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.
Lines
Bakerloo line
TfL has completed structural weld repairs to carriages on all 36 trains and refitted the vinyl on all trains to make them consistent with newer trains.
The trains have been granted an exemption from the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (RVAR) until the end of 2021 to bring them into compliance.
Central line
The trains have been granted an exemption from the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (RVAR) until the end of 2024 to bring them into disability accessibility compliance.
DLR
Poplar Depot high voltage equipment has been built and tested off
site. The Stratford high voltage system has been commissioned.
At Beckton depot, enabling works for the depot expansion have started on site and tenders have been received for the Southern Sidings build package and for the new Maintenance Facility Building detailed design package.
Thales have been contracted to upgrade the signalling system to enable the use of the new trains. This is an upgrade of the existing Thales Seltrac system.
Elizabeth line
A contract is due to be signed worth an estimated £1.5 billion over the next 150 years for electricity to supply traction power in the central Crossrail tunnels.
Testing of the train and automatic train operation signalling has continued in
the central section tunnels, including transitions to the mainline routes, as well as running multiple trains under the control of the system.
Whitechapel station is now ready to start access trials.
Jubilee line
All 63 trains have been refurbished and are back in service.
A tender was issued in September 2019 for the signalling works to improve the connection with the depot at Neasden.
Northern line
The UK Power Networks (UKPN) transformer rooms have been
energised at Kennington Green and Kennington Park to provide power to the Battersea extension.
At Nine Elms station, entrance glazing has been completed and construction of the canopy frame above the station entrance has commenced.
At Battersea station, tunnel ventilation fans have been delivered and lowered into the fan room beneath the western ramp. Installation of the third escalator bank has begun.
Site activities have commenced for the installation of a new wheel lathe at Morden Depot.
Overground
TfL is progressing with a design for updated signalling to enable 18 trains per hour to run in east London. The works are planned to be implemented
in summer 2020 ahead of the timetable change, which takes place in December.
Sub-surface lines
At Upminster Depot, all of the site works have been completed including the extended wheel lathe, new training rooms, and upgraded cleaning, maintenance and lifting sheds.
TfL has commissioned and handed over the train stabling shed at Ealing Common Depot. This gave back four train stabling roads and has provided greater stabling flexibility.
Operation of the new signalling system has been extended from Latimer Road to Euston Square on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines and from there to Finchley Road on the Metropolitan line, and to Paddington on the District and Circle lines.
Victoria line
Works to replace the 1960s signalling system in Northumberland Park Depot has started. This is required to interface with the new depot control system. A contract has been awarded for the design phase and is progressing according to plan.
Stations
Bank station
They have completed the excavation of the final two cross passages to connect the new Northern line escalator barrel to the Central line.
Preparation for the fit out stage of the new Cannon Street entrance will start in Quarter 2020/21.
Secondary lining works to the new southbound Northern line platform tunnel have been completed and the structural work to house the two new moving walkways is nearly complete.
Barking Riverside
70 per cent of the piling has been completed across the site and the builders are now working on the pile cap foundations and pier walls for the viaducts.
Misc
The design phase for the 4G pilot project on the underground network is complete, and they have started installation work at all pilot sites and completed work in seven of the 16 tunnel bores.
TfL is installing new solar panels on selected London Underground, DLR and tram depots to deliver more than 1.1 megawatts of power. In early February, the first solar panels were installed on the roof of the Tunnelling Underground Construction Academy.
Where are the extra Overground trains going to?
East London
If I’m not mistaken, they’re increasing frequencies by 2 trains per hour on the Clapham Junction and Crystal Palace branches. But I suppose it’ll be 5tph to Clapham Junction and Crystal Palace, and 4tph to New Cross and West Croydon at the initial stage. Currently, it is 4tph on all routes.
There will be a total of 6 trains per hour running between Highbury Islington and Crystal Palace in contrast to the current 4 trains.
Great news for Crystal Palace, but when will we see improved frequency on the Clapham Junction section?
They are actually doing that. See my comment above.
Bank Station Northern line southbound platform has gained another one of those doors on opposite wall at opposite (Northern) end of the platform to the first one.
What do you mean?