TRAIN MAINTENANCE DEPOT (TMD) - 30 October 2026

EWR have advised this afternoon (30/10.2026) that they have chosen layout 3 as their preferred option for the proposed train maintenance depot. This option they are referring to as the "Bowtie layout", and it has the main maintenance facilities at the Newton Longville end of the site and the stabling sidings at the Mursley end.

When this option first emerged in the summer it was stated that it would require demolition and rebuilding of the three road bridges (Swans' Way and Salden lane in Mursley, and bridge OXD09 over our Whaddon Road) and the temporary closure for widening of the underpass for footpath NLO19 which links the village to Weasel Lane and the Salden Place development. A significant amount of spoil will also need to be dug out of the hill and transported elsewhere in order to bring the depot site to (or near) track level. There will also be a permanent diversion at the western end of Weasel Lane.

There have been a number of serious concerns about all three of the layout options, including drainage and the risk of flooding to the east of the proposed depot.

EWR are providing Buckinghamshire Council with an update at the Transport, Environment, Communities & Climate Change Select Committee meeting in Aylesbury on Wednesday 4 November, starting at 10am. We will be represented at that meeting.

(NB: This information was received two days after the November/December edition of the Pump went to print, so at the time that the EWR article was written we were unaware of which of the three options that they had decided to take forward).