Crossrail on track
CROSSRAIL remains on course to begin the first phase of running through central London in December, according to Transport for London papers.
However, “significant cost and schedule pressures remain across the project,” TfL said in late-July, and the focus remains on introducing trains between Paddington Low Level and Abbey Wood this December.
The first run of a Class 345 Aventra took place at low speed on June 11 between Pudding Mill Lane and Westbourne Park, following the installation of overhead line equipment in the Central section and energisation of the railway between Stepney Green and Westbourne Park.
Overall, TfL says the project is more than 93% complete. Testing of infrastructure and trains is progressing at higher speeds and with varying levels of automatic control in the tunnels. Stations and tunnels also require final fitting out, and testing of the European Train Control System (ETCS) continues with the ‘345s’ on the Heathrow Airport branch. TfL Rail took over Heathrow Connect services on May 20, but signalling problems have forced it to use Class 360s to Heathrow, with ‘345s’ running to Hayes & Harlington. These ‘345s’ were introduced as part of the Phase 1 Liverpool Street-Shenfield Metro, which suffered minor delays.
The ‘345s’ in use on the national network are all seven-car sets, with no nine-car Aventra yet authorised to carry passengers.
TfL Rail is due to return 24 Class 315s to Eversholt Rail on September 19 (so far eight have been stood down), with the remaining 20 leased until December 14 2020. Currently 15 Aventras are available for passenger use.
TfL Rail will officially become the Elizabeth Line when Phase 3 starts. Should that be in December, there will be three services (Paddington Low Level-Abbey Wood, Paddington main line station-Heathrow Terminals 2&3 and Liverpool Street-Shenfield).
From May 2019 direct trains will run from Paddington Low Level to Shenfield, and from December 2019 the full route from Reading/ Heathrow Airport-Shenfield/Abbey Wood will be open.