First Crossrail train put to the test

The first of a fleet of 66 trains which will operate  as part of the Crossrail project has been unveiled as it took to a test track in Derby.

The ‘Class 345’ train was put under scrutiny at the Bombardier Transportation test track on Friday, with it due to enter service in May 2017 between Liverpool Street and Shenfield in Essex.

By 2019, Crossrail, now known as the Elizabeth Line, will come to Maidenhead, Burnham, Slough and Twyford and provide trains to a number of stations in London, including Paddington and Tottenham Court Road.

The trains will initially be seven carriages and 160 metres long to fit existing platforms at Liverpool Street, but they will eventually be 200 metres long, made up of nine carriages, and able to carry 1,500 people.

The trains will feature walk-through carriages, air conditioning, CCTV, and real-time travel information, but will not have toilets.

They will be made from lightweight materials, and will use 30 per cent less energy than other trains, according to operator Transport for London.

Transport Minister, Lord Ahmad, said: 'The Elizabeth Line and its new trains are a great example of our commitment to improve passenger journeys by investing in one of the most ambitious infrastructure programmes ever undertaken in the UK.

“This investment will transform the way people travel across London and beyond. And it doesn't stop here.

“The Government is spending record amounts on upgrading the rail network, providing a huge boost to capacity to keep Britain moving, support economic growth and bring our country closer together.”

Watch time-lapse footage of the train being built below.