Thames-Valley TRANSFORMATION

Part two of this series ended with a brief eulogy of Class 387 s, the electric trains that have transformed stopping services between Paddington and Didcot. The new EMUs are proving fust, reliable, and able to regain time on schedules not yet fully reflecting the trains' potential.

Electrification has been a long time coming to the Great Western. Many years ago, when I mentioned its possibility to a BR Western Region manager, his response was a dry "we don't want it"; such was the 'nose-cone' success of the diesel InterCity 125. Cynically, one could even blame the '125s', arguably the saviour of BR's long-distance passenger traffic, for putring a brake on electrification. Yet the overhead wires had already reached Airport Junction, Hayes, providing a 'foot in the door'.

In 2009, then Prime Minister Gordon Brown authorised electrification from Airport Junction to Bristol and Swansea. The Wmdsor, Marlow and Henley branches, the 'Berks & Rants' as far as Newbury, and Didcot to Oxford would be included.

The subsequent saga is well-known: costs exceeded budgets, progress wavered and, in 2015, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling gave up. Electrification of the branch lines east of Reading, plus Didcot to Oxford, Thingley Junction (Chippenham) to Bristol, and Cardiffto Swansea, was cancelled or, at best, postponed. This left just Hayes to Thingley Junction and Cardiff.

Bottleneck

Didcot to Oxford, however, is a special case. The 10% miles of double track is a bottleneck; on weekdays, off-peak, it copes with six passenger trains and at least two freights every hour in either direction, while Oxford station itself also handles two Chiltern line arrivals and departures, using the Up side north end bays. The layout has already been improved: Chiltern trains now use h separate tracks; the (nortbound) platform 4 line is bi-directional; speed limits have been raised; and a Down relief line has been installed