THE £67m Cotswold Line redoubling project took another step forward at the weekend with the delivery of the point which will mark the start of new double track at Charlbury.

Rails and concrete sleepers for the installation were brought to Charlbury station by train and will be assembled on site by engineers so it is ready to be moved into position at the end of this month.

The point will be carried along the line as a single unit and placed south of the station, near to the Cornbury Park bridge, off Park Street.

The work will take place during a nine-day closure of the line between Oxford and Kingham from Saturday, May 28, until Sunday, June 5.

During the closure, Network Rail will commission four miles of new double track and new signals between Charlbury and Ascott-under-Wychwood and install digital equipment at Ascott-under-Wychwood signal box.

The first trains to use the new track and new platforms at Charlbury and Ascott’s stations will run on Monday, June 6.

While the line is shut, buses will replace trains at stations along the route from Oxford to Moreton-in-Marsh, in Gloucestershire, from where a shuttle train service will operate to Worcester. Timetable details will be available shortly.