The delivery window for opening the central section of Crossrail has been revealed. A six month window that runs from October 2020 to March 2021 will be the target making the project approximately two years late from the original opening date of December 2018. Bond Street is expected to not open within this window because of design and delivery challenges.
The central section will open initially with services between Paddington and Abbey Wood operating at a peak hour frequency of up to 12 trains per hour. The full network and timetable is expected to be introduced as soon as possible.
There are four major tasks that must be completed:
- Build and test the software to integrate the train operating system with three different signalling systems
- Install and test vital station systems
- Complete installation of the equipment in the tunnels and test communications systems
- And when this is done, trial run the trains over many thousands of miles on the completed railway to shake out any problems and ensure the highest levels of safety and reliability when passenger service begins.