Update: East West Rail (Western Section)

On Jun 30, 11:46�am, "Paul Scott" <notvalidpmsc...@>
wrote:
> JohnG wrote:
> > On Jun 21, 10:11?pm, wensleyd...@pacersplace.org.uk (Neil Williams)
> > wrote:
> >> On Sat, 21 Jun 2008 21:49:08 +0100, "Paul Scott"
> >>> How are they getting on with the works at MK - the signs I saw a
> >>> few weeks ago suggested a 'new platform' was opening in June - is
> >>> that presumably the north end of current platform 5 (to become the
> >>> southbound slow platform 7 IIRC)?
>
> >> Eh?
>
> >> It's Platform 6, which is on the A5 side of the station, which will
> >> be a second northbound fast platform to allow non-stop VTs to
> >> overtake stopped VTs in the new West Coast Taktfahrplan. ?It was
> >> being fitted up with signage and roofing today - nearly done!
>
> >> Next will be the extension north of platform 1 and the through line
> >> (which will be the second southbound slow platform, currently a bay).
> >> Once that is open, the Oxford bay can be started, which will be cut
> >> into the south end of either 1 or 2 (I'm not sure which).
>
> >> Not sure of the final numbering scheme or if the bay will be 1a with
> >> the rest as 1-6 or if it'll just be 1-7 in the end.
>
> > Odds-on favourite is bay to be numbered 1a. It probably saves the cost
> > of six men and a ladder, line possession and electrical isolation, six
> > lawyers and a partridge in a pear tree! Say ?50,000.
>
> Latest Modern Railways has the Oxford Bay as 2A for some reason (possibly
> both 2 and 2A being terminating platforms from the south?), and states the
> new down fast platform would be commissioned yesterday, 29th June. Any news
> of this?
>
> It is suggested in MR that the new platform 6 allows for 'consecutive
> northbound trains to call' - is the idea that the same can be done in the
> other peak southbound, using platform 5's bidirectional capability?
>
Never seen anywhere as a proposal for southbound services.
Your comment re Platform 2 is logical, but its also simply that access
to the Oxford bay will be
by walking southwards along platform. 2!
Non sign-watchers might otherwise have walked northwards along
extended platform 1 to nowhere!
Platform 6 and new down fast running line definately in use by 09.30
this morning but departure screens
still showed platform 5 which was boarded up at platorm level with
track disconnected at south end
(awaiting turnout?) and fencing/equipment laying on it by platform
face.

JohnG

"Paul Scott" <notvalidpmscott@> wrote
>
> Again, looking at the MR drawing and line speeds there will only be 75 mph
> entry to what is now a fast 'centre line' in both up and down directions,
> suggesting the centre line will only be used by stoppers, ie the new line
is
> now the normal down fast. It might be expected that the P5 line will now
be
> out of use for a while as there will be two more crossovers to be fitted
to
> connect to the up fast ?
>
> Since posting earlier I've found a DfT WCML review that has:
>
> "The most significant of the improvements will be the creation of a third
> fast line by the
> addition of a new northbound fast line and platform face. This will enable
> consecutive
> trains to call at Milton Keynes at peak times, without loss of line
> capacity, a better
> turnback facility to be used at certain times of day and improved
resilience
> for
> London - Northampton trains to be achieved."
>
> Given the morning peak is usually considered more compressed than the
> evening peak, it must make sense for the same advantage to be gained in
both
> directions...
>
The layout shown in MR would also seem to permit a Euston - Northampton,
fast to MKC, train to call at platform 5, then depart via the crossovers to
the Up Fast then Down Slow, rather than continue on the Down Fast to
Hanslope. It would also be possible for the corresponding Up train to remain
on the Up Slow to Milton Keynes North, then cross to the reversible Down
Slow, call at platform 3, and depart via the crossover at Milton Keynes
South on to the Up Fast. I do not know whether it is intended to operate in
this way, though it would appear to be a way of maximising capacity on the
Fast Lines.

Peter