Changes at Culham station
Possible future changes
Didcot to Oxford electrification
During 2015 and 2016 work seemingly progressed, albeit rather slowly, in preparation for the electrification of the Didcot to Oxford line. The positions for the support gantries were surveyed (several times!) and marked with temporary wooden posts with due regard to working round the Old Ticket Office. Other enabling works took place around the station as recorded on the 'Changes 2014-2018' page. Piling operations were started and masts appeared at various points along the line, most notably from Didcot to Appleford Crossing but then, in November 2016, the government announced that electrification work on the line had been indefinitely deferred. The deferral was supposedly due to imminent resignalling and remodelling of the existing track layout in and around Oxford, but the time and cost over-runs also plaguing the electrification project as a whole are well known.
Latest intelligence suggests that a decision whether to restart the project to electrify the line between Didcot and Oxford will probably not be made before 2024.
Problem with Thame Lane bridge
The Thame Lane bridge, which is a listed structure, is causing some problems. A few years before it was listed Network Rail had thought about replacing it with a brand new bridge, but no action was taken. When the electrification project came along it was found that there was not enough clearance underneath it for the overhead wires and first thoughts were to take it down and rebuild it at a higher level. That plan was abandoned in favour of lowering the tracks instead but so far no firm plans have been announced.Problem with the Old Ticket Office
Close inspection of satellite images of the ticket office show that it does not sit exactly parallel with the railway track. Several surveys have been carried out, using both modern laser equipment and traditional optical instruments. Discussing the results with the different surveyors revealed a difference of opinion. The south west corner of the building may, or may not, slightly foul the safety margin from the overhead wires. If it doesn't then all is well. If it does then it has been suggested that a section of canopy will have to be removed. This difference of opinion has caused some angst, especially as the building's listed status would have to be taken into account before any alterations can be made.Longer platforms and new car park at Culham
Planning approval was obtained during 2016 for Network Rail to extend platforms 1 and 2 towards Oxford so that longer trains could stop at Culham. We were also told that the ultimate plan was that when Network Rail eventually vacated their hard materials store at the end of platform 2 a larger car park would be developed similar to the one at Radley.
Nothing had started on either front as of mid 2017, but we did have had a chat with some contractors who were saying that the new platform extension would comprise prefabricated sections being placed onto supporting piles. One slight concern was that the platform extensions would have to follow the curving track. It doesn't seem that these developments will lead to any improvement in the station facilities which at present comprise of only a glass waiting shelter and customer service point on each platform.
However, a letter dated 10th April 2018 from the Office of Rail and Road to Network Rail Infrastructure Limited regarding 'Enhancements Delivery Plan (EDP) change control: January -March 2018' contains the following paragraph...
W004 Thames Valley platform extensions
You are requesting to defer platform extensions at Culham and Appleford, to integrate the works with overhead line electrification from Didcot to Oxford. You are requesting to revise the regulated milestone for entry into service -infrastructure authorised (Didcot to Oxford)
from June 2019 to “CP6”. We approve your requested changes to the EDP. We intend to log the June 2019 regulated milestone as revised.
So who knows when it will actually happen. Interestingly however, the platforms at Radley were extended during the summer of 2018.
Intriguingly, during early 2019, 5 and 10 car stop signs appeared along the platforms. Since then a few 800 class trains have indeed been (temporarily) scheduled to stop at Culham platforms 1 and 2. The driver operated only those doors alongside the platform with all others remaining locked.
Increased capacity through Oxford
Oxford Station redevelopment
Original plans involved the opening up of a new platform 5 with a through line and the conversion of platform 2 from a bay into another through line resulting in no less than six tracks through the station. An overall concourse was also considered, similar to that at Reading, from which all the platforms would be accessed. These major changes have been scaled back a bit with platform 2 remaining as a bay and the platforms 4 and 5 being accessed via a new entrance hall with lift and stair access to the rest of the station. These latest proposals would, amongst other work, involve the demolition of the large YHA hostel adjacent to the station, alterations to a nearby nursery and roadway, together with major alterations to the railway bridge over Botley Road and a new single track bridge to accommodate the extra track from platform 5. The possibility of later making platform 2 a through track has not been forgotten as provision will be made for a third rail bridge over Botley Road by relocating the pedestrian footbridge over the road further to the east. The road beneath the existing bridge is due to be lowered and significantly widened with new cycle tracks and walkways. Network Rail published details of the updated proposals in January 2021
Click or tap link for a larger image.
This scheme received a major boost when, on 26th May 2021, the Department for Transport confirmed it would be investing into Oxford’s railway, with work set to start in 2022. It was hoped that the £69m of funding will facilitate development work for the introduction of the new track and platform 5 by 2024. It is interesting to note that all developments are planned to be 'future proofed' to allow the elecrification of the line.
Latest update - August 2022
It as been confirmed that £161m is to be spent on the above scheme with Botley Bridge due for replacement in 2023 with the new platform and associated building opening in 2024. Three new high-speed crossovers will also be created that will allow trains to turn around in the station and the new track layout will allow freight services between Southampton and the Midlands and North West to be increased.As an aside to the above, the line from the bay platforms 1 and 2 in Oxford to Oxford Parkway and beyond joined the up relief line for a short stretch before diverging towards Oxford Parkway. This bi-directional working understandably caused traffic conflicts which were not good. The East/West line development from Bicester North to Bletchley, planned to open in 2025, would only serve to increase the problems and so the track layout was improved with additional cross-overs between the up relief and up main lines to provide a less conflicting path.
Track quadrupling
Even with the increased track occupancy supported by the new signalling system, the twin tracks between Didcot and Oxford present a significant bottleneck. This will become even more of a problem when the capacity of Oxford station is increased with more tracks. It has been proposed to quadruple the tracks between Oxford and Radley, with consideration also being given to quadrupling the entire 10.7 miles to Didcot. The former can be achieved relatively painlessly as existing structures along this section would accommodate the extra tracks, but there are constraints to further quadrupling with the Thames river bridges and listed structures along the route closer to Didcot (including Culham of course). This is all a long way off (post 2025 at the earliest) and by no means certain.Oxford to Cowley rail link
In 1864 the Wycombe Railway extended its line from Thame to Kennington Junction just south of Oxford, thus completing their line from the junction at Princes Risborough through to Oxford. The GWR took over the Wycombe Railway company in 1867.Although closed in 1967 a portion of this line survives between Kennington Junction and the BMW factory in Cowley, being used for daily car transporter trains carrying finished cars to either Southampton or Purfleet. Active consideration is being given by Chiltern Railways and Network Rail to its possible reopening for commuters from Oxford. Certain trains would therefore not terminate at Oxford's platforms 1 and 2 (the bay) but would continue along the main line through to Kennington Junction and on to the Cowley Branch instead. On 5th November 2014, Chiltern Railways ran a demonstration train from Banbury carrying invited guests to a specially erected temporary platform named 'Oxford Science Park'
Photograph ©Philip Marsh. If reopened to passengers it is proposed that the line would have two new stations, one at Oxford Science Park and another at Oxford Business Park a bit further along, with the ultimate aim of a regular half hourly service. This change would not affect Culham station directly, but it is an interesting local development. These new services would appear to be slated in to start in around 2025 following the redevelopment of the station at Oxford.
Link to Culham Science Centre
One possible development that has come to light, although it is only at the early discussion stage, is for a new footbridge and access pathway to link the station directly to the Culham Science Centre. A growing number of commuters use Culham to travel outward in the morning and a much larger number commute to the Science Centre each day. A direct link to the Centre would hopefully attract yet more.
The document 'Culham Science Centre – Travel Plan' published in April 2016, states that 6.1% of trips to and from the site are currently made by rail. Judging from the numbers of commuters passing the station each morning this is becoming an increasingly popular way to travel.
Redevelopment and new roads
Culham Number 1 site redevelopment
The UK Atomic Energy Authority initially drafted plans for the development of 500 new houses on the Culham Number 1 site. This housing would have been primarily for staff at the Culham Science Centre. As of the summer 2022 the proposal is now to redevelop the site with a hotel, nursery, car parking and mixed use of offices, laboratories and light industrial units. Footpaths and cycle tracks to the station, together with direct access to Thame Lane figure in the latest plans. It is suggested that the dangerous foot crossing just north of Thame Lane would be closed.New bridge, roundabout and housing estate
A futuristic ‘science city’ of at least 3,000 homes and related facilities is also being planned. This development would stretch from Culham station towards Abingdon and could feature driverless cars to take people to work. Although it would mean building on Green Belt land the proposal has been given planning permission to proceed. Associated with this, a large new roundabout is to be built close to, but not affecting, the western entrance to Station Road. A new road and river crossing is to be built from Didcot and will join the Abingdon Road at this point. A fourth northerly exit road will give access to the large estate when it is started.Bypass and roundabout
One development which could directly affect the ticket office and dwellings opposite is another new roundabout to be built at the eastern end of Station Road. Over the years various surveys have been carried out, and in 2021 archaeological investigations were completed on the site. This roundabout is to be located on vacant land at the edge of Culham Number 1 Site. This will completely change the present road layout. The road from Abingdon will be slightly diverted to join the roundabout and a new Clifton Hampden bypass will leave it to skirt alongside the edge of Culham Science Park and around the top of the village. The existing road from this point will leave as a cycle lane with access to the old road being via a short new connection and 'T' junction to the east. There will be a brand new entrance to the science park leading from the roundabout, and a fourth exit will be a new road leading to Number 1 Site. From this road, a short stretch of road will leave at a 'T' junction and connect back to Station Road at the point where the access drive to the ticket office currently diverges. Plans do not indicate any changes to this access road or station forecourt area, but the ownership of a small parcel of land which includes some of it and the bridge embankment is the subject of investigation pending a possible compulsory purchase order
Click or tap link for a larger image for it. We always assumed it was owned by Network Rail, but that may not be the case.
