Track installation has completed on Crossrail. At an event on Thursday in the eastbound tunnel of a new station at Whitechapel the final rail clips were affixed to track by engineer Ellen McGuinness.

 

Construction trains can now travel the full length of both new tunnels beneath central London from one end to the other.

 

Over 1000 professionals have installed 63,000 sleepers, over 800 sections of long welded rail and poured 13,500m³ of concrete on the 51km Elizabeth Line project.

 

“The completion of the Elizabeth line track is a huge milestone on the way to finishing a project that will transform transport across London and the South East,” said Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.

 

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “The Elizabeth Line will transform rail transport in London. But this isn’t just a success story for London. Crossrail has created jobs and driven economic growth across the UK.”

 

Crossrail chairman Sir Terry Morgan said: “The completion of the permanent track brings us another crucial step closer to the Elizabeth Line opening in December 2018.”

 

The Crossrail project is now focused on the installation of platform screen doors, signalling, tunnel ventilation and communications systems along with the overhead lines that will power the new trains and the completion of new stations.

 

(Photo: Crossrail)