Crossrail’s Quarterly Update: May 2017

The Crossrail project is now 83% complete and will shortly achieve a major milestone. This is the first stage of the phased introduction of the new service that will be named the Elizabeth line when it opens through central London in December 2018.

New Elizabeth Line Trains

The new accessible trains will be some of the most advanced on the UK rail system. The Elizabeth line is set to increase central London’s rail capacity by 10% when it is fully operational. The accessible railway will serve 40 stations, with up to 24 trains per hour in each direction, giving an additional 1.5 million people better access to jobs and opportunities in London’s major employment centres.

Operational Training

Training of the new operations workforce is well underway. Drivers are familiarising themselves with the new trains and route, while apprentices are gaining experience working across the network. Crossrail’s purpose-built training facility, the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy (TUCA), has now become part of the Transport for London family. Offering apprenticeships and training, the centre will support the next generation workforce for rail and tunnelling projects.

Crossrail Stations Update

The Crossrail route will service a total of 40 stations, 10 of which will be wholly new. In Crossrail’s May update, works completed include:

  • Paddington: The first platform screen doors have been installed in the westbound tunnel at Paddington station and are now also being installed at Bond Street station.
  • Tottenham Court Road: Installation of glazed walls wrapping the Dean Street entrance. Installation of the six escalators (three in the western ticket hall, three in the east) and platform cladding and lighting are also underway.
  • Farringdon: Distinct ceilings, bespoke for each of the two ticket halls, are now structurally complete.
  • Liverpool Street: The last piece of earth was excavated at Liverpool Street marking the end of an immense and complex excavation programme on the project.

Crossrail Archaeology Programme

A new virtual exhibition is giving more people the chance to explore the archaeological artefacts unearthed during Crossrail’s construction. The new immersive website is based on the exhibition ‘Tunnel: The Archaeology of Crossrail’, on display at the Museum of London Docklands.

Howard Smith, Operations Director, concluded:

As the year goes on, we will see the stations and tunnels come to life. While there’s plenty to do to get ready for the Elizabeth line, the project will continue to share its lessons learned along the way.

Original article © Crossrail. For the full May 2017 edition of Crossrail’s quarterly update, please click here.

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