Crossrail BBC documentary: Fifteen Billion Pound Railway

[rebmcr]

This comment made me curious: I was under the impression that planning permission focused on the impact that works would have on the surrounding area, and that planning permission would therefore be invalidated if the design of something substantially changed in a way that would impact the local environment, or other nearby properties.

But the platform arrangement at Whitechapel is presumably entirely underground, so whatever the arrangement ends up as, you'd have expected that will have no significant impact above ground. I'm therefore curious as to how that might invalidate planning permission. Is there something about planning permission that I have misunderstood?

Whitechapel District line platforms are open-air.

 

[moose2001]

There was many mentions of ticket halls in the programme. Ticket halls? Thought these were being closed down now across much of the tube network so what is the purpose of building them now?

 

[Bald Rick]

There was many mentions of ticket halls in the programme. Ticket halls? Thought these were being closed down now across much of the tube network so what is the purpose of building them now?

Ticket hall - place to buy ticket from a machine
Ticket office - place to buy ticket from a person.

Ticket offices have closed. Ticket halls haven't.

 

[Cowley]

Just watched the first episode of this series. I watched all of the previous series when it was on and as before I found it very interesting.
Looking forward to part two, this is an impressive project I must say.

 

[FOH]

Just watched the first episode of this series. I watched all of the previous series when it was on and as before I found it very interesting.
Looking forward to part two, this is an impressive project I must say.

Didn't the Queen name the line in the last series or am I imagining it?

 

[RichmondCommu]

"Train stations". It's just a station for goodness' sake. :mad:

I never understand why people kick up a fuss about this. Does it really matter in the grand scheme of things?

 

[eMeS]

...
Looking forward to part two, this is an impressive project I must say.

I enjoyed watching Part 2 last night. Somewhat puzzled by the "need" for triple glazing at Paddington. Will it really make that much difference wrt double glazing? ... in a railway station where there will be huge draughts from the train pumping effect. A bit surprised at how young some of the project / programme managers were, and I wonder if this is a reflection on the quality of our current education system? What a wonderful experience - I graduated in 1962 & wasn't ready to manage a large project until I'd learnt some proper engineering for a few years...

 

[SpacePhoenix]

When they showed the TBM being cut up, would that have been for transportation to a new construction project or for recycling and scraping?

 

[AM9]

... Will it really make that much difference wrt double glazing? ... in a railway station where there will be huge draughts from the train pumping effect. ...

There won't be any pumping effect as the subterranean platformed Crossrail stations will have platform edge doors from floor to ceiling.

 

[AM9]

When they showed the TBM being cut up, would that have been for transportation to a new construction project or for recycling and scraping?

If its being recycled, it won't do any more scraping, - it will be scrapped!

 

[Dhassell]

I noticed yesterday that one of the workers called it a "New London Underground Line"

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Did the narrator really say "594 cars and carriages" at one point?:roll:

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Did the narrator really say "594 cars and carriages" at one point?:roll:

No I counted at least twice it was said - so I did the sums 66 x 9 cars

 

[DelW]

When they showed the TBM being cut up, would that have been for transportation to a new construction project or for recycling and scraping?

I've no specific knowledge of these particular TBMs, but AIUI, these machines are normally specific to one project, but contain fairly generic equipment within them. So unless there is a follow-on scheme that can use them as they are, I would expect them to be returned to the manufacturer who would strip them down, scrap the size-specific or worn out bits, and rebuild the rest into a future TBM.

 

[NickBucks]

Agreed with the point made by the train designer when viewing the mock up that there were insufficient handrails to hold especially as the trains are likely to be busy passing through the central core. Did I miss something when we saw the real thing ? The designer seemed happy but I cannot recall seeing how they addressed this point . Also funny how they focused on the small leak in the water test. Whilst integrity of design is important what happens on a wet day when passengers with wet macs and umbrellas climb aboard ? Surely water dispersal in the carriage should have been checked ?

 

[Cowley]

Re the TBMs, did I hear in the first series that one of them was to be sent off into it's own short section of tunnel to be sealed in and left there as it would be too expensive and not worth retrieving? Or am I wrong about that?

 

[pacenotes]

Yes, that is correct. It is too expensive to take them out so they bury them.

 

[Flying Phil]

I was impressed by the second programme as well. It certainly conveyed the complexity of the task and ability of the engineers to get the job done. I also was surprised at how young some of the managers were, but perhaps there is also a degree of TV license in the selection of "telegenic" characters? Mind you a lot of people seem to be getting younger these days......

 

[swt_passenger]

Yes, that is correct. It is too expensive to take them out so they bury them.

Some but definitely not all. It depends exactly how and where the particular tunnel drive finishes. The head end obviously has too large a diameter to be withdrawn through a completed tunnel, but most of the tail can be.

 

[edwin_m]

I seem to recall four were buried in the Farringdon area, two from the east and two from the west. As a lot of the fitting out had been done behind them in the meantime, the largest parts could not be removed whence they came and might have taken too long to cut into smaller pieces. Nevertheless it's possible that some smaller and more valuable parts were recovered.

 

[westv]

On thing I did find a little annoying in the program - and I know it comes up here fairly often, was the referencing to : The Train Tunnels, The Train Tracks, The Train Stations, Train Platforms. Annoying as it was (whatever happened to railway tracks, rail tunnels?) I did notice it nearly stopped half way through. .

But is it as annoying as when people type "program" instead of "programme"?

 

[AM9]

... Whilst integrity of design is important what happens on a wet day when passengers with wet macs and umbrellas climb aboard ? Surely water dispersal in the carriage should have been checked ?

Just how many gallons of water do you think these passengers will be carrying when they board? Should they pour buckets of water over the floor and then check how long the water level takes to fall down drains?
The floor near the doors may well get wet, but it will dry a lot quicker than on the 315s, thanks to the air conditioning.

 

[Andrewlong]

I enjoyed watching Part 2 last night. Somewhat puzzled by the "need" for triple glazing at Paddington. Will it really make that much difference wrt double glazing? ... in a railway station where there will be huge draughts from the train pumping effect. A bit surprised at how young some of the project / programme managers were, and I wonder if this is a reflection on the quality of our current education system? What a wonderful experience - I graduated in 1962 & wasn't ready to manage a large project until I'd learnt some proper engineering for a few years...

There was also an Engineer there looking after Whitechapel I think it was who had retired but had returned because he missed the buzz. Good for him. Must be a fantastic project to work on. Pity a lot of it is underground!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

No I counted at least twice it was said - so I did the sums 66 x 9 cars

Missing the point.

"...cars and carriages..."

?

 

[WatcherZero]

Gah! In the train mockup there were literally 6 grab poles within reach of him when he stretched his arms and he says nope, needs more grab bars.

 

[swt_passenger]

Far too much artificial jeopardy. All that underground station fit out had to be complete so that the first 345 could run on the GEML. Really?

 

[eMeS]

Far too much artificial jeopardy. ...

Totally agree, but that's normal for nearly all TV documentaries - it's to get us back after the break for adverts.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Unless I was starting to nod off I'm surprised that no mention was made of the gradients that must be on the route in order to avoid existing tunnels. And that no mention was made of the Connaught tunnel and all the work that has been done there.

 

[swt_passenger]

Unless I was starting to nod off I'm surprised that no mention was made of the gradients that must be on the route in order to avoid existing tunnels. And that no mention was made of the Connaught tunnel and all the work that has been done there.

The Connaught tunnel was covered at length in the previous series.

 

[AM9]

The Connaught tunnel was covered at length in the previous series.

Not sure what the steepest gradient is in the Crossrail core, but I doubt that it will be steeper than Thameslink's 1:28.
Modern EMUs can climb almost any gradient on UK mainline tracks with ease, especially if it is subterranean and not subject to poor railhead conditions.