News From Crossrail: Glass doors and a chamber pot

What is Crossrail. It is the new Elizabeth line. If you have been into London in the past five years you will have seen building work at stations such as Tottenham Court Road near Foyles Book shop.

Information
I saw an exhibition on Crossrail at Tottenham Court Road station in London and signed up for newsletter emails on updates. You have to hunt around the sight which contains a lot of information but you will be rewarding by nuggets of interest.

Upgrade Glass Walls and Doors
The Cross Rail project upgrade central London stations and extends west via Heathrow airport station as far as the university town of Reading, as well as East.

The most delightful upgrade for me is the glass doors separating passengers from trains. We have those on the underground in Singapore. It's much safer.

You don't get delayed by suicides. You aren't afraid that somebody will push somebody else on the line. Nor can anybody fall.

The trains have to line up neatly exactly next to the doors, so the passengers can be directed so stand in specific places either side of the doors. Arrow shape lines hold back the passengers from entering so those alighting do not collide with those trying to get in.

It is win win all around. Making for a fast and reliable service, quicker and safer.

Website Archaeological Amusements and Joys
I was interested in the archaeology section. the figures are stunning. They have found more than 10,000 objects, ranging from The Romans to the The Plague.

Individual amusements included the chamber pot with the joking motto: I will not tell. I couldn't help adding the line 'what I have seen'. What a great motto for a modern towel, or even toilet paper.

Whoever thought that one up!

Tip
To read more and sign up for information go to:
http://www.crossrail.co.uk/news/news-and-information-about-crossrail-events#DesignLine%20exhibition
http://www.crossrail.co.uk/sustainability/archaeology/archaeology-at-stepney-green

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please follow, like and share my posts. See my books on Lulu.com and Amazo.ncom

Tottenham Court Road station

Why would you go to Tottenham Court Road station? Because it is right next to Foyles bookshop, as well as theatres and shops and a convenient corner when catching trains.

Tottenham Court Road station is in Tottenham Court Road, in central London, many stops away from Tottenham. The station is also on the corner of Oxford Street, which might lead to Oxford but is not near it.

I was so looking forward to seeing the new station which was cordoned off for many months whilst it was being redeveloped as part of Crossrail which will transform London, bringing new area within reach, new restaurants and shops and friends and meetings. Easier journeys.

If you've got a moment, stop to read about Crossrail.

the entrance near Foyles is not colourful, in fact the design is black and white, striking, sombre and sophisticated, like Westminster station.

However, down on the Northern line platform, going north to Euston, is a colourful mosaic by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, to Italian parents. He is also known for sculpture. See his sculpture P i s c a t o r (autocorrect is trying to change this word) on nearby Euston station. (And more sculptures around London and in Edinburgh.) Read more about Paolozzi in Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eduardo_Paolozzi
Photos by Angela Lansbury, 2016. Copyright.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tottenham_Court_Road_tube_station

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Crossrail - what's in it for you and me? Where will it be?

If you've been into central London in the last couple of years you might have noticed that Tottenham Court Road station at the west end of Oxford Street near Foyles bookshop and landmark Centrepoint skyscraper has been closed and cordoned off. Tottenham Court Road station is one of many which are being redeveloped.

Others include Farringdon.

I was excited to read that the new Elizabeth line will connect to places as far away and out of London as Reading. Not only that, journey times within London, for example from Tottenham Court Road to Heathrow airport will be quicker.

I was pleased to see one of the new stations has a floor to ceiling glass barrier, like the ones on some DLR (overhead light rail) platforms in East London. The ones in Singapore are wonderful. You know exactly where the train doors will be. You can form an orderly queue waiting on the platform behind the red lines either side of the doors.

The glass barriers also affect cleanliness, safety, and the on time trains. You cannot drop your phone, fall, push somebody onto the line, jump to commit suicide. So the trains are reliable. Less stress from delays and accidents. Good news all around.

I wish all the new stations were to be built like that. Unfortunately it appears that some are, some are not.

Several websites allow you to take a look at drawings of the new stations and the artworks.
http://www.crossrail.co.uk/news/news-and-information-about-crossrail-events

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and editor.

Good News For World Travel Market - 2019 Crossrail Heathrow to ExCel

The new Crossrail line which is already being mentioned in local papers is scheduled to go from Heathrow via Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Paddington and Canary Wharf to Excel.

I've seen the building works cutting off Tottenham Court Road station at the end of Oxford Street.

I was trying to calculate times of travel.

I've also seen the building works Farringdon station, near to Comptoir Gasgon restaurant (see my review in a previous post and on TripAdvisor) and Barts Pathology Museum. What a pity the Crossrail line does not connect Heathrow to City Airport.

2019 - some of us will be retired or dead by then. At least if you have a five year travel plan, you can put visit London on your list for 2019. MeanwhileI am watching progress.

What will happen is good news. But must we wait until 2019? No. Some of it will be open earlier.

The Farringdon station underground is currently open. Out in the street you can see the wonderful old mainline building with its art deco facade still standing waiting, I hope, for renovation, all curves and parallel lines and faces. (Or is it art nouveau?) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground_stations_that_are_listed_buildings

I do like the look of the new art work letting light from the ceiling or changing lights to it will change every day.

Go to the website:
http://www.crossrail.co.uk/news/articles/heathrow-funding-major-artwork-at-paddington-crossrail-station

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, speaker and author.