Trio of portals connected to the national network

Network Rail has completed the infrastructure at Pudding Mill Lane connecting Crossrail and the Great Eastern Main Line.

NR has also installed the overhead line equipment and signalling, meaning that all three Crossrail portals are now connected to the national network. Previously any ‘345’ delivered to Abbey Wood had been hauled into the tunnel by a Class 37/6.

NR has also completed the remodelling of Gidea Park carriage sidings, which are used by TfL Rail to stable and service its Class 315 and ‘345’ train fleets.

The work involved renewing two miles of track, 8,000 tonnes of ballast and 45,000 concrete sleepers, as well as building four new sidings to replace five shorter sidings. Driver walkways were also built, and lighting and track drainage installed. All the sidings are longer to accommodate 200-metre ninecar ‘345s’.