Crossrail delayed for a year

Yes, the FT reports much the same. It also suggests Thameslink may be scrapped or scaled back...

I would imagine output 1 will be completed (12 car formation) but output 2 (reconfiguration of London Bridge and resignalling) will be cut.

Back to CR; it would be good if the bulk of the service could be up and running as of 2017 with the remnant coming into service as of 2018. Would be very interesting if the UK were to win the 2018 World Cup as to what would happen!

As stated in both the ES and FT, the DfT are contributing circa £5bn out of the total £16bn. As I seem to remember, from other articles, a large percentage of that 5bn has already been spent or is tied up in existing contracts that have been signed. So if the project is to be delayed, it will be down to regional politics and little to do with prudence.

The biggest parts of Thameslink are St Pancras, Farringdon, signalling, Blackfriars, rolling stock and London Bridge area rebuilding - only one of those is complete, two are underway, the other three are still at the design stage. London Bridge is by far the most critical to make sure that the full benefit of everything else happens.

I think you've misunderstood the nature of the relationship between the TOC franchisee, Network Rail, rolling stock leasing companies and the DfT. First is getting NONE of the capital investment as a company - like any franchisee it is merely paid (or pays) to run a contracted level of service at the TOCs it has been given the franchse for. When refranchised the New Thameslink could go to First or any other operating company. Those nice new 377s are effectively paid for by the DfT, owned by the ROSCO, and are effectively borrowed from Southern. The fixed infrastructure is owned by Network Rail, effectively paid for by the DfT.

Exactly the same principles with Crossrail - think of the TOC as being like a government minister, in that it does what the civil service tells it, it has no power or money of its own and it's here today, gone tomorrow!

With regards to Crossrail the delay in opening by 1 year is probably a result of a revised tunnelling strategy, the original programme had drives from

Royal Oak Portal to Farringdon and Farringdon to Pudding Mill Lane

The proposal being put forward by contractors is to drive from Raoyal Oak Portal Straight through to Pudding Mill Lane.

The impact of this is that tunnels can not be cleared of kit (conveyor belts etc) to allow construction of the track installation works, it also puts a hold point on station construction where they have to break into tunnel sections.

As Pudding Mill Lane Portal is a TBM reception chamber, what this means is that the portal fit out can not commence until the TBM arrives.

With regards to Thameeslink, the borough viaduct is currently being constructed this is not a part of the current key output (pre 2012) but whatever the key out put is post 2012...it will be amusing to see a half complete viaduct at borough market after all of the issues that were associated with the planning approval in that area ;D

Hmm, I had thought that maybe they would delay the remodelling of London Bridge i.e. they may not increase the number of through platforms and scrap the plans to make the concourse at Tootley Street Level. But I hope as they've already begun work on Borough market viaduct that this would be completed. This would still improve punctuality through London bridge as trains to Blackfrairs and Charring Cross would have separate pathways until immediately north of London Bridge Station.

I read somewhere that Crossrail and Thameslink will be required to accept rolling stock types that are already in service rather than having a new model designed. While this would obviously reduce costs, I'm not sure to what degree. It would probably reduce delivery times and the ammount of time required to elliminate design faults. But as has been seen with 380 Desirios in Scotland (Aidrie-Bathgate) and 378s there can be problems with existing designs. I've also read complaints from Network Rail engineers who have suggested that heavier designs of Bombardier 37x range result in a more rapid wear and tear of rails resulting in higher long term maintenance costs. Lastly, if they scrap the use of ERMTS this would save a lot of money but might reduce the frequency potential. But I appreciate that none of my post explains why Crossrail would be delayed by a year so thanks twa

The 'synchrotron' just sounds too sinister.

If there are plans for ERTMS on the surface sections then ERTMS may be a goer.

Personally i can not se ERTMS being used as this would introduce significant integration issues at the portals.....in short whu have ERTMS underground only

And now it is officially confirmed. No details about whether it will be 2017 or 2018, but at least the project is going ahead.

Good news that the whole thing is going ahead. I was expecting them to announce a compromise, like only the Essex - Heathrow section would be built, and the Abbey Wood - Maidenhead section would be "tbc"

Important that Crossrail happens even if GWML electrification doesn't happen any time soon