Elizabeth line: London's brand new railway has finally arrived

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[@helenejampierremarsh1896]

Thank you. I worked on this since 2018 and apreciate the respect for the workers who really made this happen through lockdown and not just the suit and tie bling on top of the iceberg.

[@DionneEguono]

A huge infrastructure like this in a city as old as London was always going to be delayed as it would have been impossible to get a clear scope of requiremements, expectations or risks involved. For starters, no one really knows how many tunnels London has as there are loads of ancient assets which are not mapped. I worked for a well know consortium back in the day which had a contract with LU to upgrade the Tube. Contractors would be procured to start work in a certain part of the city and whenever they came across a a pipe, a tunnel or anything that was unexpected, the scope of the project would change which would result in delays in getting the it reapproved with more money would be requested. I can only imagine the nightmare the Crossrail Team had to deal with when venturing underground into the unknown basically...not to mention all the other issues such as Brexit etc that had an impact on delivering on time. That being said, the project is something the whole country should be proud as it is truly an amazing feat. I was at the new Tottenham Court Road station over the weekend and in complete awe at everything from the size of the platforms, air conditioned trains, the station concourse...absolutely stunning! After that I went in the on Central Line Station as I needed to get to Bond Street (Bond street -Crossrail not open yet) and the the difference was vast. I actually at one point felt as though I was going to be shoved off the platform as I passed a group of rowdy drunk lads as it was so narrow compared to the new crossrail station ones. Congratulations to the whole Crossrail Team as it is better late than never.

[@sergpie]

Projects in Italy that are smaller in scale, though similar in scope (metro expansions in Naples and Rome), are taking nearly as long; two stations in the cities aforementioned had to be redesigned to accommodate tempered glass installations to act as encasements for ruins and tile-work dating to Ancient Rome or in Naples case, to Greek Neapolis, which were found during boring/excavation.

[@nightfires3758]

I had to- but something about the comment immediately told me you’re British- Not in a negative way Ofc!! I also see your points and they’re very true!

[@pieceofshitzu2]

Meanwhile in America- "Sorry mate. All i can do is just add a new lane"

[@Witchdoctorsbrew]

They’re building a new automated metro here in Honolulu. Unfortunately, like the Elizabeth Line, is grossly late and over budget. The line is currently undergoing testing.

[@johncarl5505]

The US has its own crossrail. The Bay Area Rapid Transit and the DC Metro. Both opened in the 70s.

[@roops2939]

British disease. Over budget, big promises, way , way delayed and still, despite promising brand new, state of the art signalling, signal failures are still occurring. Absolutely pathetic

[@konyctg]

@@Witchdoctorsbrewit’s not too late, it’s only 3.5 years delayed

[@konyctg]

There way worse delays that have happened to subways

[@pangolin83]

A small bit of pedantry: the first time that emergency walkways are available in London was the Battersea extension of the Northern Line in September 2021 🤓

[@Munkenba]

Ah but which one began construction first? (pedantry intensifies)

[@joshuatk59]

The DLR: “am I a joke to you?”

[@Mainyehc]

Ah, yes, the Battersea Power Station Station Station Station 🙃

[@adrianthoroughgood1191]

@@Mainyehc Jago Hazzard fan?

[@hairyairey]

@@Mainyehc Battersea Power Stations Station. Sigh...

[@simonjones7727]

London always looks like a weird mix of very old things and futuristic things. It never fails to look really interesting, even when you see it in movies and TV shows.

[@jacksugden8190]

The term ‘The Tube’ came from London’s first ever deep level tube line - The City and South London Railway built in 1890 between King William Street and Stockwell, some of it now part of the Northern Line.

[@billoddy5637]

Not 1980, surely!

[@jacksugden8190]

@@billoddy5637 Meant 1890, thanks for spotting the era, will edit my comment right away.

[@JazzFunkNobby1964]

@@jacksugden8190 Not era, surely!

[@trevorelliston1]

Many may not appreciate that this journey was possible from 1875 to 1906,through connections with the GWR at Paddington and the GER at Liverpool Street, using the Metropolitan railway. The GWR used the connection at their end and ran trains through to Liverpool Street Met as late as 1939. The Last known use of the link to the GER was a Metropolitan Railway special to Great Yarmouth in1906.

[@fluffmiko]

As a Parisian, following this project from afar has been very exciting. Can't wait to visit it someday !

[@lazrseagull54]

It's like londons RER.

[@itsMe_TheHerpes]

i got fleas from some smelly afghan passengers.

[@DDB-np1jp]

Such a contrast with the very old lines. Just beautiful. Hope I can go visit soon to take a ride there.

[@mrb6112]

Outstanding display of technology, imagination, risk and skill - pace being set in the early 19th century.

[@mikeifyouplease]

Nice to see that the UK can still accomplish great things!

[@ds1868]

The UK invented the train and the first underground system, so it's no surprise.

[@rijve11]

I've been on this train without even knowing any of this info before 😄

[@B0440g]

It opened yesterday?

[@Ro99]

@@B0440g the core did but the other branches are old

[@danielwhyatt3278]

Yeah I think a lot of people will start to appreciate it a lot more when they come to realise just how big this new integration is. But also will be hard to notice as it becomes more and more understood it’s just another extension of the existing system where you just hop from one train to the next. Which of course is what you want in the end

[@HenrysAdventures]

Great video! I've subscribed! I had a fantastic time riding the Elizabeth Line yesterday.

[@StaticPlaya]

Great video. Thank you 👏🏾

[@sedwarg]

2:56 that is because a) no one calls 'the Tube' a subway in London and b) in no way is the Elizabeth line part of the Tube... the only similarity is that it runs - in part - through a tunnel and by that logic, Eurostar is 'the Tube'.

[@obamtl]

True. Though a similarity with the tube that Eurostar doesn’t have is tube level frequency. You also don’t buy a ticket for a specified time train with seat allocations. The stations are also more numerous, though not as close to each other as typical tube stations. I think the Paris RER is the best comparison. In many ways it’s the best of both worlds - capacity of suburban commuter trains and frequency of tube, getting into the very core of the city and beyond.

[@_JohnDoe]

I think that the video is primarily for an American audience, which is why it opened by giving its cost in USD.

[@Sainsburys_Local]

I like Paddington station’s atmosphere It’s huge

[@iwantgoals1566]

I like it cause it makes South East London commutes to central even easier.

[@lewiswilliams5696]

Yeah. If you live in area's around woolwich and abbey wood lol, the rest of SE London on the other hand lol

[@bbbf09]

Why wouldn't you like a £20billion gift from the rest of UK who will never benefit from it

[@iwantgoals1566]

@@lewiswilliams5696 Yeah that’s what I’m talking about l.

[@lws7394]

@@bbbf09 Manchester-Leeds is literally literally on tracks from the Victrian era and the journey times are also similar tobyhe the Victorian days.. The northern cities really need improvement. HowevervBoJo cancelled the Northern plans and keeps on investing with the moneypit HSL2..

[@JazzFunkNobby1964]

@@bbbf09 You will benefit financially as will everyone else.

[@FraserAtSea]

This is remarkable!

[@Alcoholfood]

Great video ❤

[@PotSmokeGuy]

Covid, which started in 2020 delayed the projected opening date in 2018...makes sense. That sounds like one of Toronto's infrastructure projects. It's definitely cool and London's subway system is amazing.

[@jonathanodude6660]

it was delayed already because of a bunch of issues and ownership changes etc but when covid came and the work stopped the contracts and stuff were completely messed up and they redid some plans i think

[@jamesevans938]

@@jonathanodude6660 it started with tunnelling problems in 2014 which had a knock on effect then covid hit work on all stations grinded to a halt however after 12 weeks works on the other stations began again however because bond street was at the peak of its construction phase it was deemed the site would be two congested large site s can easlly have a flew hundred workers and even though it might not of been congested on the site it could have just been to congested at the welfare area (toilets, showers, canteen, site offices smoking area) so it was deemed unsafe to start work again then the main contractor of the site and Crossrail had a disagreement so the contractor left meaning Crossrail had to find a new contractor or manage the site its self

[@kauanrodrigues207]

ficou perfeito 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇧🇷✨👸🏼🏰

[@gwnlars_8306]

1:42 Oi, that are photo's when the "Oostlijn" in Amsterdam was constructed.. And a sign that says "Benthuizen"? (Village just next to Zoetermeer)

[@christopherconkright1317]

Who would have guessed companies would do the bare minimum after privatizing

[@0741921]

Way more than gov run organizations

[@MrStringybark]

@@0741921 Did you mean, "Way more minimum than gov run organizations."?

[@lazrseagull54]

@@0741921 tbf, a government hired organisation isn't much better than a government run organisation because they still get paid by the taxpayer, regardless of whether or not anyone uses it. The good kind of private transport construction was when entrepreneurs had to put up their own money to build a tube line in the hope of turning a profit from fares by providing a faster connection. That's how most of the tube was built in the late 1800s/early 1900s. Since nationalisation in 1948, only 2 new tube lines have opened in London.

[@davidt-rex2062]

Emergency walkways are on parts of the northern, jubilee and dlr.

[@AndrewG1989]

Such a shame that it was delayed and it should of been completed in December 2018. But now at long last it is now officially opened. And it was predicted to open late last year. I am hoping to ride on the Elizabeth Line later this year.

[@Monitor2023]

Yes, it should be a shame instead of any honour.

[@AndrewG1989]

Yeah indeed.

[@geirjohannessen8132]

Congratulations on it.

[@016durgeshkumar5]

We have same concept train called "RRTS Rapidx" in India but its mostly elevated 🇮🇳

[@darrellsturrock5795]

It could be worse. I could be Toronto where a 25 station cross town LRT that in its entirety is only 19 kilometers long, of which 10 kilometers are underground, still isn't finished and it has been 11 years.

[@syedmaricar9946]

It's future of London transport at its best . unassumingly.

[@AdurianJ]

Digging a pit and building the Underground in it is still the best method if available.

[@SzerenM]

Magnificent!

[@stephenhope7319]

As a visiting family from Sacramento, Ca, we stayed in Hayes for 4 days before our cruise and used the Elizabeth Line extensively from May 25, 2022 on. Excellent service, new trains, easy to manage ( not our first trip to London). Well done to all involved in its construction. I hope now and in the future we can put a dent in the cost of this great service.

[@paulaallen7837]

I'm going on the Elizabeth line. It's good

[@C_M_R]

(4:25) if the original launch date was 2018, how did COVID delay this project?

[@peterlewis6324]

How does it travel so fast but quiet, brilliant work by all.

[@Ravn7]

It's called modern trains. Quite the marvel.

[@railkrishana5071]

Wow so beautiful I'm from India 🇮🇳🙏🙏

[@dd45fs23]

And now it breaks down every other day - brilliant

[@jamiep61]

I enjoyed watching the Video

[@DS-fk7ed]

I think the population is nearer 12 million (rather than 10 million as is suggested); over 20% of households in some parts of London did not respond to the 2011 census and estimates have put this figure to be almost 2 million; the vast majority illegal residents. Hence the transport network is now under serious pressure; before COVID the underground was visibly getting busier year on year.

[@JazzFunkNobby1964]

Built crossrail but can't prevent dinghys crossing the channel.

[@amochswohntet99]

Every major city should have a 20 mile underground/overground bike path. It could justify doing away with bike lanes, and as exercises go, cycling is simply the best for your health.

[@bstr-ey6wl]

Spent 1 month in London in 1987. the system looked fabulous, not crippled.

[@edc1569]

was pretty grotty in the 80s!

[@jaygreenn92]

I use to ride subway the last 18yrs never had no problems

[@bradavon]

Never had any problems. Never having no problems literally means you had problems. If you've never not had problems, what's left? 😉

[@alexlangford6291]

How do you ride a subway, it doesn't move and smells of pee.

[@kennyangel]

Main reason it is not a subway is because it has trains running. A subway is a pedestrian crossing underneath a road.

[@lazrseagull54]

Subway is also another name for a tube network e.g. the Glasgow Subway or the NYC Subway.

[@guy-claudeeleka5351]

the elizabeth line is like the Paris RER

[@manashipurkayastha5812]

A really proud moment for me

[@Monitor2023]

Really ? You think it is proud ? How long did UK take to build this line ?

[@ENGBriseB]

A 21st century underground in a 2000 year old very busy capital city. Engineering at its best.

[@sedwarg]

It's not 'the Underground'

[@sedwarg]

Being underground does not make something 'The Underground'

[@sedwarg]

@@ENGBriseB I've heard of that... Thanks. I live here. And the Elizabeth line is not a part of the London Umderground.

[@ENGBriseB]

@@sedwarg I'm from London. At the start i said a 21st Century Underground. I know that it's not part of the Tube as it's a different category of trian. But there's still 26 miles of new track Underneath London. I'm sure if you look at the new London Underground map. It will undoubtedly show the Elizabeth Line.

[@simonjones7727]

That's what blows my mind about London. All that history, it must be amazing to walk around.

[@placeholdername0000]

Have you guys talked to RMtransit?

[@alexlangford6291]

You right it's not a subway, a subway is an underground passageway for pedestrians to cross a busy road. I think you mean its not a tube line.

[@JLBodhran]

I'd call that an Underpass though.

[@pingu255]

Closest comparison is probably the RER in paris. Or like an express s-bahn

[@bernardshum2719]

British built the MTR in Hong Kong in the 70s using exactly this concept. It is nothing new. Building it is in completely blank underground condition is much easier than building it in a place already with a web of 100 years old infrastructure down there. In fact, the crossrail is now being operated by MTR. BTW, subway is sort of an American term for an underground train. I use this term when I speak to American when describing the MTR and they know what I am referring to.

[@robotx9285]

New York City's rapid Transit is called, The New York City Subway

[@pingu255]

@@robotx9285 but the American definition of a subway is different to the British one

[@freewal]

Crosseail is basically a RER. A thing done by Paris 45 years ago …

[@DDELE7]

Paddington (Elizabeth Line) > Chambers Street Station (New York City Transit’s J/Z train)

[@auliamate]

unrelated, but the stations look gorgeous.

[@huplim]

Finally!

[@skycubix8943]

Finally, a European subway that has freaking screendoors.

[@ubahni]

not good

[@guy-claudeeleka5351]

they was screendoors in Europe subway before

[@MoroccoGamer]

nice video

[@serounon09]

After this video you should check Istanbul metro system. Never ending metro line constructions, multiple airports that doesn't have metro connection AND 16M NATIVE + 4M REFUGEE POPULATION.

[@walkingbrazil2021]

Cool ❤

[@petar4002]

Many workers from DLR transfer to Elizabeth line.

[@Bristoltwingo]

Any change of through trains from Bristol to Norwich? A sleeper even?

[@PiousMoltar]

That would be cool, but I don't see any chance of that happening really, except for maybe a special one-off train every so often (if even that). But maybe in the long distant future, I guess, who knows?

[@lazrseagull54]

I doubt it. This is a commuter line serving London and nearby suburbs. Long distance intercity passengers won't want to have to stop in every part of town the train passes through. A network of mainline tunnels under london for long distance trains would be really handy though. People could just change at Kings Cross and that would free up a lot of capacity on local rail and bus.

[@bruceburns1672]

The Chinese would have built it in 6 months at a quarter of the price .

[@Max_Jacoby]

You never showed the Elizabeth line on a map with other lines. Is it connected to the main subway system?

[@lazrseagull54]

It is but not with every line it crosses because it's an express service with bigger gaps between stops like the RER in Paris or the Cercanías networks in Spanish cities.

[@lfsracer79]

The British really want to name things after their monarch.

[@PiousMoltar]

I think most of us preferred the name "Crossrail"...

[@th8257]

Nobody asked us, I'm afraid. I wouldn't have called it that.

[@charlesdavis545]

London's Metro puts New York's to shame; considering it's a far older city.

[@britishguy54dx]

Shenfield is actually only 20 miles from London, not 35.

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

What should London's next infrastructure megaproject be? (How about more foot bridges?)

[@Monitor2023]

We don't know, perhaps wait for the next government after Johnson. Horrible slow speed !!!!

[@doqas]

Another cross-rail project, this time from North London to South London

[@SandipanNath123]

HS2 terminates at London no?

[@user-qy7wt2fu1h]

Indian kind of railways modernization is like painting the building and brooming floor ..that's the definition of indian railways modernization

[@duncanself5111]

Starting in Suffolk I can much easier reach my friend in Bristol now 🙂

[@johnstubbs3573]

Is cross rail 2 going to go ahead??

[@sundance2005]

Hey can you come to California and build our high speed train, we can't seem to do it. What a joke California's HS train is. Just watched a special on Nova on this, what an amazing job, well done Britain.

[@roops2939]

I don't know if you are aware but you don't want the Brits to be in charge of anything. The UK high speed railway project is in trouble. The health service is in trouble. Education system is in trouble. The road infrastructure is broken. They need to bring the French, German, Chinese, Japanese or the Indians into take charge before the UK sinks for good

[@creatorbhakth]

This kinda of infrastructure is already in use in Bengaluru Karnataka India....... And yet we think westeners are ahead of us in transport 😂😂

[@TheMagicJIZZ]

You're aware the British invented the train and subway? This is just a new project and no India has nothing like this.. It's Europe's largest infrastructure project

[@creatorbhakth]

@@TheMagicJIZZ Please check the '' namma metro '' project in Bengaluru...........I'm here talking about the modern technology advancements in underground railway network infrastructure. Not about the railway which British built to loot India pre independence.......

[@nailil5722]

India, the proud country of designated shitting streets 🇮🇳

[@lazrseagull54]

@@TheMagicJIZZ It's sad that the country that invented the subway doesn't have that many of them. The 3 biggest western european cities that haven't built a subway yet are all in the UK. Germany has 23 cities with some kind of subway or subway/tram hybrid. France has 8, the Benelux has 6 and Spain has about 10 of them. In the British cities that are lucky enough to have some kind of local rail, most homes are not in walking distance of a stop. I hope I live to see this improve. It's still nice to be able to use crossrail when visiting London. I'm also quite sure the 4 line Grand Paris Express is a bigger infrastructure project with 200km of new track and 68 stations. Some of it will be open in time for the 2024 Olympics and the rest will be open by the end of the decade.

[@leondroidgeeks]

Can someone explain to me why Crossrail is not considered a Subway? What would you call it?

[@th8257]

Subway is an American term. The generic slang term used specifically in London is "the tube", or "the underground". In the rest of the UK, systems like this tend to be called a "Metro" system.

[@lazrseagull54]

@@th8257 don't forget about the Glasgow subway. It was called the subway before any American city had one. Only Newcastle calls their underground the Metro. The only other one in the UK is in Liverpool and they call it a Merseyrail.

[@lazrseagull54]

It's considered a commuter railway with a lot of tunnel stations. I personally don't see why it can't be considered a suburban express subway. It's to do with the fact that it has bigger distances between stops (one in each part of town, rather than each neighbourhood) and it leaves London to serve nearby commuter towns. The term "subway" is considered a synonym of the term "metro" which means a guided form of local public transport with frequent stops that serves a specific urban area on its own right of way, having no level crossings with anything, including pedestrians.

[@maxwalker1159]

cool

[@sofieh5279]

Why is the MTR corporation not even mentioned?

[@vaishnav4real]

2:04 "the chewb"

[@scully0105]

Wish you would use km instead of mi to measure distance.

[@Illack]

The voice of the presenter sounds so much like Daniel Schreiber LMND

[@MainInternetUser]

This is really like Paris RER

[@richiesd1]

how does it compare to china's latest metropolitan railways? In terms of tech, ticketing, passenger experience?

[@RyuRaza]

Zero comparison. China is wayyy ahead!

[@SimonEllwood]

@@RyuRaza China's trains are terrible for getting around London.

[@RyuRaza]

@@SimonEllwood True! London doesn't deserve China's super fast bullet trains 🚄

[@arslannizami]

You people don't think about China.

[@richiesd1]

@@RyuRaza , everywhere I go in Asia the trains and metros are super clean and nice, with air conditioning. I'm starting to think that we westerners are animals.

[@Aligatorxx3]

No way!!!!

[@danielspencer6174]

It best tfl service elizabeth line better than tube because full size trains. When crossrail 2 will build?

[@RobTriskele]

Why did the narrator say "twenty billion dollars", did we pay for it in dollars?

[@joshdaws1151]

How has a project based around London cost so much in dollars?

[@moustachescarz]

are you joking?

[@privacyhelp]

finally they made good stuff like china

[@antonfernando8409]

Wonder which PM or government planned this? quiet an achievement.

[@ib9rt]

The tunnels are round, that is to say, tubular. So, whatever pedants may say, the tunnely bits are 'tubes'.

[@BlowmeRoger]

I could not think of a city I'd hate to live in more apart from maybe a German one or Albania...

[@Pablo260492]

FIRST UNDERGROUND IN THE WORLD 🚇

[@lostonearth7856]

The Virgin Las Vegas Loop vs the Chad Elizabeth line

[@gamersparodine8748]

The future is hyperloop

[@AtillatheFun]

As someone who is in a family of engineers...just no. Ask any engineer and they will calmly explain to you why you can't trust the con man Musk. A good quote I read somewhere is "Elon is a dumb persons version of a smart person".

[@johnfitzpatrick6544]

Why is the vast majority of money spent on tube upgrades spent North of the Thames? I believe that there are nearly ten times as many stations North of the Thames as there are South.

[@lazrseagull54]

Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds are the biggest western European cities that don't have a subway network yet. When the Belgrade Metro opens in a few years, Birmingham will be the biggest city in all of Europe without one.

[@dariolinardic9395]

Munich built the same thing (underground railway bypassing subway) 50 years ago...

[@johnkelly1083]

And???

[@albert21able]

I was on the train yesterday, Found the Train noisy in the Tunnel....

[@max-beckett]

Try the Jubilee Line next time then ☺️

[@pingu255]

Well you've clearly never been on the Piccadilly line or the Central line otherwise you'd be remarking how it's so much quieter on crossrail. Central line and Piccadilly line noise is ear splitting

[@suburbia2050]

thrilling, next time man shocked at noise coming from things in general

[@albert21able]

@@pingu255 As a born and bred Londoner of 68 Years, Still working and Travel every day on London Underground, I think the Jubilee Line is the noisiest of a noisy Underground

[@edward.samson8835]

💥🤩

[@mrichards55]

What’s the issue with Bond Street? Sounds like a suspect contractor has messed up big time.

[@danyquirion1081]

Thats Definitly a subway 😂

[@thebasketballhistorian3291]

British guy = says "11.5 feet" My brain = automatically assuming he said meters and thinking "11.5 meters isn't that narrow!"

[@oufc90]

We use both metric and imperial in the UK

[@combathero-bv8ek]

More than 10 years to build a line, well done London, you are so advanced and efficient

[@PaulHo]

The *Chewb*.

[@xXVignettaXx]

i always wish boring infrastructure was much quicker and more cost effective as we would have so many more transportation innovations easily available to us without nearly as much bureaucracy

[@AtillatheFun]

You do realise that there is no cheaper way to construct these tunnels.

[@xXVignettaXx]

wish definition: feel or express a strong desire or hope for something that is not easily attainable; want something that cannot or probably will not happen.

[@AtillatheFun]

@@xXVignettaXx but your comment sounds like a tacit endorsement of the company. The company that is not efficient in anything that it does, yet finds ways to con local municipalities into funding it.

[@xXVignettaXx]

@@AtillatheFun no it doesnt. like at all.

[@escapetovalue6248]

why isnt it finished?

[@th8257]

It's working now.

[@escapetovalue6248]

@@th8257 not the full route across to Reading, will come later

[@swissyodelbear]

nice job, you Poms can if you want to hey? Congratulations......

[@ItsMrFresh]

What is the difference between a "mainline railway that operates partly underground" and an "underground train that operates partly above ground"? Because to me, it's the same and so calling it subway is fine

[@patrickmccutcheon9361]

Perhaps the type of trainer is different. That said, I never quite understood the London Overground line as that looks like an underground that, yes, runs overground.

[@lazrseagull54]

Subways usually stop in each neighbourhood they pass through and don't go out of town. Mainline railways usually try not to stop more than once in each town. Crossrail is very subwayish. It's really an express metro like the RER in Paris.

[@SandipanNath123]

Fewer stops which are further apart and faster trains. It London’s RER service.