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

[Class 170101]

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.

Paddington High Level for Crossrail west surely?

 

[ijmad]

Paddington High Level for Crossrail west surely?

I think I remember reading somewhere that they could use the Paddington Elizabeth Line platforms to terminate trains from the West, utilising the crossover and/or sidings to reverse. Possibly the same at Whitechapel with the crossover there?

 

[davetheguard]

I think I remember reading somewhere that they could use the Paddington Elizabeth Line platforms to terminate trains from the West, utilising the crossover and/or sidings to reverse.

Does that mean that scenes such as that pictured below will soon become part of history? (345 units in Paddington main station)

 

[zwk500]

Does that mean that scenes such as that pictured below will soon become part of history? (345 units in Paddington main station)

Not necessarily, if the low level platforms are required to close for some reason. There will be multiple contingency plans for a range of potential scenarios.

 

[matt_world2004]

I think, in the event of disruption. Some trains will terminate at paddington mainline and some paddington deep level. There isnt going to be the capacity to terminate all trains from the west at paddington deep level , and there isnt going to be capacity to terminate all trains from the west at paddington mainline either.

 

[Horizon22]

There are definitely contingency plans in place for closure of the Central section. This includes stepping up departures into Paddington (NR) and Liverpool St with some selective cancellations (fewer Shenfield / T4 trains) and some shuttles depending on the exact location of the issue in the Central section.

The Central section is fully bi-directional and there are a few crossovers.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Apr 2022 ==

Not necessarily, if the low level platforms are required to close for some reason. There will be multiple contingency plans for a range of potential scenarios.

I imagine there will be plans for engineering works too (Sundays etc.)

 

[43066]

There are definitely contingency plans in place for closure of the Central section.

I wonder where they will be stabling their thunderbird diesel locomotive?

 

[Horizon22]

I wonder where they will be stabling their thunderbird diesel locomotive?

I’m sure that’s first priority haha

 

[ijmad]

Eurgh, the thought of clag soot all over the inside of those pristine new tunnel rings makes me shudder

 

[Roast Veg]

Eurgh, the thought of clag soot all over the inside of those pristine new tunnel rings makes me shudder

It's already filthy in there. They dished out gloves to participants in the public exercises.

 

[Taunton]

It's already filthy in there. They dished out gloves to participants in the public exercises.

There were Class 66s worked right down inside with the "concrete-ing trains" a couple of years back. Came in from Abbey Wood.

 

[43066]

There were Class 66s worked right down inside with the "concrete-ing trains" a couple of years back. Came in from Abbey Wood.

Not to mention those unusual looking blue shunting locos.

 

[Pete_uk]

Imagine the echo of a class 37

 

[Snow1964]

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....

Yes, seems logical, once those software updates are in then unless they don’t work, third week of May seems likely.

If they don’t work, I guess they could return to current software version, and live with it whilst service is only half full frequency. Almost certainly less damaging to reputation than not being open by 30th June.

 

[thomalex]

One thing I'm looking forward to is seeing the new tube map. Surely if services have a strong possibility of launching in May then we should be seeing something in the next few weeks.

 

[Dstock7080]

One thing I'm looking forward to is seeing the new tube map. Surely is services are have a strong possibility of launching in May then we should be seeing something in the next few weeks.

Expected after the Northern Line Bank branch has reopened.

 

[ijmad]

I miss the under construction line diagrams from eras passed!

 

[Dstock7080]

Update to staff and message from Mark Wild, CEO CrossRail:

We are now in a period of timetabled running on the Elizabeth line*.
This means we’re running trains through the central tunnels at 12 trains per hour.
During this period our Operations colleagues will run the railway without the disruption of Trial Operations or programme work.
This is essential to build confidence and evidence its reliability as we prepare for the opening of the railway for passenger service.
*Other than critical project interventions to enable us to open for passenger service, we're concentrating on clear running of the timetable to build our performance reliability.
There’s still a lot of work to do on building up reliability and staff familiarisation ahead of welcoming customers in the first half of 2022.
Our priority is making sure we can operate a reliable railway from day one.
Crossrail’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Wild said: “Our opening date, of course, depends on how we build reliability performance.
“Last week saw the start of the important Timetable Demonstration period.
“We’ve now started the second week of timetable demonstration.
“I have every confidence we’ll see that consistency start to come through the daily and weekly numbers.”

 

[DC1989]

I wonder if they have ORR sign off yet?

 

[Acton1991]

Travelled through Tottenham Court Road last night - lots of Elizabeth line signage throughout the concourse and on the Northern line platforms, which is exciting!
Interestingly they use the roundel on directional signage as well as the coloured line vs just the coloured line for Tube lines. Small detail, I know!

 

[Dstock7080]

I wonder if they have ORR sign off yet?

included in Staff info today:

After months of hard work, London Underground (LU) has successfully completed station Trial Operations.
This means we’ve met the requirements of the Sub Surface regulations, safety standards and the Safety Certificate requirements for working with other railway companies in the 400+ exercises we undertook for Trial Operations at LU stations
After each exercise we listened to feedback and worked on resolving all actions raised.
Additionally, we’ve completed all Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) Verification activities.
Alongside MTR-Elizabeth Line and Rail for London Infrastructure (RfLI), LU also took part in 35 joint Trial Operations exercises.

Whitechapel station​

66 planned Trial Operations undertaken
Eight joint Trial Operations exercises
64 evacuation scenarios
One full station evacuation

Moorgate / Liverpool Street station
104 planned Trial Operations undertaken
Six joint Trial Operations exercises
114 evacuation scenarios undertaken

Farringdon station​

164 Trial Operations undertaken
124 evacuation scenarios undertaken
11 joint Trial Operations exercises undertaken, with two volunteer exercises
One full station evacuation

Tottenham Court Road station​

77 Trial Operations undertaken
91 evacuation scenarios undertaken
10 joint Trial Operations undertaken, with one volunteer exercise
One full station evacuation undertaken

 

[AlbertBeale]

Travelled through Tottenham Court Road last night - lots of Elizabeth line signage throughout the concourse and on the Northern line platforms, which is exciting!
Interestingly they use the roundel on directional signage as well as the coloured line vs just the coloured line for Tube lines. Small detail, I know!

Perhaps the coloured roundel is a sign of TfL recognition that Crossrail / E Line isn't another tube line, the signs being more analogous to an interchange with Overground / Thameslink / other NR etc when interchanges are shown with a symbol as well as wording; whereas Underground connections with other Underground lines show just the line name with line colour.

 

[matt_world2004]

The target is to get all paperwork signed off with the ORR by the 28th April

 

[thomalex]

Perhaps the coloured roundel is a sign of TfL recognition that Crossrail / E Line isn't another tube line, the signs being more analogous to an interchange with Overground / Thameslink / other NR etc when interchanges are shown with a symbol as well as wording; whereas Underground connections with other Underground lines show just the line name with line colour.

Well it is technically and had the name Crossrail being used that may have been made clearer it is a mode not a line of the tube and is equivalent to Overground or DLR. However ever since going with the Elizabeth line designation this is going to be seen as a tube line by the public and over time I feel it will end up under the Underground umbrella.

And actually I think is the best outcome. The Underground as it is covers widely different services and if you can currently have such different services as the Met line to Amersham and the Victoria line to Brixton as the same mode then I fail to see why it can't be stretched to include the Elizabeth line. Yes the trains are longer and the stops further apart but it's a TfL service that runs under central London and until now has been all that's required to be part of the Underground mode.

Just call it a new tube line and have done with it, it's going to happen anyway.

 

[ijmad]

The target is to get all paperwork signed off with the ORR by the 28th April

Local elections on May 5th marks the end of Purdah.

So opening on Sunday 8th or Monday 9th May? I fancy a wager...

 

[JonathanH]

Local elections on May 5th marks the end of Purdah.

So opening on Sunday 8th or Monday 9th May? I fancy a wager...

Isn't the following, timetable change, weekend considered more likely (despite the fact that the timetable change would appear to have no actual bearing on things)?

That said, isn't there still 24tph testing to do before it opens? I note there are RTT times in for this on 1 May with associated access to Acton Main Line and Stratford / Ilford but another date after then was mentioned up thread. Opening the service and then having days when it is shut for testing wouldn't be good.

 

[matt_world2004]

Well it is technically and had the name Crossrail being used that may have been made clearer it is a mode not a line of the tube and is equivalent to Overground or DLR. However ever since going with the Elizabeth line designation this is going to be seen as a tube line by the public and over time I feel it will end up under the Underground umbrella.

And actually I think is the best outcome. The Underground as it is covers widely different services and if you can currently have such different services as the Met line to Amersham and the Victoria line to Brixton as the same mode then I fail to see why it can't be stretched to include the Elizabeth line. Yes the trains are longer and the stops further apart but it's a TfL service that runs under central London and until now has been all that's required to be part of the Underground mode.

Just call it a new tube line and have done with it, it's going to happen anyway.

The problem with branding it a tube line is that tube tickets are not valid through the whole route. A big issue with this is where crossrail has a common destination with the tube and tickets aren't interavailable like Heathrow

But any zonal destination beyond the core also suffers this problem

 

[JonathanH]

The problem with branding it a tube line is that tube tickets are not valid through the whole route. A big issue with this is where crossrail has a common destination with the tube and tickets aren't interavailable like Heathrow

What is a 'tube ticket' these days with Oyster and Contactless use so widespread?

I get that through journeys like Hayes & Harlington to Hatton Cross can't be made via Heathrow on Oyster as a through fare but Oyster is valid everywhere other than beyond West Drayton, just on a different fare scale.

 

[matt_world2004]

What is a 'tube ticket' these days with Oyster and Contactless use so widespread?

I get that through journeys like Hayes & Harlington to Hatton Cross can't be made via Heathrow on Oyster as a through fare but Oyster is valid everywhere other than beyond West Drayton, just on a different fare scale.

A paper ticket brought from a Lu ticket machine often has London underground zone X. As a destination. They may be a minority of tickets but if you are going to brand something as a tube line .the branding should not be confusing enough that a consumer buys the wrong ticket

 

[reddragon]

Local elections on May 5th marks the end of Purdah.

So opening on Sunday 8th or Monday 9th May? I fancy a wager...

You would not win!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Apr 2022 ==

Isn't the following, timetable change, weekend considered more likely (despite the fact that the timetable change would appear to have no actual bearing on things)?

That said, isn't there still 24tph testing to do before it opens? I note there are RTT times in for this on 1 May with associated access to Acton Main Line and Stratford / Ilford but another date after then was mentioned up thread. Opening the service and then having days when it is shut for testing wouldn't be good.

Getting warmer