Misplaced Pages

#88911

96-566: It stayed moribund until about 1925, and was then activated to renovate trains running on what is now the Central line and, following on from this, it built new London Underground Standard Stock in 1927. It also began a major tram-rebuilding programme for the Metropolitan Electric Tramways (MET). It became a 'shell' company in 1929, was renamed The Union & Finance Construction Co. Ltd. , then built some experimental tramcars for

192-464: A crowd crush when a woman entering the shelter fell at the bottom of the steps and those following fell on top of her. Construction restarted after the war, and the western extension opened as far as Greenford in 1947 and West Ruislip in 1948. The powers to extend the line to Denham were never used due to post-war establishment of the Green Belt around London, which restricted development of land in

288-775: A centralised control centre in West London. The five-year Central Line Improvement Programme (CLIP) to refurbish the 30-year-old trains started in 2023, as it was considered cheaper than replacing the trains. New motors, lighting, doors, and seats will be installed, and the trains will have passenger information displays, wheelchair areas and CCTV . The programme is being carried out at a new Train Modification Unit (TMU) in Acton, and had been expected to complete in late 2023. However in November 2020 TfL reported that this had been delayed due to

384-556: A further five units in July 2017, bringing the total number on order to 70. A number of Class 315 units that had been operating with TfL Rail remained in use on Elizabeth line services between Liverpool Street's terminal platforms and Shenfield alongside Class 345 units while the introduction of the new fleet – including the extension to nine-car formations – was completed. The Class 315 units, which had been built for British Rail in 1980–1981, could not be used in

480-483: A new underground line between Leytonstone and Newbury Park mostly under Eastern Avenue so as to serve the new suburbs of north Ilford and the Hainault Loop . Twenty two level crossings would also be removed, grade separating the line. Platforms at central London stations would also be lengthened to allow for 8-car trains. Construction started, the tunnels through central London being expanded and realigned and

576-427: A number of feeder routes were considered by CLRL west of Paddington and east of Liverpool Street. It was viewed, given the 24   trains-per-hour (tph) core frequency, that two feeder routes, each of 12   tph, could be taken forward. In the west, a route to Maidenhead (later extended to Reading) and Heathrow Airport was selected. In the east, routes to Abbey Wood (curtailed from Ebbsfleet to avoid conflicts with

672-566: A railway from Shepherd's Bush to Turnham Green and Gunnersbury , allowing the Central London Railway to run trains on London and South Western Railway (L&SWR) tracks to Richmond . The route was authorised in 1913, but work had not begun by the outbreak of war the following year. In 1919, an alternative route was published, with a tunnelled link to the disused L&SWR tracks south of their Shepherd's Bush station then via Hammersmith (Grove Road) railway station . Authorisation

768-473: A result of a rear-end collision in a tunnel just to the east of Stratford station , caused by driver error after a signal failure. The Central line stations east of Stratford kept their goods service for a time, being worked from Temple Mills , with the Hainault loop stations served via Woodford. The BR line south of Newbury Park closed in 1956 and Hainault loop stations lost their goods service in 1965,

864-739: A single track linking the two routes was laid in 1973. In the 2010s, the London Borough of Hillingdon has lobbied TfL to divert some or all Central trains along this to Uxbridge , as West Ruislip station is located in a quiet suburb and Uxbridge is a much more densely populated regional centre. TfL has stated that the link will be impossible until the Metropolitan line's signalling is upgraded in 2017. The Central line runs directly below Shoreditch High Street station and an interchange has been desired locally since it opened in 2010. The station would lie between Liverpool Street and Bethnal Green, one of

960-505: A uniform fare of 2 d the railway became known as the "Twopenny Tube". It was initially operated by electric locomotives , with motor armatures built directly on the axles to eliminate noise-producing gearboxes, hauling carriages. This did not allow springing, and the locomotives' considerable unsprung weight caused much vibration in the buildings above the line, so that the railway rebuilt the locomotives to use geared drives. This allowed higher-speed and lighter motors to be used, which reduced

1056-641: Is 147.1 kilometres (91.4 mi), of which 52.8 kilometres (32.8 mi) is in tunnel; this track is electrified with a four-rail DC system: a central conductor rail is energised at −210 V and a rail outside the running rail at +420 V, giving a potential difference of 630 V. The single-track line north of Epping, which closed in 1994, is now the Epping Ongar heritage railway . Shuttle services operate, mostly on some weekends and for special events, between North Weald and Ongar and North Weald and Coopersale . These do not call at Blake Hall , as

SECTION 10

#1732852276089

1152-753: Is a high-frequency hybrid urban – suburban rail service in London and its suburbs. It runs services on dedicated infrastructure in central London from the Great Western Main Line west of Paddington station to Abbey Wood and via Whitechapel to the Great Eastern Main Line near Stratford ; along the Great Western Main Line to Reading and Heathrow Airport in the west; and along the Great Eastern Main Line to Shenfield in

1248-572: Is due to the presence of a freight loop that would otherwise be cut off. Services on the Elizabeth line are operated exclusively by a fleet of nine-car Class 345 trains that was procured especially for this purpose. The service specifications called for approximately 60 trains, each 200 metres (660 feet) long and capable of carrying up to 1,500 passengers, of which 57 would be in service at any one time. In March 2011, Crossrail indicated that five bidders had been shortlisted as potential suppliers of both

1344-574: Is not part of the Network Rail system but owned by Heathrow Airport Holdings , who charge TfL an additional fee for each train that uses it. Heathrow is nevertheless included within the Travelcard scheme and daily/weekly fare capping as fare zone 6 stations. Before the COVID-19 pandemic , the Elizabeth line was predicted to carry over 200   million passengers annually immediately after opening; this

1440-452: Is now used by the heritage Epping Ongar Railway . The entire Central line was shut between January and March 2003, after 32 passengers were injured when a train derailed at Chancery Lane due to a traction motor falling on to the track. The line was not fully reopened until June. In 2003, the infrastructure of the Central line was partly privatised in a public–private partnership , managed by

1536-460: Is the name of the construction project and of the limited company , wholly owned by TfL, that was formed to carry out construction works. The Elizabeth line is the name of the new service that is on signage throughout the stations. It is named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II . The Elizabeth line roundel is coloured purple, with a superimposed blue bearing white text in the same style as for Underground lines. However, unlike Underground lines,

1632-525: Is valid for the whole length of the route, including stations outside London. The Elizabeth line is integrated with the London Underground, the wider TfL network and the National Rail networks; it is also included on the standard Tube map . Journeys to or from Heathrow Airport are priced at a premium due to using the rail tunnel between the airport and Hayes & Harlington . That stretch of line

1728-399: The COVID-19 pandemic , with expected completion by the end of 2025; as of September 2024 only one refurbished train had re-entered service. A timetable that would improve train frequencies, relieving delays and overcrowding, would not be implemented until December 2024. An expert suggested that in hindsight, given the problems with CLIP, it would have been better to buy new trains. In

1824-810: The East End , the City , and the West End . Printed in red on the Tube map , the line serves 49 stations over 46 miles (74 km), making it the system's longest line. It is one of only two lines on the Underground network to cross the Greater London boundary, the other being the Metropolitan line . One of London's deep-level railways traversing narrow tunnels, Central line trains are smaller than those on British main lines. The line

1920-614: The Epping Ongar Railway . The Central line has mostly been operated by automatic train operation since a major refurbishment in the 1990s, although all trains still carry drivers. Many of its stations are of historic interest, from turn-of-the-century Central London Railway buildings in west London to post-war modernist designs on the West Ruislip and Hainault branches, as well as Victorian-era Eastern Counties Railway and Great Eastern Railway buildings east of Stratford , from when

2016-477: The First Central business park at Park Royal , west London, were planning a new station between North Acton and Hanger Lane . This would have served the business park and provided a walking-distance interchange with Park Royal Piccadilly line station . This is not being actively pursued; London Underground said that the transport benefits of a Park Royal station on the Central line were not sufficient to justify

SECTION 20

#1732852276089

2112-505: The Metronet consortium. Metronet went into administration in 2007, and Transport for London (TfL) took over its responsibilities. The Central line is 74 kilometres (46 mi) long and serves 49 stations. The line is predominantly double-track, widened to three tracks for short sections south of Leytonstone and west of White City; no track is shared with any other line, though some sections run parallel to other routes. Total track length

2208-451: The TfL Rail brand. Following the practice adopted during the transfer of former Silverlink services to London Overground in 2007, TfL carried out a deep clean of stations and trains on the future Elizabeth line route, installed new ticket machines and barriers, introduced Oyster card and contactless payment , and ensured all stations were staffed. Existing rolling stock was rebranded with

2304-599: The "Central line" in 1937. The 1935–40 New Works Programme included a major expansion of the line. To the west new tracks were to be built parallel with the Great Western Railway 's New North Main Line as far as Denham . To the east, new tunnels would run to just beyond Stratford station , where the line would be extended over the London & North Eastern Railway suburban branch to Epping and Ongar in Essex, as well as

2400-485: The Central line by 25%, with 36 trains per hour. In June 2018, the Siemens Mobility Inspiro design was selected. These trains would have an open gangway design, wider doorways, air conditioning and the ability to run automatically with a new signalling system. TfL could only afford to order Piccadilly line trains at a cost of £1.5bn. However, the contract with Siemens includes an option for 100 trains for

2496-617: The Central line in the future. This would take place after the delivery of the Piccadilly line trains in the 2030s. There are three depots: Ruislip , Hainault and White City . White City depot first opened in 1900 when the initial line went into operation; Ruislip and Hainault depots were completed in 1939. During the Second World War, anti-aircraft guns were made at Ruislip Depot and the U.S. Army Transportation Corps assembled rolling stock at Hainault between 1943 and 1945. As part of

2592-561: The Central line needed replacement by the late 1980s, it was decided to bring forward the replacement of the 1962 Stock, due at about the time as the replacement of the 1959 Stock. The signalling was to be replaced with an updated version of the Automatic Train Operation (ATO) system used on the Victoria line, the line traction supply boosted and new trains built. Prototype trains were built with two double and two single doors hung on

2688-415: The Central line, together with extra non-driving motor cars to lengthen the trains from 7-car to 8-car. 1962 Stock was ordered to release the 1959 Stock for the Piccadilly line. The last Standard Stock train ran on the Central line in 1963, and by May 1964 all 1959 Stock had been released to the Piccadilly line. The single track section from Epping to Ongar was not electrified until 1957, prior to which

2784-639: The City of London. Work began on 15 May 2009, when piling works started at the future Canary Wharf station . Boring of the railway tunnels was officially completed in June 2015. Installation of the track was completed in September 2017. The European Train Control System (ETCS) signalling was scheduled to be tested in the Heathrow tunnels over the winter of 2017–2018. At the end of August 2018, four months before

2880-628: The ECR's successor, the Great Eastern Railway (GER), along with the section to Ongar. The Hainault Loop was originally the greater part of the Fairlop Loop opened by the GER on 1 May 1903. The line has three junctions: The line has the shortest escalator on the London Underground system, at Stratford (previously at Chancery Lane), with a rise of 4.1 metres (13 ft) and, at Stratford and Greenford,

2976-623: The Elizabeth line is not classified as a London Underground line. Under the project name of Crossrail , the system was approved in 2007, and construction began in 2009. Originally planned to open in 2018, the project was repeatedly delayed, including for several months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . In May 2015, existing commuter services on a section of one of the eastern branches, between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, were transferred to TfL Rail ; this precursor service also took control of Heathrow Connect in May 2018, and some local services on

Union Construction Company - Misplaced Pages Continue

3072-457: The Elizabeth line roundel includes the word "line". TfL Rail was an intermediate brand name which was introduced in May 2015 and discontinued in May 2022. It was used by TfL on services between Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 5 and Reading, as well as trains between Liverpool Street and Shenfield. Ten new stations have been built in the central and south east sections of the line, and 31 existing stations were upgraded and refurbished. Nine of

3168-631: The Great Western and Great Eastern Main Lines, with possible later upgrades to ETCS. Communications-based train control (CBTC) is installed in the central section and the Abbey Wood branch. The Elizabeth line has depots in west London at Old Oak Common TMD , in south-east London at Plumstead Depot, and in east London at Ilford EMU Depot . Upon opening, the line ran as three physically separate services: between Reading or Heathrow Airport and Paddington in

3264-671: The MET in 1929 & 1930. These became the forerunners of a fleet of 100 double-deck tramcars for London United Tramways (LUT) and MET, well known as the Feltham Tram . It also built 35 Class A1 and 25 Class A2 trolleybuses for LUT to replace trams in the Kingston area. These bore more than a passing resemblance to the 'Feltham' trams from the front. In 1933 the London Passenger Transport Board (better known as London Transport)

3360-507: The North Kent lines) and Shenfield were selected. The Crossrail Act 2008 authorising the construction project received royal assent on 22 July 2008. In December 2008, TfL and the DfT announced that they had signed the "Crossrail Sponsors' Agreement". This committed them to financing the project, then projected to cost £15.9   billion, with further contributions from Network Rail , BAA, and

3456-584: The Paddington to Reading line in December 2019. These services were augmented by a new central section in May 2022, and rebranded as the Elizabeth line. The outer services were connected to the central section in November 2022. Since May 2023, the central section has had up to 24 nine-carriage Class 345 trains per hour in each direction. The line reached over 200   million trips annually in its second year of operation and carries one seventh of all trips by rail in

3552-532: The Reading or Heathrow branches reversing there. The Elizabeth line is currently operated by MTR Elizabeth line Limited under a contract with TfL which will expire in May 2025. It is also the line's first operator. Following a model similar to that used for the Docklands Light Railway and London Overground , TfL invited tenders for operation of the Elizabeth line. Unlike other National Rail operators under

3648-501: The TfL Rail identity. The Elizabeth line runs on an east–west axis across the London region, with branches terminating at Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east, and at Heathrow Terminal 4, Heathrow Terminal 5 and Reading in the west. There are 41 stations. In the central section, there are interchanges with London Underground , National Rail , and Docklands Light Railway lines. Crossrail

3744-613: The United Kingdom. In 2001, Cross London Rail Links (CLRL), a 50/50 joint-venture between Transport for London (TfL) and the Department for Transport (DfT), was formed to develop and promote the Crossrail scheme, and also a Wimbledon–Hackney scheme, Crossrail 2 . In 2003 and 2004, over 50   days of exhibitions were held to explain the proposals at over 30 different locations. In 2005, ahead of Crossrail's hybrid bill submission,

3840-415: The area. The eastern extension opened as far as Stratford in December 1946, with trains continuing without passengers to reverse in the cutting south of Leyton. In 1947, the line opened to Leytonstone, and then Woodford and Newbury Park. Stations from Newbury Park to Woodford via Hainault and from Woodford to Loughton were served by tube trains from 1948. South of Newbury Park, the west-facing junction with

3936-467: The carriages had been adapted to run as trailers and formed with new motor cars into electric multiple units . The Central London Railway trains normally ran with six cars: four trailers and two motor-cars, although some trailers were later equipped with control equipment to allow trains to be formed with 3 cars. Work started in 1912 on an extension to Ealing Broadway , and new more powerful motor-cars were ordered. These arrived in 1915, but completion of

Union Construction Company - Misplaced Pages Continue

4032-627: The construction of the Westfield London shopping centre, the depot at White City was replaced underground, opening in 2007. During the off-peak, services on the Central line are grouped by branch lines: trains on the West Ruislip branch run to/from Epping, while trains to/from Ealing Broadway run on the Hainault Loop. Services at peak times are less structured, and trains can run between any two terminus stations at irregular intervals (e.g. from Ealing Broadway to Epping). As of January 2020 ,

4128-522: The core section: from Reading or Heathrow Airport to Abbey Wood; and from Paddington to Shenfield. As of May 2023, the off-peak weekday service is as follows: Some early morning and late night services run into Paddington mainline terminus instead of going through central London. Likewise, some early, peak-direction, and late trains run between Liverpool Street mainline terminus and Gidea Park, bypassing Whitechapel. When Old Oak Common opens, all trains will serve Old Oak Common, with those not serving

4224-519: The costs of construction. In 2021, Harlow District Council proposed extending the line from its eastern terminus in Epping to Harlow . They argued this would reduce travel times to Epping and London, and help with efforts to add 19,000 new homes to the town and expand the population to 130,000. However, no funding has been allocated for this proposed extension. [REDACTED] London transport portal Elizabeth line The Elizabeth line

4320-466: The driver for use in the event of emergency. They will run at up to 90 mph (140 km/h) on certain parts of the route. Due to limited platform lengths at both Liverpool Street and Paddington National Rail stations, most Class 345 units were initially delivered as seven-car formations, then later extended to the intended nine. The first unit entered service on 22 June 2017, between Liverpool Street and Shenfield. TfL exercised an option to acquire

4416-408: The early 1960s, there was a plan to re-equip the Piccadilly line with new trains and transfer its newer Standard Stock to the Central line to replace the older cars there, some of which had been stored in the open during the Second World War and were becoming increasingly unreliable. However, after the first deliveries of 1959 Stock were running on the Piccadilly it was decided to divert this stock to

4512-416: The east. The service is named after Queen Elizabeth II , who officially opened the line on 17 May 2022 during her Platinum Jubilee year ; passenger services started on 24 May 2022. Elizabeth line services are operated by MTR Elizabeth line under a concession from Transport for London (TfL). Despite being named under the same system as London Underground lines, and having sections which are underground,

4608-582: The east. These projects were mostly realised after the Second World War , when construction stopped and the unused tunnels were used as air-raid shelters and factories. However, suburban growth was limited by the Metropolitan Green Belt : of the planned expansions one (to Denham , Buckinghamshire) was cut short and the eastern terminus of Ongar ultimately closed in 1994 due to low patronage; part of this section between Epping and Ongar later became

4704-511: The extension was delayed because of World War I , and the cars were stored. In 1917, they were lent to the Bakerloo line , where they ran on the newly opened extension to Watford Junction . Returning in 1920/21, and formed with trailers converted from the original carriages, they became the Ealing Stock. In 1925–28, the trains were rebuilt, replacing the gated ends with air-operated doors, allowing

4800-550: The following year an extension to Liverpool Street was authorised, with a station at Bank instead of at Cornhill. The line was built following the streets above rather than running underneath buildings, because purchase of wayleave under private properties would have been expensive. While the tracks in opposite directions mostly run side-by-side, in some places one line runs above another due to lack of space, with platforms at different levels at St Paul's , Chancery Lane and Notting Hill Gate stations. The tunnels were bored with

4896-612: The following year, providing access to the Great Eastern Railway station and the adjacent Broad Street railway station by escalators. The Central London Railway was absorbed into the Underground Group on 1 January 1913. In 1911, the Great Western Railway won permission for a line from Ealing Broadway to a station near to the CLR's Shepherd's Bush station , with a connection to the West London Railway , and agreement to connect

SECTION 50

#1732852276089

4992-425: The franchise control of the DfT, TfL sets fares, procures rolling stock and decides service levels. The operator takes only a small element of revenue risk, with TfL taking 90% and the operator 10%. In June 2013, TfL announced that Arriva , MTR Corporation , Keolis / Go-Ahead Group and National Express had been shortlisted to bid for the concession to operate Crossrail, which was under construction. Prior to

5088-565: The frequency in the morning peak period was increased to 35 trains per hour, giving the line the most intensive train service in the UK at the time. Before that date, the Victoria line held the record with 33 trains per hour; it regained it in May 2017 with an increased frequency of 36 trains per hour (one every 100 seconds) during peak periods. The Central crosses over the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines' shared Uxbridge branch near West Ruislip depot, and

5184-409: The limited current. The section closed in 1994, and is now the heritage Epping Ongar Railway . A shuttle operated on the section from Hainault to Woodford after a train of 1960 Stock was modified to test the automatic train operation system to be used on the Victoria line . As each 1967 Stock train was delivered, it ran in test for three weeks on the shuttle service. When the signalling on

5280-406: The line from May 2025. In November 2024, GTS Rail Operations was chosen to operate the line for the period 2025–2032. Ticketing is integrated with the other London transport systems, but Oyster pay as you go is not accepted on the western section between West Drayton (the limit of London fare zone 6 ) and Reading, with only contactless cards valid there. The concessionary travel Freedom Pass

5376-426: The line to Epping was a rural branch line. In terms of total passengers, the Central line is the third busiest on the Underground. In 2019, over 300 million passenger journeys were recorded on the line. As of 2013, it operated the second-most frequent service on the network, with 34 trains per hour (tph) operating for half-an-hour in the westbound direction during the morning peak, and between 27 and 30 tph during

5472-444: The line to the Central London Railway, and for the CLR to run trains to Ealing Broadway. Construction of the extension from the CLR to Ealing Broadway started in 1912, but opening was delayed by World War I . The CLR purchased new rolling stock for the extension, which arrived in 1915 and was stored before being lent to the Bakerloo line . The rolling stock returned when the extension opened in 1920. In 1912, plans were published for

5568-449: The line's core section. The final four were withdrawn from service on 9 December 2022. Following the opening of the Elizabeth line, TfL experienced high passenger growth on the line. TfL noted that that extra capacity would be required when Old Oak Common railway station opens in the 2030s alongside the opening of High Speed 2 . TfL therefore pushed for funding from the DfT for additional trains. Following this, Alstom (new owners of

5664-465: The longest gaps between stations in inner London. Although there would be benefits to this interchange, it was ruled out on grounds of cost, the disruption it would cause to the Central line while being built and because the platforms would be too close to sidings at Liverpool Street and would not be developed until after the Crossrail -developed Elizabeth line became fully operational. The developers of

5760-477: The main line closed in the same year to allow expansion of Ilford carriage depot. The extension transferred to London Underground management in 1949, when Epping began to be served by Central line trains. The single line to Ongar was served by a steam autotrain operated by British Rail (BR) until 1957, when the line was electrified. BR trains accessed the line via a link from Temple Mills East to Leyton. On 8 April 1953, 12 people were killed and 46 were injured as

5856-420: The mid 2010s, TfL began a process of ordering new rolling stock to replace trains on the Piccadilly, Central, Bakerloo and Waterloo & City lines. TfL explained that the 1992 Stock used on the Central and Waterloo & City lines was significantly less reliable than more modern rolling stock. A feasibility study into the new trains showed that new generation trains and re-signalling could increase capacity on

SECTION 60

#1732852276089

5952-458: The new fleet and its depot facilities; Alstom , CAF , Siemens Mobility , Hitachi Rail , and Bombardier Transportation  – although Alstom withdrew four months later. Crossrail issued invitations to negotiate to the remaining bidders in March 2012, with submission of tenders expected between June and August. It was stipulated that bidders should offer a fleet based on technology that

6048-412: The nominal diameter of 11 feet 8 + 1 ⁄ 4  inches (3.562 m), increased on curves, reduced to 11 feet 6 inches (3.51 m) near to stations. The tunnels generally rise approaching a station, to aid braking, and fall when leaving, to aid acceleration. The Central London Railway was the first underground railway to have the station platforms illuminated electrically. All

6144-477: The number of guards to be reduced to two. After reconstruction of the Central London Railway tunnels, the trains were replaced by Standard Stock transferred from other lines and the last of the original trains ran in service in 1939. The Standard Stock ran as 6-car trains until 1947, when 8-car trains became possible after Wood Lane was replaced by a new station at White City . More cars were transferred from other lines as they were replaced by 1938 Stock . In

6240-412: The only stations where escalators take passengers up to the trains. The escalator at Greenford was the last one with wooden treads on the system until it was replaced in March 2014. They were exempt from fire regulations because they were outside the tunnel system. The line has the shallowest underground Tube platforms on the system, at Redbridge , just 7.9 metres (26 ft) below street level, and

6336-513: The opening of the central section, the concessionaire would operate the existing railway services using the TfL Rail brand. In July 2014, TfL awarded the contract to Hong Kong's MTR Corporation , for a duration of eight years with an option to extend by an additional two years. On 16 February 2024, TfL shortlisted four bidders – Arriva , FirstGroup / Keolis , MTR Corporation and GTS Rail Operations (a consortium comprising Tokyo Metro , Sumitomo Corporation and Go-Ahead Group ) – to operate

6432-775: The original builder Bombardier) was awarded a £370   million contract in June 2024 to build an additional 10 Class 345 trains at its factory in Derby . This would increase the number of trains from 70 to 80. The Elizabeth line uses 25   kV, 50   Hz AC overhead lines , already in use on the Great Eastern and Great Western Main Lines. The Heathrow branch started using the European Train Control System (ETCS) in 2020. The Automatic Warning System (AWS) and Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) are used on

6528-463: The outside of each carriage of the train, and with electronic traction equipment that gave regenerative and rheostatic braking . In accordance with this plan, the first 8-car trains of 1992 Stock entered service in 1993, and while the necessary signalling works for ATO were in progress, One Person Operation (OPO) was phased in between 1993 and 1995. Automatic train protection was commissioned from 1995 to 1997 and ATO from 1999 to 2001, with

6624-569: The platform-edge doors. All 41 stations are step-free from street to platform. Thirteen stations (the central and Heathrow stations) have level access between trains and platforms while other outer suburban platforms remain at their pre-existing height, about 200mm lower. This platform height difference was criticised by the Campaign for Level Boarding who said Crossrail's "poor decision making" meant "this brand-new railway has cornered itself into perpetually offering an inaccessible service." Although

6720-565: The platforms were lit by Crompton automatic electric arc lamps , and other station areas by incandescent lamps . Both the City and South London Railway and the Waterloo and City Railway were lit by gas lamps, primarily because the power stations for these lines had been designed with no spare capacity to power electric lighting. With the white glazed tiling, all underground Central London Railway platforms were very brightly lit. The use of electric lighting

6816-408: The rest of the peak. The Elizabeth line , which began most of its core operation from 24 May 2022, provides interchanges with the Central line at Stratford, Liverpool Street , Tottenham Court Road , Ealing Broadway , and Bond Street , relieving overcrowding. The Central London Railway (CLR) was given permission in 1891 for a tube line between Shepherd's Bush and a station at Cornhill , and

6912-399: The rest of the stations on the line following in 1966. Early morning passenger trains from Stratford (Liverpool Street on Sundays) ran to Epping or Loughton until 1970. The single-track section from Epping to Ongar was electrified in 1957 and then operated as a shuttle service using short tube trains. However, carrying only 100 passengers a day and losing money, the section closed in 1994, and

7008-501: The same period one year earlier. TFL later stated the line had carried over 150   million passengers in its first year of operation. By its second anniversary, more than 350   million trips had been made on the line, and it carried a seventh of all rail trips in the UK. In the fiscal year April 2023 to March 2024, the line carried 220   million passengers. A new station has been proposed to serve London City Airport , and extensions have been put forward to Ebbsfleet in

7104-493: The scheduled opening of the core section of the line, it was announced that completion was delayed and that the line would not open before autumn 2019. After multiple delays, in August 2020 Crossrail announced that the central section would be ready to open "in the first half of 2022". In May 2021, trial running commenced. On 17 May 2022, the line was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in honour of her Platinum Jubilee . She

7200-415: The service was operated by an autotrain , carriages attached to a steam locomotive capable of being driven from either end, hired from British Railways, and an experimental AEC three-car lightweight diesel multiple unit operated part of the shuttle service Monday-Friday in June 1952. Upon electrification, 1935 Stock was used, until replaced by four-car sets of 1962 Stock specially modified to cope with

7296-508: The sharpest curve, the Caxton Curve, between Shepherds Bush and White City. When the railway opened in 1900, it was operated by electric locomotives hauling carriages with passengers boarding via lattice gates at each end. The locomotives had a large unsprung mass, which caused vibrations that could be felt in the buildings above the route. After an investigation by the Board of Trade , by 1903

7392-422: The south east, Milton Keynes in the north west, Staines in the south west, and Southend Airport in the east. TfL has introduced high-speed 4G and 5G mobile coverage in the first tunnelled section of the Elizabeth line between Liverpool Street and Paddington. This initiative, part of a broader plan to extend coverage across the entire Tube and London Overground network, aims to improve connectivity. In 2024,

7488-470: The station platform was removed by London Transport after the station closed, and the remaining building is now a private residence. The section between Leyton and just south of Loughton is the oldest railway alignment in use on the current London Underground system, having been opened on 22 August 1856 by the Eastern Counties Railway (ECR). Loughton to Epping was opened on 24 April 1865 by

7584-413: The stations lengthened, but it proved impossible to modify Wood Lane station to take 8-car trains and a new station at White City was authorised in 1938. The line was converted to the London Underground four-rail electrification system in 1940. The positive outer rail is 40 mm (1.6 in) higher than on other lines, because even after reconstruction work the tunnels are slightly smaller. Most of

7680-425: The supply and maintenance of the trains and depot was valued at £1 billion. It included a firm order for 65 units from Bombardier's new Aventra family, plus an option for a further 18. The trains have air-conditioning and are designed to be as accessible as possible, including wide aisles and gangways, dedicated areas for wheelchairs , audio and visual announcements, CCTV , and passenger intercoms connected to

7776-426: The ten new-build stations opened for revenue service on 24 May 2022; the remaining station – Bond Street – required additional finishing works before commissioning could proceed. Trains passed through its platforms non-stop until it opened five months later on 24 October. All stations are equipped with CCTV and because of the length of trains, central stations have train indicators above

7872-405: The time the line opened, TfL had reduced their passenger forecasts because passenger travelling habits changed during the pandemic; the estimate was between 130 and 170   million passengers by 2026. However, the Elizabeth line carried 62.2   million passengers in the last quarter of 2022 alone. That was one-sixth of the UK's total rail journeys, and double the number the line carried during

7968-432: The trains are 200 metres (660 feet) long, platforms at the new stations in the central core are built to enable 240-metre-long (790 ft) trains in case of possible future need. In the eastern section, Maryland and Manor Park have not had platform extensions, so trains use selective door opening instead. At Maryland this is because of the prohibitive cost of extensions and the poor business case, and at Manor Park it

8064-603: The tunnels for the extensions to the east of London had been built by 1940, but work slowed due to the outbreak of the Second World War until eventually being suspended in June. The unused tunnels between Leytonstone and Newbury Park were equipped by the Plessey Company as an aircraft components factory, opening in March 1942 and employing 2,000 people. Elsewhere, people used underground stations as night shelters during air raids. The unopened Bethnal Green station had space for 10,000 people. In March 1943, 173 people died there in

8160-501: The typical off-peak service, in trains per hour (tph), is: The above services combine to give a total of 24 trains per hour each way (one every 2 minutes and 30 seconds) in the core section between White City and Leytonstone. At peak times, the frequency increases further, with up to 35 trains per hour each way in the core section. A 24-hour Night Tube service began on the Central line on 19 August 2016, running on Friday and Saturday nights. Night tube services are: In September 2013,

8256-608: The unsprung, and total, weight of the locomotive. The railway also tried an alternative approach: it converted four coaches to accommodate motors and control gear. Two of these experimental motor coaches were used in a 6-coach train, the control gear being operated by the system used on the Waterloo and City Railway. The modified locomotives were a considerable improvement, but lighter purpose-designed motor coaches were even better. The CLR ordered 64 new motor cars designed to use Sprague 's recently developed traction control system. The CLR

8352-501: The west; from Paddington via Liverpool Street to Abbey Wood in the centre; and between Liverpool Street and Shenfield in the east. To connect between services, a walk between the separate stations at Paddington or Liverpool Street was required. Operating hours were limited, as well as the service running Monday to Saturday only - allowing for further testing and software updates to take place. When through-running began in November 2022, there were two main service groups, overlapping through

8448-497: Was "already developed", with the expectation that an "evolutionary, not revolutionary" product would help to ensure "value for money" and "[the] utmost reliability from day one". Siemens withdrew their rolling stock bid in July 2013, citing an increase in other business and a need to protect their "ability to deliver ... current customer commitments", which included the £1.6 billion Class 700 order for Thameslink . Their contract to supply Crossrail's signalling and control systems

8544-458: Was created by Act of Parliament. The Board was prohibited from directly manufacturing its own vehicles, leading to the demise of the UCC and the placing of all future orders with companies such as Metro-Cammell . Central line (London Underground) The Central line is a London Underground line that runs from Epping in the north-east to Ealing Broadway and West Ruislip in the west, via

8640-472: Was exclusively using the resulting electric multiple units by 1903. In July 1907, the fare was increased to 3d for journeys of more than seven or eight stations. The line was extended westwards with a loop serving a single platform at Wood Lane for the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition . A reduced fare of 1d, for a journey of three or fewer stations, was introduced in 1909, and season tickets became available from 1911. The extension to Liverpool Street opened

8736-538: Was expected to relieve pressure on London Underground's lines, especially the Central line . Farringdon is expected to become one of the busiest stations in the UK, due to it being the key interchange station with Thameslink services. In a business plan for the line published in January 2020, TfL predicted total annual revenues from the line of nearly £500   million per year in 2022/23 (its first full year of operation) and over £1   billion per year in 2024/25. By

8832-523: Was further made possible because the Central London was also the first tube railway to use AC electrical distribution and the substation transformers , not compatible with DC, were able to reduce the voltage to the level required for lighting. Earlier tube lines used DC power generators at the 500 volts required to run the trains. The line between Shepherd's Bush and Bank was formally opened on 30 June 1900, public services beginning on 30 July. With

8928-531: Was granted in 1920, but the connection was never built, and the L&;SWR tracks were used by the Piccadilly line when it was extended west of Hammersmith in 1932. On 1 July 1933, the Central London Railway and other transport companies in the London area were amalgamated to form the London Passenger Transport Board , generally known as London Transport . The railway was known as the "Central London Line", becoming

9024-483: Was not scheduled to attend the event, but decided to attend with her son, Prince Edward , to unveil the plaque commemorating the official opening. Though the main tunnels under central London had not yet been opened, passenger operations on the outer branches of the future Elizabeth line were transferred to TfL for inclusion in the concession – this took place over several stages beginning May 2015. During this initial phase of operation, services were operated by MTR under

9120-480: Was opened as the Central London Railway in 1900, crossing central London on an east–west axis along the central shopping street of Oxford Street to the financial centre of the City of London . It was later extended to the western suburb of Ealing . In the 1930s, plans were created to expand the route into the new suburbs, taking over steam-hauled outer-suburban routes to the borders of London and beyond to

9216-467: Was unaffected. In December 2013, the European Investment Bank (EIB) agreed to provide TfL loans of up to £500 million to fund the rolling stock procurement, following TfL's decision in March of that year to abandon plans to cover most of the cost with private financing. TfL and the DfT announced in early February 2014 that Bombardier's bid had been successful. The 32-year contract for

#88911