Crossrail construction

[absolutelymilk]

Like HS2, I think it would be helpful to have a thread to discuss construction. The BBC are reporting that 5 stations are delayed:

West Ealing, Southall, Ealing Broadway, Acton & Hayes & Harlington, which were due to be built by the end of this year have been put back to 2019

http://www.cityam.com/267626/five-crossrail-stations-delayed

 

[matt_world2004]

Like HS2, I think it would be helpful to have a thread to discuss construction. The BBC are reporting that 5 stations are delayed:



http://www.cityam.com/267626/five-crossrail-stations-delayed

That delays longer than the original construction period for these stations.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

That delays longer than the original construction period for these stations.

I think they must mean rebuilt rather than built. Presumably it's platform extensions mostly.

What's the workaround? Shorter Crossrail trains or they just won't stop?

I thought Hayes had already been done, there's the new turnback platform being used for the Paddington - Hayes electric service.

 

[swt_passenger]

There have been numerous Crossrail construction threads already, problem is every time there's a lull for a few weeks or months another gets started.

Much of the Crossrail western on-network work has concerned electrification, and that is all in the main GW electrification thread. Then there's stuff like Maidenhead sidings, which seems to be mostly in the 387 threads, but is actually a Crossrail project.

Locking the stable door after the horse has bolted is the phrase that springs to mind...

 

[matt_world2004]

I think they must mean rebuilt rather than built. Presumably it's platform extensions mostly.

What's the workaround? Shorter Crossrail trains or they just won't stop?

I thought Hayes had already been done, there's the new turnback platform being used for the Paddington - Hayes electric service.

They are rebuilding the station buildings too to incorporate increased footfall and gatelines. The turnback at hayes always existed its been extended though.

 

[Chris125]

I think they must mean rebuilt rather than built. Presumably it's platform extensions mostly.

IIRC those stations are all due to receive new buildings which could explain the wording as they aren't so urgently required.

 

[absolutelymilk]

There have been numerous Crossrail construction threads already, problem is every time there's a lull for a few weeks or months another gets started.

I don't think there has been a general Crossrail construction thread, I have found ones about specific issues but no general one (feel free to correct me and mods to move this thread if so)

 

[swt_passenger]

I don't think there has been a general Crossrail construction thread, I have found ones about specific issues but no general one (feel free to correct me and mods to move this thread if so)

I think you'd have to go back a few years. Problem is, in my time on the forum, people have never seemed that interested in having an overall Crossrail construction thread, possibly because all the discussion about the route (and fantasy alternatives) had happened years before; and there's been little impact on the existing rail network while the tunnelling went on.

I suspect as it is now all over bar the shouting, a general thread wouldn't develop very far now.

 

[mrmartin]

Anyone know how likely it is to open on time? Considering the class 345 introduction has been delayed, and now these station improvements delayed, combined with nearly every NR project across the country being significantly late, it seems to be to be improbable that the central section will open on time?

 

[plcd1]

Anyone know how likely it is to open on time? Considering the class 345 introduction has been delayed, and now these station improvements delayed, combined with nearly every NR project across the country being significantly late, it seems to be to be improbable that the central section will open on time?

I think you are stretching things a tad. There are some difficulties at Whitechapel but action has been taken to pull things back. I don't get any sense that the core tunnel section is delayed - that looks to be on time. Abbey Wood's new station building is due to open in October this year. Custom House is done and being fitted out. The DLR station is getting a capacity boost now. Canary Wharf is finished. I understand Liverpool St / Moorgate is proceeding well below ground but I haven't see how Moorgate's surface works are going. Farringdon also seems to be romping along as is TCR despite issues with an over station development at one of the ticket halls. Bond St also seems to be OK as the Crossrail station is done and the LU works finish later this year. I'm less sure about Paddington where there are rumoured issues about fit out.

I understand the tracks are all in place in the tunnels and cabling and catenary work is underway. I think the game plan is to give the operators about 8 months to test trains and systems at stations.

A paper on transition issues when to a TfL Cttee meeting last week.

https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/pic-20170628-item16-elizabeth-line-transition.pdf

The stations on the eastern branch to Shenfield are in varying states of rebuild and with new lift towers and overbridges being needed at some locations. No sign of work starting at Ilford yet.

Network Rail would appear not to have covered themselves in glory with the news about the western stations. However we do not know exactly what the issue is as they won't tell the media. It can't be funding because Crossrail works are ring fenced and there is a separate agreement between TfL and NR to progress these works. Given there is no great increase in frequency when TfL Rail take over the Connect service next May I'm not quite sure why everyone is having 57 kittens about the delay until 2019. Yes it would have been lovely to have new stations completed this year but what would the point be as there is no Crossrail service until Dec 2019.

I am surprised NR have not learnt from the GOBLIN debacle that it doesn't play well in London to not tell TfL / the Mayor / London Assembly / local politicians what's going on. It rather makes the generally very slick Crossrail PR / stakeholder management process look a bit "poor" (understatement). I expect this one is going to rumble on and on until NR come clean.

 

[Chris125]

I think they must mean rebuilt rather than built. Presumably it's platform extensions mostly.

What's the workaround? Shorter Crossrail trains or they just won't stop?

I thought Hayes had already been done, there's the new turnback platform being used for the Paddington - Hayes electric service.

The BBC article now up does indeed clarify that platform extensions aren't affected:

"The new Crossrail trains will start on the west London section next summer - the longer platforms will be there but the new stations built next to the old ones won't be ready."

Inconvenient for people using those stations but should have little if any wider impact on Crossrail.

 

[mrmartin]

I think you are stretching things a tad. There are some difficulties at Whitechapel but action has been taken to pull things back. I don't get any sense that the core tunnel section is delayed - that looks to be on time. Abbey Wood's new station building is due to open in October this year. Custom House is done and being fitted out. The DLR station is getting a capacity boost now. Canary Wharf is finished. I understand Liverpool St / Moorgate is proceeding well below ground but I haven't see how Moorgate's surface works are going. Farringdon also seems to be romping along as is TCR despite issues with an over station development at one of the ticket halls. Bond St also seems to be OK as the Crossrail station is done and the LU works finish later this year. I'm less sure about Paddington where there are rumoured issues about fit out.

I understand the tracks are all in place in the tunnels and cabling and catenary work is underway. I think the game plan is to give the operators about 8 months to test trains and systems at stations.

A paper on transition issues when to a TfL Cttee meeting last week.

https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/pic-20170628-item16-elizabeth-line-transition.pdf

The stations on the eastern branch to Shenfield are in varying states of rebuild and with new lift towers and overbridges being needed at some locations. No sign of work starting at Ilford yet.

Network Rail would appear not to have covered themselves in glory with the news about the western stations. However we do not know exactly what the issue is as they won't tell the media. It can't be funding because Crossrail works are ring fenced and there is a separate agreement between TfL and NR to progress these works. Given there is no great increase in frequency when TfL Rail take over the Connect service next May I'm not quite sure why everyone is having 57 kittens about the delay until 2019. Yes it would have been lovely to have new stations completed this year but what would the point be as there is no Crossrail service until Dec 2019.

I am surprised NR have not learnt from the GOBLIN debacle that it doesn't play well in London to not tell TfL / the Mayor / London Assembly / local politicians what's going on. It rather makes the generally very slick Crossrail PR / stakeholder management process look a bit "poor" (understatement). I expect this one is going to rumble on and on until NR come clean.

I don't disagree that the central section is looking good completion-wise.

Considering nearly 100% of NRs major railway enhancement projects have been extremely delayed, it just seems odd that *NRs* work on Crossrail will go to plan. For example, on that doc, this ECTS looks complicated and could stuff the whole opening if NR doesn't do that properly.

 

[coppercapped]

I don't disagree that the central section is looking good completion-wise.

Considering nearly 100% of NRs major railway enhancement projects have been extremely delayed, it just seems odd that *NRs* work on Crossrail will go to plan. For example, on that doc, this ECTS looks complicated and could stuff the whole opening if NR doesn't do that properly.

Er, no. The £875million (or thereabouts) rebuild of Reading station and its approaches was completed on time. Other examples are available.

The issue on the GW stretch is that Crossrail decided quite late in the day that level access was required to all the platforms used by Crossrail. This meant that lifts and such had to be added to stations such as Hanwell (a listed building perched on an embankment), Burnham, Acton Main Line and others. NR has already added lifts and in some cases escalators to other, larger, stations such as Slough, Twyford and Reading as part of other programmes.

The ETCS issue is not one that is wholly dependent on NR's performance. It is a European initiative and the specifications are still in a state of flux. Apart from that, kit supplied by different manufacturers doesn't always play well together although nominally they are built to the same software release. This is why Crossrail did not use ERTMS/ETCS in its central core. However positive ATP is a requirement for the tunnel sections to Heathrow and it seemed silly to equip the Crossrail trains with the obsolete ATP system used on the GW when the plan was for the GW to be re-signalled with ERTMS/ETCS. The big re-signalling has been delayed not only for financial reasons but because too much was happening to the GW infrastructure at the same time to gain the necessary access, so the bit that is left is the Heathrow spur.

 

[Trailfinder]

There is now a very recent satellite image of the Old Oak Common area on Google Earth.

Progress on the Crossrail Depot, stabling sidings and the connections are clearly visible.

At Westbourne Park, you can see how materials are delivered to the Marcon concrete plant through the upper deck of the bus station deck (no buses yet) - the plant is not yet rail connected.

 

[hassaanhc]

There is now a very recent satellite image of the Old Oak Common area on Google Earth.

Progress on the Crossrail Depot, stabling sidings and the connections are clearly visible.

At Westbourne Park, you can see how materials are delivered to the Marcon concrete plant through the upper deck of the bus station deck (no buses yet) - the plant is not yet rail connected.

Buses moved into the upstairs section of Westbourne Park garage last week, with the vehicles and routes that got moved to the temporary base at Atlas Road returning (not sure what the current plans for Atlas Road site are).

 

[Hophead]

Catenary is largely in place from just to the east of Abbey Wood station (looks like the southernmost line extends beyond the platform) into the Thames tunnel, though much of it has just temporary fixings at present. There are a small number of masts around the depot area near Plumstead too, but I'd expect more to go up there.

Neither of the other main portals show the same amount of progress, though there are rails leading underground at Royal Oak and masts ready to go up.

 

[mds86]

I received this email this evening regarding juicing up the OLE...

Notification of energisation of the Crossrail overhead line equipment (25kV)

From 00:01 hours on 1 October 2017, the Crossrail overhead line equipment from Pudding Mill Lane to the east of Whitechapel and from the Stepney Green Junction to Abbey Wood station will be energised at 25,000 volts and from this time must be regarded as being live at all times..

You have received this email because you have contacted us previously requesting to be kept informed about works taking place in and around the Custom House area.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding these works, or would like to update your mailing list preferences, please contact us using the details below.


To read the Information Sheet click herehttp://74f85f59f39b887b696f-ab656259048fb93837ecc0ecbcf0c557.r23.cf3.rackcdn.com/assets/library/document/c/original/c610-xrl-z-xbu-crg03-50003_notification_of_energisation_of_the_crossrail_overhead_line_equipment_25kv_july_17.pdf


Yours sincerely,

Crossrail Helpdesk

 

[absolutelymilk]

First 345 in the core tonight:

http://www.metro-report.com/news/pr...ass-345-testing-starts-in-crossrail-core.html

The Crossrail commissioning programme has reached a further milestone, with the first gauging run of a Class 345 trainset through part of the cross-London tunnels scheduled to take place on the night of October 27-28.

Hauled by a 37 rather than under its own power though...

 

[HowardGWR]

^^^ Are they still fitting out the core stations? I imagine that's why the current has not yet been switched on?

 

[swt_passenger]

^^^ Are they still fitting out the core stations? I imagine that's why the current has not yet been switched on?

Initial gauge clearance for the 345s wouldn't necessarily need power on. But I think I read somewhere that the idea is that the platform edge doors and screens will be in place before switch on as protection for workers on platforms.

 

[matt_world2004]

Network Rail would appear not to have covered themselves in glory with the news about the western stations. However we do not know exactly what the issue is as they won't tell the media. It can't be funding because Crossrail works are ring fenced and there is a separate agreement between TfL and NR to progress these works. Given there is no great increase in frequency when TfL Rail take over the Connect service next May .

Frequency has been doubled.

 

[The Quincunx]

The Up platform at West Ealing was extended ages ago (coinciding with the completion of the new bay platform for Greenford trains), but work didn't start on extending the Down platform until much later - and then ground to a halt, only to resume quite recently. It looks quite close to being completed now. In the meantime, we have the ludicrous situation whereby the doors on only 6 cars of an 8-car train are available on the Up even though the entire train is in the platform. Only very preliminary work has been done on the new station building, which will also see lifts and a footbridge - again, there is little or no current activity.

 

[absolutelymilk]

I found this report
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/pic-20171212-item13-elizabeth-line.pdf
and have added my summary to the Crossrail Wikipedia page here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossrail#Testing_and_service_commencement

It says that energisation of the south east part will take place in January, followed by dynamic testing.

 

[JN114]

In the meantime, we have the ludicrous situation whereby the doors on only 6 cars of an 8-car train are available on the Up even though the entire train is in the platform.

Design feature unfortunately. ASDO on 387s assumes it is in the shortest platform at a station unless trackside beacons tell it otherwise. Beacons weren’t installed for 387s as SDO working at inner Thames Valley stations only expected to be short term thing.

 

[ginger]

Question for the GE side......just wondering following the Christmas works what is left to do this year? Noted that Gidea Park yard is complete but wiring and signals to be finished off and lots of new wires around Ilford (although not the flyover). Station extensions seem complete but wondering if anyone knew?

 

[plcd1]

There has been another Crossrail transition update paper published for the TfL Board on 30 Jan 2018.

http://content.tfl.gov.uk/board-20180130-item10-elizabeth-line.pdf

1 Summary 1.1 This paper provides an update on recent progress towards the staged opening of the Elizabeth line as well as transition of the Crossrail Project to become an integral part of TfL.

This is quite telling in respect of the takeover of Heathrow Connect come May this year.

For Heathrow services Bombardier is fitting the Class 345 trains with European Train Control System (ETCS) signalling equipment, which is required for operation on the Heathrow branch. Testing continues at Melton test track in Leicestershire, but progress is behind plan due to immaturity and instability of train software. The first train testing in the Heathrow tunnels took place on 12 January 2018 and, in addition, the wayside and train elements are due to be tested in a laboratory environment at Charleroi in Belgium.

4.7 The development and assurance of the train signalling and software remains the most significant single risk to timely commencement of Stage 2 services. In case Bombardier is unable to complete testing in time for May 2018, a contingency plan has been developed with TfL operating the existing Class 360 units to provide a two train an hour service to Heathrow, augmented with a two train per hour service using the Class 345 trains (without using ETCS) between Paddington and Hayes and Harlington. Should this contingency be required, it is expected that the planned service would be in place by autumn 2018.

Class 345 progress

In total 31 new 345 trains have been built. Twelve of the 160 metre long units have been accepted for passenger service on the Liverpool Street to Shenfield line with up to nine trains in passenger service each day.

So quite a backlog in train acceptance and Derby clearly filling up with trains.

Looks like we will be seeing Crossrail trains using Stratford and Paddington portals during 2018 and beyond even if not in passenger service.

4.19 In May 2019, Shenfield to Liverpool Street services will be connected into the central tunnel section to run as far as Paddington, increasing the service in the central tunnel from 15 to 24 trains per hour. This requires intensive use of the signalling transition between the surface and tunnel systems at Stratford, which will be tested in the first half of 2018.

4.20 In December 2019, services from the West will be connected into the central tunnel and Elizabeth line trains will be extended in the West to Maidenhead and Reading. This is the final phase of the Elizabeth line service introduction. This includes use of the other transition to and from the national network at Westbourne Park, which was largely completed over Christmas 2017 and will be used from summer 2018 to bring trains into the central tunnel for testing and trial operations, so allowing real time experience in advance of passenger operations.

Some interesting phased maps in Appendix 2 of the paper showing how the Crossrail service builds up in sections.

 

[matt_world2004]

There has been another Crossrail transition update paper published for the TfL Board on 30 Jan 2018.

http://content.tfl.gov.uk/board-20180130-item10-elizabeth-line.pdf



This is quite telling in respect of the takeover of Heathrow Connect come May this year.



Class 345 progress



So quite a backlog in train acceptance and Derby clearly filling up with trains.

Looks like we will be seeing Crossrail trains using Stratford and Paddington portals during 2018 and beyond even if not in passenger service.



Some interesting phased maps in Appendix 2 of the paper showing how the Crossrail service builds up in sections.

Interestingly it only shows 10tph going west. I thought the revised plan had 6tph heathrow and 6tph west drayton it now appears there has been a frequency reduction on the west drayton services to support the heathrow branch.

 

[swt_passenger]

Interestingly it only shows 10tph going west. I thought the revised plan had 6tph heathrow and 6tph west drayton it now appears there has been a frequency reduction on the west drayton services to support the heathrow branch.

I’m fairly sure removal of terminating trains at West Drayton was a definite result of the most recent changes, as discussed somewhere in the timetables section.

 

[matt_world2004]

I’m fairly sure removal of terminating trains at West Drayton was a definite result of the most recent changes, as discussed somewhere in the timetables section.

Yeah My understanding is the west drayton terminators made it 12tph peak early their removal allowed for an off peak 6tph heathrow 6 tph. West drayton branch.

 

[swt_passenger]

Just had a look back at the other threads and I thought the 6 + 6 was peak only.
I reckon it should be 6 tph Heathrow all day, but in the off peak 2 tph Reading and 2tph Maidenhead, with an extra 2 tph Reading in peaks only.

But I agree the 10 tph total shown for stage 5 on page 8 in the TfL report looks wrong.