First train test on East West Rail route completed

The first test train journey on the multibillion-pound East West Rail route has been successfully completed.

On Monday morning, a Chiltern Class 168 train travelled along the first section of the £6bn project, which aims to re-establish a railway link between Oxford and Cambridge.

Earlier this year, the final parts of track on the first stage of the East West Rail (EWR) project between Bicester and Bletchley were installed.

The successful test run brings the rail line a step closer to reopening to passengers for the first time in nearly 60 years, Network Rail said.

The journey from Oxford to Milton Keynes took 42 minutes, with the train reaching the full line speed of 100mph (161km/h) on several sections of the line.

David Hughes, CEO of East West Railway Company, said: "This is a fantastic achievement and an extremely proud moment for everyone here at East West Rail.

“We can all now look forward to passenger services beginning next year and delivering the improved connectivity which this region so desperately needs.”

It has not yet been confirmed which train operator will provide passenger services on the line, but Rianna Stanwell from Chiltern Railways said she was "delighted" that the company was involved in running the tests.

Along the route, railway enthusiasts and local residents gathered to watch the first journey - with some even using step ladders to get a view.

One, who watched on from Winslow in Buckinghamshire, told the BBC: “It was so exciting to see history being made right in front of our eyes."

They added that they "can't wait" for the line to open to passengers - which is expected to happen next year.

Christian Irwin, Network Rail’s director of capital delivery, said the test was a "huge milestone" for the East West Rail project.

“The running of our first test train today is a huge achievement and brings us one step closer to restoring train services between Oxford and Milton Keynes for passengers," he added.

The project plans to connect Oxford and Cambridge, via Bicester, Milton Keynes and Bedford, and open access to more work and education opportunities.

EWR previously told the BBC that journey times between the two cities would be reduced to 90 minutes from the current "two and a half hours by car or coach".

The entire line is expected to open to passengers in the early 2030s.

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