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Have they? where have TfL said this?
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Crossrail - operating discussion and opening day 24th May
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Had a ride on the Elizabeth line today.
Comment 250 mentioned the lack of signage at Whitechapel indicating how to get to from the Elizabeth line to the southbound Overground – I very much hope they put a sign in at the point where you need to turn left off the walkway above the Overground to get to the southbound platform, as it really isn't clear at all.
When arriving from the Dean Street entrance at Tottenham Court Road, the eastbound platform is right there on the left at the bottom of the escalators but isn't signposted (at least I don't think it was, though I may have missed it). Instead, they send you to the right into the central corridor – I suppose that's to try and spread the crowds around, but that's another little wrinkle that regular travellers will soon get familiar with.
Overall, though, my first impressions are overwhelmingly positive. It's a brilliant engineering feat, with smooth, clean and quiet trains and quick journey times across London. Roll on the opening of Bond Street and the linking up of the Western and Eastern sections.
Comment 250 mentioned the lack of signage at Whitechapel indicating how to get to from the Elizabeth line to the southbound Overground – I very much hope they put a sign in at the point where you need to turn left off the walkway above the Overground to get to the southbound platform, as it really isn't clear at all.
When arriving from the Dean Street entrance at Tottenham Court Road, the eastbound platform is right there on the left at the bottom of the escalators but isn't signposted (at least I don't think it was, though I may have missed it). Instead, they send you to the right into the central corridor – I suppose that's to try and spread the crowds around, but that's another little wrinkle that regular travellers will soon get familiar with.
Overall, though, my first impressions are overwhelmingly positive. It's a brilliant engineering feat, with smooth, clean and quiet trains and quick journey times across London. Roll on the opening of Bond Street and the linking up of the Western and Eastern sections.
I noticed this at TCR, but they had a member of staff asking ‘west or east’ and directing people accordingly. A sign would be better though in the long run!
swt_passenger
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Barbican EL to Barbican LU/SSR is not actually designed for good interchange at all, specially eastbound.
Mikey C
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Finally had my first rides this afternoon
Changed from the Northern Line at Moorgate to try the connection, and didn't find it too bad, certainly in that direction. Went out to Abbey Wood - was surprised that only one platform (3) continues east of the station, with 4 being a terminus. Also you can see why the boarding isn't considered level enough from platform 3 for the full "blob" as there is a small drop down to the platform. One which a wheelchair user could manage though?
Then later on took the train from Woolwich to Paddington, with a quick stop to look at Canary Wharf.
Changed from the Northern Line at Moorgate to try the connection, and didn't find it too bad, certainly in that direction. Went out to Abbey Wood - was surprised that only one platform (3) continues east of the station, with 4 being a terminus. Also you can see why the boarding isn't considered level enough from platform 3 for the full "blob" as there is a small drop down to the platform. One which a wheelchair user could manage though?
Then later on took the train from Woolwich to Paddington, with a quick stop to look at Canary Wharf.
Precisely, Abbey Wood to Paddington takes 29 minutes. That's about the same time as Edgware to Leicester Square. Would it be necessary to fit toilets on the NTFL stock when it arrives?
DynamicSpirit
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The only one line continuing East allows the Elizabeth line to have a level entrance from Felixstowe Road - which I imagine is pretty useful to people living North of the station.
Of course if EL does ever get extended Eastwards, that entrance will end up getting lost and there'll need to be some rebuilding work there...
On another note, on Tuesday, a couple of hours after the line had first opened, I went to take a look at it (without travelling on it). I was quite amused to see that the two platforms at Abbey Wood were already not apparently quite enough - I watched an incoming train queueing outside the station because both platforms were occupied!
Dr Hoo
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For 12tph two platforms should be fine. The final operating philosophy also has two (regular) platforms earmarked at Shenfield.
Some Underground lines manage far more trains at two-platform termini. The Victoria line most obviously.
swt_passenger
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According to Geoff Marshall, up to surface level then along Eastbourne Terrace staying outside of the station and then across Praed St…
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Those trains aren't 205m long though! You're right though it's probably fine for 12tph. I wonder if it's enough for 15tph if they ever do bump the frequency.
Yes platform occupancy is pretty much 100% (ABW), the incoming train always has to wait for the train in the platform to depart. I assume there's more resilience as a result?
Can report there was a queue outside Abbey Wood this morning, but not as long as day 1, maybe 20 people waiting at lower entrance. Other people must have come into the platform from other entrances though, because the train was reasonably busy when we departed at 0630. No one really standing until Woolwich when quite a substantial number of people got on, and all seats were taken, with 4-6 people in each vestibule. Reasonably good spread of people alighting at most stations, except for Paddington which I reckon had around 200 passengers, most of the other stations had around 100 (based on scaled up observations from the door I was next too. Didn't see anyone alight at Custom House or Woolwich I should add). Certainly was busy, but room for more passengers if they had wanted to get on.
Really? I will have to try again today, I had given up on it!
Can report there was a queue outside Abbey Wood this morning, but not as long as day 1, maybe 20 people waiting at lower entrance. Other people must have come into the platform from other entrances though, because the train was reasonably busy when we departed at 0630. No one really standing until Woolwich when quite a substantial number of people got on, and all seats were taken, with 4-6 people in each vestibule. Reasonably good spread of people alighting at most stations, except for Paddington which I reckon had around 200 passengers, most of the other stations had around 100 (based on scaled up observations from the door I was next too. Didn't see anyone alight at Custom House or Woolwich I should add). Certainly was busy, but room for more passengers if they had wanted to get on.
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Just checked and TFL WiFi still doesn't work (it's the trains 4G receiver so no way it would work underground at the moment), virgin wifi still works but still has DHCP capacity issues
StratfordP
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strange that the new-ish london overground trains from liverpool street have got USB charging points but the elizabeth line doesn’t (as far as I can see?)
samuelmorris
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I think typically, shorter journey times are expected at peak times with the Elizabeth line. The 345s were also built before the 710s when the decision to add USB ports was made.
Yes, agreed, there's no 4G or working WiFi in the trains, only on stations is there WiFi.
The 345s on Elizabeth Line are about 5 years old and the 710s on LO are newer, hence they have more features.
The signed route takes you up to the eastern ticket hall and through the two sets of gates. Wonder how quick it is to go to the Central Line via the Northern Line?
I presume the low level link to the Central line was dropped from Tottenham Court Road. Can't remember seeing it when I went on an explore.
swt_passenger
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There was a discussion about this on Wednesday around post #220 onwards in this thread.
If you are referring to the link from the Western ticket hall then no, I don't recall seeing anything, not saying it's definitely not there though, have not had proper explore.
I presume the low level link to the Central line was dropped from Tottenham Court Road. Can't remember seeing it when I went on an explore.
swt_passenger
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The Barbican EL/NR “interchange”, or lack of, has been discussed in a few threads including this one, I found someone’s done a video about that end of Farringdon which will add to the understanding, much of it is about the sloping lifts parallel to the escalators, but you‘ll find the step free route to Barbican platform 2 at about 50 seconds in:
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I've discovered on the Crossrail project site it shows plans of each station overlayed onto a map, see https://www.crossrail.co.uk/route/n...x=-0.12824271678550872&ymax=51.51704538447688
Sadly it seems the low level link between the Central line passageway and the Elizabeth line wasn't built as originally planned. It would be good to know the reason for this as it seems a real shame given the advantages it would bring at this key interchange such as:
1 - Anyone interchanging from the west end of the EL platforms now has to walk the full length of the platform, up to the ticket hall, and back down again. Following signs for the Central you then have to walk the full length of the passageway before you get to the platforms. We're talking a half a kilometre walk here.
2 - It would provide access to the Central and Northern lines from the Dean Street entrance
3 - Takes many interchanging passengers away from the busy ticket hall and escalators
4 - Provides a shorter, quicker interchange from the Central line and for passengers towards the western end of an EL train
On a positive note it seems Bond Street will be getting some sort of low level link but I just don't understand why it hasn't been included at TCR
Sadly it seems the low level link between the Central line passageway and the Elizabeth line wasn't built as originally planned. It would be good to know the reason for this as it seems a real shame given the advantages it would bring at this key interchange such as:
1 - Anyone interchanging from the west end of the EL platforms now has to walk the full length of the platform, up to the ticket hall, and back down again. Following signs for the Central you then have to walk the full length of the passageway before you get to the platforms. We're talking a half a kilometre walk here.
2 - It would provide access to the Central and Northern lines from the Dean Street entrance
3 - Takes many interchanging passengers away from the busy ticket hall and escalators
4 - Provides a shorter, quicker interchange from the Central line and for passengers towards the western end of an EL train
On a positive note it seems Bond Street will be getting some sort of low level link but I just don't understand why it hasn't been included at TCR
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ctom_s
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I certainly don't want to be a moaning mrytle and absolutely have enjoyed riding the line but the walks and connections do seem to be quite poor in some places. TCR has been highlighted above and I will see whether going via the northern line is indeed faster tomorrow. But also at Moorgate I came from the northern line this morning and go sent via and over the circle line platforms to crossrail (at which point I gave up and decided just to get the met line) which seems ridiculous is there no other route? (I guess you could go out and in again). Also very sad there's no connection to the eastbound platforms at barbican either (and barely one to the westbound). I guess things just got dropped on cost grounds but the line does feel very "separate". Maybe bond street will be better.
I've been banging the crossrail drum at work but a lot of people have pointed out that due to the long connections they'll be barely saving much time at all on their journeys, and the more I look at it the more I think they may be right. Specially if you pick the wrong end of the train.
I've been banging the crossrail drum at work but a lot of people have pointed out that due to the long connections they'll be barely saving much time at all on their journeys, and the more I look at it the more I think they may be right. Specially if you pick the wrong end of the train.
swt_passenger
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Regarding Tottenham Court Road (TCR), once there’s a decent EL/Central interchange at Bond St, and through running has been established on all legs, doesn’t that provide the obvious eastbound interchange you need anyway? I think TCR EL to Northern is probably far more useful, so that’s what they chose as a priority.
357
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I think Lizzy/Central line changes are far more likely to happen at Stratford where it is cross platform for those going to/from the east
Remember that even after full operations start, there will still be peak time trains from Liverpool Street mainline out towards Gidea Park.
The only passengers who wouldn't be able to use Stratford to change would be those from Whitechapel - Abbey Wood.
Remember that even after full operations start, there will still be peak time trains from Liverpool Street mainline out towards Gidea Park.
The only passengers who wouldn't be able to use Stratford to change would be those from Whitechapel - Abbey Wood.
ctom_s
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I don't know the central line between Stratford and Liverpool Street always feels ridiculously slow I'd imagine the time you'd save by staying on the lizzie line longer is fairly substantial by the time you reach TCR
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