28.04.17
First Elizabeth Line train on track to enter service in May
Howard Smith, TfL’s operations director for the Elizabeth Line, on what the future looks like for London’s new east-west rail route as the first train readies to enter service in May this year.
The Elizabeth Line is going to transform travel in London and the south of England. The line, currently being constructed by Crossrail Ltd, will be fully integrated into the TfL network and will reach from as far west as Reading and Heathrow across to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. It will provide vital extra capacity, with the central section seeing up to 24 trains per hour in each direction and the railway carrying more than 200 million passengers annually.
It will mean a step change in the accessibility of the London transport network – with 10 new stations and 30 upgraded stations, all of which will be accessible with step-free access from street to platform. When fully opened, it will represent a much-needed increase in central London’s rail capacity by around 10%.
But it’s not just London that will benefit. The railway will boost the UK economy by an estimated £42bn, supporting thousands of homes and new jobs. Over the course of the project, it is estimated that Crossrail Ltd and its supply chain will support the equivalent of 55,000 full-time jobs across the country.
Now, eight years after construction began and with more than 80% of the work complete, preparations for the line opening and running through new tunnels under London begin in earnest.
TfL Rail
On TfL’s behalf, MTR Crossrail has been running TfL Rail services from Shenfield into Liverpool Street since May 2015 with significant improvement in reliability since taking over.
In just under two years, the performance of the railway has increased – with delays reduced by over a third and TfL Rail now one of the best-performing operators countrywide. This has been achieved whilst running 35-year-old trains on existing infrastructure that is in the course of being upgraded – a particular challenge – as well as seeing an increase in passengers.
In addition to more reliable services, passengers will also notice the TfL culture for running services has been embedded. Stations are staffed from first to last train, new branding and signage has been installed and platforms and ticket halls have been cleaned and are being refurbished.
When the Elizabeth Line is fully operational, the stations will have a consistent look and feel, with central stations reflecting the history and character of their local areas.
What the future looks like
From May this year, the first new train will enter passenger service between Liverpool Street and Shenfield. Each carriage will have three double-doors per side, which is quite different to other rolling stock running in London and is a key factor in achieving high levels of reliability.
Increasing the speed that passengers can board and alight the trains will reduce dwell time in stations. Trains on the eastern section of the route will initially have seven fully-interconnected, walk-through carriages. They will have a mix of longitudinal and bay seating, four dedicated spaces for wheelchairs, air-conditioning and real-time travel information.
In May 2018, TfL Rail will begin operating between Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 4. This will replace, and enhance, the current Heathrow Connect services: from two trains per hour to four. This will mark the railway operating in both east and west London as well as the introduction of the full-length, nine-carriage Class 345s being built by Bombardier at its Derby factory.
By the end of 2019, the Elizabeth Line will use a fleet of 66 new nine-carriage trains. The Class 345s have been designed and built in Britain and are the first to be based on Bombardier’s Aventra train – helping to support 760 UK jobs and 80 apprenticeships.
Full-length nine-carriage trains, each one carrying up to 1,500 passengers, will be introduced on the western section of the route from May 2018. The shorter-formation trains will be extended to the full length from December 2018. This is due to the above-ground platforms at Liverpool Street station only being able to be extended once the central tunnels have opened.
Ahead of the first train entering service, MTR has been training its drivers using the simulators at Ilford depot. Ultimately, 400 drivers will be required across the railway.
The first of the trains was handed over to MTR for driver training in April and will also help station staff to familiarise themselves ahead of passengers using it – particularly training them in the use of ramps for passenger accessibility.
The most dramatic construction phase of the work to deliver a new railway across London is nearing its end. But the work to prepare for this vital service continues.
Ensuring the railway is a success
Now is the time that all the partners come together to ensure the railway is a success: TfL, Crossrail Ltd, Network Rail, London Underground, MTR Crossrail, Bombardier and others. All are working tirelessly during closures and whilst the railway is open to deliver London’s newest railway next year.
Beyond that, it is vital that we do not lose the specialist construction, tunnelling and engineering skills we have developed in the UK.
Despite the Elizabeth Line’s transformative nature, the pace of population growth in the south east means that we need to keep building if we are to support the homes and jobs that are needed and avoid stunting the economy. Crossrail 2 will provide the pipeline that the industry needs and is now garnering widespread support from business leaders, local authorities and the property industry, all urging the government to give the new railway the go-ahead.
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