14 December (Part 4) - Crossrail construction continues
There
are no North Kent line closures for Crossrail due until next weekend but things have been
progressing quite quickly. The rubble from the old north side ramps has been
removed and on the southern side plastic barriers are still breeding. Presumably
the old exit from Bexley’s Gayton Road car park will be closed soon.
If you ask a Network Rail manager when the southern ramps are to be demolished (and I
have) he will tell you he hasn’t yet got a date and I think that is a genuine answer. If you
ask a man in in an orange suit you will be told “after Christmas” or “not until
March” and probably anything in between if you hunt down more of them.
The battle to get the tunnel portal area ready ready for tunnel fitting out next May
appears to be going well, although Crossrail’s obsession with barriers makes
getting a decent view very difficult.
The four photos below are taken through a filthy Perspex window
(thank goodness for Photoshop), through a close spaced heavy gauge mesh (open
the lens wide and hope it goes right out of focus) or from ground level which
doesn’t show much. (Photos 1, 2 and 3 below respectively). Photo 4 (the mesh again)
is looking the other way towards Abbey Wood and all four are from the new Church Manorway footbridge.
These are the first reasonably clear views of the Plumstead tunnel portal that I have been able to get. The branch to the right leads to the Plumstead sidings.
See track layout. (PDF)
Index to past Crossrail blogs.