Crossrail

02.11.16

Crossrail driver simulator installed at Ilford as fleet testing progresses

Crossrail has taken another step forward as testing and driver testing for its new fleet of Bombardier-built Aventra trains begins.

The latest report from Transport for London commissioner Mike Brown says that the first test train for the Class 345s, which will run on the new cross-London line, was delivered to the Old Dalby test centre in August for high-speed testing and integration with trackside systems.

Further testing on Network Rail track in the London area will begin this month, to complete by February before services are introduced from May 2017.

A Class 345 simulator, which uses virtual reality views of the Crossrail routes to help train drivers, was also installed at Ilford during August and September.

In September, London mayor Sadiq Khan made the first station-to-station journey on Crossrail, named the Elizabeth Line in honour of the Queen, as the project reached 75% completion.

Earlier this year, RTM visited Bombardier’s testing facility to see the Class 345s first-hand.

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Comments

Andrew Gwilt   02/11/2016 at 10:13

Can't wait to see the new Elizabeth Line Class 345 trains to be in service. Some will operate between Shenfield and Liverpool St to replace the Class 315's whilst some will operate between Whitechapel and Abbey Road and between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport (Central & T4) and Paddington-Maidenhead & Reading then the central section of the Elizabeth Line will be opened from mid/late 2019 and the whole route will come alive once the central section between Whitechapel and Paddington is completed. Plus the extension to Dartford could happen in the 2020's.

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