LACK OF LOW-LEVEL PLATFORMS COMPLICATES MATTERS – BUT THE GWR’S LONDON TERMINUS IS GRADUALLY GOING ALL-ELECTRIC
Delay in opening sections of the Elizabeth Line has many implications for London’s transport network. One of the places most affected is Paddington. Here, Transport for London services from the high-level platforms were originally due to reach Heathrow in May 2018, but problems with the signalling meant this did not happen. Services on the central core from Paddington low level to Abbey Wood were due to begin in December last year, but again, for all sorts of well-publicised reasons, this did not happen.
Had they happened on time, these developments would have eased the load on the station and dovetailed in with other changes in the Great Western suburban area. Now they are not happening, not only is there a large hole in TfL’s finances where Elizabeth Line revenues would have been pouring in, but also some operational replanning has become necessary.
It has been agreed that TfL will take over the Reading suburban services from Great Western Railway in the December 2019 timetable, with Class 345s being prepared for this duty. TfL was keen to run four trains an hour to Reading in December to …
