Chiltern Railways
Encyclopedia
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail
in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station
in London to Aylesbury
and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line
to Birmingham Snow Hill
with its associated branches. In 2002, the company began a new franchise
of up to twenty years, promising significant investment in the route. The 20-year term is conditional on various investments and improvements over the life of the franchise.
The company began as a management buyout
by former British Rail
managers of the route, but was later absorbed into Laing Rail. In 2008, Laing Rail was taken over by Germany's Deutsche Bahn AG
. Management of Chiltern, along with Deutsche Bahn's other UK rail interests, transferred to Arriva UK Trains
in early 2011 following DB AG's purchase of Arriva.
The London Marylebone
to Birmingham Snow Hill
route used by Chiltern Railways goes via High Wycombe
, Bicester
, Banbury
, Leamington Spa
, Warwick Parkway, Dorridge
and Solihull
.
Off-peak trains between London and Birmingham operate every half-hour. The fastest timetabled journey between London and Birmingham
via this route is 1 hour 36 minutes (compared with a fastest time of 1 hour 22 minutes using Virgin Trains
' three-times-an-hour services between London Euston and ).
Since winning the franchise, Chiltern has introduced "Route: High Wycombe" tickets for the Chiltern route between Birmingham and London that are considerably cheaper than "Route: Any Permitted" tickets, valid on the faster Virgin service to London Euston as well a number of other operators and routes. Chiltern offers only Standard Class, not the Standard and First Class as on Virgin services.
Some trains continue beyond Birmingham Snow Hill station
to Stourbridge Junction or Kidderminster
, where the preserved steam Severn Valley Railway
starts at the adjacent Kidderminster Town
.
The line to Aylesbury Vale Parkway via Amersham shares its line of route with London Underground
's Metropolitan Line
between Canfield Place (a point adjacent to Finchley Road
) and Harrow-on-the-Hill
with each operator running on separate tracks, then shares the tracks used by fast Metropolitan Line services to Watford South Junction (a point just after Moor Park
, where Metropolitan line services to Watford
diverge), with both operators sharing a single pair of tracks from there to .
On certain Bank Holiday Mondays, services are extended from Aylesbury to the Buckinghamshire Railway Heritage Centre
facilities at Quainton Road
, a short way south of . These services are often run by one of Chiltern's two Class 121
diesel multiple units, referred to as "bubble cars".
A shuttle service operates on the branch line between Aylesbury
and Princes Risborough
on the line to Birmingham
via High Wycombe
. Certain services from Marylebone via High Wycombe also provide a limited through service to Aylesbury.
In 2004 Chiltern Railways took over operation of passenger services on the Leamington Spa
to Stratford-upon-Avon
branch line.
Chiltern's sister company, Wrexham & Shropshire, operated services from North Wales
along the Chiltern route to London. This service began on 28 April 2008. Because it gained insufficient passengers to be profitable, it ended on 28 January 2011.
Chiltern was also asked to bid for the Snow Hill Lines of the former Central Trains area of Birmingham as part of the new West Midlands franchise competition, but its bid was unsuccessful.
Chiltern is the first train operator in the UK to pilot - and subsequently implement - a full system for purchasing, retailing, fulfilling and validating train tickets electronically. As of April 2008, over 18,000 "E-Day" customers have registered to use the service and more than 40,000 electronic tickets have been sold, mainly as barcodes delivered as text messages to the mobile phones of their customers and also as 'Self-Print' tickets.
From 22 May 2011 Chiltern operates services on the Oxford to Bicester Line
, having taken it over from First Great Western
.
managers of the route. In 2003 this became a wholly owned subsidiary of Laing Rail, who had held a much smaller shareholding in it at privatisation.
In July 2007, Henderson Fund Managers, the owner of John Laing, announced the sale of its Laing Rail subsidiary, as it wanted to focus on its public infrastructure portfolio. Arriva plc and Go-Ahead Group
both expressed an interest in acquiring the company, but the final bidders were Deutsche Bahn
of Germany and NedRail of the Netherlands. In January 2008 it was announced that Laing Rail had been sold to Deutsche Bahn. Following regulatory approval, Chiltern Railways therefore became part of DB Regio
, but its management and brand remained unchanged.
Deutsche Bahn later bought out Arriva PLC and made DB Regio UK an autonomous division of Arriva UK Trains. Management of Chiltern, along with Deutsche Bahn's other UK rail interests in London Overground
and the Tyne & Wear Metro, transferred to Arriva UK Trains
in early 2011.
In addition, Chiltern Railways runs one train a day
from London Paddington
to keep traincrew route knowledge up to date (as the route is regularly used for diversions during periods of engineering work), one train a day from Birmingham Snow Hill
to Oxford
, and a single train per week from Stratford to Oxford.
, as Chiltern has a 5-minute window for performance while others have a 10-minute window.
The latest performance figures, published by the ORR (Office of Rail Regulation), rate Chiltern Railways as one of the most punctual train operating companies in the UK at 93.0% (PPM) and 94.0% (MAA) as of the fourth quarter of financial year 2010-11. However, since the introduction of the new Mainline service in September 2011, the service has disintegrated dramatically, with a reduced timetable serving regular commuter routes, regular delays, cancellations and failures in rolling stock.
Following September 4 2011, the new timetable combined with the significant disruption caused by the engineering work, has caused a negative reaction from the customers of the local line. A petition to have the service reviewed has begun and articles highlighting the plight of commuters have appeared in the press.
between Aynho Junction and Princes Risborough
, together with the reconstruction of from a single platform to two platforms, the installation of a new platform at , and the raising of the line speed limit.
Phase 1 of the project, now complete, involved upgrading the Marylebone - Birmingham Chiltern Main Line
to permit 100 mph running on 50 more miles of route. Junctions at Neasden, Northolt and Aynho were remodelled to permit higher speeds. The 'up' through track has been restored at Princes Risborough
, the existing 'up' line becoming a platform loop, a new turnback siding has been provided at Gerrards Cross
, and a new, straighter 'down' through track built from Northolt Junction (originally built to favour the now little-used Paddington route) to Ruislip Gardens. The existing 'down' track continues to serve South Ruislip station. The former speed restrictions through have been removed to permit 100 mph running. Two additional terminating platforms at Birmingham Moor Street have been reopened. Accelerated services were initially planned to start in May 2011, but there were delays. The Chiltern Mainline service with accelerated timings from Birmingham to Marylebone finally began on 5 September 2011.
As a result of the speed increases, journey times have been reduced significantly. From Marylebone, the fastest peak-hour journey time to Birmingham Moor Street is now 90 minutes, instead of 117 minutes as previously. The table below outlines the peak timetable improvements.
Chiltern Railways chairman Adrian Shooter said, "This is the biggest passenger rail project for several generations not to call on the taxpayer for support. Working closely with Network Rail, we are going to create a new main-line railway for the people of Oxfordshire and the Midlands. This deal demonstrates that real improvements to rail services can be paid for without public subsidy by attracting people out of their cars and on to trains."
Under Phase 2 of the Evergreen 3 project, a quarter-of-a-mile double track will be constructed joining the Oxford to Bicester Line
at Bicester Town
to the Chiltern Main Line, allowing a new Oxford
to London Marylebone service to operate. As part of this plan, the Oxford to Bicester Line transferred from First Great Western to Chiltern, and trains will call at Bicester Town and High Wycombe
. Part of the line between Wolvercote Tunnel (on the outskirts of Oxford) and Bicester Town will be restored to double track, and a new station constructed at Water Eaton Park-and-Ride
. The scheme will include additional platforms at Bicester Town, Islip
and Oxford. This part of the Evergreen project is subject to Transport and Works Act approval by the Secretary of State, and is expected to be completed by 2013.
Network Rail said its investment will be reimbursed by a "facility charge" over the next 30 years—initially by Chiltern Railways, whose franchise expires in 2022, and then by the future franchisee. The infrastructure upgrade is being carried out by main contractor BAM Nuttall, in partnership with Jarvis and Atkins.
The £200m project, which is being promoted by Chiltern Railways, had originally proposed doubling the entire route from Oxford to Bicester; however, structural problems found in September 2009 may mean that the section between Bicester and Islip remains single-track. This would not affect the Evergreen plans but would limit intended services between Oxford and Milton Keynes as part of the proposed East West Rail Link. Oxfordshire County Council
supports the scheme but remains to be convinced of the benefits to be gained from a new station at Water Eaton, which would be in the Green Belt
.
All signalling on the route (including the new platforms at Oxford) would be controlled by Marylebone Signalling Centre.
There was a further setback to the plan when in November 2011 a planning inspector withheld approval, when it was found that bats were roosting in Wolvercote Tunnel. Great Crested Newt
s also have a breeding habitat close to the route.
, 168 "Clubman"
and 172 "Turbostar"
units. The "Turbo" units have undergone refurbishment at Bombardier
's Ilford Works, and the Class 168s
have recently been lengthened. Chiltern also operates a single Class 121 "Bubble Car"
on its Aylesbury to Princes Risborough line. This heritage unit was extensively refurbished, and operates the majority of the services on that line.
When starting in 1996, Chiltern inherited 34 Class 165/0 (Networker
) diesel multiple units fitted with Automatic Train Protection
and a tripcock so they could be used on London Underground lines on the approach to London Marylebone. The trains were originally used for both suburban and commuter services, including to Birmingham. However, the Class 165 was designed for suburban travel and not intercity services, unlike its sister, the Class 166, and so, following healthy growth, Chiltern took delivery of Class 168 units, leaving the Class 165s to be concentrated on stopping services to Banbury and Aylesbury, although they are still sometimes seen on the runs to Birmingham. Chiltern now runs all 39 Class 165/0 in existence, following the transfer of five units from First Great Western
. All units were refurbished in the late 2000's. Improvements included the installation of air conditioning and removal of the 'hopper' opening windows.
The first Class 168 ("Clubman") type to arrive was the 168/0, which externally resembles the Networker Turbo
but is better suited to the long-distance service to Birmingham, and was later the basis for the Class 17x Turbostar
s. The Clubman trains were the first to be delivered after privatisation, and allowed Chiltern to intensify its commuter services, while also providing more comfort on the intercity runs. Later orders of the Class 168 produced the 168/1 and 168/2, which had the Turbostar wiring and external design, and so can be considered to be Turbostars. The Class 168 differs from the rest of the Turbostar family in that it is fitted with the tripcock and ATP, the same as the Class 165/0.
In 2008, Chiltern ordered four 2-car "Turbostar" units to increase capacity. These were delivered to Chiltern in May 2011, entering passenger service on 8 June 2011. After driver training and mileage accumulation they are working stopping services between London Marylebone and High Wycombe.
As of May 2011, Chiltern is operating a fleet of loco-hauled Mark 3
coaches on main-line services from London to Birmingham and Banbury, using the newly reopened platforms at Birmingham Moor Street
. The motive power is provided by four Class 67 units from the unsuccessful Wrexham and Shropshire venture together with the addition of a fifth unit, 67018 'Keith Heller', painted in Chiltern's owner DB's livery.
As of July 2011 the coaching stock was all standard class. Additional unrefurbished 'slam door' coaches have been leased in from Porterbrook and units in the Virgin Trains red background livery are mixed in with 'Inter City' Blue/Silver stock. EX WSMR stock retains the now defunct livery with the decals removed. Rakes consisted of loco, five carriages and DVT
It is anticipated the carriages will be completely refurbished, and will have sliding doors (similar to those of the Mark 3s operated by Iarnród Éireann
) and toilet retention tanks fitted. Deutsche Bahn owns 12 coaches and a number of DVTs
already, with options on others from ROSCOs. Introducing these on the Birmingham express trains will then allow Chiltern to cascade the Class 168s currently used on to other services.
Chiltern has also obtained a second Class 121 unit, 121034, to supplement its existing one on the Aylesbury-Princes Risborough route. This has been been refurbished and repainted in the authentic 1960 British Railways green, complete with crest, and Yellow cab ends.
The rolling stock used on the Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone express services (ex WSMR) has been rebranded in "Chiltern Mainline Silver" livery.
proposed building a supermarket over the railway line near Gerrards Cross railway station
in 1996, which, following an initial objection by the local council was approved by the Deputy Prime Minister
John Prescott in July 1998. Due to a lack of space in the area, Tesco had proposed building over the railway line, which would free up a large area of land suitable for the development.
During construction, the partially built tunnel collapsed on 30 June 2005. Nobody was injured but the line was closed for over six weeks, eventually reopening on 20 August 2005. Compensation by Tesco to Chiltern Railway and Network Rail was estimated to be between £5-20m and the retailer pledged to fund a media campaign to win back passengers lost by the closure of its route. Construction of the tunnel finally resumed in January 2009. The store opened in late November 2010.
As successful completion of Project Evergreen 3 would confirm Chiltern Railways' twenty-year franchise term, there is no clear road to completion for these projects.
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station
Marylebone station
Marylebone station , also known as London Marylebone, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It stands midway between the mainline stations at Euston and Paddington, about 1 mile from each...
in London to Aylesbury
Aylesbury railway station
Aylesbury railway station is a railway station in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England and is a major stop on the London to Aylesbury Line from Marylebone station via Amersham. It is 37.75 miles from Aylesbury Station to Marylebone Station...
and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line
Chiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
to Birmingham Snow Hill
Birmingham Snow Hill station
Birmingham Snow Hill is a railway station and tram stop in the centre of Birmingham, England, on the site of an earlier, much larger station built by the former Great Western Railway . It is the second most important railway station in the city, after Birmingham New Street station...
with its associated branches. In 2002, the company began a new franchise
Rail franchising in Great Britain
Rail franchising in Great Britain was created by the Railways Act 1993. Passenger services are franchised, for a limited period, to train operating companies...
of up to twenty years, promising significant investment in the route. The 20-year term is conditional on various investments and improvements over the life of the franchise.
The company began as a management buyout
Management buyout
A management buyout is a form of acquisition where a company's existing managers acquire a large part or all of the company.- Overview :Management buyouts are similar in all major legal aspects to any other acquisition of a company...
by former British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
managers of the route, but was later absorbed into Laing Rail. In 2008, Laing Rail was taken over by Germany's Deutsche Bahn AG
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
. Management of Chiltern, along with Deutsche Bahn's other UK rail interests, transferred to Arriva UK Trains
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
in early 2011 following DB AG's purchase of Arriva.
Routes
Chiltern operate services on five routes.- Chiltern Main LineChiltern Main LineThe Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
- London to Aylesbury LineLondon to Aylesbury LineThe London to Aylesbury Line is the main railway line between London and Aylesbury, going via the Chiltern Hills; it is operated by Chiltern Railways. The line includes the only route where National Rail trains use track that is utilized by London Underground services...
- Princes Risborough to Aylesbury LinePrinces Risborough to Aylesbury LineThe Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Line is a rural branch line from Princes Risborough to Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England.The line is single track throughout with a maximum speed of 40 mph....
- Leamington to Stratford LineLeamington to Stratford LineThe Leamington to Stratford Line is a railway line linking Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. It follows the Chiltern Main Line from Leamington to Hatton before diverging to the south...
- Oxford to Bicester LineOxford to Bicester LineThe Oxford to Bicester Line is a branch line linking Oxford and Bicester in Oxfordshire, England.-History:The line was opened in 1850 as part of the Buckinghamshire Railway, which in 1879 became part of the London and North Western Railway...
Marylebone station
Marylebone station , also known as London Marylebone, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It stands midway between the mainline stations at Euston and Paddington, about 1 mile from each...
to Birmingham Snow Hill
Birmingham Snow Hill station
Birmingham Snow Hill is a railway station and tram stop in the centre of Birmingham, England, on the site of an earlier, much larger station built by the former Great Western Railway . It is the second most important railway station in the city, after Birmingham New Street station...
route used by Chiltern Railways goes via High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
, Bicester
Bicester
Bicester is a town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in England.This historic market centre is one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire Development has been favoured by its proximity to junction 9 of the M40 motorway linking it to London, Birmingham and...
, Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
, Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
, Warwick Parkway, Dorridge
Dorridge
Dorridge is a village in the West Midlands borough of Solihull, England, with a population of 7800.-Location:Dorridge is to the East of the M40 and the South of the M42 which, along with a small but important green belt area, separates Dorridge and its neighbours of Knowle and Bentley Heath from...
and Solihull
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
.
Off-peak trains between London and Birmingham operate every half-hour. The fastest timetabled journey between London and Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
via this route is 1 hour 36 minutes (compared with a fastest time of 1 hour 22 minutes using Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
' three-times-an-hour services between London Euston and ).
Since winning the franchise, Chiltern has introduced "Route: High Wycombe" tickets for the Chiltern route between Birmingham and London that are considerably cheaper than "Route: Any Permitted" tickets, valid on the faster Virgin service to London Euston as well a number of other operators and routes. Chiltern offers only Standard Class, not the Standard and First Class as on Virgin services.
Some trains continue beyond Birmingham Snow Hill station
Birmingham Snow Hill station
Birmingham Snow Hill is a railway station and tram stop in the centre of Birmingham, England, on the site of an earlier, much larger station built by the former Great Western Railway . It is the second most important railway station in the city, after Birmingham New Street station...
to Stourbridge Junction or Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
, where the preserved steam Severn Valley Railway
Severn Valley Railway
The Severn Valley Railway is a heritage railway in Shropshire and Worcestershire, England. The line runs along the Severn Valley from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, following the course of the River Severn for much of its route...
starts at the adjacent Kidderminster Town
Kidderminster Town railway station
Kidderminster Town is a railway station situated in the town of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England. It is operated by the Severn Valley Railway, a heritage line which runs from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth...
.
The line to Aylesbury Vale Parkway via Amersham shares its line of route with London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
's Metropolitan Line
Metropolitan Line
The Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground. It is coloured in Transport for London's Corporate Magenta on the Tube map and in other branding. It was the first underground railway in the world, opening as the Metropolitan Railway on 10 January 1863...
between Canfield Place (a point adjacent to Finchley Road
Finchley Road tube station
Finchley Road tube station is a London Underground station at the corner of Finchley Road and Canfield Gardens in the London Borough of Camden, North London. It is on the Jubilee Line, between West Hampstead and Swiss Cottage and on the Metropolitan Line between Baker Street and Wembley Park. It is...
) and Harrow-on-the-Hill
Harrow-on-the-Hill station
Harrow-on-the-Hill station is a London Underground station served by National Rail and London Underground trains. It is located between College Road and Lowlands Road in the Greenhill area of Harrow, about half a mile north of the locality from which it takes its name.-Railway geography:The...
with each operator running on separate tracks, then shares the tracks used by fast Metropolitan Line services to Watford South Junction (a point just after Moor Park
Moor Park tube station
Moor Park is a London Underground station in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire. The station is outside the Greater London boundary but is in both Zone 6 and Zone 7....
, where Metropolitan line services to Watford
Watford tube station
Watford is a station at the end of the Watford branch of London Underground's Metropolitan Line in the north-western part of the network in Zone 7, previously zone A.-Location and description:...
diverge), with both operators sharing a single pair of tracks from there to .
On certain Bank Holiday Mondays, services are extended from Aylesbury to the Buckinghamshire Railway Heritage Centre
Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
Buckinghamshire Railway Centre is a railway museum operated by the Quainton Railway Society Ltd. at Quainton Road railway station, in the far depths of "Metro-land", about 5 miles west of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. The site is divided into two halves which are joined by two foot-bridges, one of...
facilities at Quainton Road
Quainton Road railway station
Quainton Road railway station was opened in 1868 in undeveloped countryside near Quainton, Buckinghamshire, from London. Built by the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway, it was the result of pressure from the 3rd Duke of Buckingham to route the railway near his home at Wotton House and to open a...
, a short way south of . These services are often run by one of Chiltern's two Class 121
British Rail Class 121
Sixteen Class 121 single-car driving motor vehicles were built from 1960, numbered 55020–55035. These were supplemented by ten trailer vehicles, numbered 56280–56289 . They had a top speed of 70 mph, with slam-doors, and vacuum brakes...
diesel multiple units, referred to as "bubble cars".
A shuttle service operates on the branch line between Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
and Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough is a small town in Buckinghamshire, England, about 9 miles south of Aylesbury and 8 miles north west of High Wycombe. Bledlow lies to the west and Monks Risborough to the east. It lies at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, at the north end of a gap or pass through the Chilterns,...
on the line to Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
via High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
. Certain services from Marylebone via High Wycombe also provide a limited through service to Aylesbury.
In 2004 Chiltern Railways took over operation of passenger services on the Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
to Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
branch line.
Chiltern's sister company, Wrexham & Shropshire, operated services from North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
along the Chiltern route to London. This service began on 28 April 2008. Because it gained insufficient passengers to be profitable, it ended on 28 January 2011.
Chiltern was also asked to bid for the Snow Hill Lines of the former Central Trains area of Birmingham as part of the new West Midlands franchise competition, but its bid was unsuccessful.
Chiltern is the first train operator in the UK to pilot - and subsequently implement - a full system for purchasing, retailing, fulfilling and validating train tickets electronically. As of April 2008, over 18,000 "E-Day" customers have registered to use the service and more than 40,000 electronic tickets have been sold, mainly as barcodes delivered as text messages to the mobile phones of their customers and also as 'Self-Print' tickets.
From 22 May 2011 Chiltern operates services on the Oxford to Bicester Line
Oxford to Bicester Line
The Oxford to Bicester Line is a branch line linking Oxford and Bicester in Oxfordshire, England.-History:The line was opened in 1850 as part of the Buckinghamshire Railway, which in 1879 became part of the London and North Western Railway...
, having taken it over from First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
.
Ownership
Initially, the line was franchised to a company formed by the British RailBritish Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
managers of the route. In 2003 this became a wholly owned subsidiary of Laing Rail, who had held a much smaller shareholding in it at privatisation.
In July 2007, Henderson Fund Managers, the owner of John Laing, announced the sale of its Laing Rail subsidiary, as it wanted to focus on its public infrastructure portfolio. Arriva plc and Go-Ahead Group
Go-Ahead Group
The Go-Ahead Group plc is a rail and bus operating company that was created following the privatisation of the UK's train and bus industries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-Early history:...
both expressed an interest in acquiring the company, but the final bidders were Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
of Germany and NedRail of the Netherlands. In January 2008 it was announced that Laing Rail had been sold to Deutsche Bahn. Following regulatory approval, Chiltern Railways therefore became part of DB Regio
DB Regio
DB Regio AG is a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn which operates short and medium distance passenger train services in Germany, and operates light and heavy rail infrastructure in the United Kingdom.-Germany:...
, but its management and brand remained unchanged.
Deutsche Bahn later bought out Arriva PLC and made DB Regio UK an autonomous division of Arriva UK Trains. Management of Chiltern, along with Deutsche Bahn's other UK rail interests in London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
and the Tyne & Wear Metro, transferred to Arriva UK Trains
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
in early 2011.
Services
The "core" off-peak Chiltern Railways timetable is currently as follows:- Half-hourly London MaryleboneMarylebone stationMarylebone station , also known as London Marylebone, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It stands midway between the mainline stations at Euston and Paddington, about 1 mile from each...
- Aylesbury via AmershamAmersham stationAmersham station is a London Underground and National Rail station in the town of Amersham, in the Chiltern district of Buckinghamshire, England.Amersham station is a terminus of the London Underground's Metropolitan Line...
stopping service - Hourly London Marylebone - High WycombeHigh Wycombe railway stationHigh Wycombe railway station is situated in High Wycombe in South Buckinghamshire. The station is served by Chiltern Railways trains on the Chiltern Main Line from Marylebone towards Birmingham Snow Hill. It is situated between Beaconsfield and Saunderton stations.-History:The station was built...
stopping service - Hourly London Marylebone - Princes RisboroughPrinces Risborough railway stationPrinces Risborough station is a railway station on the Chiltern Main Line that serves the town of Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire, England...
stopping service - Half-hourly London Marylebone - Birmingham Snow HillBirmingham Snow Hill stationBirmingham Snow Hill is a railway station and tram stop in the centre of Birmingham, England, on the site of an earlier, much larger station built by the former Great Western Railway . It is the second most important railway station in the city, after Birmingham New Street station...
via High Wycombe fast (Birmingham Moor Street) and semi-fast service - Hourly London Marylebone - Bicester NorthBicester North railway stationBicester North is a station on the Chiltern Main Line, one of two stations serving Bicester. Services operated by Chiltern Railways run south to and north to , and .Bicester North is the larger of Bicester's two stations...
via High Wycombe semi-fast service (extended to Stratford-upon-AvonStratford-upon-Avon railway stationStratford-upon-Avon railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. It was once a through station on the Great Western Railway route from Birmingham to Cheltenham, but has been the terminus of the line since 1976.There are plans for a new...
in even hours) - Selected times between Oxford and Bicester Town via Islip
In addition, Chiltern Railways runs one train a day
Parliamentary train
A Parliamentary train or Parly is, nowadays, a British English term for a train that operates a Parliamentary service - that is to say a token service to a given station, thus maintaining a legal fiction that either the station or, in some cases, the whole line is open, although in reality the...
from London Paddington
Paddington station
Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
to keep traincrew route knowledge up to date (as the route is regularly used for diversions during periods of engineering work), one train a day from Birmingham Snow Hill
Birmingham Snow Hill station
Birmingham Snow Hill is a railway station and tram stop in the centre of Birmingham, England, on the site of an earlier, much larger station built by the former Great Western Railway . It is the second most important railway station in the city, after Birmingham New Street station...
to Oxford
Oxford railway station
Oxford railway station is a mainline railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. It is about west of the city centre, northwest of Frideswide Square and the eastern end of Botley Road, and on the line linking with . It is also on the line for trains between and Hereford via...
, and a single train per week from Stratford to Oxford.
Performance
Chiltern is considered one of the best operators in Britain, with Public Performance Measure (PPM) regularly over 90% during the past 5 years. Chiltern is the only operating company to have achieved over 95% performance over 12 months. Chiltern's PPM is measured on stricter conditions than its long-distance rivals, such as Virgin TrainsVirgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
, as Chiltern has a 5-minute window for performance while others have a 10-minute window.
The latest performance figures, published by the ORR (Office of Rail Regulation), rate Chiltern Railways as one of the most punctual train operating companies in the UK at 93.0% (PPM) and 94.0% (MAA) as of the fourth quarter of financial year 2010-11. However, since the introduction of the new Mainline service in September 2011, the service has disintegrated dramatically, with a reduced timetable serving regular commuter routes, regular delays, cancellations and failures in rolling stock.
Following September 4 2011, the new timetable combined with the significant disruption caused by the engineering work, has caused a negative reaction from the customers of the local line. A petition to have the service reviewed has begun and articles highlighting the plight of commuters have appeared in the press.
Project Evergreen
Evergreen is the name given by Chiltern to the major infrastructure works that the company has committed to over the 20-year duration of its franchise to improve routes and services. Up to 2009, this has been divided into three distinct phases.Evergreen 1
The main focus of phase 1 was the redoubling of the Chiltern Main LineChiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
between Aynho Junction and Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough is a small town in Buckinghamshire, England, about 9 miles south of Aylesbury and 8 miles north west of High Wycombe. Bledlow lies to the west and Monks Risborough to the east. It lies at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, at the north end of a gap or pass through the Chilterns,...
, together with the reconstruction of from a single platform to two platforms, the installation of a new platform at , and the raising of the line speed limit.
Evergreen 2
Phase 2 began after the award of Chiltern's new 20-year franchise. This entailed a realignment of the route through to allow speeds to be increased to 75 mph, improved signalling between High Wycombe and Bicester and between Princes Risborough and Aylesbury, the construction of two new platforms at London Marylebone (located on the old carriage sidings), and the construction of a new maintenance depot near .Evergreen 3
The Department of Transport, Chiltern Railways and Network Rail agreed on 15 January 2010 to a £250m upgrade of the Chiltern main line.Phase 1 of the project, now complete, involved upgrading the Marylebone - Birmingham Chiltern Main Line
Chiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
to permit 100 mph running on 50 more miles of route. Junctions at Neasden, Northolt and Aynho were remodelled to permit higher speeds. The 'up' through track has been restored at Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough railway station
Princes Risborough station is a railway station on the Chiltern Main Line that serves the town of Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire, England...
, the existing 'up' line becoming a platform loop, a new turnback siding has been provided at Gerrards Cross
Gerrards Cross railway station
Gerrards Cross railway station serves the villages of Gerrards Cross and Chalfont St Peter in Buckinghamshire. It is in a cutting on the Chiltern Main Line between and ....
, and a new, straighter 'down' through track built from Northolt Junction (originally built to favour the now little-used Paddington route) to Ruislip Gardens. The existing 'down' track continues to serve South Ruislip station. The former speed restrictions through have been removed to permit 100 mph running. Two additional terminating platforms at Birmingham Moor Street have been reopened. Accelerated services were initially planned to start in May 2011, but there were delays. The Chiltern Mainline service with accelerated timings from Birmingham to Marylebone finally began on 5 September 2011.
As a result of the speed increases, journey times have been reduced significantly. From Marylebone, the fastest peak-hour journey time to Birmingham Moor Street is now 90 minutes, instead of 117 minutes as previously. The table below outlines the peak timetable improvements.
| Previous | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| Gerrards Cross | 21 | 18 |
| High Wycombe | 34 | 25 |
| Princes Risborough | 41 | 32 |
| Bicester | 56 | 44 |
| Banbury | 63 | 50 |
| Leamington Spa | 85 | 67 |
| Solihull | 107 | 84 |
| Birmingham (Moor Street) | 117 | 92 |
Chiltern Railways chairman Adrian Shooter said, "This is the biggest passenger rail project for several generations not to call on the taxpayer for support. Working closely with Network Rail, we are going to create a new main-line railway for the people of Oxfordshire and the Midlands. This deal demonstrates that real improvements to rail services can be paid for without public subsidy by attracting people out of their cars and on to trains."
Under Phase 2 of the Evergreen 3 project, a quarter-of-a-mile double track will be constructed joining the Oxford to Bicester Line
Oxford to Bicester Line
The Oxford to Bicester Line is a branch line linking Oxford and Bicester in Oxfordshire, England.-History:The line was opened in 1850 as part of the Buckinghamshire Railway, which in 1879 became part of the London and North Western Railway...
at Bicester Town
Bicester Town railway station
Bicester Town is the smaller of two railway stations serving the town of Bicester in Oxfordshire. The larger is . Bicester Town station is miles north-east of . It is operated by Chiltern Railways.-History:...
to the Chiltern Main Line, allowing a new Oxford
Oxford railway station
Oxford railway station is a mainline railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. It is about west of the city centre, northwest of Frideswide Square and the eastern end of Botley Road, and on the line linking with . It is also on the line for trains between and Hereford via...
to London Marylebone service to operate. As part of this plan, the Oxford to Bicester Line transferred from First Great Western to Chiltern, and trains will call at Bicester Town and High Wycombe
High Wycombe railway station
High Wycombe railway station is situated in High Wycombe in South Buckinghamshire. The station is served by Chiltern Railways trains on the Chiltern Main Line from Marylebone towards Birmingham Snow Hill. It is situated between Beaconsfield and Saunderton stations.-History:The station was built...
. Part of the line between Wolvercote Tunnel (on the outskirts of Oxford) and Bicester Town will be restored to double track, and a new station constructed at Water Eaton Park-and-Ride
Water Eaton Parkway railway station
Water Eaton Parkway railway station is a proposed railway station at Water Eaton on the railway line between Oxford and Bicester. The station would be sited between Kidlington and Oxford next to an existing park and ride facility....
. The scheme will include additional platforms at Bicester Town, Islip
Islip railway station
Islip railway station serves the village of Islip, Oxfordshire, England. Islip is north-east of Oxford. Services run south to away and north-east to .Islip is served by Chiltern Railways using Class 165 Diesel Multiple Units.-History:...
and Oxford. This part of the Evergreen project is subject to Transport and Works Act approval by the Secretary of State, and is expected to be completed by 2013.
Network Rail said its investment will be reimbursed by a "facility charge" over the next 30 years—initially by Chiltern Railways, whose franchise expires in 2022, and then by the future franchisee. The infrastructure upgrade is being carried out by main contractor BAM Nuttall, in partnership with Jarvis and Atkins.
The £200m project, which is being promoted by Chiltern Railways, had originally proposed doubling the entire route from Oxford to Bicester; however, structural problems found in September 2009 may mean that the section between Bicester and Islip remains single-track. This would not affect the Evergreen plans but would limit intended services between Oxford and Milton Keynes as part of the proposed East West Rail Link. Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council, established in 1889, is the county council, or upper-tier local authority, for the non-metropolitan county of Oxfordshire, in the South East of England, an elected body responsible for the most strategic local government services in the county.-History:County Councils...
supports the scheme but remains to be convinced of the benefits to be gained from a new station at Water Eaton, which would be in the Green Belt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
.
All signalling on the route (including the new platforms at Oxford) would be controlled by Marylebone Signalling Centre.
There was a further setback to the plan when in November 2011 a planning inspector withheld approval, when it was found that bats were roosting in Wolvercote Tunnel. Great Crested Newt
Great Crested Newt
The Great Crested Newt, also called Northern Crested Newt or Warty Newt is a newt in the family Salamandridae, found across Europe and parts of Asia.-Distribution:...
s also have a breeding habitat close to the route.
Rolling stock
Chiltern Railways operates services using a fleet of Class 165 "Turbo"British Rail Class 165
The British Rail Class 165 Turbo is a fleet of suburban diesel multiple units , originally specified by and built for British Rail, the then United Kingdom state owned railway operator. They were built by BREL at York Works between 1990 and 1992...
, 168 "Clubman"
British Rail Class 168
The Class 168 Clubman is a diesel multiple-unit train used on services between London and the Midlands.-Description:The units were built in several batches from 1997 onwards. The first batch of units was classified 168/0 under TOPS and resembled the Class 165 units previously built by BREL at York...
and 172 "Turbostar"
British Rail Class 172
The Class 172 is a type of diesel multiple unit of the Turbostar family, similar to the Class 168, Class 170 and Class 171.-Technical details and variants :There will be four sub-types:*Class 172/0 - two-car units in operation with London Overground...
units. The "Turbo" units have undergone refurbishment at Bombardier
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
's Ilford Works, and the Class 168s
British Rail Class 168
The Class 168 Clubman is a diesel multiple-unit train used on services between London and the Midlands.-Description:The units were built in several batches from 1997 onwards. The first batch of units was classified 168/0 under TOPS and resembled the Class 165 units previously built by BREL at York...
have recently been lengthened. Chiltern also operates a single Class 121 "Bubble Car"
British Rail Class 121
Sixteen Class 121 single-car driving motor vehicles were built from 1960, numbered 55020–55035. These were supplemented by ten trailer vehicles, numbered 56280–56289 . They had a top speed of 70 mph, with slam-doors, and vacuum brakes...
on its Aylesbury to Princes Risborough line. This heritage unit was extensively refurbished, and operates the majority of the services on that line.
When starting in 1996, Chiltern inherited 34 Class 165/0 (Networker
Networker (train)
The Networker is a family of trains which operate on the UK railway system. They were built in the late 1980s and early 1990s by BREL . The trains were built for the Network SouthEast sector of British Rail...
) diesel multiple units fitted with Automatic Train Protection
Automatic Train Protection
Automatic Train Protection in Great Britain refers to either of two implementations of a train protection system installed in some trains in order to help prevent collisions through a driver's failure to observe a signal or speed restriction...
and a tripcock so they could be used on London Underground lines on the approach to London Marylebone. The trains were originally used for both suburban and commuter services, including to Birmingham. However, the Class 165 was designed for suburban travel and not intercity services, unlike its sister, the Class 166, and so, following healthy growth, Chiltern took delivery of Class 168 units, leaving the Class 165s to be concentrated on stopping services to Banbury and Aylesbury, although they are still sometimes seen on the runs to Birmingham. Chiltern now runs all 39 Class 165/0 in existence, following the transfer of five units from First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
. All units were refurbished in the late 2000's. Improvements included the installation of air conditioning and removal of the 'hopper' opening windows.
The first Class 168 ("Clubman") type to arrive was the 168/0, which externally resembles the Networker Turbo
Networker (train)
The Networker is a family of trains which operate on the UK railway system. They were built in the late 1980s and early 1990s by BREL . The trains were built for the Network SouthEast sector of British Rail...
but is better suited to the long-distance service to Birmingham, and was later the basis for the Class 17x Turbostar
Turbostar
Turbostar is the name given to a family of diesel multiple units built by Bombardier Transportation at their Litchurch Lane Works in Derby, England...
s. The Clubman trains were the first to be delivered after privatisation, and allowed Chiltern to intensify its commuter services, while also providing more comfort on the intercity runs. Later orders of the Class 168 produced the 168/1 and 168/2, which had the Turbostar wiring and external design, and so can be considered to be Turbostars. The Class 168 differs from the rest of the Turbostar family in that it is fitted with the tripcock and ATP, the same as the Class 165/0.
In 2008, Chiltern ordered four 2-car "Turbostar" units to increase capacity. These were delivered to Chiltern in May 2011, entering passenger service on 8 June 2011. After driver training and mileage accumulation they are working stopping services between London Marylebone and High Wycombe.
As of May 2011, Chiltern is operating a fleet of loco-hauled Mark 3
British Rail Mark 3
British Rail's third design of standard carriage was designated 'Mark 3' , and was developed primarily for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train...
coaches on main-line services from London to Birmingham and Banbury, using the newly reopened platforms at Birmingham Moor Street
Birmingham Moor Street railway station
Birmingham Moor Street railway station is one of three main railway stations in the city centre of Birmingham, England. The Grade II listed old station building has been partially renovated to its 1930s condition at a cost of £11 million....
. The motive power is provided by four Class 67 units from the unsuccessful Wrexham and Shropshire venture together with the addition of a fifth unit, 67018 'Keith Heller', painted in Chiltern's owner DB's livery.
As of July 2011 the coaching stock was all standard class. Additional unrefurbished 'slam door' coaches have been leased in from Porterbrook and units in the Virgin Trains red background livery are mixed in with 'Inter City' Blue/Silver stock. EX WSMR stock retains the now defunct livery with the decals removed. Rakes consisted of loco, five carriages and DVT
It is anticipated the carriages will be completely refurbished, and will have sliding doors (similar to those of the Mark 3s operated by Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann is the national railway system operator of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann . It operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the Republic of Ireland, and, jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, the...
) and toilet retention tanks fitted. Deutsche Bahn owns 12 coaches and a number of DVTs
Driving Van Trailer
A Driving Van Trailer is a purpose-built railway vehicle that allows the driver to operate a locomotive at the opposite end of a train. Trains operating with a DVT therefore do not require the locomotive to be moved around to the other end of the train at terminal stations...
already, with options on others from ROSCOs. Introducing these on the Birmingham express trains will then allow Chiltern to cascade the Class 168s currently used on to other services.
Chiltern has also obtained a second Class 121 unit, 121034, to supplement its existing one on the Aylesbury-Princes Risborough route. This has been been refurbished and repainted in the authentic 1960 British Railways green, complete with crest, and Yellow cab ends.
The rolling stock used on the Birmingham Moor Street to London Marylebone express services (ex WSMR) has been rebranded in "Chiltern Mainline Silver" livery.
Current fleet
| Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Cars per set | Unit Numbers | Total | Routes operated | Built | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | ||||||||
| Class 121 ‘Bubble Car’ British Rail Class 121 Sixteen Class 121 single-car driving motor vehicles were built from 1960, numbered 55020–55035. These were supplemented by ten trailer vehicles, numbered 56280–56289 . They had a top speed of 70 mph, with slam-doors, and vacuum brakes... |
 |
diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
70 | 112 | 1 | 121020, 121034 | 2 | Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Line Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Line The Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Line is a rural branch line from Princes Risborough to Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England.The line is single track throughout with a maximum speed of 40 mph.... |
1959-60 |
| Class 165/0 Networker Turbo British Rail Class 165 The British Rail Class 165 Turbo is a fleet of suburban diesel multiple units , originally specified by and built for British Rail, the then United Kingdom state owned railway operator. They were built by BREL at York Works between 1990 and 1992... |
diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
75 | 120 | 2/3 | 165001-165039 | 39 | Chiltern Main Line Chiltern Main Line The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa... London to Aylesbury Line London to Aylesbury Line The London to Aylesbury Line is the main railway line between London and Aylesbury, going via the Chiltern Hills; it is operated by Chiltern Railways. The line includes the only route where National Rail trains use track that is utilized by London Underground services... Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Line Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Line The Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Line is a rural branch line from Princes Risborough to Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England.The line is single track throughout with a maximum speed of 40 mph.... |
1990–1992 | |
| Class 168/0 Networker Clubman British Rail Class 168 The Class 168 Clubman is a diesel multiple-unit train used on services between London and the Midlands.-Description:The units were built in several batches from 1997 onwards. The first batch of units was classified 168/0 under TOPS and resembled the Class 165 units previously built by BREL at York... |
diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
100 | 160 | 4 | 168001-168005 | 5 | Chiltern Main Line Chiltern Main Line The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa... London to Aylesbury Line London to Aylesbury Line The London to Aylesbury Line is the main railway line between London and Aylesbury, going via the Chiltern Hills; it is operated by Chiltern Railways. The line includes the only route where National Rail trains use track that is utilized by London Underground services... |
1998 | |
 |
|||||||||
| Class 168/1 Turbostar Clubman British Rail Class 168 The Class 168 Clubman is a diesel multiple-unit train used on services between London and the Midlands.-Description:The units were built in several batches from 1997 onwards. The first batch of units was classified 168/0 under TOPS and resembled the Class 165 units previously built by BREL at York... |
 |
diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
100 | 160 | 3/4 | 168106-168113 | 8 | Chiltern Main Line Chiltern Main Line The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa... London to Aylesbury Line London to Aylesbury Line The London to Aylesbury Line is the main railway line between London and Aylesbury, going via the Chiltern Hills; it is operated by Chiltern Railways. The line includes the only route where National Rail trains use track that is utilized by London Underground services... |
2000 |
| Class 168/2 Turbostar Clubman British Rail Class 168 The Class 168 Clubman is a diesel multiple-unit train used on services between London and the Midlands.-Description:The units were built in several batches from 1997 onwards. The first batch of units was classified 168/0 under TOPS and resembled the Class 165 units previously built by BREL at York... |
 |
diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
100 | 160 | 3/4 | 168214-168219 | 6 | Chiltern Main Line Chiltern Main Line The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa... London to Aylesbury Line London to Aylesbury Line The London to Aylesbury Line is the main railway line between London and Aylesbury, going via the Chiltern Hills; it is operated by Chiltern Railways. The line includes the only route where National Rail trains use track that is utilized by London Underground services... |
2004 |
| Class 172/1 Turbostar British Rail Class 172 The Class 172 is a type of diesel multiple unit of the Turbostar family, similar to the Class 168, Class 170 and Class 171.-Technical details and variants :There will be four sub-types:*Class 172/0 - two-car units in operation with London Overground... |
http://www.railwayherald.co.uk/imaging.centre/showimage.php?image=186940&gallery=X4&raildiary=2011-04-06 | Diesel Multiple Unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
100 | 160 | 2 | 172101-172104 | 4 | Chiltern Main Line Chiltern Main Line The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa... |
2011 |
| Class 67 British Rail Class 67 The Class 67 locomotives are a class of Bo'Bo' diesel electric mainline locomotives which were built for the English, Welsh and Scottish Railway between 1999 to 2000 by Alstom at Meinfesa in Valencia, Spain with drive components from General Motors Diesel.Rail enthusiasts have nicknamed the class... |
 |
Diesel Locomotive Diesel locomotive A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel... |
125 | 200 | Hired from DB Schenker DB Schenker Rail (UK) DB Schenker Rail , before 2009 known as English, Welsh and Scottish Railway is a British rail freight company. EWS was established by a consortium led by Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation in 1996 by acquisition of five of the six freight companies created by the privatisation of British... |
Chiltern Main Line Chiltern Main Line The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa... |
1999–2000 | ||
| Mark 3 Coach British Rail Mark 3 British Rail's third design of standard carriage was designated 'Mark 3' , and was developed primarily for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train... |
Passenger Coach | 125 | 200 | N/A | N/A | 26 | Chiltern Main Line Chiltern Main Line The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa... |
1975–1984 | |
| Driving Van Trailer Driving Van Trailer A Driving Van Trailer is a purpose-built railway vehicle that allows the driver to operate a locomotive at the opposite end of a train. Trains operating with a DVT therefore do not require the locomotive to be moved around to the other end of the train at terminal stations... |
110 | 175 | N/A | 82301-82305 | 5 | Chiltern Main Line Chiltern Main Line The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa... |
1988 | ||
Gerrards Cross incident
TescoTesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
proposed building a supermarket over the railway line near Gerrards Cross railway station
Gerrards Cross railway station
Gerrards Cross railway station serves the villages of Gerrards Cross and Chalfont St Peter in Buckinghamshire. It is in a cutting on the Chiltern Main Line between and ....
in 1996, which, following an initial objection by the local council was approved by the Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a senior member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not a permanent position, existing only at the discretion of the Prime Minister, who may appoint to other offices...
John Prescott in July 1998. Due to a lack of space in the area, Tesco had proposed building over the railway line, which would free up a large area of land suitable for the development.
During construction, the partially built tunnel collapsed on 30 June 2005. Nobody was injured but the line was closed for over six weeks, eventually reopening on 20 August 2005. Compensation by Tesco to Chiltern Railway and Network Rail was estimated to be between £5-20m and the retailer pledged to fund a media campaign to win back passengers lost by the closure of its route. Construction of the tunnel finally resumed in January 2009. The store opened in late November 2010.
Future plans
Wrexham & Shropshire
It was announced that from 2010, the operating rights of Wrexham & Shropshire, in which Deutsche Bahn was also a shareholder, were planned to be combined with Chiltern Railways, but the separate Wrexham & Shropshire brand retained. However, this did not occur and the Wrexham and Shropshire service has subsequently closed.Other plans
In addition to the completed and ongoing Evergreen initiatives many other proposals for Chiltern's route have been discussed but not delivered to date. These include:- In June 2008 it was revealed that Network Rail was examining the possibility of building high-speed lines shadowing five main-line routes, one of them being the Chiltern Main LineChiltern Main LineThe Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
.
- Lengthening of platforms at South RuislipSouth Ruislip stationSouth Ruislip is a station served by London Underground and Chiltern Railways in South Ruislip in west London. The station is owned, managed and staffed by London Underground. The station is in Travelcard Zone 5.-History:...
, West RuislipWest Ruislip stationWest Ruislip is a Network Rail station located on Ickenham Road between Ickenham and Ruislip in western Greater London; it is served by both London Underground and National Rail trains on independent platforms....
, SaundertonSaunderton railway stationSaunderton railway station is a rural National Rail station located on the A4010 between High Wycombe and Princes Risborough, in Buckinghamshire. The station is located some two and a half miles south of the original village of Saunderton and close to the villages of Bledlow Ridge and Bradenham...
, Kings Sutton, Sudbury Hill HarrowSudbury Hill Harrow railway stationSudbury Hill Harrow railway station is a National Rail station in the London Borough of Harrow in northwest London.The station is served by Chiltern Railways trains from Marylebone towards High Wycombe and Birmingham Snow Hill, and is in Travelcard Zone 4. This station also has an Oyster card...
, Sudbury and Harrow RoadSudbury & Harrow Road railway stationSudbury & Harrow Road is a Network Rail station served by Chiltern Railways; it is located in Harrow Road, Sudbury to the North West of Wembley in Greater London...
and Northolt ParkNortholt Park railway stationNortholt Park railway station is a Network Rail station in Northolt, Greater London. It is in Cadogan Close and spans the boundary between the London Borough of Harrow and the London Borough of Ealing, with a footbridge connecting the north side to the south side .The service to the station has...
to accommodate eight vehicles, thereby obviating the need for vehicles to be locked out of use on departure from London MaryleboneMarylebone stationMarylebone station , also known as London Marylebone, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It stands midway between the mainline stations at Euston and Paddington, about 1 mile from each...
.
- The restoration of the quadruple track between South RuislipSouth RuislipSouth Ruislip is a suburban area in the London Borough of Hillingdon.The population, according to the 2001 UK census, was 10,823. By 2008, this had reached 11,116.-Education:...
(Northolt Junction) and West Ruislip, allowing trains to call at both stations without blocking the line. Triple track currently exists at West Ruislip, with the up platform loop still in situ, and at South RuislipSouth RuislipSouth Ruislip is a suburban area in the London Borough of Hillingdon.The population, according to the 2001 UK census, was 10,823. By 2008, this had reached 11,116.-Education:...
, with the Down Main through line also in situ. This would involve the reconstruction of the new down platform at West Ruislip, and the reconstruction of the up platform at South Ruislip. This 'Chiltern Metro' service was not programmed in to the last round of franchising agreements.
- Restoration of fast through lines at BeaconsfieldBeaconsfieldBeaconsfield is a market town and civil parish operating as a town council within the South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It lies northwest of Charing Cross in Central London, and south-east of the county town of Aylesbury...
as part of a longer-term aspiration for a 90-minute journey time between London and Birmingham.
- Double-track the line from Princes Risborough to Aylesbury.
- Remodelling Banbury Station and tracks.
- Building of the West Hampstead interchange to allow easy interchange with the London OvergroundLondon OvergroundLondon Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
, Jubilee LineJubilee LineThe Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
, Metropolitan LineMetropolitan LineThe Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground. It is coloured in Transport for London's Corporate Magenta on the Tube map and in other branding. It was the first underground railway in the world, opening as the Metropolitan Railway on 10 January 1863...
and First Capital ConnectFirst Capital ConnectFirst Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
services. This would also give Chiltern Railways an interchange with the future OrbirailOrbirailOrbirail was a name for a suggested orbital railway route around London. It would involve connecting the extended North London Line, East London Line, the Inner South London Line and the West London Line, possibly including the Gospel Oak to Barking Line. The combined line would orbit London in...
line.
- New Chiltern Metro Service that would operate 4+tph for Wembley Stadium, Sudbury & Harrow Road, Sudbury Hill Harrow, Northolt Park, South Ruislip and West Ruislip. This would require a reversing facility at West Ruislip, passing loops at Sudbury Hill Harrow, and a passing loop at Wembley Stadium (part of the old down fast line is in use as a central reversing siding, for stock movements and additionally for 8-car football shuttles to convey passengers to the stadium for events).
- Re-opening the line between OxfordOxfordThe city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and Princes RisboroughPrinces RisboroughPrinces Risborough is a small town in Buckinghamshire, England, about 9 miles south of Aylesbury and 8 miles north west of High Wycombe. Bledlow lies to the west and Monks Risborough to the east. It lies at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, at the north end of a gap or pass through the Chilterns,...
, which would provide an alternative to the Oxford-Paddington route. The Oxford to Banbury spur would then be handed over to the Chiltern Main LineChiltern Main LineThe Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
to create a diversionary loop from Princes Risborough to Banbury via Oxford. This option would require an expensive crossing of the M40 motorway.
- Re-opening the passenger line between AylesburyAylesburyAylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
via Milton KeynesMilton KeynesMilton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
to BedfordBedfordBedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
and the line from OxfordOxfordThe city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
to BedfordBedfordBedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
as part of the East West Rail Link. Two miles of the line north of Aylesbury re-opened on 14 December 2008 terminating at a new station, Aylesbury Vale ParkwayAylesbury Vale Parkway railway stationAylesbury Vale Parkway railway station is a railway station serving villages to the northwest of Aylesbury. It will also serve the Berryfields and Weedon Hill housing developments to the north of the town when these are completed. The station is served by Chiltern Railways and opened on 14 December...
.
- Opening a rail line from AylesburyAylesburyAylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
to a M6M6 motorwayThe M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
-M1M1 motorwayThe M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
Parkway Station near RugbyRugby, WarwickshireRugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
. If this ever happened it would constitute a major re-opening of much of the Great Central Main LineGreat Central Main LineThe Great Central Main Line , also known as the London Extension of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway , is a former railway line which opened in 1899 linking Sheffield with Marylebone Station in London via Nottingham and Leicester.The GCML was the last main line railway built in...
, closed in the 1960s.
- Re-opening the former Great Western RailwayGreat Western RailwayThe Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
branch line to Uxbridge High Street, continuing the route to Heathrow AirportLondon Heathrow AirportLondon Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
. This would give BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
a direct rail link with Britain's largest airport.
- Extending Oyster Pay-as-you-goOyster cardThe Oyster card is a form of electronic ticketing used on public transport services within the Greater London area of the United Kingdom. It is promoted by Transport for London and is valid on a number of different travel systems across London including London Underground, buses, the Docklands...
to High WycombeHigh Wycombe railway stationHigh Wycombe railway station is situated in High Wycombe in South Buckinghamshire. The station is served by Chiltern Railways trains on the Chiltern Main Line from Marylebone towards Birmingham Snow Hill. It is situated between Beaconsfield and Saunderton stations.-History:The station was built...
and AylesburyAylesbury railway stationAylesbury railway station is a railway station in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England and is a major stop on the London to Aylesbury Line from Marylebone station via Amersham. It is 37.75 miles from Aylesbury Station to Marylebone Station...
.
- If the Croxley Rail LinkCroxley Rail LinkThe Croxley Rail Link is a railway engineering proposal to re-route part of a London Underground line in Hertfordshire, outside London, UK. The project would divert Metropolitan line Watford branch services after station away from station to via intermediate stations using a reopened section of...
gets the go-ahead from TfLTFLTFL may refer to:* Tasmanian Football League, an Australian rules football competition* Tensor fasciae latae muscle, a thigh/hip muscle* Transport for London, a public transport organisation in the London area* The Flaming Lips, an American rock band...
and Hertfordshire County Council, direct services into Watford JunctionWatford Junction railway stationOn 23 January 1975, an express train from Manchester to Euston derailed just south of Watford Junction after striking some stillages that had fallen on to the track. It then collided with a sleeper service from Euston to Glasgow. The driver of the Manchester train was killed, and eight passengers...
from Aylesbury will be likely, as it will link the Chilterns to the important commercial centre at Watford and the important transport connections at the Junction.
As successful completion of Project Evergreen 3 would confirm Chiltern Railways' twenty-year franchise term, there is no clear road to completion for these projects.