Crossrail - operating discussion and opening day 24th May

[Bald Rick]

Are tomorrows Crossrail trains to Ilford from Paddington the first through trains in passenger service from Paddington to Ilford?

It‘s a test event, you won’t (shouldn’t) be able to board them.

 

[Benjwri]

Looking at the TfL Engineering calendar here, Saturday 12th November states:

Saturday 12 November, no service between Whitechapel and Shenfield. The limited services between Liverpool Street main line platforms and Shenfield will also not operate.

Speaking about trains between Whitechapel and Shenfield, and calling the mainline platform trains a 'limited service' suggests through running begins before then. Backs up the rumours of November 6th.

The constant closed on Sundays and limited hours message is still ending at the end of September, further adding to hope we might get Sunday services.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

It‘s a test event, you won’t (shouldn’t) be able to board them.

Also some Stratford to West Ealing services

 

[ijmad]

Looking at the TfL Engineering calendar here, Saturday 12th November states:

Speaking about trains between Whitechapel and Shenfield, and calling the mainline platform trains a 'limited service' suggests through running begins before then. Backs up the rumours of November 6th.

The constant closed on Sundays and limited hours message is still ending at the end of September, further adding to hope we might get Sunday services.

Pretty strong corroboration. Although (unrelated to beginning of through running) - I thought the peak trains into Liverpool Street high level were only running on weekdays?

 

[Stephen42]

Pretty strong corroboration. Although (unrelated to beginning of through running) - I thought the peak trains into Liverpool Street high level were only running on weekdays?

Yes, the message probably relates to a revised Sunday service to reinforce there will no trains rather than only trains to high level. Compare to Sunday 23rd October which counts the current Sunday frequency as reduced frequency presumably as using just the high level platforms.

Sunday 23 October, a reduced frequency of 4 trains per hour will operate between Liverpool Street and Shenfield

 

[Horizon22]

They are Class 9 on RTT and show as passenger so I guess that's an error?


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Aug 2022 ==

Just looked on TPE ticket sales and it shows Acton Main Lone to Stratford changing once at Farringdon....and you can buy tickets for it but then it also states "test train not for public use" for both so very poor.

It's not an error. They are test trains as another trial for through-running prior to Autumn. They shouldn't be showing up as available to buy though.

 

[Stephen42]

It's not an error. They are test trains as another trial for through-running prior to Autumn. They shouldn't be showing up as available to buy though.

It's unclear whether they needed to be entered as advertised passenger though. Potentially there was a reason given ones after around 4pm the schedules were marked as unadvertised according to Real Time Trains.

The next through running Sunday with the same schedules from a quick glance on the 4th September from Real Time Trains has them all marked as unadvertised.

 

[Bigbru]

It's unclear whether they needed to be entered as advertised passenger though. Potentially there was a reason given ones after around 4pm the schedules were marked as unadvertised according to Real Time Trains.

The next through running Sunday with the same schedules from a quick glance on the 4th September from Real Time Trains has them all marked as unadvertised.

It probably helps test everything, such as all the platform PIS screens. It's all interlinked they might not be able to run it them without being 'in passenger service'

 

[SussexSeagull]

I travelled from Durrington to Stratford yesterday and the National Rail app had a strange setup where it listed the Crossrail test trains but told you not to use them! Pity, as Thameslink to Farringdon then Crossrail to Stratford would have been a quite direct way of getting there.

 

[AlbertBeale]

Also some Stratford to West Ealing services

I thought there were no plans for services from Stratford to go beyond Paddington in the foreseeable future anyway? So why include that connection in test running?

 

[Benjwri]

I thought there were no plans for services from Stratford to go beyond Paddington in the foreseeable future anyway? So why include that connection in test running?

Because it minimises the trains used. That way the connection onto both the East and Western section can be tested by one train, meaning the other stock can undergo maintenance and be used on normal running.

 

[AlbertBeale]

Because it minimises the trains used. That way the connection onto both the East and Western section can be tested by one train, meaning the other stock can undergo maintenance and be used on normal running.

That makes sense! Thanks.

 

[andrew749]

It could also help for differentiating between generalised issues at a signalling interface versus train-based issues (e.g. unit A has problems when switching between signalling systems at both ends, whereas unit B doesn't, and unit C has problems only at one interface).

 

[Bald Rick]

I thought there were no plans for services from Stratford to go beyond Paddington in the foreseeable future anyway? So why include that connection in test running?

There will be a few service trains from the GEML going beyond Paddington, typically at the beginning and end of the day.

 

[Falcon1200]

They are Class 9 on RTT and show as passenger so I guess that's an error?

Any particular reason why the test trains should be Class 9 as per the passenger service, rather than Class 5 ?

 

[AlbertBeale]

There will be a few service trains from the GEML going beyond Paddington, typically at the beginning and end of the day.

Do/will some of the East-Paddington units be stabled somewhere out west with West-Abbey Wood units? In which case this would be some trains doing the Paddington interface in service rather than (currently) out of service? Or is it for stock rotation? Or maintaining driver familiarity?

 

[Bald Rick]

Do/will some of the East-Paddington units be stabled somewhere out west with West-Abbey Wood units? In which case this would be some trains doing the Paddington interface in service rather than (currently) out of service? Or is it for stock rotation? Or maintaining driver familiarity?

2/3 Yes!

 

[Mikey C]

Was there a planned reduced service on Saturday, as they seemed to be only running every 10 minutes at 7pm?

 

[Horizon22]

There will be a few service trains from the GEML going beyond Paddington, typically at the beginning and end of the day.

To be fair, there are already a fair few ECS moves that do this.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Aug 2022 ==

Was there a planned reduced service on Saturday, as they seemed to be only running every 10 minutes at 7pm?

Strike day contingency - can't run a full service otherwise units get stranded in the central section and can't get to depots on NR infrastructure after the signallers finished at 1900.

 

[TFN]

Was there a planned reduced service on Saturday, as they seemed to be only running every 10 minutes at 7pm?

Probably in relation to the RMT strike action as MTR arranged some trains to enter Old Oak before it wouldn't be possible after 1830/1900.

 

[Mikey C]

Thanks, I was quite surprised as there was clearly a planned 10 minute frequency, rather than a one off gap

 

[Horizon22]

Thanks, I was quite surprised as there was clearly a planned 10 minute frequency, rather than a one off gap

A planned withdrawal - every other train going into Old Oak so the frequencies ease down in order until 6tph is reached.


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Aug 2022 ==

Here’s a secondary, public source of the 6th November opening date.

https://twitter.com/bbctomedwards/status/1561971522914451457?s=21&t=Hcz5m7ZmJKRLknpBl-E_pw

NEW: Next stage of Elizabeth line to open Nov 6 & Bond St station. More services, fewer changes ie Reading - Abbey Wood & Shenfield - Paddington with no change. Becomes 2 railways not 3.

 

[matt_world2004]

I thought there were no plans for services from Stratford to go beyond Paddington in the foreseeable future anyway? So why include that connection in test running?

I think they are just testing that service pattern because it allows the two transition points to be tested. Doesn't mean that pattern would be used in regular service

 

[Basil Jet]

I think they are just testing that service pattern because it allows the two transition points to be tested. Doesn't mean that pattern would be used in regular service

But this will not test frequent flipping of the points at Stepney Green and Westbourne Park every couple of minutes, unless they are flipping them for ghost trains as part of the test.

 

[Mag_seven]

Discussion in this thread should be confined to Crossrail currently.

For discussion about the through running from November please use this thread:

Crossrail - Through Running confirmed for November

Moderator note : split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/crossrail-operating-discussion-and-opening-day-24th-may.232157/ Crossrail releases its through running date on Social Media.

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[matt_world2004]

But this will not test frequent flipping of the points at Stepney Green and Westbourne Park every couple of minutes, unless they are flipping them for ghost trains as part of the test.

They were still running trains between Abbey wood and Acton West Ealing too

 

[InOban]

WRT Bond Street, in the run up to the original start of services, the Project Team would announce when each station had been handed over to Operations, the staff who will actually run the station. Has this happened to Bond Street? If not the handover will give us an indication of when it is likely to open.

 

[Dstock7080]

earlier start from 5 September:

https://content.tfl.gov.uk/elizabeth-line-paddington-abbey-wood.pdf

from Abbey Wood:
05.34, 05.44, 05.54, 06.04, 06.14, 06.20, 06.25, 06.30.
from Paddington:
05.44, 05.48, 05.53, 05.58, 06.03, 06.13, 06.18, 06.23, 06.28.

 

[mrmartin]

Does anyone know what times trains will run to eventually? Similar time to now or a bit later?

Also, anyone seen any updates on 4G?

 

[alholmes]

Does anyone know what times trains will run to eventually? Similar time to now or a bit later?

A look at RTT for November 7th shows last through trains from Tottenham Court Road to the following destinations:

East:
00:04 Abbey Wood
00:27 Shenfield

West:
22:30 Reading
23:10 Heathrow T4
23:30 Maidenhead
00:29 Paddington