Crossrail

Structure for new Crossrail station – built off-site in Derbyshire – completed

The structure of the new Crossrail Custom House station in the Royal Docks has been completed.

Large sections of the station were manufactured in a state of the art Laing O’Rourke facility in Steetley, near Sheffield and then transported more than 130 miles to east London and assembled on site. The 825 station components were installed using a purpose-built 35-tonne gantry crane. The last section was installed a year and a day after the first piece went in.

Crossrail say that the process of manufacturing large sections of the station off site in pre-cast concrete significantly simplified the process of building the station, saving time, reducing disruption, improving quality and making the process safer.

Mujahid Khalid, Crossrail project manager at Custom House, said: “Piecing together the 825 sections that make up the station’s structure has been a bit like a giant jigsaw puzzle. It’s been impressive to see the building go up so quickly and efficiently and a lot of hard work has gone in from everyone on the project.

“Now the structure is complete, the focus will turn to fitting out the building with escalators, lifts and everything else to turn it into a fully operating station.”

When it opens in 2018, Custom House Crossrail station will be run by Transport for London as part of London’s integrated transport network. At peak time, 12 trains an hour will stop at the station.

The journey from Custom House to Bond Street on Crossrail will take 17 minutes and passengers will be able to travel to and from Heathrow in 45 minutes.

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