One of the periodic reports from TfL has been released with details of ongoing network upgrades across the networks it controls over the past few months.
If you’ve ever wondered what goes on when the lines are closed at weekends, this will inform you.
Lines
Northern line
They have laid track in the northbound running tunnel from Battersea station to Nine Elms station, and begun laying track in the southbound tunnel.
They’ve also started the installation of the cable management system, made up of thousands of heavy duty brackets fixed to the tunnel walls.
The closure of the interchange at Kennington has seen a 41 percent increase in Bakerloo line journeys and a 26 percent increase in local bus journeys.
Subsurface lines
TfL has fitted 10 more S-stock trains with the automatic signalling system this period, bringing the total to 100 out of a fleet of 192, plus added the kit to two more engineering vehicles.
Elizabeth line / Crossrail
The Crossrail project is now more than 93 per cent complete. Progress continues to be made, although schedule pressures remain.
The train depot at Old Oak Common is now in use.and will house and maintain up to 42 of the Elizabeth line’s 70 trains at a time.
The upgrade of the existing rail network for Crossrail, being undertaken by Network Rail, continues. There have been some further challenges on the timescales for the award of contracts for enhancement works on western stations, but Network Rail is still targeting completion by December 2019.
Jubilee line
There’s been a shift in rush hour traffic on the Jubilee line.
Previously, demand during the morning peak time came from the west end of the line to Canary Wharf. Demand has now shifted; with the majority of journeys coming from the east end of the line between Canada Water and Stratford, as well as there being a large number of customers interchanging from c2c and London Overground.
(my note, as some eastbound rush hour trains stop at North Greenwich, this may need to be reviewed)
DLR
They’re evaluating bids submitted to supply 43 new trains which will start to enter service in 2022. A tender has also been issued for design work to expand Beckton depot.
New posters reminded people to use lifts when carrying luggage, at City Airport station, which led to a 60 percent reduction in escalator incidents.
Stations
Battersea Power Station
They have completed the ticket hall floor slab and constructed both platforms. Blockwork walls are being built which will create the public and back of house spaces.
Nine Elms
The station box base slab has been completed and they have begun constructing the platforms. Breeze block walls are being built throughout the station to create the ticket hall and other spaces. At the platform level the secondary concrete-lined walls are being cast and encasement of columns continues.
Kennington station
Work is underway to construct four new cross passages between the Bank branch and Charing Cross branch platforms.
Bank station
Tunnel works on the upgrade remain on schedule, and work continues on the moving walkway tunnel. They are hand-mining of tunnels at various interfaces with the existing station tunnels, and have started the construction of the walls and columns for the new station entrance.
The opening of the much delayed Waterloo & City line entrance within the Bloomberg building basement has been pushed back to November 2018.
Victoria Station
Progress continues on the east and westbound link passages to the District and Circle lines and associated lifts. The fit-out is progressing in the remaining tunnels linking to the southern ticket hall.
Buckhurst Hill
Is now step-free, and is the 74th station to become step-free.
Miscellaneous
Following a trial of increased signs warning about safety on escalators at 10 stations generated a 29% drop in accidents, the new signage is being added to the rest of the Underground.
Another 60 stations have been earmarked for ‘DX3’ Cross Track Projection advertising — the videos that are played on the trackside of platform tunnels.
A recent two-week advertising take-over at Baker Street for the Sherlock Gnomes film generated £60,000 in revenue.
As part of the cost cutting, there have been projects deferred, such as asset resilience, as well as delays in letting the civils contract at Knightsbridge and Victoria line maintenance.
So Jubilee basically rammed for ever more and existing trains worked harder as there are no new trains ordered.
Walbrook entrance – that will be nearly a year late then!!!
Any upgrade works happening at Hanwell with possible platform extensions so that 9-Car Elizabeth Line Class 345’s and GWR Class 387’s formed as 8-Car and 12-Car might be able to stop at Hanwell.
Lifts and some general refurbishment. but Selective Door Opening will be used to avoid need for platform extensions there.
So the new Waterloo and City Line entrance has been pushed back to November 2018 …. Wonder if this is to complete work or simply waiting for changes at Waterloo Station end to make that accessible as part of reopening of former Waterloo International concourse.?
What these updates never tell you is how ‘upgrades’ to trains running above ground affect people in the area. The Northern line was shut for a weekend around the end of May, and since then the trains whine far more and the experience of living near the line is a lot louder overall, especially late and early each day. I live about 100 metres from the line near West Finchley and it’s a mild irritant for me, but for the many living closer it must be a real pain in the hoop.