I thought that a visit to Bicester would be as good a place as any to start the new blog. I can then work back towards Bletchley as time allows. I had heard that the work to build the new chord linking the former Varsity line to the Marylebone to Birmingham line was underway. According to the Evergreen 3 website Bicester Town station is to close in February 2014 to permit the upgrading works to be carried out. However I did not see any notices to this effect whilst I was there. They are promising twelve weeks notice of the intended closure so I guess it has been put back. This was my first ever visit to Bicester so I must say I was surprised by the somewhat modest facilties of the Town station. Quite a short single platform accessed off an industrial road which is not particularly pedestrian friendly. Probably just about sufficient for the terminus it currently is. As part of Evergreen 3 a new two platform station will be provided which will be essential when the East West route re-opens.
Two shots of the platform looking north east towards the London Road level crossing. At first glance it appeared the line was double tracked to the buffers seen on the right. However I know it is single tracked so I am pretty sure the other line must be a head shunt or reversing siding for the extensive Bicester Military Railway located to the south of the town.
Looking back from London Road. Poor angle was due to the low winter sun which I manage to hide behind the trees on the left. Work will need to be done here to accommodate the future double tracking.
Looking the other way, the signal will have to be moved. The whistle sign is for Tubbs Crossing out of sight around the curve.
Now at Tubbs Crossing looking north east. Just around the curve is the site of the new Bicester chord where the line swings more to the east.
Again at Tubbs Crossing looking back towards Bicester Town station. I understand that the bushes have been cut back here to improve visibility for people crossing the line following a tragic accident involving a waste train. The crossing will be replaced by a pedestrian bridge with facilties for bikes and buggies as part of the Evergreen work.
I then continued on to Gavray Drive and took this shot looking back towards Tubbs Crossing. I am sure the tree clearance here is to do with Evergreen 3.
Turning around you can see the work site for the new chord. A large pile of used ballast can be seen in the centre which I believe was rail delivered. The Marylebone to Birmingham line runs behind the site and crosses the Varsity line on the green bridge.
A closer look at the bridge reveals the top of a smaller arch taking the public footpath
Here is the notice announcing the closure of the same footpath. It will be reopened via a footbridge ove the new embankment.
I managed to negotiate a fairly waterlogged entrance to the field when a Chiltern Railways service headed south towards the future junction.
Looking over towards the bridge a large mound of earth can be seen although I don't believe it is part of the new embankment yet.
Plant in the work site. The Varsity line runs behind by the tree line.
The temporary fencing shows the extent of the site and the location of the future junction. Due to fairly tight constraints of the site, it looks like the gradient of the new embankment will be quite steep.
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