Varsity Line (Oxford - Bletchley)

[Horgy]

Does anyone have a gradient profile of said line? It's not in the BR Gradient Profile book, annoyingly. Mucho Helpo appreciated.

Horgy

[kingsgate]

Try looking for Oxford-Cambridge, that was, before they closed it, the Varsity Line. Not sure where you got Oxford-Bletchley from, but if my sources are correct, you can decide your own gradients as it doesn't actually exist.

Tor-K

[yerkes]

Hi Horgy,

I think Bill Simpson's two-volume book on the Oxford to Cambridge railway (pub. 1981) may have these. I don't have ready access to volume 1 at this precise moment so can't check for you, but I did consult volume 1 when laying out the trackwork for the Oxford-Bicester section of my route.

[haddock1000]

If the route was built by the GWR a visit to the NRM's Search engine is well worth a visit, it's up the stairs in the corner of the great hall where the subway to the station hall is. Onece up there go to the desk and ask for the GWR gradient profiles and sa that you believe they are 'behind the scenes'. I got mine for the portishead branch there, and there's a load more books to read if you want to make a day out of it. Photocopies cost 10p per A4 sheet.

thanks,

chaddockdk

[Horgy]

It doesn't exist? How strange, I have a trackplan for it!

I only really need a small section hence not referring to the whole line.

Thanks folks, if anyone has a copy of that book and fancies scanning it'd be much appreciated. The NRM is a bit far from London for now

Horgy

[nike wass]

Hi
The Oxford-Cambridge route was built by the LNWR. I have looked through the two books on the line but can find no graidents in them. I dont know if this will help but the Station at the Oxford end was Called Rewley Road, and about two years ago it was dismantelled and reerected at (cant think of its name) but its at what ever the railway is at Quainton Road which is just north of Aylesbury. Perhapse they might be able to help.
But in the meantime I will go through all my books issued when I worked for BR London Div of WR(the line was still running then between Oxford & Cambridge) and see if I can find anything.
Regards
Mike Wass

[tango4262]

I can also confirm the Oxford to Cambridge route is not fictional, I have a magazine with a report on the line and the attempts to return it to passenger use and how some of the track work is still in situ and how the remaining part of the line is used for bin liner trains.

I assume this is the line reffered to?

[Horgy]

Yeah that's the stuff, a lot of it is mothballed but an East-West consortium is trying to get some money together to get it running again.

Chiltern are taking a step in the right direction with the opening of Aylesbury Vale Parkway - the section i'm interested is the part from Oxford via Bicester Town and up to Shanks Waste Solutions at Claydon.

Horgy

[taylorit]

I can help you with gradients possibly.

For Oxford to Bicester Town definatly & possibly up to Claydon. Will let you know tomorrow.

Matt

[Horgy]

You a diamond. Drop me a PM if you would - cheers mate!

Horgy

[yerkes]

Not sure if you've got what you want now, but I thought of you when in Waterstone's in Milton Keynes yesterday: I came across 'Oxford to Bletchley', published by Middleton Press in 2005, which contains the gradient profile for the entire section.

[taylorit]

Hey sorry buddy not seen the correct people to get the information yet, seem to be on different shifts atm.

Matt