The OBRAG Website

Date set for inquiry into new rail link

OBRAG admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:22:20 +0000

THE public inquiry into Chiltern Railway’s £260m Oxford-Bicester-London rail link will start on 2 November 2010.

For more details, click here to read the article from the Bicester Advertiser.

New parking at Bicester Village

OBRAG admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:27:07 +0000

Bicester Villlage have now completed their new car park next to Bicester Town station. This area will be available from Monday 26 July for rail users travelling on the Bicester Link line. More details can be found in this press release from FGW.

OBRAG members may also be interested to know that our chairman, Ian East, has recently published a book called The Cost of the Car: Human, Environmental and Economic. It is available in hardback and paperback from Amazon.co.uk.

The Cost of the Car by Ian East

Steam engine marks 100 years of Bicester line

OBRAG admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:02:16 +0000

The Oxford Times has an article about the chance to see a steam train at Bicester North at 10:30 and 15:10 this Saturday. It provides an interesting background to Chiltern Railways who will take over the Oxford-Bicester service, which is also mentioned.

Outcome from recent vandalism at Islip

OBRAG admin — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:51:40 +0000

Regular rail users at Islip will be aware that the shelter was recently vandalised. We have the following report from Geoff Capes, FGW Station Manager at Oxford, on the outcome of the police investigation.

“Our neighbour at Islip heard the vandalism and called the police, and also took some camcorder images. The miscreants had left by the time the police arrived.

Apparently, some of the miscreants heard about the images and decided to hand themselves in, before the police came
calling. I am told that six teenagers were involved, some of whom have been interviewed by BTP and the rest to follow. I understand that, as first time offenders, they will be dealt with under police caution.

Repairs have been authorised today, at a cost of £1,500. We shall be looking at ways of recouping our costs.”

This is an good example of British Transport Police working with the local community and FGW to get a great result with tackling anti-social behaviour on the rail network.

Warning over plan for second Oxford-London rail route

OBRAG admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:01:37 +0000

Click here for this article from the Bicester Advertiser.

Article from Rail Magazine issue 643

OBRAG admin — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:19:14 +0000

Click the following link to read an article from Rail Magazine about Chiltern Rail’s plans for electrification of their line:
Rail 643
The current edition of Rail magazine also has an 8-page article on Chiltern Railways.

Minutes from meeting with Chiltern Railways

OBRAG admin — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:18:10 +0000

The minutes from Monday’s meeting with Chiltern Railways can be found here:
Minutes – Chiltern 19-04-2010.pdf

A short presentation was also given – the slides are available here:
Presentation 2010-04-19.pdf
(due to the large file size, some slides have been removed – the contents of these can be found on the Chiltern Railways website).

Oxfordshire train journey figures

OBRAG admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:07:26 +0000

Figures released show growing numbers using the Oxford-Bicester line, highlighting the need to continue the extra train services introduced recently. Dr Ian East, chairman of the Oxford-Bicester Rail Action Group quoted here.

Rail Future AGM 2010

OBRAG admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:54:43 +0000

The Rail Future AGM will be held at 10:30 on Saturday 20th March 2009 at West Oxford Community Centre, Osney, Botley Road, Oxford (5 mins from Oxford Station). Click here for details.

The meeting is open to all, guests are welcome. It is hoped there will be an update of the East-West Rail project, which may interest OBRAG members.

Meeting with Chiltern Railways

OBRAG admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:47:18 +0000

Updated, as date of meeting has changed:

The OBRAG committee will be meeting with Chiltern Railways on 19 April 2010. The purpose is to talk about concerns that we have, as a group, about the proposed service level after Chiltern take over from FGW on the Bicester Link line.

Currently on the agenda are: loss of enhanced service, fares, bikes, station facilities, car parking. If you have any specific queries or additional areas for discussion, please contact us or comment here.