UK: Oxford to Cambridge railway corridor project promoter East West Railway Co has announced discontinuous electrification with battery-electric trains as its preferred option for powering future services.
EWR Co also looked at battery power and full electrification before selecting discontinuous electrification, which would see overhead installed on some sections of the route and used to charge onboard batteries which would provide power elsewhere.
EWR Co said this would reduce disruption to existing structures such as bridges which might need to be rebuilt to permit electrification, and it would lower the visual impact in more sensitive locations on the planned new-build section of line between Bedford and Cambridge. It would also be cheaper than full electrification.
EWR Co said battery-electric trains are a ‘relatively new form of technology’, and while tests have shown they could operate for the length of the EWR route, ‘we need to do more work to confirm if our current preference needs further refinement’, particularly on the sections of existing line.
Non-statutory consultation
The announcement on October 31 came after the new government confirmed its backing for the East West Rail project in its first budget. Diesel trains are expected to begin running between Oxford and Milton Keynes in 2025, reaching Bedford over the upgraded Marston Vale line from 2030.
EWR Co will now undertake non-statutory consultation on its latest plans from November 14 to January 24. This consultation was put on hold when the July general election was called, limiting the ability of public bodies to make announcements.
The consultation will provide the latest information on proposals for the new line between Bedford and Cambridge, as well as planned upgrades to the existing line between Oxford and Bedford and future service patterns.
Feedback received will support the development of more detailed plans and preferred options. A statutory consultation will then be carried out ahead of the application for a Development Consent Order.
