Crossrail’s new photos showing trains in sidings
Crossrail have released new images showing trains in sidings awaiting full services to start in summer 2021 – hopefully.
Many trains are 9-carriages long and some 7-carriage. Initial trains to be delivered ran to Liverpool Street from Shenfield. They entered service three years ago and are limited to seven carriages. Nine carriage trains now run in West London but most of the fleet still sits in sidings each day.
Eventually all will be nine carriage stock and stations have provision for 11 carriages.
The images are of Old Oak Common though another sidings and depot is located in Plumstead.
A planning application has been submitted this week to install a green wall in front of concrete fencing running along Plumstead sidings. That is beside a sports field.
Unfortunately Crossrail cut back on plans for greenery and fencing in front on fencing near housing – with inevitable results:
Residents warned that if Crossrail did a 180 degree turn on initially submitted plans and stopped fencing installation and greenery – which they did – that the exposed wooden fencing would see graffiti. It promptly happened.
After Crossrail halted plans Greenwich Council were asked if they could fund. No cash they said. They then spent large sums on numerous wooden bollards (what else?) which have done little to halt poor parking in the area.
Extra carriages were recently delivered to Old Oak Common to lengthen some of the 7 car trains to 9 cars.
Meanwhile some of the 7 car trains are going back to Ilford depot to replace the last of the old trains on the Liverpool Street/Shenfield services.
Whay to you expect from Greenwich Council. No money is the Council’s standard answer as they waste millions of pounds of wooden bollards and other loss making projects around the Borough not to mention GLLAB.
Also the now defunct GS PLus which lost millions and has been taken back in house by RBG why they try to find a new buyer to run these services in the future.
And with another 10 Class 345 9-Car trains on order and to enter service next year (2025). Adding the total of Elizabeth Line trains from 70 to 80.