In message , at 12:27:35 on Sun, 11 Dec
2016, tim... remarked:
I remain convinced that there is little demand for significant local
journeys on the route and no strategic need for the Eastern section.

Did you mean "Central section"? The Eastern section (Cambridge to
Norwich) already exists.

From anywhere on (or beyond) the Eastern section to anywhere else at
all, that can't already by done by a sensible alternative.

There is obvious potential for Oxford and Aylesbury to MK services and
as there are already established customers for the local stations west
of Bedford opening up more destinations for these travelers could be
advantageous. But East of Bedford it's a complete white elephant.

East of Bedford is still part of the Central section.

I share your doubts about building the new Sandy-Shepreth line and would
probably have chosen a Hitchin north chord instead.
--
Roland Perry

What a pity the line between Hitchin and Bedford was
closed all those years ago.

In message , at 16:33:39 on Mon, 12
Dec 2016, Robin9 remarked:

What a pity the line between Hitchin and Bedford was
closed all those years ago.


Not really. It would have been a drain on the finances, and thus likely
to have knock-on effects (closures) elsewhere.

--
Roland Perry

"Robin9" wrote in message
...

What a pity the line between Hitchin and Bedford was
closed all those years ago.

what a pity the line from Bedford to Cambridge was closed (all those years
ago)

as otherwise we wouldn't be looking for a different route at all because
some of it (presumably) has been built over

tim




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In message , at 16:55:40 on Mon, 12 Dec
2016, tim... remarked:
What a pity the line between Hitchin and Bedford was
closed all those years ago.

what a pity the line from Bedford to Cambridge was closed (all those
years ago)

as otherwise we wouldn't be looking for a different route at all
because some of it (presumably) has been built over

Not just built over (Radio telescope, M11, Trumpington Meadows Estate,
Trumpington P&R, Guided Bus; as well as numerous other stretches
including a school and housing estate in north Sandy and quite a lot of
roads/buildings in south east Bedford) but also a very wiggly route you
couldn't suddenly have 100mph trains careering along.
--
Roland Perry

In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

In message , at 16:55:40 on Mon, 12 Dec
2016, tim... remarked:
What a pity the line between Hitchin and Bedford was
closed all those years ago.

what a pity the line from Bedford to Cambridge was closed (all those
years ago)

as otherwise we wouldn't be looking for a different route at all
because some of it (presumably) has been built over

Not just built over (Radio telescope, M11, Trumpington Meadows
Estate, Trumpington P&R, Guided Bus; as well as numerous other
stretches including a school and housing estate in north Sandy and
quite a lot of roads/buildings in south east Bedford) but also a very
wiggly route you couldn't suddenly have 100mph trains careering along.

People don't seem to realise how paltry the Cambridge-Oxford train service
was until 1967. Trains were slow and infrequent.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

wrote in message
...
In article , (Roland
Perry)
wrote:

In message , at 16:55:40 on Mon, 12 Dec
2016, tim... remarked:
What a pity the line between Hitchin and Bedford was
closed all those years ago.

what a pity the line from Bedford to Cambridge was closed (all those
years ago)

as otherwise we wouldn't be looking for a different route at all
because some of it (presumably) has been built over

Not just built over (Radio telescope, M11, Trumpington Meadows
Estate, Trumpington P&R, Guided Bus; as well as numerous other
stretches including a school and housing estate in north Sandy and
quite a lot of roads/buildings in south east Bedford) but also a very
wiggly route you couldn't suddenly have 100mph trains careering along.

People don't seem to realise how paltry the Cambridge-Oxford train service
was until 1967. Trains were slow and infrequent.

1953
M-F
It's not clear which, if any, are through trains
Cambridge d 7:37 9:29 11:18 2:05 4:40 6:15 9:45
Bletchley a 9:14 11:00 12:53 3:42 6:16 7:55 10:57
Oxford a 10:30 1:18 2:38 6:12 9:24 --:-- --:--
Sat same number of services slightly different timings
Sun two services.

1964
M-F
Cambridge d 7:30 9:52 10:43 2:12 4:47 6:18 7:01 9:10
Bedford a 8:27 10:51 11:24 3:05 5:40 7:11 7:41 10:04
Oxford a 10:29 12:40 12:40 4:53 --:-- --:-- 9:01 10:57
Sat one extra service slightly different timings
Sun two services.

Sorry if it comes out all messed up

tim



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In article , (tim...)
wrote:

*Subject:* Oxford to Cambridge rail route.
*From:* "tim..."
*Date:* Wed, 14 Dec 2016 16:19:28 -0000

wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Roland Perry)
wrote:

In message , at 16:55:40 on Mon, 12 Dec
2016, tim... remarked:
What a pity the line between Hitchin and Bedford was
closed all those years ago.

what a pity the line from Bedford to Cambridge was closed (all
those
years ago)

as otherwise we wouldn't be looking for a different route at all
because some of it (presumably) has been built over

Not just built over (Radio telescope, M11, Trumpington Meadows
Estate, Trumpington P&R, Guided Bus; as well as numerous other
stretches including a school and housing estate in north Sandy and
quite a lot of roads/buildings in south east Bedford) but also a
very
wiggly route you couldn't suddenly have 100mph trains careering
along.

People don't seem to realise how paltry the Cambridge-Oxford train
service
was until 1967. Trains were slow and infrequent.

1953
M-F
It's not clear which, if any, are through trains
Cambridge d 7:37 9:29 11:18 2:05 4:40 6:15 9:45
Bletchley a 9:14 11:00 12:53 3:42 6:16 7:55 10:57
Oxford a 10:30 1:18 2:38 6:12 9:24 --:-- --:--
Sat same number of services slightly different timings
Sun two services.

1964
M-F
Cambridge d 7:30 9:52 10:43 2:12 4:47 6:18 7:01 9:10
Bedford a 8:27 10:51 11:24 3:05 5:40 7:11 7:41 10:04
Oxford a 10:29 12:40 12:40 4:53 --:-- --:-- 9:01 10:57
Sat one extra service slightly different timings
Sun two services.

Sorry if it comes out all messed up

The timetable in the 1962 Varsity Handbook (valid until 16th June 1963) was
quite like that in 1964 but only 3 trains on Mondays-Fridays, 2 out and 3
back on Saturdays, went through without changing at Bletchley. There were no
through trains on Sundays and only 1 journey there and 2 back, all changing
at Bletchley.

The timetable was:

Cambridge Oxford Oxford Cambridge
dep. arr. dep. arr.
Weekdays
7.30 10.28 C 7.58 10.27
10.45 12.49 SO 9.40 11.34 SO
10.45 12.52 MF 9.48 11.44 MF
11.22 2,45 SO C 11.30 3.33 C
2.12 4.47 SO 2.48 5.21 MF
2.12 4.53 MF 2.55 5.21 SO
7.1 9.0 5.25 8.18 SO C
9.0 10.57 MF 6.48 8.54 MF
6.53 8.54 SO
7.55 10.19 SO C
7.55 10.21 MF C

Sunday
10.10 2.0 C 10.40 2.12 C
4.55 8.11 C

MF = Monday to Friday only.
SO = Saturday only.
C = Change at Bletchley; otherwise through carriages Oxford and Cambridge.

I hope it is clear which times are AM and which are PM (bold in the
original).

--
Colin Rosenstiel

In message , at 16:19:28 on Wed, 14 Dec
2016, tim... remarked:
People don't seem to realise how paltry the Cambridge-Oxford train service
was until 1967. Trains were slow and infrequent.

1953
M-F
It's not clear which, if any, are through trains

Those will be the two with ~1.5hrs between the arrivals, rather than
~2.5hrs.

Cambridge d 7:37 9:29 11:18 2:05 4:40 6:15 9:45
Bletchley a 9:14 11:00 12:53 3:42 6:16 7:55 10:57
Oxford a 10:30 1:18 2:38 6:12 9:24 --:-- --:--

--
Roland Perry

On 2016\12\12 08:51, Roland Perry wrote:

I share your doubts about building the new Sandy-Shepreth line and would
probably have chosen a Hitchin north chord instead.

With no ECML interchange? IME the interchanges with other lines have to
be at major stations where most trains already stop, or the interchange
possibilities will never work out that well.