49-597: The Marston Vale line is the line between Bletchley and Bedford in England, a surviving remnant of the former Varsity Line between Oxford and Cambridge , most of which was closed in the late 1960s. The line is sponsored by the Marston Vale community rail partnership. The line is to be adopted and upgraded as part of East West Rail , a project underway to re-establish the Oxford–Cambridge route. The line
98-547: A combination of declining passenger numbers as a result of the chaotic May 2018 timetable change and increasing compensation claims as a result of falling punctuality. In June 2019, the DfT's operator of last resort, DfT OLR Holdings, conducted due diligence into the franchise believing the both operational and financial performance to be "unsustainable". In October 2019, the Secretary of State for Transport , Grant Shapps , issued
147-445: A contract to build the new platforms and the link to the mainline station. Work finally began in the station area in mid-2020, when demolition of the original flyover began. Work further around the curve is underway to build two new high-level platforms, to be connected to the main station by extending the existing pedestrian overbridge that gives access to the mainline platforms. In January 2021, piling works began for this extension, At
196-456: A dispute over pay and working conditions. Northern urged the travelling public to avoid travelling on its services on any of the planned dates for the strikes, being only capable of operating a minimal timetable due to the number of staff involved. Northern took over all the services operated by Arriva Rail North on 1 March 2020. Below is a simplified list of frequent Monday to Saturday off-peak services, as of December 2023 timetables. Due to
245-599: A junction north of the current (low-level) station. It was built in 1959 as part of the 1955 British Rail Modernisation Plan . From April 2020 to January 2021, the sections of the original flyover crossing the WCML were removed. The replacement structures were put in place in May 2021. As of August 2023, construction of the new building and the link bridge to the main station are complete, with internal fit-out remaining to be done. Bletchley, in common with other stations on this line,
294-518: A line linking Oxford and Cambridge via Bicester , Milton Keynes (at Bletchley) and Bedford . The Oxford–Bedford aspect of the plan reuses the route of the former Varsity Line, extensively re-engineered. There is a funded, scheduled , programme in progress to re-open the Bletchley–Oxford route to passenger and freight traffic via Bicester by 2025 and a partially funded plan to re-open the entire route between Oxford and Cambridge. A key element of
343-402: A mixture of heritage slam-door diesel multiple units formed of 2-car Class 117 and single-car Class 121 units until replacement with 150/1s trains inherited from Central Trains . The line was operated by London Midland from 2007 until 2017. They used a mixture of Class 150/1 and Class 153 multiple units, inherited from Silverlink. On 10 December 2017, West Midlands Trains took over
392-473: A parliamentary train on the Stockport–Stalybridge line between Stockport and Stalybridge calling at Reddish South , Denton , and Guide Bridge . From 1992 until 2018, this service ran once weekly. Multiple campaigns were conducted to request increase in services to the line, but in 2022, Transport for Greater Manchester published two surveys in relation to the line. As of May 2023, there
441-556: A request for proposals to incumbent operator Arriva and the operator of last resort, which would result in termination of the franchise with either Arriva to be awarded a short-term management contract or the operator of last resort to take over. In January 2020, Shapps publicly criticised Arriva's operation of the Northern franchise and suggested that the Government may step in to revoke its franchise agreement, bluntly referring to
490-480: A short length of single track at both ends, the line is double track, and is not electrified . It has a loading gauge of W8 and a line speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). The line's signalling centre is at Ridgmont . The Marston Vale line is one of the two remaining sections of the former Varsity line still in passenger use. The programme aims to reinstate the entire Oxford-Cambridge line, including changes to current Marston Vale line stations. In June 2005,
539-575: A temporary station was built. The line was fully opened in September 1838, and Bletchley station opened some time between 2 November 1838 and 20 June 1839. The station was known as Bletchley & Fenny Stratford between 1841 and 1846 and after the opening of the Marston Vale line was referred to in timetables as Bletchley Junction from 1851 to 1870. Originally a major intercity station, that role passed to Milton Keynes Central in 1982 when
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#1732773344751588-471: A tender to acquire a contract for up to 450 new trains to replace the older rolling stock in their fleet. In 2024 Northern issued a tender for up to 329 new trains. The 329 trains are made up of 45 three coach electric multiple units, 16 four coach electric multiple units, 108 three coach multiple mode units, 128 four coach multiple mode units and 32 four coach battery electric multiple units. Former train types operated by Northern include: services across
637-475: A £1.5 million contribution towards the cost of this work. In July 2017, Network Rail began a public consultation on the details of its proposals for the Bicester–Bedford section of East West Rail. The consultation documents provide detailed drawings for the high-level platforms but do not include any details about the station itself. In July 2019, VolkerFitzpatrick announced that it had been awarded
686-597: Is a lift and stairs from the ticket hall to the pedestrian bridge, with lifts and stairs down to each platform. Train arrivals and departures are announced as well as being displayed on VDUs . There are ticket barriers controlling access to the platforms. There are carriage sidings to the north of the station (along with the Bletchley train maintenance depot ). A little to the south, the Bletchley Flyover (as of January 2021 , under reconstruction) crosses over
735-522: Is covered by the Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership, which aims to promote the line by encouraging local users to take an active interest in it. As part of a project to regenerate Bletchley as a whole, Milton Keynes Council has proposed the creation of a new eastern pedestrian access to the station by extending the existing platform overbridge across the tracks to reach Saxon Street. The proposed eastern entrance
784-506: Is one train per day between Sheffield and Cleethorpes , via Gainsborough Central and Brigg . This service runs on weekdays only. The service was suspended between January and October 2022 due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Between October 1993 and May 2023, this service ran on Saturdays only, but had three trains each way and on weekdays, a few peak services terminated at Gainsborough Central . Northern took over all of
833-415: Is to open out into a new station square and a transport interchange where an at-grade pedestrian crossing across Saxon Street would give access to the town centre and bus station. In the longer term it is planned to construct an underground concourse to link the eastern and western station entrances. In March 2021, Milton Keynes Council announced that it had secured funding for a new eastern entrance to
882-759: The Brighton and West London lines which called at Bletchley with Class 319s . It was cut back to terminate at Milton Keynes in December 2000 before being withdrawn in May 2002 due to capacity constraints on the West Coast Main Line while it was upgraded. Southern reintroduced the service in February 2009 with Class 377s operating initially operating from Brighton to Milton Keynes before being curtailed at its southern end at South Croydon and later Clapham Junction . In May 2022, Southern cut
931-626: The COVID-19 pandemic . Northern is also being affected by the 2022–2024 United Kingdom railway strikes , the largest national rail strikes in the UK in three decades. In December 2015, the Department for Transport (DfT) awarded Arriva a contract to operate the Northern franchise as Arriva Rail North . It commenced in April 2016 and was originally scheduled to run until March 2025. Within two years,
980-534: The Department for Transport (DfT), after the previous operator Arriva Rail North had its franchise terminated at the end of February 2020. The company commenced operating the Northern franchise on 1 March 2020, taking over from Arriva Rail North. The prior operator had its franchise terminated early by the DfT in January 2020 amid widespread dissatisfaction over its performance, particularly in respect of poorly implemented timetable changes. The DfT had opted to hand
1029-679: The Bletchley–Bedford Marston Vale line and the upcoming East West Rail link from Oxford. It is the nearest main line station for Bletchley Park (the World War II codebreaking centre and modern heritage attraction ) and Stadium MK (the home of Milton Keynes Dons F.C ). The London and Birmingham Railway , now part of the "West Coast Main Line", was officially opened from Euston as far as Denbigh Hall (approximately one mile north of Bletchley station) on 9 April 1838, where
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#17327733447511078-490: 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. From December 2018 LNR were to introduce Class 230 D-Trains , built by Vivarail , onto
1127-812: The North Replaced by Class 150 , Class 156 , Class 158 , Class 170 , and Class 195 units. services in the North West services in West Yorkshire Northern currently has depots for its train crew at Ashington (conductors), Barrow-in-Furness , Blackburn , Blackpool North , Buxton , Carlisle , Darlington (drivers), Doncaster , Harrogate , Huddersfield , Hull Paragon , Liverpool Lime Street , Leeds , Manchester Piccadilly , Manchester Victoria , Middlesbrough (conductors), Newcastle , Sheffield , Skipton , Wigan Wallgate , Workington and York . Northern's fleet
1176-492: The Parliamentary Select Committee on Nationalised Industries recommended that electrification of more of Britain's rail network be considered. By 1979 British Rail presented a range of options to do so by 2000, some of which included the Marston Vale line. The proposal was not implemented. Silverlink operated the line from privatisation in 1996 until 2007. Services were initially in the hands of
1225-571: The closure. However, a major project called East West Rail is underway to rebuild and reopen the route to the west of Bletchley to Bicester Village via a new station at Winslow ; the line between Bicester and Oxford has already been rebuilt. Eventually, full services through to Cambridge and the East of England are planned. "East West Rail" is a major project to establish a strategic railway connecting East Anglia with Central, Southern and Western England. In particular, it plans to build (or rebuild)
1274-408: The distance is 31 miles 48 chains (31.60 mi; 50.86 km); and to Bedford it is 16 miles 51 chains (16.64 mi; 26.78 km). 51°59′42″N 0°44′10″W / 51.995°N 0.736°W / 51.995; -0.736 Northern Trains Northern Trains , trading as Northern , is a British train operating company owned by DfT OLR Holdings for
1323-593: The end of April 2021, the piling and foundation works were complete. By September 2022, shell construction neared completion with fit-out projected through spring 2023. At the end of May 2024, the building was "very near to completion". All services at Bletchley are operated by London Northwestern Railway . The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is: During the peak hours, a number of additional services to and from London Euston start and terminate at Bletchley. In June 1997, Connex South Central began operating services between Gatwick Airport and Rugby via
1372-476: The extensive nature of the network, it has been split by region, then majority rail line. One of the changes to the December timetable is the four trains per day service between Huddersfield and Castleford (which was frequently run as a bus rail replacement service), has been moved to TransPennine Express , and extended to start at Manchester Piccadilly , and run to York via Castleford . Twice weekly on Saturday mornings, once in each direction, Northern operates
1421-511: The fast lines, see little or no use unless other platforms are unavailable. Platforms 3 and 4 serve the WCML slow lines and are used by London Northwestern Railway services between Euston and Birmingham New Street . Platforms 5 and 6 are located on the eastern side and are the only ones that give access to the Marston Vale line to Bedford (though they can also be used exceptionally by main line trains). Bedford trains normally start and terminate at platform 6, but can use platform 5 if required. There
1470-410: The franchise was being widely criticised, in particular for troubled implementation of a new timetable in May 2018 that resulted in widespread delays and cancellations. Later in 2018 performance continued to suffer, with many passengers protesting and a reduced service on Saturdays due to industrial action . By November 2018, Arriva were re-evaluating their future involvement in the franchise due to
1519-527: The franchise, staff and rolling stock, operating as London Northwestern Railway . Passenger services are operated by London Northwestern Railway (LNR). An hourly service operates in each direction Monday–Saturday. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 18 , SRS 18.12 and is classified as a rural line. It is one of a number of British railway lines that is covered by a Community Rail Partnership , in this case known as
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1568-526: The illustrative pattern has no Bedford–Milton Keynes Central service; passengers will continue to have to change at Bletchley. There is no east-to-north chord between this line and the WCML: as of December 2020, the route the chord might take is occupied by trade outlets and a warehouse. 52°01′21″N 0°36′53″W / 52.02249°N 0.61478°W / 52.02249; -0.61478 Bletchley railway station Bletchley railway station serves
1617-615: The latter was opened, long after the east–west route had been downgraded, taking Bletchley's importance as a junction with it. The eastward route (to Bedford St Johns ) opened in 1846. The westward route (to Buckingham ) opened in 1850. This east–west route subsequently became the Oxford – Cambridge " Varsity Line ". On 14 October 1939, an express passenger train was in a collision with another train. Five people were killed and more than 30 were injured. There are six platforms in use, numbered 1 to 6 from west to east. Platforms 1 and 2, on
1666-491: The line was built on land owned by the 7th Duke of Bedford, who supported the line but insisted that any station on his estate (Fenny Stratford, Woburn Sands, Ridgmont and Millbrook) be constructed in half-timbered style . The line was threatened in the late 1950s and again in 1964 – though the Bletchley to Oxford and Bedford to Cambridge sections succumbed in December 1967, the Bletchley to Bedford section survived. In 1977
1715-499: The main lines to carry East West Rail from Bedford towards Oxford. The main buildings and station entrance are located on the west (Bletchley Park) side of the complex, off Sherwood Drive. An eastern entrance from central Bletchley (see below ) is planned and funded. As well as being on the national north–south West Coast Main Line, Bletchley is on the former Cambridge–Oxford Varsity line , which closed in 1967. The section between Bletchley and Bedford (the Marston Vale line ) survived
1764-475: The nine Class 156/9 units formerly used by Greater Anglia, although they were renumbered back to 156/4s before the transfer. For the December timetable change in 2022, five more Class 156 units were transferred. The final Class 156 units were delivered in May 2023. The Class 319s were withdrawn on 2 January 2024. Between October 2023 and July 2024 17 Class 323 units were transferred from West Midlands Trains to Northern Trains. In August 2023, Northern issued
1813-517: The operation of the franchise over to the operator of last resort . At the commencement of operations, Northern publicly stated that its immediate aims were to improve service reliability and to proceed with the introduction of new rolling stock. For the latter, both the Class 195 diesel multiple units and Class 331 electric multiple units were brought into service fully during December 2020. Services have been disrupted by wider events, particularly
1862-407: The plan is to extend Bletchley station up to the flyover and build high level platforms (see below ) so that passengers may transfer between the lines. The new platforms are to be specified as suitable for trains no longer than four cars. The Bletchley Flyover from Oxford crosses over the WCML and by-passes the original Bletchley station, leading east towards Bedford or north to join the WCML at
1911-464: The rolling stock operated by its predecessor, namely Class 142 , 144 , 150 , 153 , 155 , 156 , 158 , 170 and 195 diesel multiple units and Class 319 , 321 , 322 , 323 , 331 and 333 electric multiple units . All Class 321 and 322 units were withdrawn in mid-2020 and moved to Greater Anglia . All Class 153s were sent to storage by December 2021. 23 Class 156 units were transferred from East Midlands Railway , which includes eight of
1960-493: The route replacing the Class 150 Sprinters , but the introduction was delayed until 23 April 2019. In November 2022, Vivarail, the manufacturers and maintainers of the Class 230, entered administration: consequently LNR introduced a rail replacement bus service from December 2022. In February 2023, Rail magazine reported that the operator planned to replace the Class 230 fleet with Class 150 DMUs. LNR told BBC News that "due to
2009-446: The service as "completely unacceptable". On 29 January 2020, the DfT announced its decision to terminate Arriva Rail North as operator of the franchise, to be taken over by the DfT's operator of last resort. This was the first time that a franchise has been removed from a train operating company due to poor performance since Connex South Eastern in 2003. On 1 March 2020, the franchise became directly operated by DfT OLR Holdings with
Marston Vale line - Misplaced Pages Continue
2058-529: The service back to terminate at Watford Junction , thus ceasing to serve Bletchley. The station is on Sherwood Drive in Old Bletchley , near the B4034. The nearest post-code is MK3 6DZ. In the chainage notation traditionally used on the railway, its location on the West Coast Main Line is 46 miles 54 chains (46.68 mi; 75.12 km ) from Euston; to Oxford on the former Varsity line
2107-547: The southern parts of Milton Keynes , England (especially Bletchley itself), and the north-eastern parts of Aylesbury Vale . It is 47 miles (76 km) northwest of Euston , about 32 miles (51 km) east of Oxford and 17 miles (27 km) west of Bedford , and is one of the seven railway stations serving the Milton Keynes urban area . It includes junctions of the West Coast Main Line with
2156-506: The stated objective to "stabilise performance and restore reliability for passengers". By mid-2020, Northern had considerably curtailed its services in response to the significant decline of passenger travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic . From 15 June 2020, both passengers and staff on public transport in England, including Northern services, were required to wear face coverings while travelling, and that anyone failing to do so would be liable to be refused travel or fined. In 2021 Northern
2205-660: The station that will enable direct access from Bletchley bus station and Central Bletchley. The plan for East West Rail provides for new high level platforms to be built on the eastern approach to the Bletchley Flyover, as the line has no direct route through the existing station without reversing. On 7 July 2014, the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership announced that the Government had allocated £64.6 million funding for various projects that includes
2254-527: The then franchisee, Silverlink Trains announced an intention to extend the Marston Vale service via the West Coast Main Line to Milton Keynes Central , where a new platform and track would be built alongside the up slow track. Work began on 4 December 2006 at the station to prepare for a service connection. The platform was ready for use in January 2009 but the service did not materialise and there are no longer any published plans for it to do so. A firm service pattern on East West Rail remains to be announced but
2303-499: The unreliable nature of the Class 230 fleet and the short platforms on the route, there are only a limited number of trains in the country suitable for use [...], which has hampered progress". In February 2023, LNR did not expect to receive the 150s until 2024, which is when they were due to be released by Northern Trains ; but 2 of the 3 units cascaded from Northern entered service on 20 November 2023 for peak time services, with all day services operating from 19 February 2024. Apart from
2352-779: Was authorised by the Bedford and London and Birmingham Railway Act 1845 ( 8 & 9 Vict. c. xliii), and opened in 1846 by the London and Birmingham Railway , though the L&;B merged with the Grand Junction Railway to become the London and North Western Railway whilst construction was ongoing – the LNWR ran it from its opening. The line later became part of the cross-country Varsity line from Oxford Rewley Road to Cambridge (opened in stages between 1854 and 1862). Much of
2401-448: Was given a contract by the Department for Transport to run services for three years, with an optional extension of a further two years. The contract was updated in 2022, to run until 1 March 2025. Northern is one of several train operators affected by the 2022–2024 United Kingdom railway strikes , which are the first national rail strikes in the UK for three decades. Its workers are amongst those who voted to take industrial action due
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