The time taken to satisfy the requirements of the Transport and Works Act Order with regard to noise and vibration, particularly in the Wolvercote area of Oxford, is the principal reason why Chiltern Railways has had to delay the introduction of its service from Oxford through to London Marylebone. The first service will leave Oxford station at 0536 on December 12 2016.
Chiltern began operating a half-hourly service from the new station at Oxford Parkway to Marylebone on October 26 2015 (RAIL 787).
However, securing the necessary permissions to rebuild the line between Oxford and Oxford Parkway has proved particularly lengthy and problematic. Local residents have protested against the proposals, citing the noise and vibration that will be created by the increased volume of rail traffic passing close to certain homes (RAIL 784). As well as Chiltern’s trains, in the 2020s the line will also be used by East West Rail services heading for Milton Keynes, Bedford and beyond.
Last autumn, both Chiltern Railways and Network Rail were confident that with these permissions secured, the new service would start “in spring 2016”.
- For more on this, read RAIL 793, published on February 3.
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SURAG - 29/01/2016 12:40
Hopefully there won't be any impact on existing services. Chiltern service since October intro of Oxford parkway has been terrible
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Andrewjgwilt1989 - 29/01/2016 13:45
May not be in service until January next year (2017).
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FrankH - 29/01/2016 14:04
The main line from Oxford, the A34 trunk road (very busy even at night) and the A40 ring road are all within half a mile of the Wolvercote area so unless Chiltern are planning all night services I doubt most residents will notice any difference. I live next to the WCML and the only thing I hear is wheelflats or a new sound (exhaust), the rest blends in as normal.
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Stu - 29/01/2016 14:39
People buy homes up to the boundary of a working railway then complain. One in Scotland last week complaining of the overhead wires being erected!
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Rob Weller - 29/01/2016 17:26
I totally agree with FrankH. The noise won't stop developers building right next to the line wherever they can and people will happily move into the houses that are built. I used to hear a lot of trains passing twenty years ago but now the occasional 37 or 56 is all that I can normally hear. Passenger trains? Hardly a sound to be heard.
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FrankH - 05/02/2016 12:45
Pendolinos with whining traction motors are the loudest without a doubt. Although last year even the neighbour was out wondering what the racket was, a class 56 on logs being absolutely hammered.
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Henry Law - 29/01/2016 21:01
Rail noise is much reduced when there is snow lying on the ground. This suggests the possibility of some kind of low-level baffle to mimic the effect and reduce disturbance in sensitive locations.
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FrankH - 11/02/2016 15:45
I bet they didn't complain to NR about the rubbish dumped on the trackbed, about 200 tons of it. I wonder who could have done that.
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