Whitechapel ELL works
 

Anyone know what the major drilling, piling and concreting work is
that TfL are doing on the ELL platforms at Whitechapel station?

I'd thought that the only new work (aside from resignalling and re-
electrifying) taking place on the northern extension was west of
Vallance Road, with the line from Whitechapel to Vallance Road taking
the same route as before...

--
John Band
john at johnband dot org
www.johnband.org

Whitechapel ELL works
 

On 9 Jun, 15:13, John B wrote:
I'd thought that the only new work (aside from resignalling and re-
electrifying) taking place on the northern extension was west of
Vallance Road, with the line from Whitechapel to Vallance Road taking
the same route as before...

If the work is at the north end of the platforms it's the Crossrail
interchange subways, which the board papers (or some similar document)
say are being put in during the current closure.

The Crossrail platforms will be to the north of the District Line.

U

--
http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/
A blog about transport projects in London

Whitechapel ELL works
 

On 9 Jun, 15:13, John B wrote:
Anyone know what the major drilling, piling and concreting work is
that TfL are doing on the ELL platforms at Whitechapel station?

I'd thought that the only new work (aside from resignalling and re-
electrifying) taking place on the northern extension was west of
Vallance Road, with the line from Whitechapel to Vallance Road taking
the same route as before...


First off, the alignment south east of Vallance Road isn't changing.

Secondly, I don't know the details but it would appear that TfL are
taking the opportunity to do at least some remedial work along the
existing route - things I've noticed include:

* the replacement of the bridge that carries the line over Surrey
Canal Road was replaced not long after the line closed [1];
* the replacement of the bridge over Cold Blow Lane (adjacent to the
site of the new depot);
* the temporary closure of the road bridge that takes Cope Street over
the line just south of Surrey Quays station to allow for some sort of
major works to take place there;
* and major works on the next bridge south that takes the Rotherhithe
New Road over the line, which has resulted in this two lane one-way
street being reduced to one lane - work has very recently switched
from one lane to the other though IIRC nearby signs advise that work
will be continuing on the bridge until sometime in 2009.


So my presumption is that there are various major structural works
being done along the existing alignment. At Whitechapel perhaps the
cutting and/or the platforms are being sured up in various ways?
Someone somewhere knows for sure!


-----
[1] Mr Thant has documented the Surrey Canal Rd bridge replacement in
his April and May ELLX updates on his London Connections blog:
http://londonconnections.blogspot.co...tos-april.html
http://londonconnections.blogspot.co...hotos-may.html

Whitechapel ELL works
 

On 9 Jun, 15:54, Mr Thant
wrote:

On 9 Jun, 15:13, John B wrote:

I'd thought that the only new work (aside from resignalling and re-
electrifying) taking place on the northern extension was west of
Vallance Road, with the line from Whitechapel to Vallance Road taking
the same route as before...

If the work is at the north end of the platforms it's the Crossrail
interchange subways, which the board papers (or some similar document)
say are being put in during the current closure.

The Crossrail platforms will be to the north of the District Line.


Fascinating - and of course utterly sensible. Though a potential
physical legacy to the best laid plans gone wrong should the Cross
dosh not materialise...

Whitechapel ELL works
 

On 9 Jun, 16:14, Mizter T wrote:
* the temporary closure of the road bridge that takes Cope Street over
the line just south of Surrey Quays station to allow for some sort of
major works to take place there;
* and major works on the next bridge south that takes the Rotherhithe
New Road over the line, which has resulted in this two lane one-way
street being reduced to one lane - work has very recently switched
from one lane to the other though IIRC nearby signs advise that work
will be continuing on the bridge until sometime in 2009.

My guess is this is preparatory work for the grade separated junction
for phase 2, which will require the track towards Clapham Junction
branching from the southbound line and immediately going underneath
the northbound track, which will surely need to be raised up, hence
why the bridges need to be fiddled with. Haven't been to have a proper
look since I came to this conclusion, mind.

U

--
http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/
A blog about transport projects in London

Whitechapel ELL works
 

John B wrote:
Anyone know what the major drilling, piling and concreting work is
that TfL are doing on the ELL platforms at Whitechapel station?

I'd thought that the only new work (aside from resignalling and re-
electrifying) taking place on the northern extension was west of
Vallance Road, with the line from Whitechapel to Vallance Road taking
the same route as before...

It's taking the same route, but the formation is being completely renewed in
concrete slab. See photo taken on 4 May 2008 at
http://rjnews.fotopic.net/p50178368.html .

By the way, the photo shows the cutting widening on the exit from the tunnel
north of Whitechapel, and it looks as if there must have been a branch to
the north (left of photo) as the route to Shoreditch curved west. Joe
Brown's London Railway Atlas shows what looks like a dead-end siding there.
Anyone know what it was for?

--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

Whitechapel ELL works
 

On Jun 9, 9:34 pm, "Richard J." wrote:
John B wrote:
Anyone know what the major drilling, piling and concreting work is
that TfL are doing on the ELL platforms at Whitechapel station?

I'd thought that the only new work (aside from resignalling and re-
electrifying) taking place on the northern extension was west of
Vallance Road, with the line from Whitechapel to Vallance Road taking
the same route as before...

It's taking the same route, but the formation is being completely renewed in
concrete slab. See photo taken on 4 May 2008 athttp://rjnews.fotopic.net/p50178368.html.

By the way, the photo shows the cutting widening on the exit from the tunnel
north of Whitechapel, and it looks as if there must have been a branch to
the north (left of photo) as the route to Shoreditch curved west. Joe
Brown's London Railway Atlas shows what looks like a dead-end siding there.
Anyone know what it was for?

--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

The wagon hoist to Bishopsgate on the alignment of the aborted
extension to Cambridge Heath?

Whitechapel ELL works
 

On 9 Jun, 22:30, Jamie Thompson wrote:
The wagon hoist to Bishopsgate on the alignment of the aborted
extension to Cambridge Heath?

No, this is further east, roughly north of Whitechapel station. A
goods yard branched northeast from the ELL and a corresponding one
branched southwest from the Great Eastern Main Line. These were on top
of each other in some way.

My understanding is the tunneling happened after the goods yard
closed, though I know very little about it.

U

--
http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/
A blog about transport projects in London