Chiltern Railways era Chiltern Main Line

upon rail privatisation in 1996, chiltern railways franchise won m40 trains, consortium of management buyout, laing rail (a subsidiary of construction company , pfi specialist john laing plc), , venture capitalist 3i, , in 1998 line between princes risborough , bicester north redoubled company. included total reconstruction of haddenham , thame parkway @ platform level, 2 side platforms instead of single platform constructed in 1987, , new down platform @ princes risborough, raising of speed limit. in 1998 first class 168 clubman trains 100-mile-per-hour (160 km/h) maximum speed introduced reduce journey times.

chiltern railways ordered 19 class 168 dmus marylebone - birmingham services

in 2000 chiltern railways opened new station @ warwick parkway, west of town next a46 , close m40 junction 15. intended railhead nearby towns without station such kenilworth, , towns south of birmingham close m42 no direct rail link london, such redditch , bromsgrove. construction funded chiltern railways support warwickshire county council. @ first chiltern services called there served london midland.

in 2002, after chiltern won 20-year franchise, line between bicester north , aynho junction redoubled. chiltern took on hatton stratford-upon-avon services thames trains , central trains, direct services between marylebone (rather paddington) , stratford. @ time chiltern took on operation of leamington spa, warwick, hatton , lapworth stations central trains, latter s services (now operated london midland) no longer operated beyond dorridge except during weekday peak periods.

john laing plc acquired 84% ownership of m40 trains in 1999, buying out 3i, , bought out henderson investments in 2006, resulting in sale of laing rail german national railway operator deutsche bahn in 2007.

the cherwell valley line between banbury , leamington spa resignalled during 2004, closure of fenny compton signal box , removal of remaining semaphore signals. new signalling , existing signalling in leamington spa station area controlled box @ leamington via new westcad workstation. more leamington birmingham section has been resignalled , controlled new west midlands icc @ saltley (taking on old signalling centre @ saltley) new 4-aspect led signals throughout. however, manual signal boxes @ banbury north , south remained, along gwr lower-quadrant signals controlling bay platforms , sidings @ station. in 2016 station re-modelled , re-signalled, being incorporated west midlands icc take on control oxford (exclusive) in 2016.

most of route birmingham snow hill wolverhampton used midland metro light-rail system, diverges network rail s jewellery line @ hawthorns.

the route between marylebone , leamington/bordesley used open access operator wrexham & shropshire s services london wrexham via tame bridge, wolverhampton , shrewsbury, comprised 3 mk3 coaches hauled class 67 diesel locomotives. since these neither sprinters nor hsts, restricted lower line speeds, e.g. 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) between princes risborough , bicester, , 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) between leamington , bordesley, although permitted travel @ 85 miles per hour (137 km/h) between bicester , aynho. wrexham & shropshire had negotiated network rail allow trains travel @ higher speeds on these sections, required show had sufficient brake force stop such speeds within signal spacings.

only little-used line northolt junction paddington has not been improved.

in september 2006, chiltern completed evergreen 2 upgrade project, carried out carillion, realigned track through beaconsfield increase non-stop speeds 40 75 miles per hour (64 121 km/h), installed additional signals between high wycombe , bicester north , between princes risborough , aylesbury, , added 2 platforms (nos 5 , 6) @ marylebone, on site of daytime carriage sidings, replaced new wembley light maintenance depot, south , west of wembley stadium station. new platforms , partial resignalling of station throat make possible run 20 trains per hour in , out of station.

at weekends during 2008, when major engineering works taking place on wcml, line used virgin trains london euston - birmingham international blockade buster service via willesden, acton main line, ealing broadway, greenford, high wycombe, banbury , coventry, using pairs of five-car class 221 sets.