Crossrail opening delayed (opening date not yet known)

[bramling]

What doesn't make sense (to me) is why it would be in any way in the Mayor's own interest to try and 'cover up' any delay? The successful delivery of the project is largely out of his direct control anyway - others responsibility - save for releasing funding and providing challenge/probing into how on time the thing is.

Mayor hoping to get some political creep points off the back of it and no one in the project team has the guts to come out in the open for fear of being the mayor’s fall-guy? To allow the announcement of the delay to be timed in such a way that it’s released on a day that’s “a good day to bury bad news”?

Again, it makes the leadership - from the mayor downwards - appear incompetent. But then little about Khan impresses me, his sole goal seems to be to get re-elected and boost his profile off the back of delivering very little of substance. I find the “the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has done...” posters across the Underground system rather distasteful.

 

[bramling]

The problem is less the Mayor (or rather the Office of the Mayor) per se, but it's the structure of the London government - essentially all the power is channelled through one person, the Assembly only exists to broadly scrutinise what the Mayor does with considerable executive power. If the Assembly could act more like a Parliament and the Mayor was like a First Minister and had to seek support for decisions and policies through an elected body that could debate and amend on the public record, these arguments about transparency would be blown away. More, better structured devolution is the answer, not less.

Let’s face it, the mayor was one of Blair’s little projects like Scottish and Welsh devolution where it was thought to be a shoe-in for Labour at the time. Only it didn’t quite go to plan in Scotland due to the subsequent SNP explosion, and London developing a tendency to elect Maverick characters (or, being less diplomatic, oddballs bafoons and/or freaks).

It says it all that many people’s yardstick for comparing the three mayors is which one has been least worst!

 

[James H]

Arguably one of the problems with Crossrail is the shared accountability between TfL and the DfT - means that neither really have a handle on it.

 

[Class 170101]

Arguably one of the problems with Crossrail is the shared accountability between TfL and the DfT - means that neither really have a handle on it.

But neccessary as people from outside London benefit and receive dis-benefit from this project as well. Whether Grayling is right person at the DfT to manage Crossrail and other transport projects is another matter. (Personally I wouldn't trust him to run a bath but still).

 

[ijmad]

New article from New Civil Engineer -
True scale of Crossrail problems laid bare

Some quotes:

“We have many, many thousands of hours to do in the tunnels,” he said. ”Every station has many, many months of work to do.”

“The challenge I now face, that I need to get on with actually, is one, to two…, to three years of work ahead of me, not six or seven weeks of delay."

He insisted that an 18 month delay to delivery of the trains from Bombardier was key.

Pretty damning. So, 2021 opening then?

 

[coupwotcoup]

I'm not in either the construction or rail industry's employ but still mystified as
to the delay in the rebuild to the ticket office at Harold Wood station.

From memory it must be at least three/four years since the temporary building
was put in place, with information re the original site stating that this had been
caused by 'unexpected and unspecified' problems.

It [the original block] has been boarded off ever since but with little or no signs
of any work being done to redress the problem.

Anyone got any ideas/info as to what is happening there?

PS
As a sidenote, the Empire State building took one year and 45 days to build - in 1931.

 

[hwl]

New article from New Civil Engineer -
True scale of Crossrail problems laid bare

Some quotes:




Pretty damning. So, 2021 opening then?

The last quote is from Terry Morgan, the first 2 are from Mark Wild (new CEO ex head of LU) so they aren't compatible as they don't agree with each other.
And plenty of nuggets from the hearing that require knowledge to put together as well e.g.
Mark estimated Bond Street completion at July (which he didn't say was 18 months late but is), he also indicated that the original length of the testing window was probably 6 months shorter than should have been allowed for.
Everything is at least year late.
Mark also demolished Terry's "the trains being 18months late nothing to do with me guv" (they were ordered by TFL not Crossrailso a good external blames) the issue it is the onboard software for both Siemens and Bombardier that is problematic as Mark pointed out.

The full 4h20m of hearing can be listen and watched here:
https://www.london.gov.uk/london-assembly-transport-committee-2019-01-09

Get some popcorn first.

 

[317 forever]

A test train ran through the tunnel Monday Morning. There was also one stabled in the tunnel Christmas day and a few boxing day test runs.

What I have heard was

1.)january 24th full timetable testing begins in the core.
2.)Mid February class 345s start replacing Heathrow connect class 360s
3.)Low frequency core preview service target date September 7th 2019. Which was the original revised core opening date. (May only run off peak and weekends due to crowding fears, another option being considered is opening for a few minutes at a time to generate hype)
3.)December 2019 X2 tph start running to Reading from Paddington mainline. They aim to open the core the same day. Although possibly be delayed until April/May
4.)May 2020 join up date.

If we end up with Paddington (Crossrail) to Abbey Wood opening in December, with Shenfield and Reading/Heathrow sections joining up to make the full through route in May 2020, this would be a relief compared to the delays that have been or looked looming.

 

[reddragon]

New article from New Civil Engineer -
True scale of Crossrail problems laid bare

Some quotes:




Pretty damning. So, 2021 opening then?

That pretty much sums up what I am seeing & what I have been told by those on the ground!

If anyone is going to turn this around, then Mark Wild seems to be the person to do it.

May 2020 remains the likely opening date for whatever is ready to open then!

 

[Class 170101]

But all this just sounds like extremely poor project management and a lack of control.

 

[EssexGonzo]

But all this just sounds like extremely poor project management and a lack of control.

An easy assumption to make but project managers are always subject to the whims and direction of the sponsor/business leader or in this case - political leaders. The most common reasons for delay for most project tends to be lack, or poor, decision-making.

 

[Meerkat]

If project managers were actually all knowing fortune tellers, as seems to be the expectation, they wouldn’t be mucking about just being Project managers.....

 

[EssexGonzo]

If project managers were actually all knowing fortune tellers, as seems to be the expectation, they wouldn’t be mucking about just being Project managers.....

I do believe you're referring to the part of the job description described as "forecasting".......

 

[reddragon]

It is called matrix management!

Each team is a siphon that doesn't speak to any other team; each siphon is layered by project stage and by management layer to create a rubik cube of management.

On the work sections each stage of the project has a different team that doesn't pass all information onto the next team.

This ensures that nobody knows what is going on and that nobody knows its going wrong.

You think I'm joking?

 

[swt_passenger]

It is called matrix management!

Each team is a siphon that doesn't speak to any other team; each siphon is layered by project stage and by management layer to create a rubik cube of management.

On the work sections each stage of the project has a different team that doesn't pass all information onto the next team.

This ensures that nobody knows what is going on and that nobody knows its going wrong.

You think I'm joking?

I think you’re mixing up siphons (or syphons) and silos...

 

[Sebastian O]

I think you’re mixing up siphons (or syphons) and silos...

Matrix style management structure does exist; as opposed to hierarchical style management.

 

[swt_passenger]

Matrix style management structure does exist; as opposed to hierarchical style management.

Oh I know, I just thought “siphon” wasn’t part of it...

 

[pacenotes]

Two trains at Westbourne park today and the signaling lights were on. Seemed a lot more trains out than normal that are usually stabled up at Old Oak.

 

[Jpeg]

http://www.cityam.com/271599/crossrail-begins-dynamic-testing-elizabeth-line-after

Crossrail begins dynamic testing on the Elizabeth Line
Alexandra Rogers
Crossrail began operating test trains on the Elizabeth Line today, allowing a crucial part of the project to get back on its feet after months of delays and setbacks.

Main dynamic testing is the process by which trains are operated in the tunnels to test the new signalling systems to ensure the trains are safe and reliable.

Delays to infrastructure and signalling testing has long been cited as factor in delaying the £17.4bn project, which originally was scheduled to open on 9 December last year.

The testing programme will take place over the next six months. In the first week, two test trains will operate – the first between Pudding Mill Lane and Paddington and Westbourne Park and the second between Abbey Wood and Canary Wharf.

Crossrail has been unable to complete full programmes of dynamic testing due to ongoing construction work in the tunnels, meaning testing has only been carried out at limited times at the weekends.

The dynamic testing programme was due to start in November 2017 but an explosion at Pudding Mill Lane pushed the programme back to February 2018, causing delays to the railway which is now unlikely to open before 2020.

Crossrail chief executive Mark Wild said: “The main dynamic testing phase has commenced and is an important step forward for the Crossrail project. Over the next six months we will be testing all the railway’s systems to ensure they are safe and reliable and to identify any faults or software bugs in the very complex systems that are needed to operate the railway. Everyone involved in the project is fully focused on ensuring the Elizabeth Line is completed as quickly as possible and brought into service for passengers.”

 

[samuelmorris]

Good news. I wonder how the testing actually went though. I'd be keen to know how much progress (or otherwise) has been made with the systems integration issues that have led to so much of the problem.

 

[gordonjahn]

Good news. I wonder how the testing actually went though. I'd be keen to know how much progress (or otherwise) has been made with the systems integration issues that have led to so much of the problem.

I was under the impression that contractors in stations and tunnels was the main issue for dynamic testing. Is it possible that they have cleared people out and then use some anachronistic signalling technique (pilotman?) to get them from Old Oak and into the tunnels, then they start testing the core CBTC systems without necessarily having solved the CBTC <--> TPWS integration?

 

[matt_world2004]

I was under the impression that contractors in stations and tunnels was the main issue for dynamic testing. Is it possible that they have cleared people out and then use some anachronistic signalling technique (pilotman?) to get them from Old Oak and into the tunnels, then they start testing the core CBTC systems without necessarily having solved the CBTC <--> TPWS integration?

The dynamic testing takes place entirely in the CBTC area. The transition point between CBTC and TPWS is still fenced off at Royal Oak.

 

[hwl]

I was under the impression that contractors in stations and tunnels was the main issue for dynamic testing. Is it possible that they have cleared people out and then use some anachronistic signalling technique (pilotman?) to get them from Old Oak and into the tunnels, then they start testing the core CBTC systems without necessarily having solved the CBTC <--> TPWS integration?

The units for Core testing are kept at Plumstead / Abbey Wood so no immediate need for access from OOC or need to sort CBTC-TPWS issues.

 

[Antman]

I have just seen a 345 (028 I think) out testing from RDG. half of it appears have no interior - end cars and maybe more. Is that right, or just Tube style longitudinal seating so you can't see it (my office here is at rail level)

 

[samuelmorris]

I have just seen a 345 (028 I think) out testing from RDG. half of it appears have no interior - end cars and maybe more. Is that right, or just Tube style longitudinal seating so you can't see it (my office here is at rail level)

The latter - seating is longitudinal in the end and centre vehicles, part-transverse in the others.

 

[dk1]

Had to laugh Sunday. I think some of the drivers where bored doing Shenfield to Romford shuttles & where inputting Paddington into the on-board passenger info displays. Wishful thinking

 

[Seaza]

The units for Core testing are kept at Plumstead / Abbey Wood so no immediate need for access from OOC or need to sort CBTC-TPWS issues.

The units are taken from OOC into to COS on a Sunday night in intergrated mode TPWS/AWS and CBTC enabled.

 

[jyte]

The units are taken from OOC into to COS on a Sunday night in intergrated mode TPWS/AWS and CBTC enabled.

COS? Not familiar with that TLA.

 

[Seaza]

COS? Not familiar with that TLA.

Sorry about the jargon. Central Operating Section.

 

[jdxn]

The dynamic testing takes place entirely in the CBTC area. The transition point between CBTC and TPWS is still fenced off at Royal Oak.

It is possible to do normal signalled moves from the NR infrastructure to the western tunnel. There have been moves made in both directions. That bit works.