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Post by snoggle on Apr 30, 2019 20:57:31 GMT
Interesting stance taken by the chap from MTR about the failures in Hong Kong. What has gone on there is pretty damning but apparently it's the HK Government's fault for asking MTR to build 5 lines at once.  It could have turned round and said it couldn't do so!!! That takes some gall to try to lay the "blame" at the government's door. That remark won't go unnoticed in Hong Kong. This is clearly a pretty standard approach from MTR about seeking to ensure as much return as possible from the contract. Given the delays on the construction side the operating contract must be in a shambolic state as all the assumptions about what work is done when, what cost is incurred etc have gone out of the window. There must be a shedload of contract notices and variations to keep the show on the road. If MTR's right to an extension has any dependency on operational performance in the core then clearly they're going to be disadvantaged in how they can demonstrate performance given the railway's not open. Just as well TfL is taking the revenue risk and not MTR or else the claims would be astronomic. The more worrying remark is the apparent disengagement until recently of MTR Crossrail from the actual project. Another aspect of the flawed governance structure that emphasised construction but not the transition to operation. |
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Post by snoggle on May 8, 2019 12:05:48 GMT
Network Rail have awarded the contracts to rebuild several stations on the West London stretch of Crossrail. Press release below from Crossrail themselves. Seems there are actually two contractors not one as stated earlier by the BBC - HOCTIEF and Graham. www.crossrail.co.uk/news/articles/network-rail-awards-final-west-london-station-upgrade-contracts-for-crossrail-projectIn the latest Programmes and Investment Cttee papers there is also a short reference in the Crossrail update to Network Rail having awarded the contract for fitment of platform to train CCTV for those platforms out west that need it. Their programme of work for platform extensions in West London is also being finalised. So a few small glimmers of more positive news for works in West London. |
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Post by silenthunter on May 9, 2019 20:53:42 GMT
No plans to do Hanwell? It may be a Grade II listed station, but it's a Grade II listed dump.
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Post by snoggle on May 9, 2019 21:51:41 GMT
No plans to do Hanwell? It may be a Grade II listed station, but it's a Grade II listed dump. I believe the works at Hanwell, including new lifts, is a TfL sponsored piece of work so outside the scope of this contract award. I understand the contract for those works was awarded quite a while ago (similar applies at a few other stations which are not getting substantial rebuilds). |
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Post by goldenarrow on May 9, 2019 22:10:06 GMT
No plans to do Hanwell? It may be a Grade II listed station, but it's a Grade II listed dump. I believe the works at Hanwell, including new lifts, is a TfL sponsored piece of work so outside the scope of this contract award. I understand the contract for those works was awarded quite a while ago (similar applies at a few other stations which are not getting substantial rebuilds). Yup, back in Dec 2017 TfL gave contracts for Hanwell, Iver, Langley and Taplow to Murphy. The lifts will now come up from the existing subway corridor and not from a new footbridge separate from the listed structures as was initially desired. Approved plans linked hereImpressions of the upgraded station here and here from a New Civil Engineer article here |
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Post by aslefshrugged on May 10, 2019 3:55:48 GMT
That would be the same J Murphy & Sons who were awarded the contract to electrify the GOBLIN in 2015. Fingers crossed they make a better job of it...
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Post by silenthunter on May 10, 2019 18:37:19 GMT
Murphy's Law of Major Projects: Any projected date will probably be missed by at least a year.
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Post by rsdworker on May 11, 2019 2:39:24 GMT
I believe the works at Hanwell, including new lifts, is a TfL sponsored piece of work so outside the scope of this contract award. I understand the contract for those works was awarded quite a while ago (similar applies at a few other stations which are not getting substantial rebuilds). Yup, back in Dec 2017 TfL gave contracts for Hanwell, Iver, Langley and Taplow to Murphy. The lifts will now come up from the existing subway corridor and not from a new footbridge separate from the listed structures as was initially desired. Approved plans linked here
Impressions of the upgraded station here and here from a New Civil Engineer article hereapproved plans link seems has gone - check that? |
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Post by goldenarrow on May 11, 2019 8:33:16 GMT
Yup, back in Dec 2017 TfL gave contracts for Hanwell, Iver, Langley and Taplow to Murphy. The lifts will now come up from the existing subway corridor and not from a new footbridge separate from the listed structures as was initially desired. Approved plans linked here
Impressions of the upgraded station here and here from a New Civil Engineer article hereapproved plans link seems has gone - check that? Fixed now. Not sure why the previous link lapsed. |
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Post by rsdworker on May 29, 2019 19:45:17 GMT
approved plans link seems has gone - check that? Fixed now. Not sure why the previous link lapsed. still broken |
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Post by goldenarrow on May 29, 2019 21:17:26 GMT
Fixed now. Not sure why the previous link lapsed. still broken It appears the link lapses every 24hrs. Link here is to the summary for the planning application, the document is titled "HANWELL - IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SIGNAGE DESIGN PA" and is second from the bottom. |
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Post by alpinejohn on Jul 14, 2019 7:10:07 GMT
Oh dear. It seems, all that rushing to get things finished, may be contributing to yet another delay on Cross Rail.
Construction Enquirer reports that dust level monitors at lower levels on the site had been at red for two days and most recently the problem spread to upper levels resulting in some workers deciding to walk off the Bond Street site.
It seems work to break through and connect into existing station areas has been creating too much dust and some contractors very sensibly walked off site - hopefully work can resume once the dust has a chance to settle. I am surprised they had not arranged to safely apply a fine water spray mist in affected areas to contain the problem rather than seemingly allow plumes of dust to permeate the entire worksite adding to the final clean up time required to get the station into service.
Doubtless this delay will be compounded by a further delay whilst someone from Health and Safety inspects the site and then fills in a few hundred pages of risk assessment paperwork. Hey Ho they will get there eventually.
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Post by goldenarrow on Jul 14, 2019 8:17:43 GMT
Spraying water wouldn’t have been possible if parts of the same passage were already fitted with cladding and other fixtures or components that are not waterproofed / resistant when partially complete. Some corridors of the station are already having cable trusses installed whilst further down there are exposed sections of Spheroidal Graphite Iron (SGI) tunnel rings.
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Post by silenthunter on Jul 14, 2019 18:13:34 GMT
Can't they just use a dust extractor?
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rincew1nd
Administrator
Junior Under-wizzard of quiz
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Post by rincew1nd on Jul 14, 2019 19:59:11 GMT
They probably could. But if the workers asked for one and it's still not turned up then they are quite right to object.
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Post by cudsn15 on Jul 15, 2019 7:28:53 GMT
Can't they just use a dust extractor? They could - but unless the request is done in triplicate with a cost/benefit ratio assessment, risk assessment done and a hey nonny nonny hows your father attached to each copy you're still looking at a waiting time of a couple of months for it to be analysed then sent back and queried, returned again, lost, found, lost again - addendum's appendixed and finally approved with caveats saying "only to be used on a Tuesday at 3 o clock in the morning when there is an S in the month". This is why construction takes so long in this country now. |
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Post by silenthunter on Jul 15, 2019 10:25:32 GMT
Then the document gets filed in a toilet in the basement?
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Post by goldenarrow on Jul 15, 2019 11:43:25 GMT
Crossrail have released three videos detailing works going at Woolwich, Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street.
Woolwich, which, post production has now moved onto Platform Train Interface testing.
Tottenham Court Road, where almost all the additional support lighting has been removed and power supplies have been fully integrated.
Bond Street, where, well...
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londoner
thinking on '73 stock
Posts: 480
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Post by londoner on Jul 15, 2019 12:00:46 GMT
Can't they just use a dust extractor? They could - but unless the request is done in triplicate with a cost/benefit ratio assessment, risk assessment done and a hey nonny nonny hows your father attached to each copy you're still looking at a waiting time of a couple of months for it to be analysed then sent back and queried, returned again, lost, found, lost again - addendum's appendixed and finally approved with caveats saying "only to be used on a Tuesday at 3 o clock in the morning when there is an S in the month". This is why construction takes so long in this country now.
I understand there is a lot more bureaucracy in place, but its important to note the other side, which is that the additional safety measures have reduced the health risks that workers are exposed to on major infrastructure projects (railways or otherwise). Even then, its not always enough:
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Post by tjw on Jul 15, 2019 15:54:35 GMT
I understand there is a lot more bureaucracy in place, but its important to note the other side, which is that the additional safety measures have reduced the health risks that workers are exposed to on major infrastructure projects (railways or otherwise). Even then, its not always enough:
Activities always contain a risk, and some activities are very risky... The chemical industry likes to mention it's safety record in the U.K., but does it mean anything? is it really safer? For instance, the gunpowder industry used to at least kill one person a year in accidents. The last UK Gunpowder factory closed in the 1970's so now no risk, of course it is so much safer to make gunpowder in India or China! The same goes for Railways, they export risk to the roads! |
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futurix
Formerly Alex F
The cows are not what they seem.
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Post by futurix on Jul 15, 2019 17:05:35 GMT
How? How did construction of railways export risks to the roads?
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Post by superteacher on Jul 15, 2019 18:15:22 GMT
How? How did construction of railways export risks to the roads? |
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Post by goldenarrow on Aug 12, 2019 10:00:02 GMT
Another half dozen updates from the remaining core stations.
At Whitechapel, the issue remains working round two live operational railways.
At Paddington, systems commissioning and testing is now underway.
Farringdon, whilst looking as one of the most architecturally complete stations still has the bulk of its systems integration outstanding.
At Canary Wharf, fire protection, alarms and protection of related equipment and alot of the electrical work carried by contractors on behalf of the Canary Wharf Group was found to be inadequate and had to be re-done.
At Custom House, the DLR link bridge is still someway off completion. It would appear from the video that those works are being carried out by a different contractor.
And finally at Liverpool Street, testing and commissioning has got to the point where some of the soon to be ubiquitous advertising screens are lit up.
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Post by superteacher on Aug 12, 2019 11:27:13 GMT
I find it highly amusing that this time last year, the opening date of December 2018 was still being advertised and here we are, a year later, with most of the stations still not completed.
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Post by alpinejohn on Aug 13, 2019 12:05:31 GMT
Those videos suggest the Crossrail project is finally evolving from a largely construction project through endless testing and masses of paperwork towards delivering an operational railway in a year or so time - perhaps.
Clearly work for the construction team is fast running out and loads of staff have already been let go.
So is there still time to put in place at least minimal trackside enabling works which would be needed to permit subsequent addition of a London City Airport Station on the Abbey Wood Branch?
I cannot believe the planners concluded City Airport did not justify a station on Cross Rail -as it passes so close by.
Recent announcements of major terminal enlargements and additional aircraft types being cleared for operation out of London City suggests that passenger traffic at the airport is growing rapidly.
I recall that a long while back there was some suggestion that the former Silvertown station site could be renovated and linked to London City Airport. It seems an opportunity missed if they don't make use of the current opening delay to at least put in place the trackside infrastructure now whilst the line is not active.
I am most definitely not suggesting that Crossrail diverts staff actively working on finishing the current project - but presumably there are now an enormous number of planning and construction people, and importantly equipment now going spare.
I feel sure that if (or more probably when) someone in City Hall finally figures out this was a crass oversight, they will have no option but to announce Crossrail will be subject to many months of regular closures (or is it more accurate possessions) just to allow the addition of a station to serve City Airport which could have been largely avoided IF they had utilised the current delayed opening debacle.
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Post by superteacher on Aug 15, 2019 13:13:46 GMT
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Post by goldenarrow on Sept 11, 2019 12:13:05 GMT
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Post by superteacher on Sept 19, 2019 20:25:40 GMT
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Post by alpinejohn on Oct 2, 2019 14:24:18 GMT
Health and safety concerns continue to circulate about the Bond Street worksite.. www.constructionenquirer.com/2019/10/02/crossrail-workers-demand-answers-after-mystery-deaths/Worryingly this article implies the possibility of some sort of link between four "in their sleep" deaths among the workforce building the new station. If HSE do decide to follow up on this, I guess it may well further delay completion at least of the Bond Street site. Is it plausible to open the central section whilst skipping Bond Street? |
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Post by goldenarrow on Oct 2, 2019 14:33:23 GMT
Is it plausible to open the central section whilst skipping Bond Street? Only if an emergency evacuation route through the station can be deemed usable by the emergency services, staff and passengers whilst the station is still a construction site. Until then from that perspective, it's a no go. |
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It could have turned round and said it couldn't do so!!! That takes some gall to try to lay the "blame" at the government's door. That remark won't go unnoticed in Hong Kong.
