A weekly round-up of London’s rail transport news…
See inside Crossrail’s Farringdon Station
London Underground
TfL tube strike threat over Christmas in dispute over driver safety Evening Standard
Poppy roundels at Tube stations to mark annual Remembrance appeal East London Advertiser
Elizabeth line / Crossrail
Southend Council is set to campaign for Crossrail to be extended to the town as well as another Thames crossing as part of draft plans for the future of the borough. Chelmsford Today
Agreement signed to build above Bond Street station Retail Focus
The government has agreed to provide a £350 million short term loan to Crossrail to help fund the final fit out of the delayed railway. IanVisits
The delays to Crossrail will have a significant economic impact on Bexley residents, a councillor has warned. BexleyTimes
Mainline / Overground
Rail staff at Lewisham Station have been subjected to abuse since the one-way system was put in place this week. News Shopper
Commuters wanting to get cash out at railway stations in Croydon now have to pay a £1.99 charge. Local Guardian
New air filter system in Marylebone Station London Live
Network Rail halted its clearance work near Grove Park station in early October after concerns were raised by community groups and councillors. Local London
London train cancellations over Christmas and New Year: Paddington, Victoria and Liverpool Street all hit by major shutdown Evening Standard
Virgin Trains has permanently scrapped its Friday afternoon peak restrictions to the North West from London Euston. ITV
DLR
A little noticed sentence in the Budget has announced that the DLR is to get a new station and 14 additional trains. IanVisits
Miscellaneous
‘Very stubborn swan’ sparks travel misery on Southern Rail after refusing to budge from tracks Evening Standard
There’s a station on the London Underground that if you look carefully enough, you might spy a chunk of ancient Roman Wall peeking out. IanVisits
Archaeological work to remove 45,000 skeletons from a burial site to make way for HS2 construction has begun. BBC News
And finally, meet the singing station master who keeps Kensal Rise commuters smiling Get West London
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Image above is from June 2018: See inside Crossrail’s Farringdon Station
It’s good that the poppy is to be shown at every tube station in London.
AlsoI think that the Elizabeth Line should extend to Southend Victoria with 4-6tph and Greater Anglia to continue operating the Wickford-Southminster local service with their new Class 720 trains coming in from next year onwards. And with Network Rail to continue on replacing the overhead wires on the Southend Victoria line. Which were first installed in the 1950’s.
Plus I don’t live too far from Rayleigh station and I can use the Elizabeth Line train from Rayleigh into Central London and Heathrow Airport. Much easier than using Greater Anglia train from Rayleigh to London Liverpool Street and to use the Circle Line or Hammersmith & City Line to London Paddington and to get on the Heathrow Express train to either Heathrow Terminal 4 or Terminal 5.
Which will make journey times much easier and saves time aswell. Or to use Greater Anglia train to Shenfield or Stratford then use the Elizabeth Line train to Heathrow Airport.
I do NOT want the Elizabeth Line extended to Southend Victoria. It would mean that all trains from Southend Victoria would call ALL Stations from Shenfield to Stratford taking at least 25 mins longer and with door opening & disturbance 24 times. I would be happy to change at Stratford between different platforms even with luggage for Heathrow.
Much more worring is some proposed timetables which show not a lot of Stratford Heathrow trains in off peak. A least 4- 5 or 6 trains per hour are needed. Heathrow is the destinantion of choice for Essex passengers on Elizabeth Line.