Ahead of London's new Elizabeth line trains entering full service later this year, the first passengers have taken to the tracks in the fleets first public test.
The fleet of Crossrail trains, being built for Transport for London in Derby by Bombardier, will consist of 66 trains and will run across the city from west and east, initially between Liverpool Street and Shenfield. They will be comprised of seven carriages totalling 160m in length. The full route is not operational yet but the trains' first passengers rode between these stops on the TfL Rail route earlier today.
In 2018, when the platform at Liverpool Street has been extended, it will be able to accommodate a 200m-long train that can carry up to 1,500 people. The line will be fully operational in 2019 and will serve Reading and Heathrow in the west through to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.
"All the trains feature walk-through carriages, air conditioning, CCTV for passenger security and real-time travel information," TfL said. Brakes on the train "regenerate" electricity when they break – TfL says this will use 30 per cent less energy. The trains are also have public Wi-Fi.
The first train to be built is undergoing "rigorous" testing in Derby while the others have been tested in Leicestershire. During testing, the trains were filled with 100 tonnes of weight to simulate what it will be like to carry a full load of passengers. Another test saw the trains subjected to high and low temperatures.
Designed by TfL, Bombardier and Barber & Osgerby, the new fleet strongly resembles the new Tube trains designed by PriestmanGoode. Inside is a mixture of different seating styles: some facing sideways and other groups of four in a similar style to commuter trains.
The new train line across London has seen more than 23 miles of tunnels carved out under the capital. During construction more than 10,000 artefacts have been discovered by archeologists at 30 different sites. The remains of 30 victims of the Great Plague of 1665 were found near Liverpool Street.
The new line is intended to ease pressure on London's over-burdened public transport system. TfL said the Elizabeth Line will be able to carry half a million passengers per day when it is fully running in 2019.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
