Crossrail - Construction updates and progress towards opening (now expected 24 May 2022)

[Alfie1014]

Complete lack of trains today Liverpool Street to Shenfield (and indeed onto Colchester). With the rail replacement buses being delayed by congestion and road accidents and early morning passengers impacted by the hangover from strike action for the Night Service on the Central Line. Pretty grim with journeys taking up to 2 hours longer than booked with one report of 5 hours to get from Wickford to Norwich.

 

[Acton1991]

I believe they will announce them all as Elizabeth line. There was talk at some point that the peak extras into Liverpool Street would have kept the name "tfl rail" but I believe that was the plan when they were to be run by the residual 7 car trains which is no longer the case

This is correct and has been confirmed in Crossrail’s promotional material here.

“The Elizabeth line will launch in the first half of 2022 with services from Paddington to Abbey Wood. Services from Reading and Heathrow to Paddington mainline, and from Shenfield to Liverpool Street mainline will be rebranded from TfL Rail to the Elizabeth line”

 

[ijmad]

Certainly didn't appear that way yesterday in the morning - noticably less people. However it may be gradually off-set throughout the day by off-peak travellers.

Anecdotally in London at least, it seems that although Friday commuters are limited, there is a 'going out peak' of people heading into the city between 5pm and 7pm which may be pushing up the total numbers.

 

[davews]

In case you missed it, Diamond Geezer gives a hands on experience of yesterday's test run:

diamond geezer

diamondgeezer.blogspot.com

(post for February 14th)

 

[computerSaysNo]

In case you missed it, Diamond Geezer gives a hands on experience of yesterday's test run:

diamond geezer

diamondgeezer.blogspot.com

(post for February 14th)

That's a good read, thanks for drawing attention to it.
Wasn't Crossrail built with walkways at train floor height throughout all the new sections? If so then why would they ever need to walk along the track (in the new sections)?

 

[iphone76]

That's a good read, thanks for drawing attention to it.
Wasn't Crossrail built with walkways at train floor height throughout all the new sections? If so then why would they ever need to walk along the track (in the new sections)?

The are no walkways in the Connaught Tunnel or the open air sections around Custom House. Ideally, you don't want to stop in that area.

 

[SynthD]

That's a good read, thanks for drawing attention to it.
Wasn't Crossrail built with walkways at train floor height throughout all the new sections? If so then why would they ever need to walk along the track (in the new sections)?

That’s a requirement of new tunnels, see the Jubilee and Northern line extensions. We will probably see photos of them in use soon, when these exercises are done any further west.

 

[Horizon22]

From March 13th there’s going to be a minor timetable change on the West - all the Hayes & Harlington services will extend to Heathrow Central then depart empty to T4 (still closed!) and return. So Hayes bay won’t see a normal passenger service.

 

[JonathanH]

From March 13th there’s going to be a minor timetable change on the West - all the Hayes & Harlington services will extend to Heathrow Central then depart empty to T4 (still closed!) and return. So Hayes bay won’t see a normal passenger service.

Presumably that needs an extra diagram out as well.

 

[rebmcr]

From March 13th there’s going to be a minor timetable change on the West - all the Hayes & Harlington services will extend to Heathrow Central then depart empty to T4 (still closed!) and return. So Hayes bay won’t see a normal passenger service.

Will that involve a strict tip-out at Heathrow Central, or is the T4 spur (for the time being) analogous to the Kennington Loop?

 

[Horizon22]

Will that involve a strict tip-out at Heathrow Central, or is the T4 spur (for the time being) analogous to the Kennington Loop?

Nah they get tipped out and ECS to T4. It what's they were doing for almost a year previous as HeX were using both platforms at T5 for most of 2021, so there's certainly precedent. The station and some of the safety systems are shut down due to the closure of the terminal.


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Feb 2022 ==

Presumably that needs an extra diagram out as well.

They might be cross-working, I'm not sure. But seeing as the turnaround at Paddington is only 7 minutes currently, then if there's no slack at Heathrow, then yes I don't see any other option.

 

[Bald Rick]

From March 13th there’s going to be a minor timetable change on the West - all the Hayes & Harlington services will extend to Heathrow Central then depart empty to T4 (still closed!) and return. So Hayes bay won’t see a normal passenger service.

can’t be long until T4 is reopened, Heathrow has been busy this week (half term for many), and with the travel rules easing Easter onwards could be busy

 

[Horizon22]

can’t be long until T4 is reopened, Heathrow has been busy this week (half term for many), and with the travel rules easing Easter onwards could be busy

It would certainly make train operation easier too.

 

[pacenotes]

I visited Paddington for the first time in a year today and had some time to look at the new part of the station.

Very impressive, So many gates on the gate line it's like it's for a station near a football stadium.

They were also cleaning up the old Paddington building within the Elizabeth station which has had everything thrown at it the past few years. It will look very nice when its finished.

3 trains lined up by the portal when we left Paddington so testing was in full swing. It actually looks finished and working. I can't wait.

 

[Backroom_boy]

They were also cleaning up the old Paddington building within the Elizabeth station which has had everything thrown at it the past few years. It will look very nice when its finished.

Apart from the sleeper, are there any diesel services into Paddington now? The main arches could probably do with a clean now they won't get instantly dirty again.

 

[JonathanH]

Apart from the sleeper, are there any diesel services into Paddington now? The main arches could probably do with a clean now they won't get instantly dirty again.

The turbo for the Greenford shuttle and a late night turbo service to Oxford are the only other scheduled diesel services into Paddington.

 

[kevin_roche]

The turbo for the Greenford shuttle and a late night turbo service to Oxford are the only other scheduled diesel services into Paddington.

What happens now with the other services to Oxford and Evesham, Worcester etc where there is no Electrification? I was assuming they would still be diesel locomotives.

 

[JonathanH]

What happens now with the other services to Oxford and Evesham, Worcester etc where there is no Electrification? I was assuming they would still be diesel locomotives.

All 800/802 operated - electric to Didcot / Moreton Cutting.

 

[kevin_roche]

All 800/802 operated - electric to Didcot / Moreton Cutting.

Thanks. I didn't realise the 800/802s were so extensively used. Shows how long it is since I have travelled that way by train.

 

[Acton1991]

I visited Paddington for the first time in a year today and had some time to look at the new part of the station.

Very impressive, So many gates on the gate line it's like it's for a station near a football stadium.

They were also cleaning up the old Paddington building within the Elizabeth station which has had everything thrown at it the past few years. It will look very nice when its finished.

3 trains lined up by the portal when we left Paddington so testing was in full swing. It actually looks finished and working. I can't wait.

I was also there yesterday, and down on the Bakerloo line platforms the hoardings are off and you can see down into the new passageway to Lizzie. Very exciting! Nearly there.

 

[JaJaWa]

Very detailed (almost 1 hour) tour of Canary Wharf Elizabeth line station here from the London Transport Museum's Hidden London – not sure if this or the other episodes have been posted:

 

[Yindee8191]

The turbo for the Greenford shuttle and a late night turbo service to Oxford are the only other scheduled diesel services into Paddington.

There are occasional 80x services which run on diesel for whatever reason instead of electric - I was racing my friend to London one time and lost because the train never changed to electric and therefore lost about ten minutes on its schedule.

 

[coppercapped]

There are occasional 80x services which run on diesel for whatever reason instead of electric - I was racing my friend to London one time and lost because the train never changed to electric and therefore lost about ten minutes on its schedule.

Smoky, are they? The 800s? Enough to mark the recently repainted roof?

 

[kevin_roche]

Two new videos from Crossrail today, one on Abbey Wood Station design and another on the exercise that took place with the simulated train breakdown.

 

[Horizon22]

The turbo for the Greenford shuttle and a late night turbo service to Oxford are the only other scheduled diesel services into Paddington.

Which incidentally is the same set (well part of) - gets the Turbo back home to Reading.

More on topic, Paddington is much quieter than it once was and that nice new white tiling to the new Crossrail station should stay pretty clean.

 

[Yindee8191]

Smoky, are they? The 800s? Enough to mark the recently repainted roof?

Over a very long time perhaps. I’m just noting that Paddington does get occasional diesel usage other than Turbos and the Night Riviera. Compared to (say) Birmingham New Street it’s probably not significant, but obviously there’ll be more fumes than somewhere like Charing Cross.

 

[mister-sparky]

Over a very long time perhaps. I’m just noting that Paddington does get occasional diesel usage other than Turbos and the Night Riviera. Compared to (say) Birmingham New Street it’s probably not significant, but obviously there’ll be more fumes than somewhere like Charing Cross.

Charing Cross has zero diesels trains using it so there would be no fumes whatsoever

 

[londontransit]

Charing Cross has zero diesels trains using it so there would be no fumes whatsoever

Over a very long time perhaps. I’m just noting that Paddington does get occasional diesel usage other than Turbos and the Night Riviera. Compared to (say) Birmingham New Street it’s probably not significant, but obviously there’ll be more fumes than somewhere like Charing Cross.

No diesel services I believe since the Hastings line was electrified in 1986. Maybe the occasional diesel engineering works locomotive.

Paddington so rarely gets diesels these days (bar the sleeper) that it makes a huge difference compared to the period prior to May 2019 when HSTs were still a mainstay of the GWR services. Just the one out and return Greenford Turbo (first and last service) reaches Paddington too. Occasionally there might be an IET on diesel mode. Very insignificant these days and its likely the pollution from the traffic around the station or the adjacent Westway would be far more cause for alarm.

 

[Cowley]

Can we stick to the Crossrail subject on here before we go too far off topic please.

Thanks!

 

[Roast Veg]

Nah they get tipped out and ECS to T4. It what's they were doing for almost a year previous as HeX were using both platforms at T5 for most of 2021, so there's certainly precedent. The station and some of the safety systems are shut down due to the closure of the terminal.

Isn't the Piccadilly line station still open? I can't remember offhand how integrated it is with the mainline station.

The trial event featuring members of the "public" this morning, including an evacuation from the train through a section of tunnel and into Farringdon station as well as evacuating Farringdon itself was successful. Members of staff said it was the greatest number of people using the line at any point thus far. I expect photos and videos will surface in due course.