The big picture: Crossrail

Permanent track has now been installed through Stepney Green shaft.

From May, Crossrail – one of Europe’s largest engineering projects – will have to start making good on its promises: the high-frequency, high-capacity railway line is forecast to add £42 billion to the economy and bring an extra 1.5 million people to within 45 minutes of central London. 

The first trains – each 200m long or about the length of two football pitches – will run between London Liverpool Street station and Shenfield, Essex next month. Once completed, the line will serve 40 stations. So far, the huge project is on time and on budget, with a full launch set for December 2018, when Crossrail will be renamed the Elizabeth Line. 

However, Crossrail has not been without challenges. The service will run partly on existing railway tracks, which last summer suffered more than 50,000 hours of passenger delays, because hot weather affected the rails. 

Transport for London and Network Rail, which are responsible for this section, are facing pressure to resolve the issue before Crossrail goes fully into operation.