A test train has successfully completed its first run between Oxford and Milton Keynes on the new East West Rail route.

Earlier today (21/10), a Chiltern Railways unit was the first train to run over the newly rebuilt section of the line between Bicester and Bletchley as part of testing on the route. This work brings the rail line a step closer to reopening to passengers for the first time in nearly 60 years.

Departing from Oxford station at 9.43am, a Chiltern Class 168 train made a full journey along the line, travelling via Bicester, a new Winslow station and Bletchley before arriving at Milton Keynes Central at 10.25am. The journey along the entire route took 42 minutes to complete, with the train reaching the full line speed of 100mph on several sections of line.

The milestone is towards the opening of the East West Rail link between Bletchley and Bicester, which will allow for through services from Milton Keynes and Bedford to Oxford, and is intended to be part of a plan to re-open the full rail line from Oxford to Cambridge closed to trains in the 1960s.

It is anticipated that the Bletchley to Bicester section will open in 2025, although a specific date has yet to be confirmed.

Christian Irwin, Network Rail’s Director of Capital Delivery, said, “Today is a huge milestone for the East West Rail project. I am incredibly proud of the partnership between Network Rail, our East West Rail Alliance supply chain partners, the DfT, EWR Company and Chiltern Railways, in successfully completing the construction and entry into service of the new railway between Bicester and Bletchley.

“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.”

Rianna Stanwell, Programme Director at Chiltern Railways, added, “I am delighted that Chiltern will be running the first series of test trains between Oxford and Milton Keynes.”

“Working with colleagues at Network Rail and the EWR Alliance this important step in the programme will ensure the infrastructure is ready for passenger service in the future.”

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

“I would like to thank all our colleagues at the East West Rail Alliance who have worked so hard to rebuild this railway and in particular, our local communities for their continued patience and understanding during the construction works.

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

Max Verstappen inherited a podium for Red Bull at the United States Grand Prix after Lando Norris was handed a time penalty.

Norris had passed Verstappen with 5 laps remaining, but a five second time penalty was handed to Norris after the McLaren passed the Red Bull when the two had gone off track.

The penalty for the McLaren meant Verstappen was classified third, giving the Red Bull a third place finish behind the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

The combination of winning the sprint and outscoring Norris in the full United States Grand Prix sees Verstappen extend his Driver’s Championship lead, with the Dutch driver now 57 points ahead of Norris with 5 races remaining of the 2024 season.

Meanwhile, Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez finished in 7th position, having been passed by George Russell in the final stages.

The result sees Ferrari narrow the gap on Red Bull in the fight for a top two position in the Constructor’s Championship , with the Milton Keynes-based team in second in the championship now just 8 points clear of third place Ferrari after the Scuderia’s 1-2 victory in Texas.

Verstappen had started second in the race and made a divebomb to try and pass Norris into turn one on lap one. His move however saw both run wide, allowing Leclerc from fourth on the starting grid to slip past and take the lead, with Verstappen running second.

Leclerc would ultimately prove unstoppable once in the lead, while Verstappen was also unable to keep pace with Carlos Sainz after he was undercut in the pit-stop cycle by the second Ferrari.

The big duel came with Norris after the McLaren proved faster on hard tyres. After several laps of Verstappen keeping Norris in DRS without a pass, a move into the braking zone of turn 12 proved pivotal. Verstappen’s defence lead to both cars going off track, and Norris came back on ahead, only to be penalised with the stewards ruling it was Verstappen’s corner.

Despite McLaren’s protestations, that meant a podium for Verstappen and a result that sees him extend his lead.

Meanwhile, Perez came through from ninth at the start to take seventh in an older-spec version of the car, though struggled to get past long-running midfield cars at various points of proceedings and would ultimately lose out to a battle with Russell for 6th, with the Mercedes passing by on the second-to-last lap.

Max Verstappen picked up victory for Red Bull in the F1 sprint event at the United States Grand Prix in Texas.

Having taken pole position in Friday’s sprint qualifying, the Red Bull saw the job through, keeping the chasing park at arms’ length for the 19-lap race at the Circuit of the Americas and taking victory and 8 points, with his main Driver’s Championship rival Lando Norris finishing third and taking 6 points.

Win in the sprint event was the first F1 event Max Verstappen has won since he won the sprint event at the Austrian Grand Prix back in June, which was also the last sprint race held in 2024.

Sergio Perez was unable to make it a double points finish in the sprint for Red Bull. The Mexican had started from 11th place on the grid, and was able to advance up to 9th, but in a race where only the top 8 score points, it meant that he did not pick up any, with Perez finishing over 3 seconds behind Nico Hulkenberg in the final points-paying position.

The result means that Verstappen extends his lead in the F1 Driver’s Championship ahead of the full United States Grand Prix later today, with the Dutchman now 54 points ahead of championship rival Norris, while he is also 89 clear of Charles Leclerc in third.

Perez remains 8th after not scoring points, with the second Red Bull driver 15 points behind George Russell in the position ahead and 82 points ahead of 9th placed Fernando Alonso.

In the Constructor’s Championship, Red Bull will enter it second, with the team on 483 points. They find themselves 39 points behind leaders McLaren and 30 ahead of third place Ferrari.

Late on Saturday, qualifying for the race saw both Red Bulls make it into the top ten. Verstappen was narrowly outqualified by Lando Norris, with a seemingly faster lap at the end interrupted when Russell crashed in the Mercedes, meaning nobody could improve their time going through the final sector.

Perez had his best lap time in Q3 deleted, and Russell’s crash meant he was unable to set a lap time at the end of the session, so Perez will begin the full United States Grand Prix from tenth position.

MK Dons picked up the three points after a 3-1 win over Morecambe in Lancashire.

Joe Tomlinson scored an early penalty to give the visitors the lead, which was doubled by Scott Hogan scoring his first for the club.

Jamie Stott pulled a goal back for the home side late in the first half, but Liam Kelly’s deflected strike just after the break restored a two goal advantage that MK Dons preserved all the way to the end of the match.

Seeking a response to defeat by leaders Port Vale last time out, MK Dons made a very quick start at the Mazuma Stadium as they won and scored a penalty inside the opening two minutes. Alex Gilbey was fouled by former MK Dons goalkeeper Stuart Moore, and from 12 yards, Tomlinson found the bottom corner.

Tom McGill kept out Adam Lewis’ chance for a quickfire equaliser, before MK Dons pressed as Hogan and Kelly both saw strikes fall just wide.

A second goal would fall MK Dons’ way in the 22nd minute. Hogan received Gilbey’s pass, darted into the box and although Moore saved his first strike, Hogan scored the rebound to mark his first start for MK Dons with a first goal for the club.

Moore was forced into stops to keep out Joe White and Gilbey, but it was Morecambe that scored the game’s next goal. In the final minutes of the first half, Ben Tollit’s cross picked out Stott, who duly found the back of the net.

However, MK Dons restored their two goal advantage in the opening five minutes of the second half. Kelly saw the ball fall his way and his strike took a deflection that sent it flying past Moore and in off the crossbar.

Morecambe’s hopes of a comeback were stunted by this, with the home side struggling to create chances and the result allowing MK Dons to pick up a second win with Scott Lindsey in charge.

MK Dons will look to build momentum when they host Accrington Stanley at Stadium MK on Tuesday night, before a trip to Grimsby Town next weekend.

One Cameron McGeehan goal was the difference as Northampton Town beat Leyton Orient 1-0 at Sixfields.

McGeehan’s goal in the opening minutes of the second half decided the contest in Northampton’s favour, as they returned to winning ways after losing their three previous games.

Victory means that the Cobblers leapfrog the East Londoners in the League Two table.

Having had their game at Wigan last week postponed due to international call-ups, this was Northampton’s first outing in two weeks but they nearly fell behind early on as Dan Agyei rounded Lee Burge only to miss the target altogether.

Omar Beckles would block a strike by Tom Eaves at the other end, while the visitors had chances near to the end of a tight first half, with Jack Currie seeing a cross-shot kept out by a combination of Burge and bar, and Agyei having a strike blocked by Ben Fox.

Northampton would then respond by taking the lead within the opening three minutes of the second half. Leyton Orient were unable to clear a long-throw by Mitch Pinnock and the ball instead trickled through to McGeehan, who wriggled free to poke a shot past away goalkeeper Josh Keeley.

McGeehan would be bundled off the ball when in a shooting position a few moments later, while Sam Hoskins would later be thwarted with his own attempt.

But at the other end, the home side were able to keep Leyton Orient at arms length, seeing the game out and picking up the points.

The Cobblers face a tricky test in their efforts to build up momentum as they travel to early high-fliers Stockport in midweek.

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