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Cotswold Line
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==History== ===Early years=== The line between Oxford and Worcester was built under an 1845 [[Act of Parliament]] and opened in 1851 as part of the [[Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway]]. The Act required the line to be built to [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]]'s {{convert|7|ft|1/4|in|mm}} [[broad gauge]] but delays, disputes and increasing costs led to its being completed as {{track gauge|uksg}} [[standard gauge]].{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} The first stage of the [[Worcester and Hereford Railway]] opened between [[Henwick]] and Malvern Link on 25 July 1859. The bridge over the [[River Severn]] was approved for traffic the following year, and trains started running through from Malvern Link to Worcester Shrub Hill station on 17 May 1860. A short extension from Malvern Link to {{rws|Malvern Wells}} opened on 25 May 1860. On 1 July 1860 the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway absorbed both the Worcester & Hereford Railway and the [[Newport, Abergavenny & Hereford Railway]] to form the [[West Midland Railway]]. On 13 September 1861 the final stage of the railway opened between Malvern Wells and Shelwick Junction. This junction is just north of Hereford station on the line between Hereford and Shrewsbury, and it finally created a through route between Worcester and Hereford.<ref>{{cite journal| journal=Railway Magazine| date=July 1959}}{{full citation needed|date=August 2017}}</ref> The [[Great Western Railway]] took over the West Midland Railway in 1863. The original tunnel through the ridge of the [[Malvern Hills]], Colwall Tunnel, was completed in July 1860. However, the tunnel was unstable, and it was closed for short periods in 1861 and again in 1907 following rock falls. Eventually the GWR decided to build a new tunnel to the south of the existing one. This opened for traffic on 2 August 1926. The old tunnel was abandoned, and during [[World War II]] it was used to store torpedoes.<ref>{{cite journal| journal=Railway Magazine| date=August 1959}}{{full citation needed|date=August 2017}}</ref> In the early 1970s, 25 miles from Moreton-in-Marsh to Norton Junction, Worcester were converted from [[Double-track railway|double]] to [[Single-track railway|single]] track.<ref>Oxford-Worcester line singling ''[[Railway World]]'' issue 368 January 1971 page 2</ref> Following serious floods, which washed parts of embankments away, the line was closed for about a fortnight during July and August 2007 for repairs. ===Improvement works 2008β2011=== [[Network Rail]] completed the redoubling of {{convert|20|mi}} of track from just east of {{rws|Charlbury}} to {{rws|Ascott-under-Wychwood}}, and from {{rws|Moreton-in-Marsh}} to about {{convert|1|mi}} west of Evesham on 22 August 2011. This was intended to improve reliability, enable non-stop operations and allow an hourly off peak service to run on the line.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://oxfordmail.co.uk/display.var.2172240.0.0.php| website=Oxford Mail| title=Rail improvements on track| date=4 April 2008| first=William| last=Crossley}}</ref> The [[Office of Rail Regulation]] approved the work in June 2008, although the planned work was over-budget and had to await final approval.{{Citation needed|date=November 2008}} In December 2008 vegetation was cleared.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=3501 |title=North Cotswolds Line Improvements |access-date=14 May 2009|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507111712/http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=3501 |archive-date=7 May 2009| website=FGW}}</ref> A six-week closure of all or part of the line between Oxford and Worcester for preparatory works took place in July and August 2009. Further weekend work planned for February 2010 was postponed by Network Rail. Initial work began in autumn of 2010, with the majority of the second track being relaid between December 2010 and May 2011 when the line was closed at 21.30 from Monday to Thursday. In March 2011 construction works were started on additional structures and signalling equipment that the new line needed, including three new platforms at Charlbury, Ascott-under-Wychwood and {{rws|Honeybourne}}. Footbridges at Charlbury and Honeybourne as well as preparation for the upgrade of six Level Crossings.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.networkrail.co.uk/documents/Projects/10995_Cotswold%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf| website=Network Rail| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001083714/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/documents/Projects/10995_Cotswold%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf| archive-date=1 October 2012| title=A better railway for the Cotswolds| date=February 2011}}</ref> The new double track section between Charlbury and Ascott re-opened on 6 June 2011; the line between Oxford and Moreton-in-Marsh having been closed during the previous nine days. The section between Moreton and Evesham reopened as double track on 22 August 2011 with the line closed for the preceding two weeks.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/news/8214832.Cotswold_Line_rail_improvements_timetable_unveiled/| website=This is Oxfordshire| title=Cotswold Line rail improvements timetable unveiled| date=11 June 2010| first=William| last=Crossley}}</ref> === Platform extensions 2018 === The line was closed from 16 to 25 November 2018, between Moreton-In-Marsh and Worcester Shrub Hill, so that platforms could be extended to accommodate [[British Rail Class 800|Class 800]] trains.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/planned-engineering/cotswolds2018|title=GWR Cotswold Line|date=25 November 2018|website=GWR|access-date=25 November 2018}}</ref> === Opening of Worcestershire Parkway 2020 === [[Worcestershire Parkway railway station]] opened in February 2020, following a long-standing proposal for a new split-level station where the line crosses over the [[Birmingham and Bristol Railway]] route. Connecting services are provided by [[CrossCountry]] on the Cardiff to Nottingham line and there is parking for 483 cars.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gwr.com/about-us/modernising-gwr/worcestershire-parkway|title=Worcestershire Parkway {{!}} Great Western Railway|website=gwr.com|access-date=2020-02-25}}</ref>
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