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Post by snowman on Jul 4, 2017 9:19:53 GMT
Several news sites are reporting that agreement has been reached between TfL and Heathrow. Heathrow will gain Oyster readers by May 2018
Elizabeth line will now serve airport 6 trains per hour, half hourly to T5 (from Dec 2019), adding to others to T4. Long term aim is to get 8 trains per hour to airport.
Heathrow Express to continue every 15 munutes.
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Post by T.R. on Jul 4, 2017 11:00:36 GMT
Also there's reports (can't find a source at present) that the rebuilds at western stations (particularly West Ealing / Ealing Broadway) are behind schedule and won't be finished until 2019. :/
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Post by snoggle on Jul 4, 2017 11:11:00 GMT
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Post by snoggle on Jul 13, 2017 15:05:46 GMT
TfL have today confirmed enhanced service levels on Crossrail. This reflects the settlement with Heathrow but also seemingly the DfT as more services will run to Reading plus extra services through the core - note the quote from Mr Grayling ( ). There isn't a TfL press release published but Mayorwatch have reported (they get releases earlier than reach the website). www.mayorwatch.co.uk/tfl-confirms-boost-to-elizabeth-line-train-frequency/
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Post by TNL33036 on Jul 13, 2017 22:33:16 GMT
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Post by snoggle on Jul 24, 2017 9:29:51 GMT
Looks like Mr Grayling has carefully moved the funding goalposts for Crossrail 2. He wants London to fund 50% of the cost *upfront* which I assume means increased local taxes, fares and charges and not borrowing paid back later. www.mayorwatch.co.uk/government-asks-london-to-fund-half-of-crossrail-2s-upfront-construction-costs-as-condition-for-go-head/He says he "supports" Crossrail 2 but this, to my mind anyway, is a massive issue for TfL and the Mayor. It is a rather unsubtle move to force the Mayor to abandon the fares freeze and to shove up things like the TfL precept or to levy a new precept. It will be interesting to see how City Hall responds to this demand and whether the project moves forward or not.
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Post by Eastlondoner62 on Aug 30, 2017 14:12:44 GMT
A question regarding Whitechapel Station. I am under the understanding that the Elizabeth Lines will have short workings between Gidea Park and Liverpool Street High Level, Whitechapel is on this route but is in a tunnel. Does anyone know if the plan is for those short workings to bypass Whitechapel and just continue as they do now or will the trains descent into the tunnels to serve Whitechapel and then come back out to serve Liverpool Street high level?
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Post by snowman on Aug 30, 2017 14:31:40 GMT
A question regarding Whitechapel Station. I am under the understanding that the Elizabeth Lines will have short workings between Gidea Park and Liverpool Street High Level, Whitechapel is on this route but is in a tunnel. Does anyone know if the plan is for those short workings to bypass Whitechapel and just continue as they do now or will the trains descent into the tunnels to serve Whitechapel and then come back out to serve Liverpool Street high level? Plan is to close a platform at Liverpool St (main) once the tunnels are open, so all the other platforms can be extended and take full length trains. Think it will only be peak extras that ultimately will work in current route. Cannot rejoin the route to the main station from Whitechapel crossrail (although decades ago could go from East London platforms (now overground) into main station
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Post by snoggle on Aug 30, 2017 15:23:03 GMT
A question regarding Whitechapel Station. I am under the understanding that the Elizabeth Lines will have short workings between Gidea Park and Liverpool Street High Level, Whitechapel is on this route but is in a tunnel. Does anyone know if the plan is for those short workings to bypass Whitechapel and just continue as they do now or will the trains descent into the tunnels to serve Whitechapel and then come back out to serve Liverpool Street high level? Err no the services are entirely separate west of Stratford. Core services, starting in May 2019, will leave Stratford and veer left into the new portal at Pudding Mill Lane to descend into the tunnels to Whitechapel and points west to Paddington. The short workings are in the peak direction only and will NOT enter the tunnel at all. They will continue into the surface station as existing services do. Snowman has explained the platform reconfiguration issue at Liv St (surface) to allow 9 car class 345s to use the station. Therefore, in the peaks, passengers between Gidea Park and Stratford will have a choice of destination - Liv St (surface) or Paddington (goes beyond to Reading come Dec 2019). In the PM peak there will be a choice of Crossrail departure points at Liv St - surface platforms for about 4 tph and the rest downstairs in the tunnels. As has been said before Crossrail take over the Heathrow Connect service from Paddington to Heathrow from May 2018. Between Dec 2018 and Dec 2019 passengers will have to interchange between low level and high level at Paddington to get between the core and Heathrow Crossrail services. Ditto from Dec 2018 to May 2019 passengers will be able to change between low level and high level at Liverpool Street to interchange between the core and Shenfield line services. This document - content.tfl.gov.uk/board-20170208-item09-crossrail-transition.pdf - has a diagram on page 9 showing the different phases and tph numbers on the route at different stages.
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Post by Eastlondoner62 on Aug 30, 2017 16:54:03 GMT
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Post by M1104 on Sept 18, 2017 22:58:12 GMT
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Post by snoggle on Sept 19, 2017 10:55:54 GMT
Tunnelled section from Plumstead to Royal Oak (following completion of the permanent tracks). youtu.be/d-RzWLxPQCs Interesting video. A few observations - they look to be having water issues in the old Connaught tunnel. The stations are all in varying states of completion - not entirely unexpected but odd that some have full PEDs in places, others have none, some are nearly fully clad on the platform walls but others have little or none (for stns with the same finishes). Also quite a bit of work needed to get the tunnels fully cabled up and for catenary to be installed west of about Canary Wharf. That may all be in line with the overall programme but I'd have expected a tad more consistency at this point in proceedings. Only 6-8 months before the handover to the operators who have about 4-6 months to get to grips with how everything works and get people fully trained and familiarised with the new line. That's no time at all.
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Post by snoggle on Oct 7, 2017 0:40:50 GMT
TfL have issued an update paper on Crossrail 2. Confirms a number of things and sets out a possible future programme. content.tfl.gov.uk/pic-20171013-agenda-item15.pdfConfirms - delay to government decision due to general election - delay to the overall programme of trying to get a bill in place - that TfL having to rework funding proposals - that TfL having to review affordability with a view to a phased opening (as per recent FT article) and paper due to the relevant Govt Cttee in early October. States - TfL have been told a further announcement from Govt may emerge around Budget time in Nov 2017 - If positive then TfL will consult again in 2018 with a view to resetting the route safeguarding to reflect a "final" route option - TfL think a Hybrid Bill might then be available in 2020. I'm not holding my breath on any of the above. I will be astonished if the government gives the nod to allow TfL to proceed to the Hybrid Bill stage but we shall see. Expect the lobbying and rumour machines to go into overdrive in November this year.
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Post by snoggle on Oct 27, 2017 12:32:56 GMT
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Post by snoggle on Dec 5, 2017 1:16:06 GMT
The new Crossrail transition update report has been published. It gives an update on preparations for trial running, take over of services out of Paddington and other things such as rolling stock testing. content.tfl.gov.uk/pic-20171212-item13-elizabeth-line.pdfLooks like the programme is tightening in one or two places with some delays and issues around train reliability, software updates, signalling integration and commencing testing on the Abbey Wood branch. The paper confirms that works have started at Heathrow to install Oyster and Contactless ticketing equipment (I assume validators) and new ticket machines / amended signage too. This confirms that Oyster / Contactless should be switched on at Heathrow from May next year.
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