please empty your brain below
Possibly the panels with round holes in have been used to help reduce noise and echo. Trouble is the holes get filled with dust and then do not look good.

I assume the lighting on the platforms is from the LED panels and that the florescent lamps hanging down are just for workers before main lighting was installed.

The "totem pole" signs look as if they are also luminaires, with an upwards facing lamp at the top to provided reflected light down from the ceiling, and it looks as if there are two vertical panels in the column which will also be lit up. There does not seem to be any other form of lighting, the temporary hanging fluorescent lights were in use on your visit. Should look nice when lit up.

John | 16.06.18 - 8:13 a.m. | #

Is TCR missing as interchange as they have thought it would be quicker if going to Oxford Circus to exit there or Bond Street, as both platforms extend part way down Oxford Street and have exits close?

Anywhere further West and it would be quicker to change at Bond Street (and miss one additional stop).

However that doesn’t explain what they have thought as being the recommended way to get to Holborn, Chancery Lane etc as from Farringdon that would presumably be faster changing at TCR than Liverpool Street, and they aren’t so close that a walk would be a default.

Messiah | 16.06.18 - 8:15 a.m. | #

Isn't the TCR non interchange analogous to that for Gloucester Road where no interchange between Piccadilly and District is intimated, all @Messiah's points considered.

Ken | 16.06.18 - 8:23 a.m. | #

John,

Actually, the thing that struck me was the lighting and I am a bit surprised DG did not mention it.

The platforms are primarily lit by a bright continuous panel of white light above the platform edge doors. It gave an extremely even light of just the right intensity and wavelength. It was easily the most pleasant underground platform I have ever stood in from that point of view.

I suspect the fluorescent tubes were just temporary emergency lighting should the main lighting fail. Their impact was insignificant compared to the primary source.

On a different subject, it looked like the quality of the floor tiling on the platform exceeded anything seen before as well.

I too was a bit disappointed we couldn't walk to the Barbican end. I was rather hoping we would enter at Farringdon and exit at Barbican but it was not to be.

Pedantic of Purley | 16.06.18 - 8:36 a.m. | #

So why not Platforms "E" & "W" ?

Richard Venn | 16.06.18 - 8:36 a.m. | #

Maybe, just maybe, the designers of the line diagram did the artwork a couple of years ago working from a tube map when the Central line wasn't stopping at TCR - and it slipped through proof-reading? St Paul's and Chancery Lane are an easy walk from Farringdon, but there's still Oxford Circus as a very logical destination changing to the Central line at TCR.

Ewan | 16.06.18 - 8:47 a.m. | #

Hope they put some seating on the platforms.

John | 16.06.18 - 9:05 a.m. | #

Ian Visits also visited.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 16.06.18 - 9:39 a.m. | #

I suspect platforms 'A' & 'B' are to avoid confusion at shared stations like Moorgate/Liverpool St where there are multiple numbered platforms in both original stations so numbering the Crossrail platforms would be confusing.

Steve | 16.06.18 - 9:43 a.m. | #

The exit signage on the first photo gives the Tube roundel for Farringdon and not Barbican. Does this mean the proposed Tube connection to Barbican station has been descoped? That would make sense given the lack of activity on the Barbican platforms

dg writes: We were right up the Farringdon end, where it wouldn't have made sense to suggest changing to the tube at Barbican.

WAGN | 16.06.18 - 10:06 a.m. | #

All those pristine white walls and not an ad in sight. How long is that going to last? The same people who blasted Canary Wharf out of the water with those enormous screens will get their grubby hands on them before the dust has time to build up.

Talking of dust, the cleaning of the GRP wall linings will become an interesting issue, as anyone who knows Bermondsey station knows that when they try to clean the concrete there, it leaves lots of smears. They will have to keep the linings clean, as the light levels reflected off the ceiling depend on it.

dg writes: To answer your deleted question... No.

NickW | 16.06.18 - 10:14 a.m. | #

With all that purple, they should have called it the Prince line...

Mikey C | 16.06.18 - 10:24 a.m. | #

The lack of the central line interchange sign at Tottenham Court Road, I'd imagine that at Bond Street going east it would be the same. Surely most people would prefer to exit crossrail at one of those stations rather than changing to central and going one stop to Oxford Circus.

I think it'll be similar to the Met/H&C/Circle. The line diagrams on the trains say to change at Baker Street for the Met to the others, but the onboard announcement says to do it at Great Portland Street when heading west, due to it being a same platform interchange

Lumma | 16.06.18 - 10:25 a.m. | #

The Thameslink platforms at St Pancras use A and B as well. It is true they are 'separate' from the main line station, but the various parts of the main line station (South-East, East Midlands and Eurostar) are all separate from each other.

At Farringdon, Thameslink uses numbers, so it is difficult to tell why the Elizabeth Line platforms could not have been numbered 5 and 6. What about Hanwell or Ealing Broadway and other stations where the platforms the trains will use are already numbered?

Martin | 16.06.18 - 10:46 a.m. | #

The absence of the Central Line at TCR may be because the interchange there isn't particularly easy compared with Liv St and Bond Street. Moreover, Crossrail passengers for the Oxford Circus area can use the Eastern exit at Bond Street station, which is in Hanover Square (or the Dean Street exit from TCR). No need to use the Central Line.

For Holborn it's probably easier to change at Kings Cross rather than double back from TCR. And for Chancery Lane and St Pauls it's quicker to walk from Farringdon.

timbo again | Homepage | 16.06.18 - 10:48 a.m. | #

I imagine they're trying to stop out-of-towners for changing at TCR for a single stop to Oxford Circus, which feels wholly laudable - particularly as the western Crossrail exit to TCR is probably equidistant between the Circus and Centre Point.
nb I still think TCR should be renamed Centre Point. And if CR2 ever passes through there, even more so.

Philip | 16.06.18 - 10:49 a.m. | #

WAGN... the exit to Barbican most certainly is there. My video (next week) shows it, along with plenty of activity on the Tube platforms where they're building the lift that is the connection to it.

Geofftech | 16.06.18 - 11:01 a.m. | #

If there's an interchange it should be indicated otherwise what's the point of indicating some and not others. If someone is using a map they don't need to be told but if they're not ...

Tones | 16.06.18 - 11:04 a.m. | #

@ DG / PoP - my guess is that the totems include uplighters. It was notable that no light fittings are in the ceilings in the main concourse areas but are included in the side adits that take you to the platforms. I suspect the lighting is going to be bright but well balanced.

It was certainly very nice to see tunnel level for the first time at a Z1 station but I agree with earlier comments about keeping the place clean.

@ Geofftech - good to hear the Barbican link *is* being built. I've been wondering if it had been descoped. I did ask someone about it yesterday but they weren't certain about its status.

PC | 16.06.18 - 12:39 p.m. | #

@PC: Barbican side definitely there. I blogged about it yesterday with updated photos whilst London's most reputable were ferreting below ground!

Sorry it isn't Geofftech standard :(

Rog | Homepage | 16.06.18 - 1:16 p.m. | #

It is interesting that westbound is signposted to Heathrow, Maidenhead and Reading when many trains will only be going as far as Paddington.

kev | 16.06.18 - 1:21 p.m. | #

Just happened to think about this the other day, as I passed a really horrible looking concrete rain smeared monstrosity in Bristol. That concrete roof is really going to look bad with the passage of time.

Anon1 | 16.06.18 - 3:10 p.m. | #

@ Rog - you've blogged about the eastern ticket hall. I was referring to the lift based link that will allow access to the western end of the Circle / H&C platforms at Barbican. New steps, lifts and a footbridge need to be installed at Barbican and then connected to whatever Crossrail have built in the vicinity. I shall await the Geofftech video clip although good to see your photos of the eastern ticket hall.

PC | 16.06.18 - 5:31 p.m. | #

Looking very sharp and well designed. The complex geometry of those curving tunnel junction linings is delish.

Thanks for the photies.

drD | Homepage | 16.06.18 - 7:20 p.m. | #

@PC - I hadnt realised it was the link into the actual tube station you were referring to. Descoped is a new word for me too! Yes it is a puzzle re that side of the development. The footbridge is supposed to have lifts and be fully accessible for the disabled, its quite a substantial construction yet no sign of it from the Barbican station platforms. They ought to be building it now if they want it finished by December. Especially seeing the Barbican link is being advertised as the only full means of disability access to the Circle/Hammermsith/Met from Crossrail's platforms. It wont be possible for most PRM to do it via the main Farringdon western site.

Rog | Homepage | 16.06.18 - 7:48 p.m. | #

Just done a search and apparently the very latest Crossrail plans (13 April 2018) show nothing of a footbridge or lifts at Barbican! There's the answer if it is one. Not sure what it means, perhaps they are cutting costs by fully enabling the western site for 100% full accessibility rather than the east site, which means Farringdon station (C/H&C/Met) will be the main interchange for disabled people rather than Barbican.

Rog | Homepage | 16.06.18 - 8:42 p.m. | #

Does look very good. I think it will make a huge difference and it's nice to see that the stations have not been fitted out on the cheap.

Jon Combe | 16.06.18 - 11:21 p.m. | #

What's with a new footbridge at Barbican? never heard of that before. What's happening is:

From Crossrail level (-6) there are escalators and an incline life up to a mezzanine (-3) level. At this point there are further escalators and an incline life up to the eastern end ticket ticket hall.

But then there is also a corridor that takes you along to a regular lift that is being built that brings you up onto the westbound platform at Barbican.

if you go to the westbound platform at Barbican the blue hoarding are all there and work clearly taking place. Not sure why no one else has seen this.

It gives step free access (via Crossrail) to the westbound platform ONLY at Barbican.

And my guess is, that TfL *won't* be going out of their way to advertise this as a way in/out of the Crossrail station. e.g. on the platform at Barbican, will there be signage saying 'Elizabeth Line -->' as there already is (for example) at Moorgate sub-surface platforms. I don't think that will happen.

Geofftech | 16.06.18 - 11:36 p.m. | #

@Geofftech - lol the original plans required a footbridge in fact many documents depict this, I have several plans showing the proposed works and it was also depicted on Learning Legacy documents too.

The original idea was to make Barbican fully accessible for PRM with a footbridge to both platforms and in fact the earlier Crossrail maps depicted this. Londonist indeed published one such map showing this dedicated PRM link to Barbican - see here, or the image in question directly here. Yes I know its a 2010 map however the plans for the footbridge were submitted in Nov 2014 which shows how late the footbridge plan was still being pursued.)

The footbridge plans of November 2014 clearly show a pair of lifts and a footbridge across the sub surface lines at Barbican, with a dedicated link from the East side ticket hall straight onto the footbridge. Presumably during 2015 or later this was dropped as a cost cutting exercise in favour of a dedicated link via Farringdon station. I dont think it was announced to the public. I and others didn't know (hence the discussion here) and have only just found plans showing the dedicated PRM link to both of the Barbican platforms have been dropped (except the one bit you have described.)

TfL will of course not be advertising Barbican as such a route because they now have a PRM link via Farringdon station instead.

Rog | Homepage | 17.06.18 - 12:41 a.m. | #

Interesting that the Way Out signs simply show Farringdon with a tube roundel and a National Rail logo. They don't specify the 3 tube lines that are available. I get that it's being treated as a separate network but there will be some stations like Liverpool Street where you have to go different directions to the different tube lines,

JP | 17.06.18 - 12:49 a.m. | #

Is there any sign that whether it’s required to exit the ticket gate or not for interchanging to the 2 tube stations?

ifurkend | 17.06.18 - 3:10 a.m. | #

3D cutaway diagram of the Farringdon end.

3D cutaway diagram of the Barbican end.
(includes footbridge at number 11)

Both taken from a 2014 Crossrail document.

Howard | 17.06.18 - 10:10 a.m. | #

Ha! then they've cut back on that at somepoint to save money - sounds like the connection to Barbican was going to be to both platforms, but now it's just the one. Did not know that!

Geofftech | 17.06.18 - 12:11 p.m. | #

@howard/@rog - thx both! ::thumbs-up

Geofftech | 17.06.18 - 12:13 p.m. | #

Another anomaly on the expanded view of the route map is that Acton Main Line station isn't blessed with the going both ways red arrow.

BobSnail | 17.06.18 - 5:03 p.m. | #

that's not an error, that's because only Crossrail will be calling at Acton Main Line (and Hanwell, and Southall...)

minskpatrick | 17.06.18 - 5:28 p.m. | #

just completed a survey asking what i know about "the purple line". seems to me that there some confusion due to the two names it has.

Grumpy Anon | 17.06.18 - 6:33 p.m. | #

It seems like a better idea to have PRM interchange at Farringdon as that will double as a PRM interchange between Thameslink and the subsurface lines.

Lets hope though that they at least have done some preparations for a future improvement at the Barbican end.

MiaM | 17.06.18 - 7:51 p.m. | #

It is a well known rule that all documents using abbreviations/acronyms should explain what they mean first. What is PRM?

kev | 17.06.18 - 8:10 p.m. | #

Kev, I had to guess PRM too. Going by previous mention of disabled access I assumed People with Restricted Movement, which also covers the elderly, parents with pushchairs, shoppers with multiple bags, etc.

Graham | 17.06.18 - 8:29 p.m. | #

Guessing that PRM is people/persons/passengers with restricted/reduced mobility/movement but the problem with TLA (three letter acronyms) is that there are just too many possibilities. https://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/PRM

Andrew | 17.06.18 - 8:33 p.m. | #

The A and B are particularly meaningful at Paddington and Liverpool Street where the National Rail and Tube platforms are numbered separately, so it wouldn't be obvious how to number these ones, Crossrail being a hybrid of NR and Tube.

Particularly Liverpool Street where some E2RLine trains are going into the upstairs station platforms 16 and 17.

And then there's Canary Wharf which will effectively be an interchange of six stations with 19 platforms between them.

Greg | 17.06.18 - 10:13 p.m. | #

The gates between the platform & the track do make travelling safer & more pleasant, the only drawback is that the gates have to line up exactly with the carriage doors, which can cause problems if the carriages and changed or upgraded.

Adrian | 18.06.18 - 9:27 a.m. | #

@adrian
The platform-edge-doors (PEDs) are also essential to the design of the ventilation systems. They are also one of those things which having been invented become compulsory. Your "Can cause problems" is an understatement; the trains must match the doors exactly and must stop in precisely the right place.

kev | 18.06.18 - 3:04 p.m. | #

Full Open Day video from Geoff Marshall: https://www.youtube.com/v=lI6Bh2HKrPw

diamond geezer | Homepage | 25.06.18 - 9:04 a.m. | #











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