We were slightly surprised by a fairly recent article in the Evening Standard suggesting that Andy Lord, TfL Commissioner for Transport, wants to at least double the number of Crossrail trains to Heathrow Terminal 5. …
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Crossrail Numbers Rise Again
In November 2024 the Office of Road and Rail (ORR) published its annual count of passenger numbers at National Rail stations. These figures seem to be often treated as a one-day wonder but detailed analysis …
Continue readingThe Shenfield Electrification Scheme: Background
A perennial and fairly meaningless question that is often asked is ‘what are the origins of Crossrail?’ It inevitably depends on how far you want to go back in time but one contender could be …
Continue readingLiz Line Level-Boarding at Old Oak Common?
For some years, a known issue with the station at Old Oak Common currently being built has been that the trains on the Elizabeth line will call, or terminate, there yet there would be no …
Continue readingFriday Reads – 9 August 2024
• TfL to push forward with DLR Thamesmead extension after consultation (Rail Magazine) • Elizabeth line: Toiletless trains blamed for forced door openings (BBC) • Holborn’s Secret Platforms (BusAndTrainUser) • Cockfosters station – an appraisal …
Continue readingLonger trains for Crossrail?
Any mention of overcrowding on the Elizabeth line tends to elicit either the suggestion that TfL should run more trains or that they lengthen the trains which are currently nine carriages long. If the latter, …
Continue readingBonus Trains for Crossrail – More Details
We were surprised when on 14th June 2024 it was announced that agreement had been reach by TfL, the DfT and the train maker Alstom to provide 10 new trains for Crossrail. We were not …
Continue readingFriday Reads – 5 July 2024
• 1st tunnelled section of Elizabeth line gets high speed 5G mobile coverage (Rail UK) • London Overground begins trial of British Sign Language announcements (Rail Advent) • Andy Byford interview on Elizabeth Line, New …
Continue readingBonus Trains for Crossrail?
In an unexpected piece of potentially good news for London, it was reported last month that 10 new trains could be built for Crossrail. We look at the substance of the reports, catch up with …
Continue readingMonday’s Friday Reads – 15 January 2023
• Woolwich Elizabeth station much busier than predicted, to test escalator decrowding ideas (IanVisits) • Alstom signs €500m contract for Saudi catenary-free tramway system (Railway Technology) • European cities don’t regret 30 km/h speed limits …
Continue readingThe State of Rail: Breaking Down The Numbers
With discussion of ticket office closures and rail passenger numbers a political hot potato, it’s easy to forget that firm data on the state of rail in Great Britain does exist. We take a look at the ORR’s latest figures (April – June 2023) and TfL’s recent Crossrail Usage report.
Continue readingFriday Reads – 6 October 2023
• HS2 being scrapped means fewer trains and higher rail prices, experts warn (inews) • The new housing case for extending Crossrail to Ebbsfleet (JamesO’Malley) • Chemical attraction: Hackney Wick Overground station (BeautyOfTransport) • Northern …
Continue readingHow Montréal’s REM learnt from the Paris RER – Automatic for the People
Move over RER, Montréal’s new fully automated Réseau express métropolitain (REM)’s first segment has opened. Once fully completed, the REM line will link directly across Montréal Island north, south, and west. Essentially, a Regional Express …
Continue readingMonday’s Friday Reads – 5 June 2023
• TfL to buy more Elizabeth line trains to serve Old Oak Common HS2 temp terminus (OnLondon) • Former High Speed Rail College to close at the end of July (BBC) • Public inquiry on …
Continue readingHS2 learns from Crossrail mistakes in control centre design (NewCivilEng)
High Speed 2 (HS2) bosses visited the nerve centres of Crossrail and Sizewell B as part of a painstaking process to design the heartbeat of the £100bn line, a key figure has revealed. HS2 Ltd …
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