diamond geezer

 Thursday, May 05, 2022

Hurrah, Crossrail finally has an opening date, which is Tuesday 24th May 2022.

Nobody was expecting the big reveal before the local elections, but better to announce the date with gusto than let it leak out willy-nilly.

TfL had a full media blast primed and ready to go, including a fresh page on their website entitled...

Everything you need to know about the Elizabeth line

Normally "everything you need to know" is a wild exaggeration but this one's actually pretty good and highlights most of the important caveats regarding the initial service.



Firstly, amazingly, the railway's not quite finished. Opening on 24 May is still "subject to final safety approvals", which may be a shoo-in but does suggest the line couldn't have opened this week even if TfL had wanted it to because there's still outstanding project assurance to complete.

We learn that Monday 23rd May is the day the TfL Rail brand is finally extinguished, seven years after it began in May 2015. This means Romford, Southall and Taplow will all be getting purple overhauls even though trains from those stations will continue to follow exactly the same routes as they do now.

'Nine new stations' opening is a proper gamechanger, depending on your definition of 'new stations'. Technically the only new station in a new location is Woolwich - and maybe Canary Wharf - the others are all bolt-ons to existing stations.

There's also confirmation that Bond Street will not be opening along with the rest of the line - news first revealed in January. Opening 'later in 2022' is impressively vague, as it currently has to be, and could mean up to 221 days of trains passing straight through.

Initially we're only getting one train every five minutes, which is good but not as good as, say, existing frequencies on the Jubilee line. The central section won't be offering "up to 24 trains an hour" until this time next year.

It's somewhat embarrassing to have to launch the service with restricted hours and no trains on Sundays. Not starting until 6.30am and closing down around 11pm is going to thwart a few commutes, and the absence of trains between Saturday evening and Monday morning won't be popular. It's all so that staff can continue to practice future routing patterns without passengers on board, and because somehow the software that's been playing up for years still isn't 100% perfect. Only when services mesh seamlessly will travel on Sundays become possible, however long that takes.

There will however be a Sunday service on Platinum Jubilee weekend because it wouldn't do to deny service on a line named after the Queen, but that'll only be from 8am to 10pm... and heavens they're making this complicated.

TfL are also keen to remind everyone that services will initially operate as three separate railways. They first mentioned this in a press release in 2017, but most Londoners are still going to be surprised that the new purple line has two disconnects.

They've tried to make this clear in the line diagram that'll be posted up in Crossrail carriages.

Helpfully they've provided a link to a pdf. Here's the central bit (click to see the whole thing).



The three lines are each shown separately, but joined at Paddington and Liverpool Street with 'walking man' connectors. I don't remember seeing one of those on a line diagram before. At Paddington you'll need to ascend and find platforms 11, 12 or 14, and at Liverpool Street ascend and find platforms 15, 16 or 17. We've yet to discover quite how long those walks are, but the time taken won't be insignificant.

Note how Liverpool Street is shown as all one station but Paddington as two stations, because only the Bakerloo line connects with Crossrail's central section. This is different to the way Paddington is normally split, where the Bakerloo is coupled with the District and Circle lines instead... and what a diagrammatic can of worms we've opened.

If you're planning a through journey, expect to have to touch out on one level and back in on another. TfL's supporting text isn't entirely reassuring - all they say is that "daily and weekly price capping will apply" - but presumably the software will charge you for one journey rather than adding two separate fares.

At some point in the autumn - they haven't said when - the connecting tunnels at Paddington and Stratford will finally be opened. This will allow trains from Abbey Wood to run all the way through to Heathrow and Reading, but trains from Shenfield will go no further than Paddington. They explained all this last summer. The resulting service will look something like this...



...although this is my map and very much not TfL's.

Then finally in May next year the final timetable will be introduced and Shenfield to Heathrow will become a possibility. Basically have patience with what you're getting at the beginning, it should all be sorted within a year.

In almost excellent news, the new line will be nearly but not entirely accessible on the day it opens. Every station will be step-free except Ilford which still isn't finished due to construction issues. TfL are keen to pass the buck here, reminding us that "Network Rail expects to make that station step free in summer 2022."

Also only nine of the 10 central stations will have step-free access from street to train. At Abbey Wood it's only street to platform and you'll need to rely on staff with a ramp (but they'll always be available). Also Custom House only has level boarding if you're in the fifth (i.e. middle) carriage, not all along the train.

The Everything you need to know page doesn't quite include everything you need to know. It doesn't mention that trains will also connect to Moorgate station. It doesn't say that platform A is eastbound and platform B is westbound. It doesn't tell you which carriage to be in so you don't end up with a stupidly long walk at Whitechapel.

And for anyone hoping to catch the very first purple train on Day One there's no clue when precisely that'll be. No electronic timetable has emerged, Crossrail hasn't yet appeared within the Journey Planner, and the wildcard that trains will initially only run between 0630 and 2300 throws a proper spanner in the works.

You have just three weeks to get your head round all this before turning up to enjoy a ride. TfL must be hoping that as many people as possible read their Everything you need to know page, because otherwise the line's quirks are going to cause a fair amount of scratched heads, befuddlement and irritation. When Crossrail finally launches on Tuesday 24th May it's going to be brilliant but it won't be simple.


<< click for Newer posts

click for Older Posts >>


click to return to the main page


...or read more in my monthly archives
Jan24  Feb24  Mar24
Jan23  Feb23  Mar23  Apr23  May23  Jun23  Jul23  Aug23  Sep23  Oct23  Nov23  Dec23
Jan22  Feb22  Mar22  Apr22  May22  Jun22  Jul22  Aug22  Sep22  Oct22  Nov22  Dec22
Jan21  Feb21  Mar21  Apr21  May21  Jun21  Jul21  Aug21  Sep21  Oct21  Nov21  Dec21
Jan20  Feb20  Mar20  Apr20  May20  Jun20  Jul20  Aug20  Sep20  Oct20  Nov20  Dec20
Jan19  Feb19  Mar19  Apr19  May19  Jun19  Jul19  Aug19  Sep19  Oct19  Nov19  Dec19
Jan18  Feb18  Mar18  Apr18  May18  Jun18  Jul18  Aug18  Sep18  Oct18  Nov18  Dec18
Jan17  Feb17  Mar17  Apr17  May17  Jun17  Jul17  Aug17  Sep17  Oct17  Nov17  Dec17
Jan16  Feb16  Mar16  Apr16  May16  Jun16  Jul16  Aug16  Sep16  Oct16  Nov16  Dec16
Jan15  Feb15  Mar15  Apr15  May15  Jun15  Jul15  Aug15  Sep15  Oct15  Nov15  Dec15
Jan14  Feb14  Mar14  Apr14  May14  Jun14  Jul14  Aug14  Sep14  Oct14  Nov14  Dec14
Jan13  Feb13  Mar13  Apr13  May13  Jun13  Jul13  Aug13  Sep13  Oct13  Nov13  Dec13
Jan12  Feb12  Mar12  Apr12  May12  Jun12  Jul12  Aug12  Sep12  Oct12  Nov12  Dec12
Jan11  Feb11  Mar11  Apr11  May11  Jun11  Jul11  Aug11  Sep11  Oct11  Nov11  Dec11
Jan10  Feb10  Mar10  Apr10  May10  Jun10  Jul10  Aug10  Sep10  Oct10  Nov10  Dec10 
Jan09  Feb09  Mar09  Apr09  May09  Jun09  Jul09  Aug09  Sep09  Oct09  Nov09  Dec09
Jan08  Feb08  Mar08  Apr08  May08  Jun08  Jul08  Aug08  Sep08  Oct08  Nov08  Dec08
Jan07  Feb07  Mar07  Apr07  May07  Jun07  Jul07  Aug07  Sep07  Oct07  Nov07  Dec07
Jan06  Feb06  Mar06  Apr06  May06  Jun06  Jul06  Aug06  Sep06  Oct06  Nov06  Dec06
Jan05  Feb05  Mar05  Apr05  May05  Jun05  Jul05  Aug05  Sep05  Oct05  Nov05  Dec05
Jan04  Feb04  Mar04  Apr04  May04  Jun04  Jul04  Aug04  Sep04  Oct04  Nov04  Dec04
Jan03  Feb03  Mar03  Apr03  May03  Jun03  Jul03  Aug03  Sep03  Oct03  Nov03  Dec03
 Jan02  Feb02  Mar02  Apr02  May02  Jun02  Jul02 Aug02  Sep02  Oct02  Nov02  Dec02 

jack of diamonds
Life viewed from London E3

» email me
» follow me on twitter
» follow the blog on Twitter
» follow the blog on RSS

» my flickr photostream

twenty blogs
our bow
arseblog
ian visits
londonist
broken tv
blue witch
on london
the great wen
edith's streets
spitalfields life
linkmachinego
round the island
wanstead meteo
christopher fowler
the greenwich wire
bus and train user
ruth's coastal walk
round the rails we go
london reconnections
from the murky depths

quick reference features
Things to do in Outer London
Things to do outside London
Inner London toilet map
20 years of blog series
The DG Tour of Britain
London's most...

read the archive
Mar24  Feb24  Jan24
Dec23  Nov23  Oct23  Sep23
Aug23  Jul23  Jun23  May23
Apr23  Mar23  Feb23  Jan23
Dec22  Nov22  Oct22  Sep22
Aug22  Jul22  Jun22  May22
Apr22  Mar22  Feb22  Jan22
Dec21  Nov21  Oct21  Sep21
Aug21  Jul21  Jun21  May21
Apr21  Mar21  Feb21  Jan21
Dec20  Nov20  Oct20  Sep20
Aug20  Jul20  Jun20  May20
Apr20  Mar20  Feb20  Jan20
Dec19  Nov19  Oct19  Sep19
Aug19  Jul19  Jun19  May19
Apr19  Mar19  Feb19  Jan19
Dec18  Nov18  Oct18  Sep18
Aug18  Jul18  Jun18  May18
Apr18  Mar18  Feb18  Jan18
Dec17  Nov17  Oct17  Sep17
Aug17  Jul17  Jun17  May17
Apr17  Mar17  Feb17  Jan17
Dec16  Nov16  Oct16  Sep16
Aug16  Jul16  Jun16  May16
Apr16  Mar16  Feb16  Jan16
Dec15  Nov15  Oct15  Sep15
Aug15  Jul15  Jun15  May15
Apr15  Mar15  Feb15  Jan15
Dec14  Nov14  Oct14  Sep14
Aug14  Jul14  Jun14  May14
Apr14  Mar14  Feb14  Jan14
Dec13  Nov13  Oct13  Sep13
Aug13  Jul13  Jun13  May13
Apr13  Mar13  Feb13  Jan13
Dec12  Nov12  Oct12  Sep12
Aug12  Jul12  Jun12  May12
Apr12  Mar12  Feb12  Jan12
Dec11  Nov11  Oct11  Sep11
Aug11  Jul11  Jun11  May11
Apr11  Mar11  Feb11  Jan11
Dec10  Nov10  Oct10  Sep10
Aug10  Jul10  Jun10  May10
Apr10  Mar10  Feb10  Jan10
Dec09  Nov09  Oct09  Sep09
Aug09  Jul09  Jun09  May09
Apr09  Mar09  Feb09  Jan09
Dec08  Nov08  Oct08  Sep08
Aug08  Jul08  Jun08  May08
Apr08  Mar08  Feb08  Jan08
Dec07  Nov07  Oct07  Sep07
Aug07  Jul07  Jun07  May07
Apr07  Mar07  Feb07  Jan07
Dec06  Nov06  Oct06  Sep06
Aug06  Jul06  Jun06  May06
Apr06  Mar06  Feb06  Jan06
Dec05  Nov05  Oct05  Sep05
Aug05  Jul05  Jun05  May05
Apr05  Mar05  Feb05  Jan05
Dec04  Nov04  Oct04  Sep04
Aug04  Jul04  Jun04  May04
Apr04  Mar04  Feb04  Jan04
Dec03  Nov03  Oct03  Sep03
Aug03  Jul03  Jun03  May03
Apr03  Mar03  Feb03  Jan03
Dec02  Nov02  Oct02  Sep02
back to main page

the diamond geezer index
2023 2022
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
2011 2010 2009 2008 2007
2006 2005 2004 2003 2002

my special London features
a-z of london museums
E3 - local history month
greenwich meridian (N)
greenwich meridian (S)
the real eastenders
london's lost rivers
olympic park 2007
great british roads
oranges & lemons
random boroughs
bow road station
high street 2012
river westbourne
trafalgar square
capital numbers
east london line
lea valley walk
olympics 2005
regent's canal
square routes
silver jubilee
unlost rivers
cube routes
Herbert Dip
metro-land
capital ring
river fleet
piccadilly
bakerloo

ten of my favourite posts
the seven ages of blog
my new Z470xi mobile
five equations of blog
the dome of doom
chemical attraction
quality & risk
london 2102
single life
boredom
april fool

ten sets of lovely photos
my "most interesting" photos
london 2012 olympic zone
harris and the hebrides
betjeman's metro-land
marking the meridian
tracing the river fleet
london's lost rivers
inside the gherkin
seven sisters
iceland

just surfed in?
here's where to find...
diamond geezers
flash mob #1  #2  #3  #4
ben schott's miscellany
london underground
watch with mother
cigarette warnings
digital time delay
wheelie suitcases
war of the worlds
transit of venus
top of the pops
old buckenham
ladybird books
acorn antiques
digital watches
outer hebrides
olympics 2012
school dinners
pet shop boys
west wycombe
bletchley park
george orwell
big breakfast
clapton pond
san francisco
thunderbirds
routemaster
children's tv
east enders
trunk roads
amsterdam
little britain
credit cards
jury service
big brother
jubilee line
number 1s
titan arum
typewriters
doctor who
coronation
comments
blue peter
matchgirls
hurricanes
buzzwords
brookside
monopoly
peter pan
starbucks
feng shui
leap year
manbags
bbc three
vision on
piccadilly
meridian
concorde
wembley
islington
ID cards
bedtime
freeview
beckton
blogads
eclipses
letraset
arsenal
sitcoms
gherkin
calories
everest
muffins
sudoku
camilla
london
ceefax
robbie
becks
dome
BBC2
paris
lotto
118
itv