Marston Vale Line
Encyclopedia
The Marston Vale Line is the railway line from Bletchley
to Bedford in England
. It is one of two surviving passenger-carrying sections of the "Varsity Line
" between Oxford
and Cambridge
.
It was designated by the Department for Transport
as a community rail
line in November 2006.
operated the link from privatisation in 1996 until the franchise renewal in 2007.
Services were initially in the hands of a mixture of heritage slam-door diesel multiple units formed of 2-car Class 117
and single-car Class 121
units until replacement with Class 150/1
trains inherited from Central Trains
.
, using Class 153
single-car diesel multiple unit
s and two-car class 150 unit. An hourly service operates in each direction Monday-Saturday.
(barring short lengths at either end). It has a loading gauge of W8 and a line speed of 60 mph. The line's Signalling Centre is at .
, it is open and in use; from Bicester through Winslow
to Bletchley, it is closed but could be reinstated; from Bletchley to Bedford, it is open and in use; and from Bedford to Cambridge, a new route will be required. (see main article for details).
), where a new platform with associated track would be built (alongside the slow mainline "up" track). On 4 December 2006, work began at Milton Keynes Central to prepare for a service connection from the Marston Vale line. The platform was ready for use in January 2009 but services (now operated by London Midland
) cannot commence until re-signalling of the Bletchley station area is completed, currently scheduled for 2013.
A further increase in service frequency seems likely if the National institute for research into aquatic habitats
succeeds in its bid to build the world's largest freshwater aquarium in Stewartby
. Additionally, in 2008 Marston Vale made the shortlist of 15 potential locations for the building of 10 new Eco-towns
in England. If this goes ahead, it will involve the construction of 15,000 new homes in the vale, in addition to the several thousand already authorised. As of January 2009, neither of these projects appears to have momentum.
Bletchley, Milton Keynes
Bletchley is a constituent town of Milton Keynes, England. It is part of the Borough of Milton Keynes unitary authority, in the ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire. It is situated in the south-west of Milton Keynes but still retains a distinctive identity...
to Bedford in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is one of two surviving passenger-carrying sections of the "Varsity Line
Varsity Line
The Varsity Line is an informal name for the railway route that formerly linked the English university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, operated successively by the London and North Western Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and British Railways...
" between Oxford
Oxford
The 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 Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
.
It was designated by the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
as a community rail
Community rail
In the United Kingdom, a community rail line is a local railway which is specially supported by local organisations. This support is usually through a Community Rail Partnerships – comprising both the railway operator, local councils and other community organisations – or sometimes by...
line in November 2006.
Operations
The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 18, SRS 18.12 and is classified as a Rural line.Silverlink (1996 to 2007)
SilverlinkSilverlink
Silverlink Train Services Ltd was a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operated routes in North London and from London to Northampton...
operated the link from privatisation in 1996 until the franchise renewal in 2007.
Services were initially in the hands of a mixture of heritage slam-door diesel multiple units formed of 2-car Class 117
British Rail Class 117
The British Rail Class 117 diesel multiple units were built by Pressed Steel from 1959 to 1961.When first introduced, these three-car units were all based with the similar Class 121 single carriage units on British Railway's Western Region for suburban work out of London Paddington, as well as...
and single-car 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...
units until replacement with Class 150/1
British Rail Class 150
The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
trains inherited from Central Trains
Central Trains
Central Trains was one of the original 25 train operating companies to emerge from the break-up of British Rail between 1994 and 1997. The company operated local, urban and secondary express services across central England and Mid Wales.-Overview:...
.
London Midland (From November 2007)
Passenger services are operated by London MidlandLondon Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
, using Class 153
British Rail Class 153
The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter is a single car diesel multiple unit converted from British Rail Class 155s.-Description:These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92...
single-car 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:...
s and two-car class 150 unit. An hourly service operates in each direction Monday-Saturday.
Infrastructure
Apart from a short length of single track at both ends, the line is double track, and is not electrifiedRailway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
(barring short lengths at either end). It has a loading gauge of W8 and a line speed of 60 mph. The line's Signalling Centre is at .
Community Rail Partnership
The Marston Vale Line is one of a number of British Railways that is covered by a Community Rail Partnership, known as the Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership. Like other Community Rail Partnerships around the country, the Partnership aims to increase use of the line by getting local people involved with their local line. They do this by various means, such as holding community events, running special train services, and publicising the line locally.Re-opening campaign
There is a campaign to recreate a high quality east-west rail link connecting Oxford, Aylesbury, Milton Keynes and Bedford in the west with Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich and the port of Felixstowe in the east. The Marston Vale Line is one of the last remaining parts still in use and the campaign's current work concentrates on the section between Bletchley and Oxford. The present status of the line is: from Oxford to BicesterBicester
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...
, it is open and in use; from Bicester through Winslow
Winslow, Buckinghamshire
Winslow is a small market town and also a civil parish designated as a town council within Aylesbury Vale district in north Buckinghamshire. It has a population of about 4500....
to Bletchley, it is closed but could be reinstated; from Bletchley to Bedford, it is open and in use; and from Bedford to Cambridge, a new route will be required. (see main article for details).
Extension to Milton Keynes Central
In June 2005, Silverlink announced their intent to extend their Marston Vale service to Milton Keynes Central (via the West Coast Main LineWest Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
), where a new platform with associated track would be built (alongside the slow mainline "up" track). On 4 December 2006, work began at Milton Keynes Central to prepare for a service connection from the Marston Vale line. The platform was ready for use in January 2009 but services (now operated by London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
) cannot commence until re-signalling of the Bletchley station area is completed, currently scheduled for 2013.
A further increase in service frequency seems likely if the National institute for research into aquatic habitats
National institute for research into aquatic habitats
The National institute for research into aquatic habitats is a proposed fresh water aquarium in Stewartby, Bedfordshire, England, UK.The bio-domed research complex and aquarium, would be built in one of the disused clay extraction pits of the former Marston Vale brickfield...
succeeds in its bid to build the world's largest freshwater aquarium in Stewartby
Stewartby
Stewartby is a model village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, originally built for the workers of The London Brick Company. The village housing and town community centre was designed by the noted neo-Georgian architect Sir Albert Richardson a later and more modern development than such...
. Additionally, in 2008 Marston Vale made the shortlist of 15 potential locations for the building of 10 new Eco-towns
Eco-towns (UK)
Eco-towns are a government-sponsored programme of new towns to be built in England, which are intended to achieve exemplary standards of sustainability.In 2007, the...
in England. If this goes ahead, it will involve the construction of 15,000 new homes in the vale, in addition to the several thousand already authorised. As of January 2009, neither of these projects appears to have momentum.