CrossRail (Elizabeth Line) Special ~ Class 345 Stock Focus
26 miles of new tunnels built. A total of 594 carriages needed to make up 66 nine-car units. Of course, lots of Nando's across the route. 12 trains per hour (each direction) on the Shenfield to Central London route from 2018, extending to Reading and Heathrow by 2019.
This post will highlight the features of the Aventra Class 345 units, built by Bombardier at Derby, which will operate the length and breadth of the CrossRail TFL route, the Queen Elizabeth route as it's named.
Each train is 200 metres long, 22 metres per carriage, and features four wheelchair spaces as well as 1500 seats.
Joe Bednall, from Bombardier, said: “This assembled bodyshell which has progressed rapidly from a blank piece of paper through to build and test, is the first off the production line for the Crossrail project. It will first go to be tested, to validate the body shell design, before being painted and re-assembled to form the client’s cab and saloon mock-up."
Free Wi-Fi is also to be fitted inside these aluminium saloons, which also feature walk through gangways, three doors on each side of each carriage, real-time passenger information screens and 'intelligent' heating / temperature + lighting control systems.
These trains also feature wide doors, to allow customers to utilise, for brisk boarding and alighting.
The trains, which have a mix of bay seating and longitude 'Tube' style seating arrangements, will be stowed at Old Oak Common depot overnight, once they enter service in May 2017.
These units are the predecessors of the 315s, which previously operated the Shenfield to Liverpool Street section of this Metro Route.
TFL took over this Northern section of the route in 2015, whilst the rest of the CrossRail route was being constructed to connect Heathrow.
By 2018, these 345 units will travel into West Regions of London, not Liverpool Street, as a through route is being created currently. By 2019, the route will be fully open between Shenfield, Liverpool Street and Reading/Heathrow.
TFL took over this Northern section of the route in 2015, whilst the rest of the CrossRail route was being constructed to connect Heathrow.
By 2018, these 345 units will travel into West Regions of London, not Liverpool Street, as a through route is being created currently. By 2019, the route will be fully open between Shenfield, Liverpool Street and Reading/Heathrow.
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London: ‘It’s fantastic to think that these sleek new trains will soon be transporting millions of people across our great city and beyond. They’re feature packed, eye-catching machines that showcase the best of British design and engineering.
Stock Fleet Numbers: 345001-345066. ^Harry
