CrossRail: Scope, background and feasibility

Proposals for an east–west railway linking existing railways across central London have been examined on many occasions over the last 100 years, culminating in the present CrossRail scheme, recommended by the Central London Rail Study in 1989.1 CrossRail, linking counties east and west of London with the City and the West End, will be operated by suburban trains up to twelve cars in length carrying a quarter of a million passengers a day. Twin tunnels will be built beneath central London from west of Paddington to Bethnal Green with five new subsurface stations at key locations. Outside of London, trains will run mainly on existing lines to Reading, Aylesbury and Shenfield with new and extended platforms where required. This first paper outlines the scope of the project, the historical background, initial engineering feasibility work and preparation for the Parliamentary Private Bill.