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.
Stations
Nine Elms (Northern line extension)
All columns for both the eastern and western superstructures are complete and now stand at full height. The builders have completed the final pour for the roof slab of the eastern superstructure to allow blockwork to begin at ground floor level.
Battersea Power Station (Northern line extension)
Blockwork construction work continues on the internal walls to form the rooms in the new station. Following the removal of the last tower crane, installation of the precast coffered panels, which form the ticket hall’s signature architectural ceiling, is now complete.
Victoria
Almost all new passenger-facing facilities have now opened and the overall completion of the station, surrounding buildings and urban realm are planned for summer 2019. Some of the original escalators are now being refurbished.
Bank
The structure that will form the new station entrance is 80 percent complete, with the first of three new escalator barrels complete.
Tunnelling works for the new lift shaft continue, delivering step-free access to the Northern line and improved step-free access to the DLR in 2022.
South Woodford
Step-free access was delivered in March.
Paddington
Some additional works have been required on the new tunnel linking the Bakerloo line and future Elizabeth line.
Finsbury Park
Work on the new western station entrance continues and they plan to open it in late 2019.
Knightsbridge
The works on a new lift shaft to the platform were completed in June.
West Ham
Planning with a nearby housing developer to add a new entrance with step-free access are still ongoing.
Lines
Piccadilly Line
Following the award of the Piccadilly line rolling stock contract, Siemens Mobility is developing a draft Piccadilly line rolling stock concept design.
TfL has also issued the One Person Operation CCTV invitation to tender, that allows train operators to ensure departure of the new trains from the platform.
Seventeen position detectors (which give the position of the train on the platform) were commissioned at Oakwood and Hatton Cross, with work ongoing to complete this at Heathrow. Commissioning works are required at a further seven sites (38 position detectors) to replace the existing equipment which is incompatible with the new Piccadilly line trains.
Approximately two thirds of the new Piccadilly line signalling control system at the control centre in west London has been commissioned.
Under the track renewals programme this quarter, TfL has replaced more than 1.2km of ballasted track, including 424 metres at Sudbury Town and 328 metres at Ravenscourt Park.
Jubilee line
44 out of 63 trains have been refurbished and are back in service. The refurbishments include a wheelchair area, new flooring, a refreshed interior, and sealing to the roof and windows. TfL has now started to install the new priority seating moquette.
They’ve also completed works to increase the speed at which trains leave the depot onto the mainline at Neasden.
Northern line
TfL has completed speed improvement and track works to the Northern line and begun power enhancement works with the award of a design and build contract to Balfour Beatty.
The first of the extension’s 16 tunnel ventilation fans was tested and will provide temperature and smoke control in the Battersea station western core.
Bakerloo line
TfL has completed structural weld repairs to carriages on all 36 trains and a vinyl retrofit, due to a change in design, of the first eight is planned to complete in autumn 2019.
Central line
TfL has delivered two carriages to the Bombardier test site to begin prototyping the new traction system. They have also awarded a new flooring contract and installed a dust extraction system at Acton Works to facilitate the delivery of the Central Line Improvement Programme.
Sub-surface lines
TfL is working on upgrading three depots to support new train maintenance.
The first (delayed) phase of the new signalling system is now operating between Hammersmith and Latimer Road. The performance since introduction has been better than predicted, based on reliability recorded during systems testing.
They have now fitted a total of 165 trains (112 S7 trains and 53 S8 trains) out of 192 trains in readiness for the new automatic train control system.
DLR
TfL has carried out two successful testing phases of the vehicle control centre project. This will remove issues that can occur when trains move from one section to another.
The public address system installation has been delivered at Tower Gateway, Limehouse and Heron Quays.
They remain on track to commence Beckton depot enabling works in summer 2019, and a contract has been awarded to UK Power Networks to secure additional power supplies.
London Overground
TfL are undertaking readiness reviews to support the Network Rail possessions and blockade planned for later this year as part of the Barking Riverside extension.
Works are complete at Willesden Depot to accommodate the new Class 710 fleet of trains.
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