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

[Archbemesis]

Tottenham Court Road, according to social media.

Staff at TCR told me they’d be available from next Monday. How’s they get it then? Or was I unlucky in trying to get one

 

[TFN]

I've managed to get one from Charing Cross today

 

[bluegoblin7]

They're not officially meant to be available until Monday, but some stations have (incorrectly) released them early.

The tweet from TfL is correct in where they will be available from then (although perhaps allow a few days, because certainly on LUL emptying all Oyster caddies and reloading them is quite an arduous task).

 

[AM9]

That's a London-centric view though. People in, say, Maidenhead might have a different opinion. There's no tube in Maidenhead and the class 345 trains are already their local service - they're 'the train'. They're not going to call it 'the tube' from the 24th.

And that's a very non-southeast centric view that people from as far away as 23miles are as unfamiliar with the tube as many Londoners. I've lived as far away as Colchester (52miles), Portsmouth (70+ miles) and Fareham (75+ miles), and plenty of locals (not necessarily commuters) were quite familiar with the tube in detail through numerous visits to London. In other words, leisure and family travel to London from the Home Counties and beyong is quite common in this part of England.

 

[317 forever]

Has anyone else just noticed that they've just shot themselves in the foot (well, a little anyway) by creating a poster with a unit advertising "Welcome aboard your new train, part of the Elizabeth Line from December 2018"

Not only is the date wrong, but it is not necessarily a new train either, although it may be new into service.

 

[AM9]

On Thameslink, the Peterborough/Cambridge services that don't go through the core start/terminate at King's Cross instead of using the usual platforms at St Pancras "Low Level" (as can be seen by searching for Thameslink departures at Finsbury Park to/from Stevenage) so no consistency there, but perhaps there are operational reasons precluding terminating inside the Thameslink core (especially with other services passing through throughout the night) that don't apply to Crossrail. (On the other Thameslink branches it looks like trains that don't run end to end run always run through the core before terminating/after starting, instead of terminating/starting short of the core.)

That's because there's no permanent facility to turn trains at St Pancras. Kings Cross has 9 full length and three reduced length platforms with about 33 movements through the tunnels. St Pancras high level has only 4 for everything plus two in the core and there are over 35 movements south of Kentish Town even in the off-peak hours.
The EMR timetable makes pretty full use of platforms 1-4 upstairs, so apart from when there are possessions on the core and a reduced timetable with fast turnrounds operates into platform 1 there, everything that goes south of Luton must go through the core.

 

[coppercapped]

And that's a very non-southeast centric view that people from as far away as 23miles are as unfamiliar with the tube as many Londoners. I've lived as far away as Colchester (52miles), Portsmouth (70+ miles) and Fareham (75+ miles), and plenty of locals (not necessarily commuters) were quite familiar with the tube in detail through numerous visits to London. In other words, leisure and family travel to London from the Home Counties and beyong is quite common in this part of England.

With due respect, I don't think that's quite the point that Roger100 was making. As I understand his post he was saying that simply because the Crossrail trains from Maidenhead to London will at some later date go under London people will from that time onwards call it 'The Tube'. This is a different argument than whether or not people living outside London do or do not have a detailed knowledge of the Underground system.

I have to agree with Roger100. I reckon it will be the exception if anyone in Maidenhead (or any other similar station) will say that 'I'm catching the Tube to Slough (or Hayes or Reading)'. They'll be taking the train.

 

[didcotdean]

A number of lifelong Fulham residents in my family usually refer to the District Line as 'the train'. They haven't needed to be more specific, although I suppose the Overground impinges a bit on this now.

 

[AM9]

With due respect, I don't think that's quite the point that Roger100 was making. As I understand his post he was saying that simply because the Crossrail trains from Maidenhead to London will at some later date go under London people will from that time onwards call it 'The Tube'. This is a different argument than whether or not people living outside London do or do not have a detailed knowledge of the Underground system.

I have to agree with Roger100. I reckon it will be the exception if anyone in Maidenhead (or any other similar station) will say that 'I'm catching the Tube to Slough (or Hayes or Reading)'. They'll be taking the train.

I wasn't even suggesting that people from outside London (which for convenience consider to be outside zones 1-6) would call the Elizabeth line the 'tube', - any more than Londoners would, merely that as with most Londoners, they are familiar with the geography of the transport networks in as much as they need to use them and don't have a problem with whatever TfL choose to promote it as. I don't agree with @thomalex's assertion that it needs to be addressed urgently but that view isn't "London centric" as London in the context of this thread involves travel along the whole of the new line. As I pointed out above, most people who live within (say) 45 minutes or £20 trainfare of the capital would normally only consider travelling thereby train and would be familiar with all they need to know to so. I do think that many not living within that travel area tend to consider London just like several other conurbations in the UK when in fact it is quite different and truly is a region in travel terms.

 

[FOH]

I'm hoping this opening leads to wholesale updating of in car diagrams on the S Stock. I've just been on several today where the diagram colours have faded away.
I also noticed some have a patch over Liverpool St. I wonder does it say Crossrail underneath...

 

[Snow1964]

I'm hoping this opening leads to wholesale updating of in car diagrams on the S Stock. I've just been on several today where the diagram colours have faded away.
I also noticed some have a patch over Liverpool St. I wonder does it say Crossrail underneath...

The S stock car diagrams would need changing again when through services happen at Liverpool Street and Paddington, and I think there are still ongoing temporary changes at South Kensington.

The new Elizabeth line map (see link) states that trains to the West will use platforms 11, 12 or 14 at Paddington. Does that mean they are banned from the other platforms, or is that just the normally used ones

https://content.tfl.gov.uk/elizabeth-line-car-line-diagram-may-2022.pdf

 

[DaveF63]

Which of the Crossrail central stations are classified as 'New' & which are 'Extensions'?

From Railway Codes I've found eight with different CRS codes to their National Rail counterparts:
Paddington Crossrail PDX
Farringdon Crossrail FDX
London Liverpool Street Crossrail LSX
Whitechapel Crossrail WHX
Canary Wharf Crossrail CWX
Woolwich Crossrail WWC
Custom House Crossrail CUS
Abbey Wood Crossrail ABX

What is the situation with Tottenham Court Road & Bond St?

 

[matt_world2004]

Which of the Crossrail central stations are classified as 'New' & which are 'Extensions'?

From Railway Codes I've found eight with different CRS codes to their National Rail counterparts:
Paddington Crossrail PDX
Farringdon Crossrail FDX
London Liverpool Street Crossrail LSX
Whitechapel Crossrail WHX
Canary Wharf Crossrail CWX
Woolwich Crossrail WWC
Custom House Crossrail CUS
Abbey Wood Crossrail ABX

What is the situation with Tottenham Court Road & Bond St?

TCR Tottenham court road,BDS Bond Street

 

[Watershed]

Which of the Crossrail central stations are classified as 'New' & which are 'Extensions'?

From Railway Codes I've found eight with different CRS codes to their National Rail counterparts:
Paddington Crossrail PDX
Farringdon Crossrail FDX
London Liverpool Street Crossrail LSX
Whitechapel Crossrail WHX
Canary Wharf Crossrail CWX
Woolwich Crossrail WWC
Custom House Crossrail CUS
Abbey Wood Crossrail ABX

What is the situation with Tottenham Court Road & Bond St?

Depends on your definition of new. If you use the definition of 'behind its own gateline' then Paddington, Canary Wharf, Woolwich and Custom House are the only truly new stations, though all of those except Woolwich already have a TfL station either there or in the immediate vicinity. Woolwich is also just 250 yards down the road from Woolwich Arsenal station.

 

[Roast Veg]

Depends on your definition of new. If you use the definition of 'behind its own gateline' then Paddington, Canary Wharf, Woolwich and Custom House are the only truly new stations, though all of those except Woolwich already have a TfL station either there or in the immediate vicinity. Woolwich is also just 250 yards down the road from Woolwich Arsenal station.

Quite right, too, in somewhere so dense as central London where connectivity is key.

 

[Roger100]

And that's a very non-southeast centric view that people from as far away as 23miles are as unfamiliar with the tube as many Londoners. I've lived as far away as Colchester (52miles), Portsmouth (70+ miles) and Fareham (75+ miles), and plenty of locals (not necessarily commuters) were quite familiar with the tube in detail through numerous visits to London. In other words, leisure and family travel to London from the Home Counties and beyong is quite common in this part of England.

I am quite familiar with the tube and getting around in London although I live in a village between Hartlepool and Durham. I lived around Slough for about 70 years. But I don't see any desire to call the mainline trains any different to what they've always been called, despite them going underground for a bit at Paddington. People will still get the train to London and change to the tube. Interestingly my usual destinations in London will be no easier to get to even when the new line is fully open, and that applies whether I travel from up here (usually Hartlepool to KX by GC) or from Slough. I'd still switch to the tube at KX or Paddington. Presumably the new line is not intended for people like me.

London people who usually travel from their local tube station may well see the new line as an extension of the tube network. But do they need to travel to Slough or Reading on a frequent basis?

 

[Dstock7080]

I'm hoping this opening leads to wholesale updating of in car diagrams on the S Stock. I've just been on several today where the diagram colours have faded away.
I also noticed some have a patch over Liverpool St. I wonder does it say Crossrail underneath...

S7 ones are coming, large stock waiting in depots, South Kensington (PICC) shown as open
The patch was to add “TfL Rail”

 

[AM9]

I am quite familiar with the tube and getting around in London although I live in a village between Hartlepool and Durham. I lived around Slough for about 70 years. But I don't see any desire to call the mainline trains any different to what they've always been called, despite them going underground for a bit at Paddington. People will still get the train to London and change to the tube. Interestingly my usual destinations in London will be no easier to get to even when the new line is fully open, and that applies whether I travel from up here (usually Hartlepool to KX by GC) or from Slough. I'd still switch to the tube at KX or Paddington. Presumably the new line is not intended for people like me.

London people who usually travel from their local tube station may well see the new line as an extension of the tube network. But do they need to travel to Slough or Reading on a frequent basis?

My point is that it doesn't matter whether it is called an underground line, a national rail line or anything else, - given the amount of publicity it and will be getting in the south-east, most people who do venture occasionally into central London will be aware of how it can affect their travel choices. They will be aware that it is included in a Travelcard validity and (difficult to avoid) that it is run by TfL. I also predict that it will commonly be known as the 'Liz' or 'Lizzy' within a very short time. Although Thameslink is functionally similar to Crossrail, Its official name has stuck over the years.

 

[FOH]

S7 ones are coming, large stock waiting in depots, South Kensington (PICC) shown as open
The patch was to add “TfL Rail”

Great news. Thanks

 

[Bigbru]

I've noticed realtimetrains now list the trains when searching the normal mainline stations

Realtime Trains | Live Departures from London Paddington

Live train information at London Paddington. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Taunton]

Can someone help me with a list of the contractors who worked on Crossrail.

Starting point would be the companies, often joint ventures, who did the various main contract sections of the line. They in turn passed work out to specialists like Mechanical & Electrical contractors, some of whom worked for multiple of the main contractors. If I can be pointed to a web page somewhere which starts to list these, I would be grateful.

 

[Snow1964]

Can someone help me with a list of the contractors who worked on Crossrail.

Starting point would be the companies, often joint ventures, who did the various main contract sections of the line. They in turn passed work out to specialists like Mechanical & Electrical contractors, some of whom worked for multiple of the main contractors. If I can be pointed to a web page somewhere which starts to list these, I would be grateful.

Welcome to Crossrail

Crossrail Ltd has delivered the Elizabeth line - a new railway for London and the South East, running from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through 42km of new tunnels under London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. The Elizabeth line has 41 accessible stations including 10 major new...

www.crossrail.co.uk

There is a link on bottom to export it

 

[JonathanH]

I've noticed realtimetrains now list the trains when searching the normal mainline stations

Realtime Trains | Live Departures from London Paddington

Live train information at London Paddington. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Yes, previously they were shown as operating from PDX for Paddington and ABX for Abbey Wood. They now show at Paddington (PAD) and Abbey Wood (ABW) mainline stations.

 

[Lifelong]

Will there be (officially, or even on this forum ) a guide to Easy Interchanges for the E Line? By which I mean 'sit in this carriage for easy exit at Y station'. I understand on the tube that this is discouraged to avoid bunching, but given the extreme length of the trains, it's quite easy to see that time advantage could be entirely eradicated by being at the wrong end of the train for your desired exit...

 

[Taunton]

Welcome to Crossrail

Crossrail Ltd has delivered the Elizabeth line - a new railway for London and the South East, running from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through 42km of new tunnels under London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. The Elizabeth line has 41 accessible stations including 10 major new...

www.crossrail.co.uk

There is a link on bottom to export it

Thank you for that. Had not found it previously.

 

[SynthD]

Will there be (officially, or even on this forum ) a guide to Easy Interchanges for the E Line? By which I mean 'sit in this carriage for easy exit at Y station'. I understand on the tube that this is discouraged to avoid bunching, but given the extreme length of the trains, it's quite easy to see that time advantage could be entirely eradicated by being at the wrong end of the train for your desired exit...

Citymapper will probably add ‘best section’ as they have for the tube. I have an app called tube exits, which is more specific. It’s no longer available in the App Store, so it won’t be updated, but I see others there.

 

[Snow1964]

…… And the first closure due to Engineering work has been announced : Saturday 11th June Paddington to Abbey Wood

Stunningly Elizabeth Line West has reduced service after 20:00 on opening day (24th) and following 2 days

https://content.tfl.gov.uk/planned-track-closures.pdf

It now seems line is referred to Elizabeth Line Central or Elizabeth Line West or Elizabeth Line East

Both Elizabeth Line East & West shows as both having reduced service on Sunday 19th June on above document.

 

[CapitalStar378]

…… And the first closure due to Engineering work has been announced : Saturday 11th June Paddington to Abbey Wood

Stunningly Elizabeth Line West has reduced service after 20:00 on opening day (24th) and following 2 days

https://content.tfl.gov.uk/planned-track-closures.pdf

It now seems line is referred to Elizabeth Line Central or Elizabeth Line West or Elizabeth Line East

Both Elizabeth Line East & West shows as both having reduced service on Sunday 19th June on above document.

And Central section closure on Saturday's 30th July & 29th October, assumedly this won't be a regular event in the longer term considering there have been permanent engineering works for the last 13 years!

 

[Taunton]

And Central section closure on Saturday's 30th July & 29th October, assumedly this won't be a regular event in the longer term considering there have been permanent engineering works for the last 13 years!

This looks like having a weekend every 3 months for whatever. TfL does a similar approach with their roads, overnight closures for what works may be to hand every 3 months, such as the road tunnel to Canary Wharf. The DLR has it on each branch once a year.

 

[sharpinf]

S7 ones are coming, large stock waiting in depots, South Kensington (PICC) shown as open
The patch was to add “TfL Rail”

Great news. Thanks

Got off 21510 running train 52 earlier and saw the carriage maps have already been updated on this unit (interestingly not the Central London Tube Maps above the car doors though still dated 12/18)