Crossrail Update – November 2021

Operational Readiness

The transition of the Liverpool Street to Shenfield service to a full nine-car Class 345 operation, with up to 22 trains commenced on 1 November and is expected to be complete by the end of this year.

The next couple of months will be exciting for the programme as we progress through Trial Operations, the final stage before opening the railway, but also as we continue to build greater resilience into the railway. There is a real desire from everyone involved in the project to continue to build on the strong performance and deliver this railway for passenger service in the first half of next year.

Central Section Stations

The central section stations are now at an advanced stage, with eight out of the ten now under the responsibility of TfL. Canary Wharf will be the next station to be transferred by the middle of December. With the central section stations all now in an advanced state, Tier 1 contractors across the station sites are beginning to demobilise.

Bond Street station achieved its readiness to support Trial Operations on 8 October. This is a significant milestone for the station and for the wider programme. The team at Bond Street are now working on a plan to get the earliest opening date for the station. Possession of the oversite development and urban realm has also recently been handed to the developer.

Paddington Elizabeth line station entrance

Delivery of the Elizabeth line has reached its next significant milestone with the Trial Operations phase now underway. This marks the final phase of the programme before the Elizabeth line opens for passenger services between Paddington and Abbey Wood in the first half of 2022. Trial Operations began on Saturday 20 November 2021.

Trial Operations involves operational exercises to ensure the safety and reliability of the railway for public use and to fully test the timetables. More than 150 scenarios will be carried out over the coming months to ensure the readiness of the railway for passenger service. These include exercises to make sure that all systems and procedures work effectively and staff can respond to any incidents, including customers being unwell or signal failures.

In the new year, a series of more complex exercises will include evacuations of trains and stations. The final step will see a period of ‘shadow running’, operating timetabled services ahead of the Elizabeth line opening.

It will take several months to complete Trial Operations. The Elizabeth line is an immensely complex railway and Trial Operations will continue until it is clear that the railway can operate at the highest levels of safety and reliability before the start of passenger services. Only then will a specific opening date for the railway be announced. Trial Operations will also see organisations, including London Underground and Transport for London, MTR Elizabeth line, Network Rail and the emergency services all working together to respond to the trial scenarios.

Further software adjustment to the train and signalling and tunnel ventilation system will take place in December and over the Christmas period.

Trial Running

Trial Running with 12 trains per hour (tph) has continued to build reliability and flush out any issues with our systems and signalling software. We have also recently undertaken timetable demonstrations of 24 tph, the service frequency in the central section when the Elizabeth line is fully operational.

The latest signalling software, ELR100, was commissioned during a two-week period in October. The commissioning period also allowed for the tunnel ventilation system (TVS) to be upgraded, as well as other key works to the rolling stock, signalling, and fleet rollout.

Before the end of the year, there will be further changes to the TVS to complete the functionality of the system software for passenger service. There will also be a smaller scale ELR110 signalling software update that will sweep up the remaining issues identified during Trial Running.

Surface Stations

Network Rail’s upgrade works for the Elizabeth line are also nearing completion. Network Rail’s station enhancement works on the western section of the route are largely complete with enhanced station upgrade works progressing in the east at Ilford and Romford. TfL is carrying out improvement works at Burnham station on the west, separate to the Network Rail works, and this should be completed in the new year.

Enhanced station improvements at Ilford and Romford are progressing with lift cars installed at both sites. In addition, the ticket hall ceiling is being completed at Ilford whilst ticket vending machines are being installed at Romford. The stations are expected to be completed in early 2022, with Network Rail continuing to monitor this to drive performance.

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