This weekend the line's been closed and the whole of Network Rail, Maidenhead's division have been working all day and night on a massive job to replace the level crossing at Cookham.

Bill the foreman told us that the new piece of track (it's been sitting in Cookham station for 6 weeks) has the new concrete sleepers (if you want the old wooden ones by the way please ask - otherwise they'll be scrapped and they are less than 2 years old!)

But the real benefit of the new crossing will be the rubber approach mats. these will be quieter, harder wearing and make Cookham level crossing one of the best in the country.

It's not the only thing that's happening to our branch line.  Since the success of Cookham Summer FM at Cookham Station, Network Rail have been busy on a whole raft of improvements between here and Marlow. 100 new sleepers from Furze Platt to Cookham, and nearly 2000 new sleepers between here and Marlow. 

 

Ride the line along the river and you'll see the new fences going in and massive track bed improvements all the way to Marlow. 

Does this mean our line is safe from closure?  Yes. Our branch is a politically sensitive piece of infrastructure and there are even mutterings at Network Rail of re-opening the rest of the Wycombe branch from Bourne End.

 

Expect a lot more work on the railway line too. Continuous welded track reaches Furze Platt at the moment. Extending that to Bourne End and Marlow is in the timetable for 2008/9 and by then work will be happening on Crossrail too in Maidenhead and the revamp of Reading station with flyover/bypass tracks and a modernised station.

All of this comes from local people putting pressure on Government, councils, Railway operators and Network rail to invest in our important facilities. Over 1000 people a day use Cookham station.

 

Although the level crossing was closed to traffic this weekend, pedestrians and cyclists had a fun time making their way across the line...

 

Timmy Mallett offered to help the contractors especially anything to do with Mallets!

Meanwhile the boys in orange lifted Cookham ladies over the trackworks so that they could make their lunch appointments!