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

[kevin_roche]

Who are Kantar? If it's a "survey", do they have the right to demand to see tickets, as opposed to just asking if you'd tell/show them?

I travel using my contactless card when i can. I would not let anyone who isn't authorised rail or underground staff scan my credit card.

 

[matt_world2004]

I travel using my contactless card when i can. I would not let anyone who isn't authorised rail or underground staff scan my credit card.

They wouldn't scan a contactless card as there is no need to put an inspection token on it I think it is just a visual inspection.

They scan oysters/ freedom passed to check a valid touch in has been registered they can't do that with contactless cards.

Edit: here is an too request about it https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transp.../foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-1149-1718

 

[Mag_seven]

A reminder that the topic of this thread is Crossrail - Construction updates and progress towards opening.

If anyone wants to discuss anything else then they are welcome to start a new thread in the relevant forum section.

thanks

​

 

[Taunton]

Auto-reverse as a concept and in actual practice, is very good IMO.

However and AFAIK, there are still safety concerns at present to even think about extending it outside of the WBP turn backs.

Auto reverse is of course something which the DLR has done quite effortlessly, and completely "hands free" into the headshunt and back out again at Bank for the last 30 years.

Is it really so difficult to achieve the same now?

 

[SynthD]

Auto reverse is of course something which the DLR has done quite effortlessly, and completely "hands free" into the headshunt and back out again at Bank for the last 30 years.

Is it really so difficult to achieve the same now?

Yes, because the DLR is grandfathered in. DLR trains are a tenth of the weight of a full length 345 unit. Some of the places the auto reverse could be used, eg Custom House, don't have platform edge doors.

 

[Taunton]

Some of the places the auto reverse could be used, eg Custom House, don't have platform edge doors.

Bit like the DLR then ...

 

[zwk500]

Bit like the DLR then ...

The DLR is set up as fully automated from the off and the headshunt is a single line in a tunnel so the risk of anybody being in the way without having arranged for protection of the line is minimal. Westbourne park will have multiple lines, drivers still on board (who may need to disembark the trains in the sidings if there's a fault or disruption), and is on the surface so there is a risk of trespass. The risk of a person being in a place of danger whilst an auto-mode move is made therefore needs to be assessed on it's own merits.

 

[Nottingham59]

The risk of a person being in a place of danger whilst an auto-mode move is made therefore needs to be assessed on it's own merits.

Didn't they assess that when they made the decision to include auto-reverse into the system design?

 

[zwk500]

Didn't they assess that when they made the decision to include auto-reverse into the system design?

They would have, and it would have recommended actions to mitigate the risk. 'They' will now need to satisfy the safety authorities that the mitigations are effective and the risk is being managed appropriately now that the trains and procedures are being actively used.

 

[Taunton]

They would have, and it would have recommended actions to mitigate the risk. 'They' will now need to satisfy the safety authorities that the mitigations are effective and the risk is being managed appropriately now that the trains and procedures are being actively used.

Couldn't the safety authorities have been asked 15 years ago when it was designed? We do get a bit dismayed by this constant stream of "How many angels can dance on a pinhead" type discussions, while perfectly practical and proven solutions are all around.

 

[zwk500]

Couldn't the safety authorities have been asked 15 years ago when it was designed? We do get a bit dismayed by this constant stream of "How many angels can dance on a pinhead" type discussions, while perfectly practical and proven solutions are all around.

That's exactly what I said has probably happened - They asked the safety authorities, got a list of things to do and now just have to check that they have been/are being done.

 

[Horizon22]

Who are Kantar? If it's a "survey", do they have the right to demand to see tickets, as opposed to just asking if you'd tell/show them?

They do it on behalf of the DfT. Each TOC has (well I suppose "had" as it was a franchise requirement) to have at most X.X% of ticketless travel on the routes. I think TfL employ them to see if MTR are meeting their contractual demands, although I don't think they manage the gatelines at Heathrow nor do they at Paddington and a few other GWR stations so that could get complex.

 

[theking]

The DLR is set up as fully automated from the off and the headshunt is a single line in a tunnel so the risk of anybody being in the way without having arranged for protection of the line is minimal. Westbourne park will have multiple lines, drivers still on board (who may need to disembark the trains in the sidings if there's a fault or disruption), and is on the surface so there is a risk of trespass. The risk of a person being in a place of danger whilst an auto-mode move is made therefore needs to be assessed on it's own merits.

Ridiculous hyperbole.

There is far more risk of someone going trackside or trespassing on an unmanned unstaffed DLR Station and network than there is on the short Westbourne park run.

Pre covid the DLR carried One hundred and Twenty One MILLION passengers, going by the above exaggeration more people would have been killed by the DLR than covid.

Drivers should not be going on the track to have a wander or fault find without contacting the signaller and getting a line block.

 

[zwk500]

Ridiculous hyperbole.

At no point did I say the risk was large or anything near it.

There is far more risk of someone going trackside or trespassing on an unmanned unstaffed DLR Station and network than there is on the short Westbourne park run.

This was specifically discussing the auto reverse at Bank, which is staffed (although I don't know if there are routinely staff on the platforms). When the DLR is in normal operation there is a member of staff on board who can stop the train if needed.

Pre covid the DLR carried One hundred and Twenty One MILLION passengers, going by the above exaggeration more people would have been killed by the DLR than covid.

How have you got figures from anything I've said?

Drivers should not be going on the track to have a wander or fault find without contacting the signaller and getting a line block.

Agree, but then again it's happened around the national network plenty of times.

 

[Horizon22]

Agree, but then again it's happened around the national network plenty of times.

And indeed tragically ended up in a death a few weeks back at West Worthing.

I am sure the auto-reverse is being looked into in-depth because it is critical to future working but this will be a very much "dot every i, cross every t" approach.

 

[DC1989]

I see lots of the signage is now being changed at stations, lot's of purple going up. It must be very very soon

Can they even annouce an opening date without it breaking 'purdah'

 

[SynthD]

Yes, but it’s difficult for the politicians to be as involved as they want and not themselves break purdah. The elections are on the 5th of May, so it won’t be an issue.

 

[raspberrypeel]

Still think a late May opening is most likely based on the noise. It will of course be leaked well in advance - Johnson and Khan will both be angling for photo ops and will obviously blab.

 

[matt_world2004]

When Crossrail opens will the queen smash a bottle of Champagne on the train or will we wait for the clubbers to do that

 

[cambsy]

Im looking forward to Cross Rail opening, and hopefully going to do, on opening day, or within couple days, I’ll spend pretty whole day, riding the trains, and checking out the stations, seeing the architecture, and how busy trains are. I think May or June, most likely, when opening, think it will be a great new transport addition for London, it looks amazing infrastructure.

 

[PG]

When Crossrail opens will the queen smash a bottle of Champagne on the train or will we wait for the clubbers to do that

I'm sure the Queen has employees to open whatever tipple she fancies so won't be resorting to smashing open a bottle while onboard.

Though it'd make an eye opening photo opportunity if she did
Before the inevitable pedant alert occurs, yes I'm aware drinking on TfL is not permitted!

 

[matt_world2004]

I'm sure the Queen has employees to open whatever tipple she fancies so won't be resorting to smashing open a bottle while onboard.

Though it'd make an eye opening photo opportunity if she did
Before the inevitable pedant alert occurs, yes I'm aware drinking on TfL is not permitted!

I thought the tradition when a new ship Or train launches was to have a member of royalty smash a bottle on either the front or back of it for luck..

 

[fgwrich]

I thought the tradition when a new ship Or train launches was to have a member of royalty smash a bottle on either the front or back of it for luck..

Out of interest, did she do that to the Victoria Line 67 stock when she opened it?

To be honest, given the build quality we’ve seen so far, it’s probably not advisable to smash a bottle over an Aventra

Also, will we see a part 3 post launch of the BBC series? (Renamed of course!)

 

[kevin_roche]

Also, will we see a part 3 post launch of the BBC series? (Renamed of course!)

I'm looking forward to that one.

 

[fgwrich]

I'm looking forward to that one.

Indeed, the ‘15 billion pound railway’ seems so long ago. How young and naive we were

 

[InOban]

There seem to be two possibilities. Either the software updates over Easter resolve all the outstanding issues, and don't introduce any new ones. Or there still remain problems which must be analysed and addressed before safe and reliable operation can be assured. In the first case, a May opening seems more than likely, In the second case, who knows....

 

[matt_world2004]

Out of interest, did she do that to the Victoria Line 67 stock when she opened it?

To be honest, given the build quality we’ve seen so far, it’s probably not advisable to smash a bottle over an Aventra

Also, will we see a part 3 post launch of the BBC series? (Renamed of course!)

I think she did it with the Eurostar with Jacques Chirac and the Piccadilly line extension to Heathrow

I wonder if she will say. I name this line Elizabeth. God bless her and those who ride her.

 

[J-2739]

I think she did it with the Eurostar with Jacques Chirac and the Piccadilly line extension to Heathrow

I wonder if she will say. I name this line Elizabeth. God bless her and those who ride her.

Erm...

 

[PG]

I thought the tradition when a new ship Or train launches was to have a member of royalty smash a bottle on either the front or back of it for luck..

You are correct, I was twisting it for comedic effect!

I wonder if she will say. I name this line Elizabeth. God bless her and those who ride her

So many comedy possibilities but this is a family friendly forum...

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There also needs to better contingency arrangements in place when this happens as all Thameslink do is pretty well suspend every service group leaving dozens of stations devoid of a service.

The latest discussion about a meltdown on Thameslink yesterday prompts me to wonder what arrangements are in place here should the core become obstructed?

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

You are correct, I was twisting it for comedic effect!


So many comedy possibilities but this is a family friendly forum...

***** New Post below *****​

The latest discussion about a meltdown on Thameslink yesterday prompts me to wonder what arrangements are in place here should the core become obstructed?

Well they should be able to use LST as a bolthole for Shenfield side everything else will have to be turned short of obstruction but i do hope given all the time they've spent rehearsing various scenarios one of them will have been dealing with an issue in the central section.