Crossrail Update
Sunday 20 May 2018 sees the biannual National Rail timetable change and with it the start of the second (of five) phases of Crossrail train operations.
As reported in our March issue update, stage two is no longer viewed as a big switch-on moment: rather than seeing the two trains per hour Heathrow Connect stopping service to and from Paddington replaced with a double-frequency TfL Rail-branded new fleet, the timetable change signals the start of a gradual introduction of Class 345 Aventras running west of Paddington and which is expected to take several months.
Heathrow Connect Class 360s will be sticking around for a bit but Class 345s will increasingly become a familiar sight on the Great Western route. Driver training between Paddington and Maidenhead began on 5 March and the seven-car Aventras are expected initially to be deployed between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington. All eyes are now on when the first ‘345’ will reach Heathrow Terminal 4 and the promised second phase Crossrail service will be realised. That date depends not only on sufficient Class 345s becoming available but on resolving issues with the European Train Control System (ETCS) software on board the new tra…
