Crossrail - operating discussion and opening day 24th May

[Watershed]

I came down from Leeds on LNER to Peterborough, via Thameslink to Farringdon - no ticket barriers and on to Crossrail.
I rode the line and tried to use my ticket to get out via the barrier at Paddington to no avail. However as my All line rover works very few other barriers this wasn't a great surprise.
The guy on the barrier had a look and waved me through no issue. My assumption is the ALR is valid and Elizabeth line is National Rail.

Yes and yes. Even though ALRs should really work every barrier, they're not encoded to do so in most places.

 

[Essexman]

I’ll be using the line tomorrow from Liverpool Street, travelling on to Oxford. GWR journey planner suggests is aware of the Elizabeth Line and suggests I catch it - as far as Farringdon (2 minutes)- then change to the London Underground. I can’t see any scenario where this would be scheduled to be quicker In normal operation.

 

[Kite159]

Some busy trains around 6pm heading towards Abbey Wood, even around 4pm at Abbey Wood. Mix of regular passengers using the faster trains to Woolwich/Abbey Wood and those out to sample the new route

 

[pdeaves]

guy sat next to me said he'd been waiting 10 years!

Mental images of some really old chap tutting and sighing as he watches the 'next train' display count down 10 years; 9 years...

 

[Horizon22]

I’ll be using the line tomorrow from Liverpool Street, travelling on to Oxford. GWR journey planner suggests is aware of the Elizabeth Line and suggests I catch it - as far as Farringdon (2 minutes)- then change to the London Underground. I can’t see any scenario where this would be scheduled to be quicker In normal operation.

It certainly won't be. There's some oddities still out there in various non-TfL journey planners

 

[cygnus44]

There is a list on MyLondon which seems to rehash the answer given by the Mayor of London in his April 2020 question time.

Yes I found the list but a lot seam to be in ticket halls quite a way from the trains.

 

[Tim_UK]

I assumed it had been shut down for non-Virgin customers as neither my O2 nor three devices can connect to it these days at any station.

If you have a three contract you should have WiFi on the underground. You don’t use the Virgin login screen anymore. Its on a Three APN (Network name)

 

[SynthD]

Yes I found the list but a lot seam to be in ticket halls quite a way from the trains.

I think they will always be at ticket halls.

It’s been noted that bikes are allowed in the off peak. Were any seen today?

 

[Chrism20]

Possibly me but I’ve not had a great experience today and haven’t even been on an EL train.

I’m in London for a few days and staying at Canning Town. Quite fancied bagging one of the limited edition Oyster cards so decided to take a quick hop on the DLR to Custom House.

DLR arrived there and I was in the front car. Directly in front of me at the end of the platform were escalators going up so up I went. Never noticed any signage at the top of the escalator other than for EL and Excel, barriers to the left which I did find strange for the DLR but put it down to the station being staffed. Beyond the barrier I’m then in a concourse area which only has access to the EL or more barriers to exit so proceeded to the barriers.

Bought the Oyster card and went to go back through the barriers to get the DLR back and barrier would not open as Oyster showing a minus balance. Topped up the existing card and then made my way back through the barrier, gets to the second barrier and member of staff asks where I’m going. Said DLR and got the reply saying “Can’t go there”. Pointed out that they were standing under a sign that says DLR with an arrow heading behind them and got another reply saying “Can’t go there” and an arm pointing back towards the barriers, so off I go back through the barriers again.

Got down the DLR platform and had a quick look at the escalators I had initially went up and there is no signage directly above them.

When I got back to Canning Town I looked at the journey history on the ticket machine and I’ve two missed touches so they have bothered deducted £6 for each missing touches.

I’ve either wandered around that station in a trance (Possible/probable) and missed some warning somewhere and ended up in the EL concourse or the signage isn’t great. The touches can be fixed when the web updates overnight but the MOS wasn’t very helpful imo.

 

[Horizon22]

I think they will always be at ticket halls.

It’s been noted that bikes are allowed in the off peak. Were any seen today?

No, but I did see some non-foldable ones in the peak; the 2 bike users were in a terse conversation with one of the Elizabeth Line staff who was trying to explain (rightly so) that it was the same as all TfL rules for bikes and they were talking about how it was a new line and the space and shouldn't this have been considered. Someone else chimed in with "well each bike is X passengers" - was fairly good natured but an odd dispute for the morning!

 

[leytongabriel]

Some issue with barriers at Custom House this evening. Very smiley gent telling people to go a slightly longer way round to get from the Elizabeth Line to the DLR platforms, contrary to the signage.

 

[frediculous]

I thought that the escalator at Farringdon from the Crossrail platforms seemed a little steep. Was this just an illusion or was the space restricted?

I thought that too. The escalators at Liverpool Street also felt very steep

 

[leytongabriel]

It sounded as if the recorded announcement on the Circle/Hammersmith and City train I was on coming into Paddington mentioned changing for the Elizabeth line, National Rail and the District but forgot the Bakerloo.

How is the connection at Paddington between the trains arriving from the west and the trains departing east through the central section? Is it a long walk?

Yes, basically. You can do it in say 10m but you have to go down one side of Paddington and then across the width of the main station and then the Elizabeth line station is across the road. Not one to try in a hurry.

 

[Mikw]

I rode it from 10:30 - 13:00 and was surprised how busy it was but many appeared to there to look at a new line. It will be interested to see how full it is in a couple of weeks. I must see what the peak is like tomorrow morning.

I was generally very impressed - the stations are certainly impressive. Fifty years after Paris we hace our own RER. There is a quite a lot of walking in places - I suppose that will always be the case with a new line. The link to the Northern Line at Liverpool St is certainly very long and sometimes you have to go up then down. The interchange at Farringdon is poor - it would have been nice to have a mezzanine under the Thameslink / LUL platforms but I suppose that there is simply not enough space. As it is you seem to be directed to go through two sets of barriers - presumably it will be like the old interchange between the sub-surface & tube lines at Kings X / St Pancras and the gates will return single use tickets. The alternative is to walk along the Northbound Thameslink platform. Overall though a big thumbs up from me.

I used the Farringdon interchange, from the front of a soutbound Thameslink and there were no barriers at all.

It directed me upstairs, through the ticket hall, down an escalator and down a tunnel and into the platform, took about 4 minutes. Probably depends where you are on the Thameslink i guess.

 

[transportphoto]

I’ll be using the line tomorrow from Liverpool Street, travelling on to Oxford. GWR journey planner suggests is aware of the Elizabeth Line and suggests I catch it - as far as Farringdon (2 minutes)- then change to the London Underground. I can’t see any scenario where this would be scheduled to be quicker In normal operation.

Having done both today, I’d suggest timings concourse to concourse for Liverpool Street to Paddington are very similar for both the H&C and Elizabeth lines. Liverpool Street EL is a good walk from the mainline concourse, contrasting to the ease of getting to the H&C platform.

Getting off at the Paddington end is much of a muchness - EL leads easily to the main concourse (platform one end) and the H&C leads to the over-bridge to all platforms. The main variable will be the train every five minutes turn up and go, vs the frequency of the H&C.

Having said the above… what I would not do is change modes at Farringdon!


—

It was good to see the Elizabeth Line busy today - a good mix of people there for the fun of being there, but also people actually using it from A to B. I find it amazing how Londoner’s habits can be the same for years, but all so easily change. I used various services on and off between 1pm and 8pm.

 

[Mikw]

No different to some people's reactions to pop stars and other celebrities. For a lot of people YouTubers are in that same category now. You may not understand it (I don't either), but that is how it is these days. Just look at the reactions other YouTubers have got in recent years too.

Indeed, and if it's the youtuber i think their talking about, his videos get millions of views. Much more than someone like Piers Morgan.

I get it, however daft it seems.

 

[modernrail]

Looking forward to trying the EL out! Well done to the many who have worked so hard to make it happen.

One thing I find slightly confusing. Some are referring to this line as London’s first RER style line, but why is Thameslink not also in this category. It may have reused older some older infrastructure but is the end result not much the same? Both traverse London Underground and have stations under central London, both use full size trains, both collect together lines from either end into a central core. Both use very long trains and interchange with many London Underground lines.

One may have roundels and the other not, but are there any real differences in concept?

 

[Kite159]

Indeed, and if it's the youtuber i think their talking about, his videos get millions of views. Much more than someone like Piers Morgan.

I get it, however daft it seems.

And imagine if it was that Luke bloke from Tik Tok, how many more 'fans' he would get wanting a photo or autograph etc.

 

[Mikw]

And imagine if it was that Luke bloke from Tik Tok, how many more 'fans' he would get wanting a photo or autograph etc.

Yeah, it'd be like Beatlemania all over again! I'm not on Tik Tok, but that platform has real star power.

Arrived at lunchtime to give it a go.

Easy connection at Farringdon, rode up and down a couple of times. Clean, vast stations, quick trains.

Very impressive.

 

[johncrossley]

I used the Farringdon interchange, from the front of a soutbound Thameslink and there were no barriers at all.

It directed me upstairs, through the ticket hall, down an escalator and down a tunnel and into the platform, took about 4 minutes. Probably depends where you are on the Thameslink i guess.

If you are at the north end of the station, the signs direct you to the new walkway east of the station and eventually take you to the tube entrance barriers. So from there the easiest way is to cross the road to the new entrance that opened for the Thameslink Programme. So you end up going through two lots of barriers.

 

[345 050]

I think they will always be at ticket halls.

It’s been noted that bikes are allowed in the off peak. Were any seen today?

No, but lots of dogs. It felt like Bring Your Dog to the Elizabeth Line Day

 

[Mikw]

If you are at the north end of the station, the signs direct you to the new walkway east of the station and eventually take you to the front of the tube entrance barriers. So from there the easiest way is to cross the road back to the new entrance that opened for the Thameslink Programme. So you end up going through two lots of barriers.

I didn't get that thankfully as i got off the front end of a Southbound Thameslink. Think i'll do that again next time as it saved going through the barriers again.

Similar to a few changes at Farringdon really, depends on where you are on the train how ardous it is.

 

[345 050]

I thought that too. The escalators at Liverpool Street also felt very steep

I didn't think they were any different from normal, apart from the fact they were VERY long.

Having done both today, I’d suggest timings concourse to concourse for Liverpool Street to Paddington are very similar for both the H&C and Elizabeth lines. Liverpool Street EL is a good walk from the mainline concourse, contrasting to the ease of getting to the H&C platform.

Getting off at the Paddington end is much of a muchness - EL leads easily to the main concourse (platform one end) and the H&C leads to the over-bridge to all platforms. The main variable will be the train every five minutes turn up and go, vs the frequency of the H&C.

Having said the above… what I would not do is change modes at Farringdon!


—

It was good to see the Elizabeth Line busy today - a good mix of people there for the fun of being there, but also people actually using it from A to B. I find it amazing how Londoner’s habits can be the same for years, but all so easily change. I used various services on and off between 1pm and 8pm.

Well, H&C/Circle was also every 5 minutes last time I checked, although what is promised on that route and what you actually get can vary substantially.....

Agree that it's not worth changing at Farringdon. Additional changes, especially if it's only every 5 minutes are not going to save you time.

 

[Leisurefirst]

Couldn't go this morning due to an appointment but had an end to end journey later this afternoon from Paddington to Abbey Wood, then stopped off everywhere on the way back sampling both entrances/exits at Canary Wharf & Liverpool Street/Moorgate but only one at Farringdon & TCR due to time constraints.

A few things...
- Impressed/amused by how many "normal" passengers were using it as though it had always been there.
‐ Only two ticket machines at Woolwich... long queues.
- The Woolwich & Canary Wharf interchanges should IMHO be clearly stated on the car maps as requiring you to leave the station and walk at street level. Woolwich one I suspect not much fun at night.
- Lady with suitcase was very unhappy at the Moorgate barrier... she should have used the other exit!!!
- I'm sure there are perfectly good reasons but seems a bit odd that the exit at Woolwich & Whitechapel is at one end of the platform and not in the middle?
- Why is there a sign at the far end of the Whitechapel westbound platform pointing to the eastbound platform??? Is this solely for people who got on the wrong train at Canary Wharf???
‐ That is one serious trek from the "wrong" end of Liverpool Street to Liverpool Street NR.
Much better to stay onto Stratford once open to change if you are at that end!
- Love the Barbican lift and all the incline lifts!

Someone mentioned the Canary Wharf platform surface earlier.
Apparently it was finished to a shiny shopping centre standard then had to be "roughed up" at some expense to not be so slippery...

 

[FGW_Lad]

Interesting to see everyone’s views on the Elizabeth line. Have seen a few videos on YouTube and it does look like a very nice line, stations, space and cleanliness etc. What is the speed of trains on the core section as it seemed very fast!

 

[Basil Jet]

It's about 150 metres, in an almost straight line. Unfortunately neither station has a sign projecting out into the street so they are not actually visible from each other. I got thoroughly lost between the two!

I didn't walk it because it was raining heavily, but I could see the roundel of the DLR station from the door of the Elizabeth station. No-one could get lost southward, not sure about northward.

- Impressed/amused by how many "normal" passengers were using it as though it had always been there.

Yes, crowds were streaming into Canary Wharf in the evening and just heading for the ticket gates without pausing or thinking or looking. Very strange, but I suppose they maxed out on surprise in the morning and it was just the way home now.

- Why is there a sign at the far end of the Whitechapel westbound platform pointing to the eastbound platform??? Is this solely for people who got on the wrong train at Canary Wharf???

I imagine it's for people going from Abbey Wood to Shenfield and vice versa. Some signs at Kennington from the Northbound to the Southbound are needed since Battersea opened, but LUL don't seem to have realised that yet.

 

[tomuk]

I'm sure there are perfectly good reasons but seems a bit odd that the exit at Woolwich & Whitechapel is at one end of the platform and not in the middle?

At Whitechapel the single exit is at the end of the station next to the existing Whitechapel Station. The other end of the station is at the junction of Whitechapel Road and Cambridge Heath Road there is a rather large vent/emergency building behind the Blind Beggar pub. I'm sure another entrance could be built if a developer were to come along and build a big office/residential tower.

At Woolwich the whole station has been paid for by the developer redeveloping the old Arsenal. The exit is at the end nearest the DLR and the centre of the development.

 

[Lifelong]

I didn't get that thankfully as i got off the front end of a Southbound Thameslink. Think i'll do that again next time as it saved going through the barriers again.

Similar to a few changes at Farringdon really, depends on where you are on the train how ardous it is.

This is the same as I did. I think we’ve nailed Farringdon! Weird that the experience (not distance, that’s understandable, but gatelines etc) is so different depending on whereabouts on the train you get off but anyway - front of TL train Southbound, back Northbound is the way to go…

 

[londonboi198o5]

Had a return trip paddington to abbey wood and really impressed cannot belive how smooth the ride is and really quiet even though it is in a tunnel. Stations all look fantastic and spacious really really impressive.

 

[345 050]

A lot of crowd management still in place this morning at Abbey Wood. I didn't see if the interchange bridges were open, but all passengers arriving at the Upper entrance of the station were being told to go downstairs to the Lower entrance to access Elizabeth Line and the gate at the top of the stairs was closed to prevent access to Elizabeth Line from the Upper entrance.

There was also a very heavy police presence around the station.

Will these interchange bridges actually see any use, or due to (presumably) risk of fare dodging, are they to become a white elephant? Did not seem like a very customer friendly approach.

Edit: just checked and the interchange bridge at 'London' end of platform is open.