Everything about The Marston Vale Line totally explained
The
Marston Vale Line (Network Rail route MD 140) is the railway line from
Bletchley to
Bedford in
England. It is one of two passenger-carrying remnants of the
Oxford to
Cambridge "
Varsity Line".
It was designated by the
Department for Transport as a
community rail line in November 2006.
Operations
As the line isn't
electrified diesel traction is used on this route.
Silverlink 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.
Passenger services are operated by
London Midland, using
Class 150/1 diesel multiple units. It is planned that operation of the line will be switched to use of
Class 153 single-car trains once train-crew training is complete.
Places Served
The towns and villages served by the line are as follows:
Re-opening campaign
There is a campaign ("The East-West Link") to re-instate the Oxford-Cambridge "Varsity Line", of which the Marston Vale Line is one of the last remaining parts still in use. The campaign's current work concentrates on the section between Bletchley and Oxford. The present status of the line is: from Oxford to
Bicester, it's open and in use; from Bicester through
Winslow to Bletchley, it's closed but could be reinstated; from Bletchley to Bedford, it's open and in use; and from Bedford to Cambridge, the line has been built over.
(see main article for details).
Extension to Milton Keynes Central
In June
2005, Silverlink announced their intent to extend their service to
Milton Keynes Central in 2007 (via the
West Coast Main Line), when a new platform with associated track is to be built there (alongside the slow mainline "up" track, mirroring the present arrangement for the "down" side). On 4 December 2006, work began at Milton Keynes Central to prepare for a service connection from the Marston Vale line, with completion scheduled for December 2008.
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'll involve the construction of 15,000 new homes in the vale, in addition to the several thousand already authorised.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Marston Vale Line'.
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