If you’ve ever wondered what goes on when the lines are closed at weekends, this is a break-down from TfL of what’s happened in recent months across the rail network.
Railway lines
Sub-surface lines (Met, Circle, H&C, District)
All the S-stock fleet – comprising 59 S8 (eight-car) trains for the Metropolitan line and 133 S7 (seven- car) trains for the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines – have now been fitted with automatic train control equipment
The first section of the new signalling system is now operating between Hammersmith and Euston Square and up to Finchley Road on the Metropolitan line.
Commissioning of the final signalling area between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge remains on schedule to support the final service frequency increases in 2023.
TfL has started the installation of a train protection warning system for the Richmond to Gunnersbury section to enable them to interchange the fleet between lines and improve reliability across the network. Construction works are due to be completed in the autumn.
Bakerloo line
TfL has completed structural weld repairs to carriages on all 36 trains and is now refitting the vinyl of the first eight trains to make them consistent with later trains, and this will complete in autumn 2019.
Central line
Two train carriages are being prototyped for a new Train Management System at the supplier’s site with a further two carriages shipped for preparation. Siemens is continuing the design for the life extension of the Central line signalling and control systems.
Northern line
TfL has completed speed improvement and track works to the Northern line. These works will deliver reduced run times which, in turn, will reduce journey times for customers and support a 31 trains per hour service level on the Morden branch.
The fleet maintainer has made changes to enable an additional train to be made available for service from the existing Northern line train fleet.
A signalling upgrade has been pushed back from late 2019 to Spring 2020 to align with other upgrades on the line.
At Battersea station, TfL handed back land, adjacent to the northern worksite boundary, to the Battersea Power Station Development Company in June. At Nine Elms station, they have installed the pre-cast lift shaft walls in the western superstructure and poured the final concrete slab for the roof of the station.
The opening date of the extension is now scheduled for autumn 2021 with a target of September 2021.
Jubilee line
52 out of 63 trains have been refurbished and are back in service. Enhancements to the Jubilee line continue, and include improving the speed at which trains exit the depot onto the mainline at Neasden.
Victoria line
Works to enable the replacement of the signalling system at Northumberland Park depot has commenced; this is required to interface with the new depot control system.
TfL is undertaking the preparatory work to install a second leaky feeder cable, which is required for the planned public 4G services.
DLR
The main upgrade works at the Beckton depot are due to start this month.
High voltage works have commenced at Stratford Street Market with the installation of a new transformer, and preliminary designs have been completed for similar works at Poplar depot.
London Overground
Planning permissions have now been granted for the Barking Riverside station and viaduct structure. Piling at the station is progressing well with 70% completed, and the first switch and crossing has been installed.
Unplanned utility services have been located where the piles for a pier need to be installed. Investigations are being carried out to try and redesign the pier structure to avoid diverting the services, otherwise a delay of up to a year is possible.
The design programme for signalling works on the East London line to support 18 trains per hour has been accelerated and is planned to complete in spring 2020.
Stations
Baker Street
Work is due to start on a platform gap project that will develop a prototype mechanical device to address the distance between the subsurface trains and the platform.
Victoria
The overall completion of the station and the surrounding buildings is largely complete with minor works outstanding on the District and Circle line platforms and 175-179 Victoria Street
Paddington
Final integration issues with the new link between the Bakerloo and Elizabeth lines were completed in July.
Finsbury Park
Work on the new western station entrance continues and TfL plans to open it in late 2019.
South Kensington
TfL has completed the concept design for the upgrade project and are working on the next stage in anticipation of commencing detailed design in 2020.
Knightbridge
The civil engineering works on the new lift shaft to the platform level were completed in June.
West Ham
A new western entrance is being planned to be supplied by a housing developer. Their consultants have drafted the concept design specification documents and TfL is working with the developer to finalise agreements
Stratford
TfL is working with the London Legacy Development Corporation on reviving proposals for a new entrance and ticket hall to serve the Carpenters Road area.
Bond Street
They have completed works to provide improved airflow to the new Elizabeth line tunnel.
White Hart Lane
Upgrade works completed in August.
Surely the Bakerloo line trains are due a bit more of an upgrade than new vinyl!? They’re basically falling apart.
I imagine the new vinyl is extra thick to hold the carriages together.
Jubilee line, please spare us the enhancement story. Should have bought more trains. Trains are being run ragged as demonstrated by today’s emergency maintenance thus affecting service as there is no spare capacity.
Which train company — anywhere in the world — runs an intensive commuter service, and keeps a quarter of its fleet on standby in case of emergencies.
Just doesn’t happen, so to single out the Jubilee line for detecting a fault during routine inspections when it could happen to any railway, in any country, seems odd.