Crossrail. What can you see?

[bangor-toad]

On Monday I'm in London with a zone 1-6 travelcard and a surprising bit of free time. I fancy going to look at the Crosdrail construction progress. What is worth looking for & is there actually anything that can be seen?

I don't have much time. I finish at the University of East London at noon and I've got to be at the Royal Courts of Justice by 3pm.
I gusss I'll see some work from the DLR around Excel & Custom. House.

What else is interesting, visible and possible to fit into the available time?

Thanks
Jason

 

[DynamicSpirit]

There's a lot of work visible between Plumstead and Abbey Wood, which you can see from the train for quite a bit of the journey between those stations (look out to the left if heading away from London) - that's not too far from Excel by DLR/train. You can see where they're building the Plumstead tunnel portal and some of the ground ready for the new line to Abbey Wood. Not sure if they are still there but a few weeks ago you could also see piles of large semi-circular blocks near the portal - I'm guessing (though not certain) they are to become the tunnel lining.There's also visible land clearance to either side of Abbey Wood station itself, which you can get a good view of from the station footbridge (although land clearance by itself isn't very exciting to see).

The works for the new Woolwich station are also very obvious, a couple of minutes walk from Woolwich Arsenal station. Unfortunately though all you can really see is, the wall surrounding the site, and a couple of tall cranes inside it.

I wouldn't be surprised if there are other things to see elsewhere along Crossrail but that's the bit I know about.

 

[edwin_m]

Anything visible from the infamous Emirates Air Line?

 

[SF-02]

There's a lot of work visible between Plumstead and Abbey Wood, which you can see from the train for quite a bit of the journey between those stations (look out to the left if heading away from London) - that's not too far from Excel by DLR/train. You can see where they're building the Plumstead tunnel portal and some of the ground ready for the new line to Abbey Wood. Not sure if they are still there but a few weeks ago you could also see piles of large semi-circular blocks near the portal - I'm guessing (though not certain) they are to become the tunnel lining.There's also visible land clearance to either side of Abbey Wood station itself, which you can get a good view of from the station footbridge (although land clearance by itself isn't very exciting to see).

The works for the new Woolwich station are also very obvious, a couple of minutes walk from Woolwich Arsenal station. Unfortunately though all you can really see is, the wall surrounding the site, and a couple of tall cranes inside it.

I wouldn't be surprised if there are other things to see elsewhere along Crossrail but that's the bit I know about.

Yep lots of staff on site between Plumstead and Abbey Wood. You can get off at Plumstead and walk along the top of the sewer bank on the ridgeway away from the station, which runs beside the main tunnel portal work site and you have an elevated view. Looking at the area from above on google maps and the sewer bank is obvious as a straight line running to the north east. It's less easy to make out from street level when leaving the station. To get there take a DLR to Woolwich Arsenal and then a train one stop to Plumstead taking 2 minutes. DLR's run every 10 minutes as do trains on Southeastern from Woolwich to Plumstead. There's 8 trains an hour from Woolwich Arsenal to Abbey Wood (including 2 fasts that don't stop at Plumstead) which take 4 minutes. There you can see the station worksite and rebuilding works.

 

[user15681]

As you don't have much time I'll stick to sites in relatively central London which are quicker and easy to get to.

From the upper deck of any bus that goes along Oxford Street, you'll be able to see the construction works at Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street stations. I haven't been past in a while, so I don't know if the works are still visible over the hoardings. However, they are literally just construction works, nothing really that interesting. Apart from at Tottenham Court Road where you can see the new station entrance. It's south of the road, in the north west corner of the works.

At Barbican you can see the tunnel works I believe just west of the station platforms. This picture and a few more on that person's account seem to show the works.

And for me, the most impressive sight is the new station at Canary Wharf with it's lattice like wooden roof. You should be able to see it if you get off at West India Quay station on the DLR, I believe. Look east of WIQ and you'll see the dome curved station in progress

 

[306024]

There is also the huge hole being dug at Pudding Mill Lane, where the DLR station is being moved to the south to create the space for the junction off the GE electric lines. Catch any train from Stratford to Liverpool St, it's the opposite side of the track to the Olympic Stadium. From Liverpool St it is an easy bus ride to Royal Courts of Justice.

 

[JGR]

The work at Farringdon is hard to miss. Though for the most part all you can see is a lot of cranes in a large hole surrounded by hoarding. I'm not sure if there's a viewport, been over a month since I was last there, otherwise you might be able to get a view from Holborn Viaduct.

 

[alwaystouchout]

There's quite a bit of action at Paddington last time I was there. Farringdon is still a bit of a state but the site at Canary Wharf appears to be coming along nicely.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

btw just to update this: Travelling between Woolwich and Abbey Wood yesterday, I noticed some new actual tracks now appear to be in the process of being laid alongside (to the South) of the existing SouthEastern line.

Since CrossRail will be on the North side of the existing lines, I'm guessing the plan is to move the SouthEastern lines over slightly to make way for CrossRail and that the new tracks being laid will therefore become part of the SouthEastern lines.

 

[user15681]

btw just to update this: Travelling between Woolwich and Abbey Wood yesterday, I noticed some new actual tracks now appear to be in the process of being laid alongside (to the South) of the existing SouthEastern line.

Since CrossRail will be on the North side of the existing lines, I'm guessing the plan is to move the SouthEastern lines over slightly to make way for CrossRail and that the new tracks being laid will therefore become part of the SouthEastern lines.

Yes, work should be visible soon around the Plumstead portal to Abbey Wood area as they begin works there for the temprorary structures and then the new station and associated track.

You are correct, the SE lines (Up North Kent and Down North Kent) will shift south ever so slightly around the Plumstead portal to allow the Crossrail tracks in and then remain south of their current position until East of Abbey Wood. Essentially, the Up Crossrail will be where the Down North Kent currently is (currently the northern track), this means the Down North Kent shifts to where the Up North Kent is (currently the southern track) and as a result, the Up North Kent has to be new track south of the current two lines. At Abbey Wood, the new Up North Kent when the rebuild is complete will cut through where the current station building is.

 

[NickBucks]

I work in Canary Wharf and can commend the new 'station building' although the actual Crossrail station is I believe two levels below ground. This weekend the road down to Poplar DLR reopens so you can walk again across the bridge between the new Canary Wharf Crossrail station and Billingsgate. (Between the HSBC building and KPMG.) The retail premises at the station plus restaurants etc I believe will open next year some two years min before Crossrail starts running.

 

[hassaanhc]

Meanwhile the work around Custom House has been progressing slowly too, in the last few weeks they've completed much of the concrete foundation for the track and the boundary wall next to the road, and some more of the concrete columns to form part of the station have gone up recently.
At Silvertown most of it has looked close to being ready for track for ages, only the bit near the tunnel portal had a lot to do.

 

[petersi]

BBC 2 may be showing a documentary about it 3 one hour episodes more information here

 

[DynamicSpirit]

As another update to this, it looks like CrossRail tracks are now actually being laid between Plumstead and Abbey Wood, alongside the existing SouthEastern tracks.

 

[FlippyFF]

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2015/january/liverpool-street-to-shenfield-to-integrate-with-tfl

"Tunnelling to complete this Spring on Crossrail

12 January 2015

During 2015, Crossrail's major tunnelling works will conclude and the focus will shift towards fit-out and implementing railway systems within the tunnels and stations.

<snip>
Major tunnelling for Crossrail to complete in spring 2015 when tunnelling machines Elizabeth and Victoria reach Farringdon.
•Network Rail to continue major surface works on the existing rail network including construction of a landmark new station at Abbey Wood. Major station improvements in outer London will get underway; a number of stations will be completely rebuilt, providing passengers with brighter, more spacious ticket halls.
•The fit out of Crossrail's tunnels will begin in early 2015. New track will be laid as well as overhead conductor bar to power the trains, lighting, signalling, ventilation and everything else that is required to run Crossrail's new trains beneath the streets of London.
<snip>
"

 

[[email protected].]

BBC 2 may be showing a documentary about it 3 one hour episodes more information here

This program has already been aired, it's not new.

The programs are available on You Tube to view.

 

[TheKnightWho]

This program has already been aired, it's not new.

The programs are available on You Tube to view.

Intentional couplet?

 

[dosxuk]

This program has already been aired, it's not new.

The programs are available on You Tube to view.

But hadn't when that post was made.

 

[petersi]

This program has already been aired, it's not new.



The programs are available on You Tube to view.

My post was from June 2014 this thread has just become active again

 

[[email protected].]

My post was from June 2014 this thread has just become active again

Apologies

 

[Cletus]

The man from Kent Rail has been at Abbey Wood this month.
http://www.kentrail.org.uk/abbey_wood_crossrail_6.html

 

[ComUtoR]

You are correct, the SE lines (Up North Kent and Down North Kent) will shift south ever so slightly around the Plumstead portal to allow the Crossrail tracks in and then remain south of their current position until East of Abbey Wood. Essentially, the Up Crossrail will be where the Down North Kent currently is (currently the northern track), this means the Down North Kent shifts to where the Up North Kent is (currently the southern track) and as a result, the Up North Kent has to be new track south of the current two lines. At Abbey Wood, the new Up North Kent when the rebuild is complete will cut through where the current station building is.

Offside door release

 

[theageofthetra]

Driving on the down by the Plumstead portal today I noticed what looked like a brand new section of concrete wall above the sloping roof area being demolished. Any idea why?

 

[76020]

I travelled alongside this section on Saturday and there are some OHLE masts installed as well, they are using steel piling for the foundations.

Please click onto link below.

http://www.crossrail.co.uk/news/articles/first-new-crossrail-tracks-laid-in-southeast-london

It is going to be great fun when they reconfigure Abbey Wood, the present two single platforms are going to be replaced by two island platforms.

 

[76020]

Tunnel boring machine Victoria's breakthrough at Farringdon on Wednesday night completed tunnelling through the capital, please see link:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-33002819

 

[Dr_Paul]

I travelled eastwards through Plumstead the other day, and noticed that for quite some way after where the Crossrail line will emerge there seems to be sufficient room for four tracks. The housing developments -- from the 1960s? -- to the north of the line were built leaving quite a space between them and the railway. Some of the railway infrastructure, especially the overbridges that replaced the level crossings, seems to have been built to take four tracks. Whilst this is handy for Crossrail, this could not have been thought of 50 or so years back. Was this done with the possibility of the line being quadrupled at some point?

 

[Busaholic]

I travelled eastwards through Plumstead the other day, and noticed that for quite some way after where the Crossrail line will emerge there seems to be sufficient room for four tracks. The housing developments -- from the 1960s? -- to the north of the line were built leaving quite a space between them and the railway. Some of the railway infrastructure, especially the overbridges that replaced the level crossings, seems to have been built to take four tracks. Whilst this is handy for Crossrail, this could not have been thought of 50 or so years back. Was this done with the possibility of the line being quadrupled at some point?

Although I can't give a definitive answer to your question, with land prices being much lower then (I almost bought a 4 bed house in Plumstead in 1972 with large back garden for under £10,000) and short-termist thinking being not quite so prevalent it would have been quite possible that the space was left 'just in case'. Thamesmead was still being developed and it was the largest housing project in London at the time. I can say with certainty that there were people in London Transport in 1972 planning to bring the Bakerloo Line to Thamesmead via Camberwell and Peckham, cos I was one of them, a very junior minion.

 

[NotATrainspott]

I travelled eastwards through Plumstead the other day, and noticed that for quite some way after where the Crossrail line will emerge there seems to be sufficient room for four tracks. The housing developments -- from the 1960s? -- to the north of the line were built leaving quite a space between them and the railway. Some of the railway infrastructure, especially the overbridges that replaced the level crossings, seems to have been built to take four tracks. Whilst this is handy for Crossrail, this could not have been thought of 50 or so years back. Was this done with the possibility of the line being quadrupled at some point?

http://www.railengineer.uk/2015/05/29/crossrails-south-east-section/

There's a Rail Engineer article about the south-eastern surface section of Crossrail that you might be interested in.

 

[edwin_m]

Didn't Thamesmead also figure in at least one version of the Fleet/Jubilee line map at one stage?

 

[FlippyFF]

Didn't Thamesmead also figure in at least one version of the Fleet/Jubilee line map at one stage?

Isn't that why there's space for a junction at North Greenwich?