Network Rail has released a short video giving an aerial view of some of the improvment work taking place at Oxford this month.
Shot using a drone, it shows work on the main lines and train stabling sidings at Oxford station and track renewal close to the junction for the Cotswold Line at Wolvercote.
During the fortnight-long shutdown, the old signalbox at Oxford station was closed. New signals controlled from the Thames Valley Signalling Centre at Didcot were commissioned between Didcot, Oxford and Heyford on the line to Banbury, along with a new interface to Ascott-under-Wychwood signalbox, which controls the eastern end of the Cotswold Line.
The new signalling system allows trains to run in either direction on both main line tracks between Wolvercote and Didcot and to depart towards Didcot from platform 4 on the west side of Oxford station, which should assist with operations during engineering work or disruption.
Some services suffered delays during the week of July 23 to 27, after the line reopened, as a result of speed restictions imposed through Oxford, because high rail temperatures during the heatwave caused a risk of track buckling. Some of the new sections of long welded rails installed during the shutdown were awaiting stressing work to minimise this risk and the danger of cracks developing in low winter temperatures.
Click here to watch the Network Rail video