thoroughfare between main lines).

For the Oxford - Milton Keynes Central service, taxpayers have spent more than £1.3bn on rebuilding 22 miles of disused railway with new platforms at Winslow and Bletchley (High Level). The government's EWR Company (EWR Co) - idiotically split off from Network Rail by Chris Grayling in 2017 - has had years to prepare stage two, upgrading the existing Bletchley-Bedford (Marston Vale) line, but reconstruction hasn't started. Stage three is more complicated ; a new Bedford - Cambridge route including a two-level station at the planned Tempsford new towns (for trains on EWR and the ECML/GN).

The £5bn-£6bn (2021 prices) estimated cost for the rest of EWR looks optimistic, after the troubles of stage one, but merging EWR Co into Network Rail is on the cards at last. GBR is due to subsume Network Rail and Chiltern next year. EWR's route ahead should be smoother when it's no longer detached from managers of the rest of the rail network.

Comments

Little or no mention of the Class 196 sub-lease (& return of these DMUs for Camp Hill reopening,WMR/Birmingham)

Little or no mention of Universal Theme Park at Kempston Hardwick and the need to rethink infrastructure/service pattern

Little or no mention of the proposal to close some of the local stations on the Marston Vale Line

Little or no mention of the Aylesbury Link being removed from EWR, despite the TWA powers for this and the understanding that after the HS2 infrastructure work between Calvert and Grendon Underwood, the former GCR would be reinstated from Claydon to Quainton Road

No mention of the problems at Bedford due to the opposition of the elected Mayor Tom Wootton & Bedford Borough Council. Need to rebuild both Bedford St. John's & Bedford Midland railway stations. Richard Fuller MP & Tom Wootton coalition at Bedford standing in the way of EWR.

New EWR build east of Bedford compared to the £104M per mile for the National Highways Black Cat/A1 - Caxton Gibbet dualling/realignment

Railways Bill still to progress through Parliament before it receives Royal Assent

Discontinuous electrification along EWR belatedly being proposed (presumably for new battery-electric trains)

DCO powers required for east of Bedford

Failure to use "permitted development rights" within the railway boundary in order that some required infrastructure work can progress quickly on operational parts of the route

No indication of when Oxford - Bedford train services could commence, in theory once Oxford - Milton Keynes Central services begin (subject to rolling stock availability). The Marston Vale line is already an operational railway, with passenger and freight services.

Route from Oxford - Bedford "gauge cleared" for freight, giving direct access to both the WCM & MML. Perhaps ironic that freight trains are operating now before Chiltern has managed to introduce the passenger service between Oxford & Milton Keynes Central! Also because the specification that EWR Co were originally working to was a passenger-only railway!

EWR epitomises the problems that were likely given the original privatisation. A vertically integrated railway is required - but will this be delivered under GBR?

See Private Eye Magazine 20th February 2026.

Hope! Local Rail Reopenings must be factored in more!

Although a mothballed freight only line majoritively, usage has exceeded expectations and more is following! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3017893z8vo

Yesterday we had a discussion and presented a talk to key people at West Northamptonshire Council on despite being part of the arc, the lack radial links means disenfranchisement, whilst 'if we do' study, work up candidacy and even get one of three done, Northamptonshire will gain aggregately more than status quo, high demand, capacity restriction on current networks and gaps meaning people drive with consequences for all. 

It is the rebuild agenda which is lagging in policy and capacity enhancements elsewhere beit Colne-Skipton and Burscough Curves Northern, and much model repetition elsewhere. Build new does create capacity, but reopenings, connectivity as well as capacity.

Please help BRTA and make a donation to our work: https://brtarail.com/become-a-member/

BRTA has a need for more people involved - we are too thin on the ground and nationwide is stretching us for want of more people involved and financial resources to do a modicum of what is needed.

Elsewhere Peak Rail, Woodhead, Guildford-Cranleigh-Horsham and over the borders the West Wales Main North-South Line (or variants of) and Stranraer-Dumfries all need more people and resources. 

Government demands for high-sided Business Cases are but a costly, time consuming and complicated (for lay people) exercise and delay projects, combined with additional ORR rulings against Level Crossings which are ok if properly maintained and not abused by road users (education). Special dispensations where the lie of the land rules out bridging or duck-unders, should be pepped up to lower reopenings costs and boost spread of them. Can people email their MP's for that (we can provide examples) and choose, a nationwide local rail connectivity programme and move wasted funding away from projects which are solely road like Lower Thames Crossing, now estimated at £11 billion and several years delay and other road enhancements which cost loads, land-take and guzzle, with negatives like emissions/pollution/delays and move to cascade that money to rail-based solutions for more people and freight by rail.

https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons?sort=1

Tempsford, Northampton and East-West with connective rail linkages needed.

Tempsford invasion without scruples thinking through! Welcome to dumbed down planning! 

re: https://www.mylondon.news/news/property/plans-massive-new-london-commuter-33194443?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1768048048

Don't be fooled by rhetoric. 

The Northampton arm to EWRL is vital and we should push for it. Key people are opposing covertly our route east of Bedford and Northern Route east of Bedford. Both land at the Tempsford area, but with no physical rail links with ECML (the main north-south main line), through running south of Peterborough to Bedford or Cambridge, north of Stevenage and East Beds direct to Bedford/Oxford corridor is ruled out. 

That is much less-than what we wanted and reduced to dynamic appeal for Universal, yes people will come from all directions, but York to Universal for example requires a change and a wait for another train and vice versa unless they access Bedford/Wixams via the Midland Main Line and how much capacity has it got and what about freight by rail? 

In short, it has not been thought through. Some of our leaders are being duplicitous and the rail should have been better thought through with interjections of "this is what we want, this is how to do it" than following East West Rail and the culture of secrecy around it playing blind man's bluff!

There's very little BRTA can do now, but follow the unravelling of events and see the curtain come down on our route, locking in Northern Route or bust. 

In any case, more will drive to Universal than would otherwise be the case, congestion gridlock highly likely for the foreseeable future and massive land take for parking demand will be a political call. The council and poor government detailed planning have only themselves to blame. The public can only vote on what is put before them, our route was ruled out of the 2019 Consultation; so the public could not have a proper say anyway. The rest is history.

Oxford-Milton Keynes shame, but RMT has a good point!

re: https://www.gbnews.com/news/british-rail-line-costing-ps1-3-billion-left-unused-for-over-a-year-as-labour-accused-of-having-no-plan

It would be laughable if not so sad for all who have tirelessly worked to get the passenger service off the ground. 

One freighter a day, is that each way or one-way ad hoc? 

We need a better marketing strategy to optimise the potential including the Aylesbury link for South Bucks to MK and ultimately Universal and Bedford and beyond, not just east-west, but north-south to/from east-west as well. 

Please email your MP and demand the parties involved are made to go to ACAS or whatever and come to a compromise sooner than later. https://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contact-an-mp-or-lord/contact-your-mp/

As for rolling stock, this is a nationwide problem as we need a new generation of sprinters and a rolling programme of electrification with more battery trains too, especially if reopenings are to add to the mix of cleaner modal transport choices.

For other BRTA news, please scroll down our excellent Blogspot, containing a wealth of information. info@brtarail.com 

See: https://brtarailvolunteer.blogspot.com/

re: https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/transport/two-former-railway-lines-could-be-reopened-in-northampton-as-well-as-construction-of-major-road-according-to-reforms-latest-draft-plans-5463909

I attach a new diagram BRTA has put together to show what an emergent rail network should look like, inclusive of Northampton. Choices pro and default have to be made and all have positive or negative consequences. If we support studies and make the case to re-rail, then more will visit the area including Universal at 8-million visitors per year and 26, 000 jobs sustainably. If we do not grasp this, we render all to go by road and massive land-take for car parks and highway development with urban gridlock and overwhelm beit congestion, delays, costs, pollution and ill-health/blight. This can be avoided with optimal regeneration. Please work with us and give us your support for a pro-rail future, not more of the same exacerbated.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Pill

BRTA CEO

https://brtarail.com/b2n/

West Northampton Window of Opportunity?

Unexpected media coverage in Northampton: 

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/transport/two-former-railway-lines-could-be-reopened-in-northampton-as-well-as-construction-of-major-road-according-to-reforms-latest-draft-plans-5463909

Map of wished-for-direction!

West Northampton Window of Opportunity?

#re: https://westnorthants.citizenspace.com/place/transport-strategy-and-action-plans-consultation/

Better late than never! We need a new study updated for a Northampton-Bedford rail link (part of Thameslink extension?) to ensure Northampton 40 minute transit times to Universal (Wixams new station) to a Theme Park estimated to offer 26, 000 jobs and court 8-million visitors per year. 

Likewise, we need that new rail link with new routing options (consult us!) to bolt on/have an arm direct to the new east-west rail link design going east for direct Northampton-Cambridge transits (passenger and freight) to be included, not disenfranchised!

Please email your local MP: 

https://members.parliament.uk/members/commons?sort=1

 in support of our calls, respond to the consultation and help BRTA usher the agenda along. Join BRTA: https://brtarail.com/become-a-member/

Some BRTA representatives may be having a meeting with the council on how we can respectively work collaboratively together. Our priorities are:

1. Updated studies as to business case and feasibility with routing options and how to overcome engineering and routing considerations like a new route north of Olney (A509/A428 corridors) - previous studies showed potential.

2. Pooling time, talent and resources in coalition/statement of common agreement with other councils and agencies to take the project forward. Not 2050 retro-thought, but start now in earnest as we mean to go on to catch up and engage to the full to ensure the Northampton area gets its full share with the strategic local and inter-regional rail benefits which informs regeneration and benefits off the rails too! Modal choices, modal shift, lower emissions, better health, quality of life and speeding up end-to-end timings on and off the rails, cutting congestion through what rail can offer.

3. Ensuring land north of Bromham enables a railway, not developed over and also land for a flyover from the west to enable Thameslink/other trains into Bedford Midland from the north onto the slow lines. A second bridge across the River Great Ouse may also be needed for these purposes as well.

BRTA follows the utilisation theory, which is 'if it is provided, people and goods can opt for rail more, if it isn't they can't and so are disenfranchised.' 

It would also inform a Bletchley-Bedford-Northampton loop for non time critical operations off main lines. That should incentivise Milton Keynes Central to collaborate as it would create a few more paths on the West Coast Main Line between Northampton and Bletchley.

The above is part of the BRTA feedback-response, but Professor Andrew N. Williams and his Northampton Team will surely do more and lead on it at the grassroots level for the specifics regarding Northampton aspirations. 

Things have moved on in the last 10 years with development growth, new rail-linked depots, DIRFT expansion, more people and goods demanding rail access and the legacy of past mistakes 'building new towns bolted onto old ones doubling size, but removing the rail links at one and the same time' for example.

Happy New Year btw. Pray it is a year of hope, realism and re-railing!

Yours sincerely,

Richard Pill

BRTA CEO

https://brtarail.com/b2n/