Crossrail/Elizabeth Line. From construction to operation - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

Paddington:
Platforms 11/12/13 are being altered (as we have already discussed), so that short Platforms 12 and 13 are combined into one Platform 12 which will eventually 294m long.  Initially it will remain a short platform whilst the new platform is built after the holiday period, but Platform 13 closes. 

While crossing the bridge between the H&C and the main station I noticed that the redundant lift shafts and associated equipment rooms above the 'short' platforms in that area are being demolished. (Was there an LU ticket office as well a few years back?) I'm surprised it wasn't done years ago, but I guess out of sight out of mind?

I thought I'd mention it here because I suspect it is required to be done at last to make additional circulation space at platform level?  I remember reading something a while ago about a big project to completely redo the access at this end of the main station, but it seems to have gone a bit quiet...

 

[IndustryInsider]

In terms of the lift shaft, I believe that's right in the way of where the realigned track for the extended Platform 12 will be located, so it has had to go.

[paul7575]

In terms of the lift shaft, I believe that's right in the way of where the realigned track for the extended Platform 12 will be located, so it has had to go.

That makes sense, now that I've thought about it, but removing the one on P14 side is probably not strictly necessary, but I guess it makes sense to take it out at the same time.    Might allow them to get a more consistent platform surface level right across what will presumably be quite a wide section once the work is complete?

Paul

[FremlinsMan]

It'll soon be time for the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) Railway Annual Lecture and Dinner -

The lecture is free and open to all, dinner is £55 for IET members, £70 for non-members
http://conferences.theiet.org/railway-lecture/about/index.cfm


===

About the event
 

The IET’s Railway Annual Lecture and Dinner is one of the calendar’s key networking events for the railway sector.

This years’ lecture ‘Innovation in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Rail Industry’ will be given by Adrian Shooter CBE who will draw upon his years’ of experience in the rail industry to present to you how and why engineers are best placed to lead the charge in terms of customer focused innovation.

The lecture is then followed by an optional networking drinks reception and three course dinner (at an additional cost) which is available to those attendees looking to extend their evening and networking opportunities.

 

Dinner registration
Attendees can extend their evening and networking with peers from the rail engineering world!

Register yourself and your colleagues to enjoy a sumptuous three course dinner with wine and coffee held at the IET London: Savoy Place.

There are no seating plans for the dinner. Dinner guests can choose their own places so everyone will get to mingle with who they want.

 

Programme
18:00 - Registration and light refreshments
18:30 - Lecture commences
19:30 - Optional networking drinks reception
20:00 - Optional dinner
22:00 - End of event

---

[Electric train]

Paddington:
Platforms 11/12/13 are being altered (as we have already discussed), so that short Platforms 12 and 13 are combined into one Platform 12 which will eventually 294m long.  Initially it will remain a short platform whilst the new platform is built after the holiday period, but Platform 13 closes. 

While crossing the bridge between the H&C and the main station I noticed that the redundant lift shafts and associated equipment rooms above the 'short' platforms in that area are being demolished. (Was there an LU ticket office as well a few years back?) I'm surprised it wasn't done years ago, but I guess out of sight out of mind?

I thought I'd mention it here because I suspect it is required to be done at last to make additional circulation space at platform level?  I remember reading something a while ago about a big project to completely redo the access at this end of the main station, but it seems to have gone a bit quiet...

 

There was a LUL^▸ (London Underground Ltd) ticket office on the over bridge put in when the ticket barriers were installed. 

There used to be a ticket office called Ticket Office 'D' over platform * at the top of the stairs, this was demolished when the over bridge and platform 8 stairs were realigned for HEX work to widen platforms 6 & 7.

There was a series of lifts across the platform "extensions" platforms 2 & 3, 4 & 5 6 & & and 8 had a lift from a subway which ran down from London end platform 1A to platform 8.  The lift on 8 was 3 floors subway to over bridge.  From the over bridge 10 & 11, 12, 13 & 14 and 15 & 16 all had lifts.

Platform 1A was the DPO (Down Parcels Office) Platform 12 was the UPO (Up Parcels Office)

When I worked at Paddington maintenance the only lifts in service was 8 (platform to bridge) 13 & 14 this was to move Red Star parcels and Royal Mail, the ramp was then built between 12 and 13 / 14 and the lift decommissioned.

[IndustryInsider]

According to reports on another forum the structures over the Maidenhead Viaduct have now been installed and are of a similar design to those at Goring.

[TonyK]

Programme
18:00 - Registration and light refreshments
18:30 - Lecture commences
19:30 - Optional networking drinks reception
20:00 - Optional dinner
22:00 - End of event

Carriages at 2230 (MkIII, perhaps?)

[stuving]

I was at an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) talk on Friday by long-time Crossrail insider (now a consultant) Charles Devereux. He was talking mainly about preparations for operational use, that being his main role. There were a couple of things he said at the end (just before rushing off to catch a train) that are perhaps of interest.

On the subject of terminating so many trains at Westbourne Park, and the alternatives, his opinion was that this would not be a big issue - eventually. Westbourne Park is only temporary, until Old Oak Common becomes the real terminus. Extending onto the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) has limited benefit, as the bigger places already have faster trains and there will be adequate capacity with HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) in use. Chiltern are keen to run to OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)) to connect there, which is easier to engineer. And in any case the number of trains running onto the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) will soon go up.

Of course you could say the same thing about faster trains on the GWML. However, the lack of capacity (no third pair of tracks) probably does make the value of the "full metro" solution greater. Then again, if you ignore the advantage of a through metro service out to commuterland, but ask for a good connection from outer suburban semi-fasts to your metro, extending to some interchange still looks a good idea.

The other point was that next year sees Crossrail works take over two lines on the approaches to Paddington. I can't find any publicity about when this happens, and what it does to the timetable. Unless it been changed from the original plans, this is the section from the H&C dive-under out to Ladbroke Grove, where there are only six running lines and no spare space. The loss is permanent, but later on most of the relief line services will not go this way.

But perhaps those original plans should have changed. With hindsight, you do wonder why Westbourne Park is still being built. Clearing a bit of space at OOC for something similar ought to be doable. But then modern computer-heavy engineering design and project contracting is so awfully slow and inflexible isn't it?

As planned, in the long term, the combination of the loss of those two tracks, access into Paddington off the Relief Lines being at grade, and stopping all (or nearly) trains at OOC, will impact NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s hope to push the semifasts off the Main Lines. So, of course, will any increase of the number of Crossrail services west of OOC.

[eightf48544]

Interesting post stuving goes to re-enforce my view Crossrail doesn't work West of Paddington.

[Surrey 455]

On the subject of terminating so many trains at Westbourne Park, and the alternatives, his opinion was that this would not be a big issue - eventually. Westbourne Park is only temporary, until Old Oak Common becomes the real terminus. Extending onto the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) has limited benefit, as the bigger places already have faster trains and there will be adequate capacity with HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) in use. Chiltern are keen to run to OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)) to connect there, which is easier to engineer. And in any case the number of trains running onto the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line) will soon go up.

I must have missed this conversation. Is Westbourne Park being rebuilt?

[laird]

Westbourne Park and Paddington New Yard seem to get used interchangeably.

Moving West on Crossrail it goes:
Paddington,
Royal Oak Portal
Paddington New Yard/Westbourne Park Turnback Sidings/Marcon Sidings (this is the area Charles would have been referring to as it also includes an REB and Road Rail Access Point (RRAP^▸ (Road Rail Access Point)))
(then there is the road bridge)
Westbourne Park Auto Transformer Site
then you are in to fully Network Rail teritory

[stuving]

I must have missed this conversation. Is Westbourne Park being rebuilt?

Currently it (the Crossrail "catcher's mitt") is being built. But his opinion was that once OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)) is a station and you want most trains to go there, there's little point turning any round "at Paddington". Whether the OOC site is actually finite, so can't find space for everything, or whether you could terminate 14 tph at platforms, remains to be seen. 

[stuving]

Whether the OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)) site is actually finite, so can't find space for everything, or whether you could terminate 14 tph at platforms, remains to be seen. 

There may be a lot less space for railways at OOC than we think. It appears that the mayor (or rather his predecessor) has already flogged off the site, including North Pole, and is muttering about moving the Crossrail depot somewhere else. The plans do however leave space for two new Overground stations. Lots of details including a whizzy interactive map, at https://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/organisations-we-work/old-oak-and-park-royal-development-corporation-opdc/about-opdc-0.

[IndustryInsider]

One half of the new crossover just east of Hayes station was installed over the weekend, and with the connections for Maidenhead loop installed a week before, work to get everything as ready as possible for the Xmas blockade is shaping up nicely.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Crossrail carriage passes extreme-weather tests



Extreme weather conditions have proved no match for Crossrail engineers whose train carriage has passed three weeks of rigorous testing.

Snowy, windy and foggy conditions, as well as temperatures ranging from -25C (-13F) to 40C (104F), were simulated in a climatic wind tunnel in Vienna.

In tests the front high-speed rail carriage proved itself equal to the variable British weather.

Crossrail will open in 2017 linking 40 stations in London and the South East.



Named the Elizabeth Line in honour of the Queen, it is due to open in May.

Operations director Howard Smith said: "It's important that we check that the new trains can operate in anything that the changing British weather can throw at them and it won't be long before our customers will be able to get on board a train."

Weather simulations tested the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning system, windscreen wipers, demister, train horns and traction motors.

The carriage, built by Bombardier Transportation in Derby, has returned to London for night testing.