Bicester Town railway station
Encyclopedia
Bicester Town is the smaller of two railway stations serving the town of Bicester
in Oxfordshire
. The larger is . Bicester Town station is 12 miles (19.3 km) miles north-east of . It is operated by Chiltern Railways
.
, which already had a route between and Banbury
, had powers to build a line to Oxford
. The first section of this line, from a junction to the west of (at a point which became known as ) to , opened on 1 October 1850, and this included a station at Bicester. Originally named Bicester, the station was renamed Bicester London Road in March 1954, although the nameboards were not altered until 20 September 1954.
The station was closed, along with the rest of the Oxford – Bletchley section of the Varsity Line
, on 1 January 1968. However, the station was used by several excursion trains through the 1970s and 1980s.
Network SouthEast
reopened the station as Bicester Town on 11 May 1987, as the terminus of the Oxford to Bicester Line
. From May 2009 First Great Western
and Oxfordshire County Council
branded the line "The Bicester Link". Since then operation of the line has been transferred from FGW to Chiltern Railways.
Since 1987 the frequency of trains has varied and passenger numbers have fluctuated accordingly. In the three years 2007-10 more frequent trains have increased the total number of passengers using Bicester Town by 138%.
The line to the east is used only by freight. The East West Rail Consortium of local authorities plans to extend the Oxford – Bicester service to via Winslow and Bletchley.
There is another track in front of the platform, beside the passenger and freight running line. This is in fact the very long reversing siding for the Bicester Military Railway
, serving the local MOD
depot.
In August 2008, Chiltern Railways
announced a proposal to built a 0.25 miles (402.3 m) link between the Oxford to Bicester Line and Chiltern Main Line
, to allow a new Oxford to London service via . The single line between Bicester Town and Oxford would be doubled and a new station will be built at . Chiltern Railways hopes that, if approval is granted for the scheme, services will start in May 2013.
On 22 May 2011, Chiltern Railways
took over all passenger operations from this station. This is in advance of the new London Marylebone to Oxford service which is due to start in 2013.
Bicester
Bicester is a town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in England.This historic market centre is one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire Development has been favoured by its proximity to junction 9 of the M40 motorway linking it to London, Birmingham and...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. The larger is . Bicester Town station is 12 miles (19.3 km) miles north-east of . It is operated by Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
.
History
The Buckinghamshire RailwayBuckinghamshire Railway
The Buckinghamshire Railway was a railway company in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England that constructed railway lines connecting Bletchley, Banbury and Oxford...
, which already had a route between and Banbury
Banbury Merton Street railway station
Banbury Merton Street was the first railway station to serve the Oxfordshire market town of Banbury in England. It opened in 1850 as the northern terminus of the Buckinghamshire Railway providing connections to Bletchley and Oxford and closing for passengers in 1961 and goods in 1966.- Context...
, had powers to build a line to Oxford
Oxford Rewley Road railway station
Oxford Rewley Road railway station was a railway station serving the city of Oxford, England, located immediately to the north of what is now Frideswide Square on the site of the Saïd Business School. It was the terminus of the Buckinghamshire Railway, which was worked, and later absorbed, by the...
. The first section of this line, from a junction to the west of (at a point which became known as ) to , opened on 1 October 1850, and this included a station at Bicester. Originally named Bicester, the station was renamed Bicester London Road in March 1954, although the nameboards were not altered until 20 September 1954.
The station was closed, along with the rest of the Oxford – Bletchley section of the Varsity Line
Varsity Line
The Varsity Line is an informal name for the railway route that formerly linked the English university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, operated successively by the London and North Western Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and British Railways...
, on 1 January 1968. However, the station was used by several excursion trains through the 1970s and 1980s.
Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982. NSE principally operated commuter trains in the London area and inter-urban services in densely populated South East England, although the network reached as far west as Exeter...
reopened the station as Bicester Town on 11 May 1987, as the terminus of the Oxford to Bicester Line
Oxford to Bicester Line
The Oxford to Bicester Line is a branch line linking Oxford and Bicester in Oxfordshire, England.-History:The line was opened in 1850 as part of the Buckinghamshire Railway, which in 1879 became part of the London and North Western Railway...
. From May 2009 First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
and Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council, established in 1889, is the county council, or upper-tier local authority, for the non-metropolitan county of Oxfordshire, in the South East of England, an elected body responsible for the most strategic local government services in the county.-History:County Councils...
branded the line "The Bicester Link". Since then operation of the line has been transferred from FGW to Chiltern Railways.
Since 1987 the frequency of trains has varied and passenger numbers have fluctuated accordingly. In the three years 2007-10 more frequent trains have increased the total number of passengers using Bicester Town by 138%.
Infrastructure
The station has one platform, with a covered waiting area, seats, a clock, help point and public address. There are plenty of cycle stands but no ticket facilities (passengers buy these on the train instead).The line to the east is used only by freight. The East West Rail Consortium of local authorities plans to extend the Oxford – Bicester service to via Winslow and Bletchley.
There is another track in front of the platform, beside the passenger and freight running line. This is in fact the very long reversing siding for the Bicester Military Railway
Bicester Military Railway
The Bicester Military Railway is a railway in Oxfordshire, England belonging to the Ministry of Defence. It links military depots at Piddington, Arncott and Graven Hill with the Oxford to Bicester Line.The line has no road bridges...
, serving the local MOD
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
depot.
In August 2008, Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
announced a proposal to built a 0.25 miles (402.3 m) link between the Oxford to Bicester Line and Chiltern Main Line
Chiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
, to allow a new Oxford to London service via . The single line between Bicester Town and Oxford would be doubled and a new station will be built at . Chiltern Railways hopes that, if approval is granted for the scheme, services will start in May 2013.
Services
From December 2008, the service on Mondays to Saturdays was improved with an evening service and a doubling of the service on Saturdays. There are now 11 trains (12 on Fridays) on weekdays and 13 on Saturdays. From May 2009, further improvements saw extra trains during the daytime on Mondays to Fridays and a new all-year round Sunday service, with trains every 90 minutes.On 22 May 2011, Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
took over all passenger operations from this station. This is in advance of the new London Marylebone to Oxford service which is due to start in 2013.