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

[Horizon22]

It's been reported in the Evening Standard that trial running has begun:

Transport chief targets Christmas opening of delayed Crossrail project

London’s transport commissioner has set himself the goal of getting Crossrail open by Christmas, the Evening Standard can reveal.

www.standard.co.uk

Trial running has begun with four trains an hour and Mr Byford is driving his team daily to get the £19 billion line open as soon as possible, with December 24 earmarked as a possible opening date.

However testing has to increase to 24 trains an hour with the final integration of the software that allows trains to communicate with the signals.

A 5U01 & 5U04 ran to Abbey Wood today: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/20438/2021-04-24/detailed. Albeit seemingly delayed on the transition.

 

[JonathanH]

It's been reported in the Evening Standard that trial running has begun:

Transport chief targets Christmas opening of delayed Crossrail project

London’s transport commissioner has set himself the goal of getting Crossrail open by Christmas, the Evening Standard can reveal.

www.standard.co.uk

A 5U01 & 5U04 ran to Abbey Wood today: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/20438/2021-04-24/detailed. Albeit seemingly delayed on the transition.

Yes, I noticed these moves, but it just looks like a stock transfer. There are already four 345s at Plumstead and this is swapping over two of those (which will return as 5Y77 and 5Y80 later). The same thing happened on Tuesday.

The STP moves I noted in message 143 in the open data feed to operate on Monday have now been removed. Instead, the first day they are shown is now 3 May.

I would contend that 'trial running' has not started yet, despite what the Evening Standard says.

 

[Horizon22]

Yes, I noticed these moves, but it just looks like a stock transfer. There are already four 345s at Plumstead and this is swapping over two of those.

The STP moves I noted in message 143 in the open data feed to operate on Monday have now been removed. Instead, the first day they are shown is now 3 May.

I would contend that 'trial running' has not started yet, despite what the Evening Standard says.

I would agree with you, I think starting on a Sunday or Monday is the likely date. I've not seen these "4tph" the ES mentions.

 

[iphone76]

We were told it has been delayed. Was due to be 26th April. No word of new date.

 

[Cletus]

It's been reported in the Evening Standard that trial running has begun:

Transport chief targets Christmas opening of delayed Crossrail project

London’s transport commissioner has set himself the goal of getting Crossrail open by Christmas, the Evening Standard can reveal.

www.standard.co.uk

A 5U01 & 5U04 ran to Abbey Wood today: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/20438/2021-04-24/detailed. Albeit seemingly delayed on the transition.

Is that 24th December this year or December 2024?

 

[Horizon22]

We were told it has been delayed. Was due to be 26th April. No word of new date.

If so, then Byford is misleading the press (or they've misinterpreted it which is also likely!)

 

[Snow1964]

Am I correct in thinking T-12 is 12 weeks to Handover

Therefore Tottenham Court Road is 7th May and Paddington 17th May (having been announced on 12th and 22nd February)

Anyone know how close Paddington, Liverpool Street and Whitechapel are to T-12.

I am guessing Bond Street is still running over 3 years late (wasn’t it supposed to be handed over Spring 2018 ?)

I wonder if Byford needs a before Christmas opening (which would explain 24th December) to meet some unpublished bonus or wager.

 

[Glenn1969]

Not sure why they would open Christmas Eve and then be closed like everything else Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Is the 27th actually more likely ?

 

[Ianno87]

Not sure why they would open Christmas Eve and then be closed like everything else Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Is the 27th actually more likely ?

The last piece of the Jubilee Line opening - Westminster Station- opened on 22nd December 1999.

 

[Glenn1969]

But that is 3 days of operation before the Christmas shutdown not just one

 

[CyrusWuff]

Not sure why they would open Christmas Eve and then be closed like everything else Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Is the 27th actually more likely ?

Because opening on the 24th lets them get "London's biggest Christmas present" type headlines, I suspect.

 

[samulih]

Or the timetable just lands on that day. Nothing more.

 

[JonathanH]

Testing using two units today (from Plumstead - the ones which moved from Old Oak Depot yesterday) at the Pudding Mill Lane Portal with a possession on the slow lines from Bethnal Green to Forest Gate.

 

[matt_world2004]

Is that 24th December this year or December 2024?

I don't think it will be December 24th but the network rail timetable change date in December this would allow them to combine the opening with other changes.

 

[hwl]

I don't think it will be December 24th but the network rail timetable change date in December this would allow them to combine the opening with other changes.

Abbey Wood-Paddington LL wouldn't need to interact with other changes so it might be easier to have it separate from the GWML/GWML changes? (i.e. slightly after)

 

[matt_world2004]

Abbey Wood-Paddington LL wouldn't need to interact with other changes so it might be easier to have it separate from the GWML/GWML changes? (i.e. slightly after)

Does for depot moves.

And by having it on the network rail timetable change date they can simultaneously rebrand tfl rail as the Elizabeth line and have a shared fleet between all three branches

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Seems to me since TfL assumed full responsibility for Crossrail they've become sclerotic in publishing minutes of the Elizabeth Line delivery Group meetings the last one being 4th Feb 21.

I also find it bizarre that Wild keeps referring to the Delivery Control Schedule needing more refinement until it can be released. At this stage of the project there can't be that much still to do other than schedule in running the system at full capacity and then rehearsing the various failure and emergency scenarios with the operations team before loading it up with real people in trial mode. All this ought to be well defined after an additional three years to prepare for it.

 

[Hadders]

The last piece of the Jubilee Line opening - Westminster Station- opened on 22nd December 1999.

They moved heaven and earth to get it open due to wanting open head of celebrations at the Millennium Dome on 31.12.1999

 

[flitwickbeds]

The staircase at Farringdon from the NR ticket hall down to the Crossrail escalators and Thameslink northbound platform opened this week.

 

[Hadders]

I noticed the steps were open yesterday when I got off a Thameslink train at Farringdon and couldn't resist a quick wander! Signage pointing to the Elizabeth Line was on display, not covered!

Hopefully not too much longer now....

 

[Dstock7080]

Tottenham Court Road Elizabeth line station transferred over to London Underground

In the early hours of Wednesday 5 May, Tottenham Court Road Elizabeth line station was transferred to London Underground from Crossrail. LU are now officially the landlords and infrastructure manager of the station.
Members of our Operational Readiness directorate joined the local station team and Crossrail colleagues on-site to ensure that the final stage of the transfer went smoothly, following years of planning and hard work.
The new station features sweeping 230-metre-long Elizabeth line platforms and ticket halls at either end, to support the new buildings at Dean Street in Soho and below St Giles Circus on Oxford Street. When it opens to customers, the Elizabeth line also offers step-free access from street to train.

LU Area Manager Camden Town & Tottenham Court Road, is now the Station Landlord. Tottenham Court Road is the third of the new Elizabeth line stations to be handed over to TfL and the second to LU as infrastructure manager.
London Underground’s Head of Station Integration said:

“The transfer of Tottenham Court Road station shows real progress in getting this railway integrated with our London Underground stations before they become part of our operational network.

“This is great news and follows on from Farringdon which was handed over in March. When the Elizabeth line opens, this large new station with two modern, spacious ticket halls will be a crucial gateway into central London providing a vital link with the Central and Northern lines.”

Area Manager Camden Town & Tottenham Court Road, said:

“I’m pleased to see the station completed at this stage and the impressive design and structure will be welcoming to our customers. My team and I are looking forward to welcoming customers on to the Elizabeth Line when the line enters revenue service.”

The Elizabeth line is still on track to open in the first half of 2022. Crossrail will move into the next major stage of the project, with the start of Trial Running and intensive testing later this year. Trial Operations is the final phase of testing involving trials to ensure the safety and reliability of the railway for public use. This includes real-time testing of evacuations of trains and stations before opening the Elizabeth line.

 

[ainsworth74]

Apologies if this has previously been shared but I came across this video recently which may be of interest to anyone else who hasn't yet seen it:

 

[Snow1964]

So now have Abbey Wood, Custom House, Farringdon, Tottenham Court Road handed over.
Paddington should be by 17 May (based on T-12 weeks date)

As far am I’m aware Liverpool Street, Whitechapel, Bond Street not yet reached T-12 so will be at least August before any of these handed over.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

That's very impressive. You can see how it cost £20 billion or so.
There looked to be plenty of work going on on the platform at Paddington.
Do we know what the regular line speed is, and whether the video represents a live run?

 

[swt_passenger]

That's very impressive. You can see how it cost £20 billion or so.
There looked to be plenty of work going on on the platform at Paddington.

It was first published in December (possibly shot earlier) so won’t reflect current state of Paddington.

 

[kevin_roche]

This was a run made in early December 2020 but without stops at any stations. IIRC maximum speed in the tunnels is 62mph and on the GWML and GEML 90mph. On the line to Abbey Wood it is 62mph.

 

[Dstock7080]

So now have Abbey Wood, Custom House, Farringdon, Tottenham Court Road handed over.
Paddington should be by 17 May (based on T-12 weeks date)

As far am I’m aware Liverpool Street, Whitechapel, Bond Street not yet reached T-12 so will be at least August before any of these handed over.

Liverpool Street is next from the staff info release today

 

[iphone76]

The fences/barriers on the platform extensions at Goodmayes (country end) and Ilford (London) were removed over the weekend. For the time being trains continue to stop at the existing stopping points.

 

[Bigbru]

They have removed the boarding behind the Paddington statue on platform 1 and replaced with wire fence so you can get a good view in now. It's also a lot colder on that side of the station.

 

[306024]

This was a run made in early December 2020 but without stops at any stations. IIRC maximum speed in the tunnels is 62mph and on the GWML and GEML 90mph. On the line to Abbey Wood it is 62mph.

The main lines between Maryland and Shenfield are 90mph, but the electric lines where the Crossrail trains operate are only a maximum of 70mph.