Crossrail - operating discussion and opening day 24th May

[Mojo]

Why does the clock on the electronic display on the central section count down to the arrival time of the train not the departure time ?

Perhaps because of the specification as this is how it works on the Underground, with the exception of the Central line (and terminus platforms, including the LCD screens on the Met platforms 1-4 at Baker St)?

 

[Acton1991]

Also noticing a lot of bikes in the west during peak hours. Wonder if that will be policed once through running occurs as I don’t believe they’re permitted?

 

[Benjwri]

Also noticing a lot of bikes in the west during peak hours. Wonder if that will be policed once through running occurs as I don’t believe they’re permitted?

They're forbidden at peak times on beth trains in the west, central and east sections, so I doubt much will change with through running, as it's already quite a large problem at the Paddington gateline.

 

[stuu]

I have finally been on Crossrail as I was in London a couple of times this week. The dwells at each station seem very long, much longer than the tube or even Thameslink. Is that an allowance for Bond Street and also because it's new?

 

[pbin]

I have finally been on Crossrail as I was in London a couple of times this week. The dwells at each station seem very long, much longer than the tube or even Thameslink. Is that an allowance for Bond Street and also because it's new?

I’m pretty sure it’s only because of the 12tph service (please correct me if I’m wrong) and it should be reduced once the more intensive service is introduced. For Bond Street, TSRs have been set up either side of the station as an allowance.

 

[grandgarrande]

I’m pretty sure it’s only because of the 12tph service (please correct me if I’m wrong) and it should be reduced once the more intensive service is introduced. For Bond Street, TSRs have been set up either side of the station as an allowance.

In the spec Padington, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Canary Wharf and Stratford have dwell times of 60 seconds as they are major destinations. Also to aid recovery times as a late running train can gain upto four minutes passing through the central operating Section.

 

[rd749249]

There are no TSRs around Bond St.

 

[Bikeman78]

That's not so. There are plenty of people who can be seen to be walking up and down the train through multiple carriages.

Surely the bottleneck is with people standing in groups elsewhere. Something the designers seem to miss, with their claims of the ease of walking up and down the train, but also that there is space for x hundred of standees. Guess what, it's the same floorspace they are talking about twice.

Conversely, I'm amazed that many people getting off a down train at Harold Wood or Brentwood don't walk through the train but walk the length of the platform instead.

 

[Bald Rick]

I have finally been on Crossrail as I was in London a couple of times this week. The dwells at each station seem very long, much longer than the tube or even Thameslink. Is that an allowance for Bond Street and also because it's new?

Yes!

 

[ATS3]

Conversely, I'm amazed that many people getting off a down train at Harold Wood or Brentwood don't walk through the train but walk the length of the platform instead.

More convenient to walk down the entire platform than wade through endless seas of people standing (or even sitting) I find sometimes

 

[Mojo]

More convenient to walk down the entire platform than wade through endless seas of people standing (or even sitting) I find sometimes

Also if it’s anything like on the S stocks you get loads of people staring at you which can be quite embarrassing.

 

[AM9]

which can be quite embarrassing.

for whom and why?

 

[345 050]

There are no TSRs around Bond St.

That may well be correct, but it does feel like the trains are deliberately slowed down on the approach to Bond St, and speed up once the front of train leaves the station.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Oct 2022 ==

I have finally been on Crossrail as I was in London a couple of times this week. The dwells at each station seem very long, much longer than the tube or even Thameslink. Is that an allowance for Bond Street and also because it's new?

The dwell times are certainly higher than on LU services, but I would say they are lower than Thameslink. Thameslink often has delays tho, which masks the dwell times because trains reduce dwell time to make up time to schedule. The dwell times also feel super long on EL because boarding and alighting is so efficient with three doors on every carriage.

The dwell times will not change when through services start, except at Paddington which will likely need to be reduced to allow the increase above 12tph.

 

[Benjwri]

That may well be correct, but it does feel like the trains are deliberately slowed down on the approach to Bond St, and speed up once the front of train leaves the station.

I can't find it right now, but at one point it was said that the trains are slowed through platforms by CBTC, although I can't remember the specific speed.

 

[Mojo]

for whom and why?

It’s a bit much having numerous people staring inquisitively at you when you walk down the train!

 

[stuu]

There are no TSRs around Bond St.

There may not be any TSRs, but there obviously is a lower line speed through the platforms, presumably to reduce pressure on the PSDs

 

[AM9]

It’s a bit much having numerous people staring inquisitively at you when you walk down the train!

I think that you are imagining too much into people just looking at you. It's not as if there's much else to look at except the person sitting opposite them, and TfL is trying to make that a no no on the tube now.
Also on a long platform, there's likely to be just as many lookers for the same ordeal, except that they have an opportunity so see you even further in advance and for even longer after you have passed them.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

In the spec Paddington, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Canary Wharf and Stratford have dwell times of 60 seconds as they are major destinations. Also to aid recovery times as a late running train can gain upto four minutes passing through the central operating Section.

From what I can see on RTT, when through running starts there will be eastbound dwells of 1.5-5 minutes at Westbourne Park, presumably to ensure trains arrive at Paddington at the correct time.
This one (Reading-Abbey Wood) is 5 minutes.

Realtime Trains | 9U79 0825 Reading to Abbey Wood | 08/11/2022

Real-time train running information for 9U79 0825 departure from Reading to Abbey Wood on 08/11/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Watershed]

From what I can see on RTT, when through running starts there will be eastbound dwells of 1.5-5 minutes at Westbourne Park, presumably to ensure trains arrive at Paddington at the correct time.
This one (Reading-Abbey Wood) is 5 minutes.

Realtime Trains | 9U79 0825 Reading to Abbey Wood | 08/11/2022

Real-time train running information for 9U79 0825 departure from Reading to Abbey Wood on 08/11/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Those dwells are (allegedly) a temporary measure, as a result of through running starting before the paths on the western, eastern and core sections are fully aligned.

 

[Horizon22]

From what I can see on RTT, when through running starts there will be eastbound dwells of 1.5-5 minutes at Westbourne Park, presumably to ensure trains arrive at Paddington at the correct time.
This one (Reading-Abbey Wood) is 5 minutes.

Realtime Trains | 9U79 0825 Reading to Abbey Wood | 08/11/2022

Real-time train running information for 9U79 0825 departure from Reading to Abbey Wood on 08/11/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Yep up to 7 minutes & temporary until May. It’s already been discussed extensively in the other thread.

A note for when Bond Street does open for those that want to get off the station;

If you want Bond St Underground:

• If you’re coming from Paddington (+Heathrow / Reading) get off towards the back of the train
• If you’re coming from Abbey Wood (+ Shenfield) get off towards the front of the train

If you want Oxford Circus / Soho

• If you’re coming from Paddington (+Heathrow / Reading) get off towards the front of the train
• If you’re coming from Abbey Wood (+Shenfield) get off towards the back of the train

 

[Acton1991]

Yep up to 7 minutes & temporary until May. It’s already been discussed extensively in the other thread.

A note for when Bond Street does open for those that want to get off the station;

If you want Bond St Underground:

• If you’re coming from Paddington (+Heathrow / Reading) get off towards the back of the train
• If you’re coming from Abbey Wood (+ Shenfield) get off towards the front of the train

If you want Oxford Circus / Soho

• If you’re coming from Paddington (+Heathrow / Reading) get off towards the front of the train
• If you’re coming from Abbey Wood (+Shenfield) get off towards the back of the train

Interestingly, the signage at Bond Street just says 'Underground' with an arrow, vs the line name and associated coloured line.
Good top tip for exit points though, thank you!

 

[lawried123]

Yep up to 7 minutes & temporary until May. It’s already been discussed extensively in the other thread.

A note for when Bond Street does open for those that want to get off the station;

If you want Bond St Underground:

• If you’re coming from Paddington (+Heathrow / Reading) get off towards the back of the train
• If you’re coming from Abbey Wood (+ Shenfield) get off towards the front of the train

If you want Oxford Circus / Soho

• If you’re coming from Paddington (+Heathrow / Reading) get off towards the front of the train
• If you’re coming from Abbey Wood (+Shenfield) get off towards the back of the train

Although it may be up to 7 minutes at Westbourne Park, some of the Elizabeth line trains I've looked at will arrive Paddington 10 minutes later than they do now, so there must also be additional minutes put in further west.
Also some GWR trains are getting additional minutes put in too, like the 1717 from Twyford which will now arrive Paddington 4 minutes later then it does now. Hopefully only temporary, as they should be a lot faster from next May, except they won't be calling at Ealing Broadway so you won't be able to to change there on to a through Elizabeth line train. So you get the advantage of a nice fast comfortable train to Paddington but still have to fight your way through to the Elizabeth line platforms.

 

[Bikeman78]

More convenient to walk down the entire platform than wade through endless seas of people standing (or even sitting) I find sometimes

Not much wading required beyond Gidea Park to be honest. Most people get off at Romford or Gidea Park. I always walk through if I'm not already at the back. Some other people do too.

 

[Bigbru]

There may not be any TSRs, but there obviously is a lower line speed through the platforms, presumably to reduce pressure on the PSDs

Max line speed through platforms is 42mph. The train drives to arrive at the right time, so it only goes as fast as it needs to in order to pass Bond Street at the booked time, then speeds up to arrive at Paddington or Tottenham Court Road at the right time.
When Bond Street opens it will speed up to allow for the dwell time.

 

[Kilopylae]

Max line speed through platforms is 42mph

That's suprisingly fast, presumably because the PSDs make it safer?

 

[345 050]

I can't find it right now, but at one point it was said that the trains are slowed through platforms by CBTC, although I can't remember the specific speed.

Although if the service is running late, the slowing down is 'cancelled' and the service passes bond Street at line speed.

 

[James H]

Latest from TfL on the interchange validator situation at Farringdon:

We can advise that TfL are working to resolve this as soon as possible; there is a team working onsite to install two interchange passenger Oyster validators for customers at this location. We hope to have this work complete by 28 October 2022.

Source

 

[subk2010]

If you want Oxford Circus / Soho

• If you’re coming from Paddington (+Heathrow / Reading) get off towards the front of the train
• If you’re coming from Abbey Wood (+Shenfield) get off towards the back of the train

Is there an OSI between Bond Street Elizabeth Line Station and Oxford Circus LU Station?

 

[swt_passenger]

Is there an OSI between Bond Street Elizabeth Line Station and Oxford Circus LU Station?

Yes. Someone reported it had already been introduced, (ie between Bond St LU gateline and Oxford Circus), a few months ago.

 

[Horizon22]

Although if the service is running late, the slowing down is 'cancelled' and the service passes bond Street at line speed.

Yes trains can really make up a lot of time (5-6 minutes) between Abbey Wood and Paddington at the moment.