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♪ ♪

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♪ ♪

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NARRATOR:
Underneath the streets
of London, England,

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an army of more than 10,000
workers

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has been building a brand-new
subway.

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(tool whirring)

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Okay!

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NARRATOR:
It's called Crossrail.

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We're under a very tight
deadline.

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NARRATOR:
Costing nearly $20 billion,

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it's one of the biggest
construction projects in Europe.

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Give us a shout if that's gonna
touch the handrail.

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NARRATOR:
To complete this super subway,

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workers must construct
26 miles of new tunnels

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and ten vast new stations...

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All right, Jez!

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NARRATOR:
...laying more than
30 miles of new track...

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It's the most logistically
complicated programs of work

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I've ever, I've ever been on.

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NARRATOR:
...and build 70
super-fast subway trains.

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SIMON WRIGHT:
It's an absolute intense battle.

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NARRATOR:
All under a tight deadline.

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You need to get out of the way
here,

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because trains are gonna
start coming through.

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NARRATOR:
It's a trailblazing

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construction project in one of
the world's

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busiest metropolises,

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and engineers face a constant
battle to keep the city moving.

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MAN:
Constructing Crossrail is like

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undertaking open-heart surgery

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on a patient whilst that
patient is awake.

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NARRATOR:
The oldest subway
system in the world,

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the famed London Underground,

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is getting a whole new line.

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More than 60 total miles of
railroad

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in the midst of a
city that never stops.

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"Inside the London Super
Tunnel,"

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right now, on "NOVA."

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♪ ♪

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♪ ♪

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♪ ♪

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NARRATOR:
London, England.

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Home to more than nine million
people and rising.

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The key to keeping everyone
moving here is the Tube.

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The London Underground is the
world's oldest subway system,

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a vast subterranean rail network

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handling around a
billion journeys every year.

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It's made up
of 11 different railway lines

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that snake right underneath
the city, allowing passengers

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to travel in practically any
direction across the capital.

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♪ ♪

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But the system,
which first opened in 1863,

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now struggles
to cope with peak demand.

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(station announcer speaking on
P.A.)

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NARRATOR:
So engineers are building

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a brand-new underground railway
line

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to help relieve the strain.

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It will stretch across the city
from the west to the east.

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It's called Crossrail.

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(beeping)

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The new railway will run

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from Reading and Heathrow
Airport in the west

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through a new tunnel under
Central London,

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connecting into existing
metro stations.

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It will link shopping and
theater districts

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in the West End

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to the new financial
district of Canary Wharf

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and terminate east of
the city center.

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It must link seamlessly into
the rest of the Tube.

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WRIGHT:
Crossrail is a huge new
railway for London,

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so it's going to be able to
carry

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200 million passengers a year,

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ten percent increase in capacity

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at a stroke.

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Crossrail will help to keep
London moving

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for the next many, many years.

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NARRATOR:
The projected cost of the new
railway

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is nearly $20 billion,

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and work is expected to take
eight years.

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If the project goes according
to plan, Heathrow,

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Europe's busiest airport,
will be just

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28 minutes from Central London,

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a journey that currently takes
almost an hour on the Tube.

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Preparation work on this
endeavor began in 2009,

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launched by Boris Johnson,
at the time

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mayor of London.

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JOHNSON:
This is a great day for Britain.

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Three, two, one, go!

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(machine creaking)

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NARRATOR:
After three years,
engineers were ready

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to start boring the
railway's titanic tunnels.

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Workers used eight
giant earth-eating machines

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to dig the 26 miles

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of tunnels for the trains to
pass through.

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(man exclaims)

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NARRATOR:
Excavating 3.7 million tons of
earth from under London,

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the work was fraught with
danger.

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Engineers carved their way

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beneath fragile historic
buildings,

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close to skyscrapers,

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and under the River Thames.

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This part of the project
took three years to complete.

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But digging beneath a bustling
metropolis

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isn't the only challenge
in building this railroad.

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Engineers must also begin

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other complex and daunting parts
of the project.

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They must construct ten
grand stations,

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design and build

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a fleet of 70
super-fast passenger trains,

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lay miles of custom-designed
railway track,

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and develop the software
to control train traffic

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so that the first passenger
services can begin.

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(people cheer and applaud)

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NARRATOR:
As the last tunnel-digging
machine

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completes its journey...

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Welcome to Farringdon!

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NARRATOR:
...it's at this construction
site

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that engineers are gearing up
to build what will be

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one of the most impressive
stations on the entire line:

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Farringdon Station.

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Located in the heart of Central
London,

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Farringdon is home to Smithfield
Market,

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the largest meat market
in the country,

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and the city's

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world-famous diamond quarter,

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Hatton Garden.

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Once complete,

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Farringdon Station is set to
become

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one of Britain's busiest
train stations,

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servicing over 150,000
passengers a day.

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Every day, I bounce out of bed

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ready to come here and come to
work

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and feeling great about it.

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NARRATOR:
Project manager Linda Miller
faces

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the mammoth task of making sure
its gates open on time.

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MILLER:
This station is really

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gonna be where the action starts
when the railway opens.

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If you were to take the Shard,

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which is the tallest skyscraper
in Europe

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right now, and lay it on its
side, it would fit inside

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of my Farringdon Station.

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We're enormous in scale.

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Our platforms are over 300
meters long.

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What that means in the future,

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if you're stepping off the
trains at Farringdon,

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you need to know which way
you're going,

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'cause if you walk in the wrong
direction,

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you're gonna be half a kilometer
from where you wished you were.

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♪ ♪

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NARRATOR:
Linda is no stranger
to challenges like this.

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A former U.S. Army pilot
and paratrooper,

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Linda trained in engineering
and helped build

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NASA's Launch Complex 40

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at Cape Canaveral in Florida.

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But constructing Farringdon's

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$918 million station will be one
of her biggest tests to date.

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MILLER:
Looks great-- afternoon, guys.

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NARRATOR:
Linda's team's first
task is to dig out

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two huge, eight-story-deep
holes.

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These will form the east and
west concourses at Farringdon.

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Underground, they must widen
the freshly dug railway tunnels

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to create its platforms,

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then dig out the passageways
and escalator shafts

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to link them to the concourses
and entrances.

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Excavating the earth to build
the platforms is treacherous.

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Minor geological fault lines
run through the site

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and an ancient river once
flowed through here,

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leaving the earth pitted

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with unstable pockets of sand
and water.

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The threat of groundwater
running through these faults

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and into the tunnels is great,

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so they must stay vigilant

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as they dig through these zones.

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MILLER:
So this is what we've got.

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Here's a bird's eye view
looking down on the station.

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We're facing the most
dangerous type of soil.

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There's not one but three
different fault lines

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right through the middle
of our work.

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Fault lines present a danger.

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MILLER:
It provides a pathway where you
could have cracks,

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where you
could have future flooding.

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NARRATOR:
They use excavators
to widen the train tunnels

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to create the platforms,
carefully clawing out the earth.

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MILLER:
The team are digging out a
mountain out from

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under London.

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Simultaneously with the
dragging away of that soil

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is the spraying of concrete
on that face,

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so that the face doesn't fall in
on you.

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All right, Jez!

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MILLER:
As it flies towards the
wall under pressure,

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it's dry, just barely,

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smack at the time it hits the
wall.

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(sprayer whirring)

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The mining is going well,
but we're never complacent.

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We never say, "Oh, yeah,
we're, we,

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we're all that good,"

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because that's the day it goes
wrong.

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NARRATOR:
Once set, they line the platform
walls

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with a plastic
membrane to keep them dry.

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MILLER:
The membrane is fully
waterproof, tough, durable,

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and is going to form a seal
around

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our entire tunnel.

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We are going to be wrapped like
a Christmas present.

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NARRATOR:
With the platforms dug out
and sealed here,

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the team at Farringdon now faces
their next challenge.

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To connect the stations
together,

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builders across the line must
lay more than 30 miles

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of brand-new rail track.

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00:10:31,033 --> 00:10:34,500
But space on site is
at a premium,

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and installing Crossrail's
track at Farringdon

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without disrupting other work
will be no easy feat.

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Gregg Purcell leads the team

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00:10:46,233 --> 00:10:49,300
responsible for laying the
track through this zone.

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It's not often you get to work
on a project

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00:10:52,233 --> 00:10:54,333
of this magnitude.

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It's amongst the most
logistically complicated

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00:10:56,933 --> 00:10:59,066
programs of work I've ever, I've
ever been on in my career.

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NARRATOR:
Workers here will need
highly specialized machinery

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00:11:03,500 --> 00:11:05,466
for the task at hand.

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00:11:05,466 --> 00:11:08,733
PURCELL:
This machine is called
the multi-purpose gantry.

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00:11:08,733 --> 00:11:10,100
There's four of these on
Crossrail,

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00:11:10,100 --> 00:11:12,166
and they're worth
about a million pounds each.

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Looks like a Transformer,

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and it can change its shape
depending on

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00:11:16,066 --> 00:11:18,200
what condition it's working in.

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NARRATOR:
This mechanical marvel can lay

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nearly 2,000 feet
of railway ties

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every day.

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PURCELL:
The multi-purpose
gantries are a godsend,

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00:11:27,433 --> 00:11:29,033
and I would struggle

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to understand how we build a
project like this

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without that sort of kit.

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NARRATOR:
Once the trains start running,

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these tunnels will be noisy,
but right here,

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the project faces one of its
most difficult

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00:11:41,933 --> 00:11:43,433
construction challenges.

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The team needs to reduce the
amount of noise

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00:11:45,366 --> 00:11:47,533
coming from this section of
track.

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PURCELL:
Here we are directly
beneath the Barbican.

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Right directly beneath.

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00:11:53,566 --> 00:11:57,500
(Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
playing)

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NARRATOR:
Opened in 1982,
the Barbican Centre

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00:12:01,033 --> 00:12:03,733
is an international hub
for arts and culture,

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00:12:03,733 --> 00:12:07,133
London's equivalent of Carnegie
Hall.

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00:12:08,266 --> 00:12:11,733
The center's largest venue,
Barbican Hall,

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00:12:11,733 --> 00:12:14,200
sits one story below ground.

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HUW HUMPHREYS:
The Barbican Centre's

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00:12:15,466 --> 00:12:17,700
the home of the London Symphony
Orchestra,

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00:12:17,700 --> 00:12:18,766
presents regular seasons

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00:12:18,766 --> 00:12:20,233
from the Royal Shakespeare
Company.

251
00:12:20,233 --> 00:12:22,433
It really is one of the truly

252
00:12:22,433 --> 00:12:25,400
great artistic centers in the
U.K.

253
00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,500
A lot of music is about
exploring the relationship

254
00:12:28,500 --> 00:12:31,233
between the very quietest
sounds and silence,

255
00:12:31,233 --> 00:12:34,133
and therefore a lot of
performances

256
00:12:34,133 --> 00:12:38,466
really focus on that
magical area of audibility.

257
00:12:38,466 --> 00:12:40,966
NARRATOR:
And that's the problem.

258
00:12:40,966 --> 00:12:45,666
Barbican Hall sits just 55 feet
above Crossrail's tunnels.

259
00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:51,200
Noise or vibrations from trains
could travel through the earth

260
00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:55,200
and into the concert hall,
disturbing performances.

261
00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:58,333
To guard against this,

262
00:12:58,333 --> 00:13:03,266
Crossrail engineers are using
ingenious floating tracks,

263
00:13:03,266 --> 00:13:05,366
unique concrete slabs of rail
track

264
00:13:05,366 --> 00:13:08,100
that sit on special springs.

265
00:13:11,100 --> 00:13:14,000
As a train passes over these
springs,

266
00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,633
they should absorb most of the
energy

267
00:13:16,633 --> 00:13:19,566
and reduce noise reaching
the theater.

268
00:13:22,833 --> 00:13:24,466
PURCELL:
The floating track slab
allows that noise

269
00:13:24,466 --> 00:13:26,800
to be brought down even lower,

270
00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:28,833
that on the surface,

271
00:13:28,833 --> 00:13:31,700
you won't hear anything when
you're watching "Hamlet."

272
00:13:32,866 --> 00:13:35,533
NARRATOR:
It takes over 150 tons of
concrete

273
00:13:35,533 --> 00:13:38,466
reinforced with steel bars

274
00:13:38,466 --> 00:13:41,466
to form each 100-foot-long
floating track slab.

275
00:13:41,466 --> 00:13:44,733
So what you can see behind you
now

276
00:13:44,733 --> 00:13:46,900
is all the guys assembling the
track.

277
00:13:46,900 --> 00:13:50,500
We've got all the
reinforcements complete.

278
00:13:50,500 --> 00:13:52,600
The spring housings are all
installed.

279
00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:56,166
We got all the rail,
and this slab is being set up

280
00:13:56,166 --> 00:13:58,233
to cast the concrete on top.

281
00:14:02,300 --> 00:14:03,300
Are we there, Steve?

282
00:14:03,300 --> 00:14:04,366
Yeah, it's here now.

283
00:14:04,366 --> 00:14:08,966
♪ ♪

284
00:14:08,966 --> 00:14:10,000
PURCELL:
There we go.

285
00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:11,866
So that's the liquid gold

286
00:14:11,866 --> 00:14:14,200
coming out there.

287
00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:17,966
♪ ♪

288
00:14:17,966 --> 00:14:19,433
NARRATOR:
Once set,

289
00:14:19,433 --> 00:14:21,333
they screw
the springs into place

290
00:14:21,333 --> 00:14:23,333
on the underside of the slab

291
00:14:23,333 --> 00:14:25,633
and raise it to its final
height.

292
00:14:29,766 --> 00:14:32,566
With the slabs now cushioned by
the springs,

293
00:14:32,566 --> 00:14:35,133
they can set the rails on top.

294
00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:39,466
With this crucial section of
the railway in place,

295
00:14:39,466 --> 00:14:41,433
the team can pick up the pace

296
00:14:41,433 --> 00:14:44,100
and lay track throughout the
rest of the tunnels.

297
00:14:47,233 --> 00:14:49,400
♪ ♪

298
00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:51,200
Over in London's West End,

299
00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:53,800
the city's bustling theater
district,

300
00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,866
engineers are excavating huge
holes in the ground

301
00:14:56,866 --> 00:15:01,433
to construct another new
Crossrail station:

302
00:15:01,433 --> 00:15:03,733
Tottenham Court Road.

303
00:15:03,733 --> 00:15:06,400
And it's a challenging one,

304
00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:08,466
because they're doing it here,

305
00:15:08,466 --> 00:15:10,800
in the middle of Oxford Street,

306
00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,533
the epicenter of shopping in
Britain.

307
00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,100
With 200 million visitors every
year,

308
00:15:18,100 --> 00:15:20,000
it's one of the busiest shopping
streets in Europe,

309
00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:23,166
home to the famous
Selfridges department store.

310
00:15:25,933 --> 00:15:28,366
David Crabtree
leads the team of engineers

311
00:15:28,366 --> 00:15:33,566
racing to build Tottenham Court
Road's massive new concourse.

312
00:15:33,566 --> 00:15:37,133
CRABTREE:
Our station is about the size of
an aircraft carrier,

313
00:15:37,133 --> 00:15:40,933
so if you consider constructing
an aircraft carrier

314
00:15:40,933 --> 00:15:44,933
in the middle of London,
underground,

315
00:15:44,933 --> 00:15:47,533
whilst keeping London going,
with all its myriad of people

316
00:15:47,533 --> 00:15:50,566
and vehicle movements all
sloshing about,

317
00:15:50,566 --> 00:15:53,666
that's what we've got to do at
Tottenham Court Road.

318
00:15:53,666 --> 00:15:56,666
NARRATOR:
To build the new station here,

319
00:15:56,666 --> 00:15:59,566
David's team excavates two huge
holes

320
00:15:59,566 --> 00:16:03,566
to create the concourses,
a hundred feet deep

321
00:16:03,566 --> 00:16:07,300
and 1,300 feet apart,

322
00:16:07,300 --> 00:16:11,800
removing enough earth to fill
14 Olympic swimming pools.

323
00:16:13,133 --> 00:16:14,900
The concourses will plug

324
00:16:14,900 --> 00:16:17,066
directly into the train tunnels
below

325
00:16:17,066 --> 00:16:22,066
and the existing London
Underground Tube services.

326
00:16:22,066 --> 00:16:24,866
Digging vast holes like these
in Central London

327
00:16:24,866 --> 00:16:27,566
is no simple task.

328
00:16:27,566 --> 00:16:29,733
The earth around the edge of
the holes is fragile

329
00:16:29,733 --> 00:16:31,400
and could fall in,

330
00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:35,300
causing the surrounding shops
and buildings to collapse.

331
00:16:35,300 --> 00:16:38,266
So as the team digs down level
by level,

332
00:16:38,266 --> 00:16:42,666
they install 40 massive
props to hold back the earth

333
00:16:42,666 --> 00:16:45,300
as they build the station's
walls.

334
00:16:45,300 --> 00:16:47,666
Now, with the walls complete,

335
00:16:47,666 --> 00:16:49,400
they face the nerve-racking
task

336
00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:52,833
of dismantling and removing the
props.

337
00:16:52,833 --> 00:16:56,733
CRABTREE:
So you can see here, it leaves
us a nice, big open space,

338
00:16:56,733 --> 00:17:00,433
so we've had to put all these
props in place.

339
00:17:00,433 --> 00:17:02,733
However, now we need to get
them out,

340
00:17:02,733 --> 00:17:04,700
which is gonna be an even bigger
challenge.

341
00:17:04,700 --> 00:17:07,833
This is engineering
on a very big scale.

342
00:17:07,833 --> 00:17:13,400
NARRATOR:
Each 115-foot-long prop
helps to hold back the weight

343
00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,733
of more than
1,500 tons of earth.

344
00:17:15,733 --> 00:17:17,833
Then, as they remove the props,

345
00:17:17,833 --> 00:17:20,500
the newly built walls should be
strong enough

346
00:17:20,500 --> 00:17:21,866
to resist the pressure.

347
00:17:21,866 --> 00:17:24,566
CRABTREE:
We're about to start removing
our

348
00:17:24,566 --> 00:17:26,833
first big prop, and this is,

349
00:17:26,833 --> 00:17:29,100
this is one of the moments that
we all

350
00:17:29,100 --> 00:17:30,600
hold our breath.

351
00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:32,366
NARRATOR:
With support chains

352
00:17:32,366 --> 00:17:34,466
attached to the first prop...

353
00:17:34,466 --> 00:17:38,266
GAVIN HUGHES:
Come up a touch--
that's it, lovely.

354
00:17:38,266 --> 00:17:42,633
NARRATOR:
...they use a mix of oxygen
and propane heated to over

355
00:17:42,633 --> 00:17:44,900
4,500 degrees Fahrenheit

356
00:17:44,900 --> 00:17:48,166
to cut out small
squares in the metal.

357
00:17:48,166 --> 00:17:50,033
HUGHES:
They cut windows out of it,

358
00:17:50,033 --> 00:17:53,833
a section at a time,
just to release the pressure.

359
00:17:53,833 --> 00:17:57,500
NARRATOR:
The more holes they cut,
the weaker this prop becomes.

360
00:17:59,033 --> 00:18:01,766
They hold their breath
and hope

361
00:18:01,766 --> 00:18:04,700
that neither the prop nor walls
buckle.

362
00:18:05,900 --> 00:18:07,600
HUGHES:
We're just at the last stage of
cutting

363
00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:09,133
the final piece now.

364
00:18:09,133 --> 00:18:11,666
You'll just see a slight bow in
the steel,

365
00:18:11,666 --> 00:18:13,133
 
where all the pressure's on the
smaller area,

366
00:18:13,133 --> 00:18:14,800
which is what it's meant to do.

367
00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:15,900
It's meant to take the pressure
out of it as we're cutting it.

368
00:18:18,166 --> 00:18:21,866
NARRATOR:
Guiding the pieces of
the prop up out of the hole,

369
00:18:21,866 --> 00:18:26,133
through this maze of metal, will
take great skill and control.

370
00:18:27,466 --> 00:18:29,866
Nice and easy now,
nice and easy.

371
00:18:29,866 --> 00:18:33,500
MAN:
Hold her there one second, hold
her there.

372
00:18:33,500 --> 00:18:36,166
Just up on your hoist now,
up on your hoist.

373
00:18:37,900 --> 00:18:39,533
(whistle blows)
And up you go,

374
00:18:39,533 --> 00:18:41,266
all clear, up you go.

375
00:18:41,266 --> 00:18:43,633
(whistle blows)

376
00:18:43,633 --> 00:18:46,333
Keep hoisting up.

377
00:18:46,333 --> 00:18:48,200
NARRATOR:
After six hours,

378
00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:50,366
the first prop is clear.

379
00:18:50,366 --> 00:18:53,366
(whistle blows)

380
00:18:54,333 --> 00:18:59,066
It takes a further six months
to remove all 40 props.

381
00:19:01,566 --> 00:19:04,133
And with the space cleared,

382
00:19:04,133 --> 00:19:06,200
they work through the night
to seal

383
00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:08,833
the building
and pour the concourse's

384
00:19:08,833 --> 00:19:12,000
reinforced concrete roof.

385
00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:13,166
MAN:
Thank you, cheers.

386
00:19:14,633 --> 00:19:17,133
NARRATOR:
Only when the concrete has set
can they begin

387
00:19:17,133 --> 00:19:19,533
the next stage of the work here,

388
00:19:19,533 --> 00:19:22,466
to finish the interiors of this
colossal station.

389
00:19:22,466 --> 00:19:25,233
♪ ♪

390
00:19:26,900 --> 00:19:28,466
Back in Farringdon...

391
00:19:29,666 --> 00:19:31,000
(car horn honks)

392
00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:32,200
...with platforms starting

393
00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:35,433
to take shape and rail tracks
laid,

394
00:19:35,433 --> 00:19:37,866
Linda's team now faces a race to
complete

395
00:19:37,866 --> 00:19:39,866
Farringdon Station's grand
entrance hall,

396
00:19:39,866 --> 00:19:44,266
which has a vast
and intricately designed roof.

397
00:19:44,266 --> 00:19:45,766
The building must connect

398
00:19:45,766 --> 00:19:49,766
directly into a neighboring
commuter train station.

399
00:19:49,766 --> 00:19:52,600
To build its spectacular roof,

400
00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:54,600
Linda's team must piece together

401
00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:59,300
105 custom-made reinforced
concrete segments.

402
00:19:59,300 --> 00:20:02,966
This will be like assembling
a giant jigsaw.

403
00:20:02,966 --> 00:20:05,700
42 concrete-coated steel beams

404
00:20:05,700 --> 00:20:08,966
will form the diamond-shaped
frames.

405
00:20:08,966 --> 00:20:12,833
63 concrete panels will sit
inside.

406
00:20:12,833 --> 00:20:15,666
Craning these awkward-shaped
pieces into position

407
00:20:15,666 --> 00:20:18,866
without crashing into the busy
train station next door

408
00:20:18,866 --> 00:20:21,966
will test the team's ability.

409
00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,866
MILLER:
Plugging into a live

410
00:20:26,866 --> 00:20:30,433
railway station has its whole
set of, of new challenges.

411
00:20:30,433 --> 00:20:34,633
This is the last big part of the
build, and it's gonna be tough.

412
00:20:35,866 --> 00:20:37,666
NARRATOR:
Site manager Andy Scholes

413
00:20:37,666 --> 00:20:39,700
is working with Linda on this
tricky build.

414
00:20:39,700 --> 00:20:42,533
SCHOLES:
This is our main
feature of Farringdon Station.

415
00:20:42,533 --> 00:20:44,466
This is what everyone will see

416
00:20:44,466 --> 00:20:45,933
over the next 120 year

417
00:20:45,933 --> 00:20:48,233
when they enter Farringdon
Station.

418
00:20:48,233 --> 00:20:52,000
 
The pressure is on in order to
get this right the first time.

419
00:20:53,033 --> 00:20:56,200
NARRATOR:
First task: erect a
network of steel supports

420
00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:57,866
to prop up the heavy ceiling

421
00:20:57,866 --> 00:21:00,200
as they lock it together.

422
00:21:03,133 --> 00:21:04,433
To get all the pieces

423
00:21:04,433 --> 00:21:07,366
of this concrete puzzle in the
right place,

424
00:21:07,366 --> 00:21:09,833
Andy follows his installation
drawings closely.

425
00:21:09,833 --> 00:21:13,500
What we have here is
the plan of the ceiling itself.

426
00:21:13,500 --> 00:21:15,866
Each piece is individually
named and numbered,

427
00:21:15,866 --> 00:21:17,800
so we know where we're gonna
lift them to.

428
00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:22,200
If we lose the drawing, then
we're, we're stuffed, basically.

429
00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:23,900
Pinch up nice and easy.

430
00:21:26,166 --> 00:21:28,100
NARRATOR:
The beams that make up

431
00:21:28,100 --> 00:21:30,466
the diamond-shaped frames weigh
over eight tons.

432
00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:38,833
(man speaking on radio)

433
00:21:40,366 --> 00:21:41,833
NARRATOR:
Lowering them into position,

434
00:21:41,833 --> 00:21:44,400
right next to the operational
commuter train station,

435
00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:46,566
takes a delicate touch.

436
00:21:46,566 --> 00:21:47,933
Keep coming down.

437
00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:51,633
(whistle blowing)

438
00:21:51,633 --> 00:21:53,066
SCHOLES:
Yep, very close.

439
00:21:55,533 --> 00:21:57,633
They're moving it now
to get it into position.

440
00:21:58,633 --> 00:22:00,866
Yeah, down on that!

441
00:22:00,866 --> 00:22:04,500
♪ ♪

442
00:22:04,500 --> 00:22:07,233
SCHOLES:
Touchdown.

443
00:22:07,233 --> 00:22:09,633
NARRATOR:
With the ceiling's frame in
place, they can now slot

444
00:22:09,633 --> 00:22:11,900
in the diamond-shaped panels.

445
00:22:11,900 --> 00:22:13,166
Pinch up nice and easy.

446
00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:22,066
♪ ♪

447
00:22:23,666 --> 00:22:25,800
(radio chirps)
That's it, mate, all clear.

448
00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:28,166
NARRATOR:
Andy and the team must work fast

449
00:22:28,166 --> 00:22:30,800
if the station build is to
remain on schedule

450
00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:34,200
and avoid causing a cascade of
delays.

451
00:22:36,533 --> 00:22:39,933
Farther east,
builders are starting work

452
00:22:39,933 --> 00:22:44,033
on another logistically complex
station build.

453
00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:49,233
Whitechapel is the historic
home of the foundry

454
00:22:49,233 --> 00:22:52,566
that cast the Big Ben bell

455
00:22:52,566 --> 00:22:54,233
and a market which has served
locals

456
00:22:54,233 --> 00:22:56,466
for more than a century.

457
00:22:56,466 --> 00:22:59,633
One of Crossrail's ten Central
London stations

458
00:22:59,633 --> 00:23:01,466
will sit in this district,

459
00:23:01,466 --> 00:23:06,166
but the station here
won't be completely new.

460
00:23:06,166 --> 00:23:10,533
Instead,
engineers are undertaking

461
00:23:10,533 --> 00:23:12,566
a $143 million overhaul

462
00:23:12,566 --> 00:23:15,100
of Whitechapel's existing
Tube station,

463
00:23:15,100 --> 00:23:17,666
opened in 1876.

464
00:23:17,666 --> 00:23:21,000
All right, I'm out, mate.
(laughs)

465
00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:23,600
NARRATOR:
76-year-old Jim Forrest manages
the team

466
00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:25,833
tasked with building the new
station here.

467
00:23:28,100 --> 00:23:31,333
I've worked in construction
since 1960.

468
00:23:31,333 --> 00:23:33,000
 
I've worked on the Humber
Bridge.

469
00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:35,166
I worked on
1,000-foot concrete chimneys,

470
00:23:35,166 --> 00:23:38,100
nuclear power stations, coal
power stations-- you name it.

471
00:23:38,100 --> 00:23:39,366
But this is the highlight,

472
00:23:39,366 --> 00:23:41,600
what I'm doing now.

473
00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:45,266
NARRATOR:
Whitechapel is one of the most
confined construction sites

474
00:23:45,266 --> 00:23:47,733
along the entire Crossrail line.

475
00:23:49,100 --> 00:23:52,433
Market stalls, roads,
and residential buildings

476
00:23:52,433 --> 00:23:54,800
hem the site in.

477
00:23:55,900 --> 00:23:57,766
Squeezing a conventional station

478
00:23:57,766 --> 00:24:01,033
into such a chaotic space is
impossible.

479
00:24:02,166 --> 00:24:04,433
So engineers must build the new
concourse

480
00:24:04,433 --> 00:24:08,200
on a unique 590-foot-long bridge

481
00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:12,200
that passes right over the site.

482
00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,366
This station will run north to
south,

483
00:24:14,366 --> 00:24:16,433
connecting to the
Crossrail tunnels,

484
00:24:16,433 --> 00:24:20,833
channeling passengers to
existing train lines.

485
00:24:20,833 --> 00:24:24,200
A skeleton of around
6,500 pieces of steel

486
00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,400
will form its frame.

487
00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:28,166
This will allow the station
bridge

488
00:24:28,166 --> 00:24:31,500
to sit on the surrounding
Victorian structures,

489
00:24:31,500 --> 00:24:36,066
giving the impression that it
floats above the existing lines.

490
00:24:36,066 --> 00:24:39,633
352 panes of glass will allow
light

491
00:24:39,633 --> 00:24:42,300
to stream through the structure.

492
00:24:42,300 --> 00:24:45,666
A steel and aluminum fire-proof
roof covers the concourse,

493
00:24:45,666 --> 00:24:49,200
with greenery to top it off,

494
00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:54,966
giving this 19th-century station
a 21st-century makeover.

495
00:24:54,966 --> 00:24:58,900
Jim's team starts assembling
the giant steel pieces

496
00:24:58,900 --> 00:25:03,366
that will make up Whitechapel's
new floating bridge station.

497
00:25:03,366 --> 00:25:06,333
FORREST:
Make sure them flanges
don't bite into the tarmac.

498
00:25:06,333 --> 00:25:09,866
NARRATOR:
They plan to use a tall crane
to swing each piece

499
00:25:09,866 --> 00:25:13,400
into position over the existing
train tracks here.

500
00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,933
The line below
is closed for today's operation,

501
00:25:17,933 --> 00:25:21,766
but must reopen in less than
48 hours,

502
00:25:21,766 --> 00:25:24,433
ready for Monday morning's rush
hour.

503
00:25:24,433 --> 00:25:26,900
Jim needs everything to run
like clockwork

504
00:25:26,900 --> 00:25:30,000
if he's to avoid travel chaos.

505
00:25:31,766 --> 00:25:33,366
This is a difficult operation
to carry out,

506
00:25:33,366 --> 00:25:38,500
because the, the alignment
has gotta be precise.

507
00:25:38,500 --> 00:25:40,700
NARRATOR:
One of the largest
sections of bridge

508
00:25:40,700 --> 00:25:42,866
is now ready to lift.

509
00:25:42,866 --> 00:25:44,033
FORREST:
I can hear the tension

510
00:25:44,033 --> 00:25:45,466
coming into the
slings and shackles now.

511
00:25:45,466 --> 00:25:50,300
(metal creaking)

512
00:25:50,300 --> 00:25:53,133
NARRATOR:
It takes great skill
to carefully steer

513
00:25:53,133 --> 00:25:56,533
this 40-ton chunk of steel
away from the buildings

514
00:25:56,533 --> 00:25:59,100
and down towards the
railway tracks.

515
00:25:59,100 --> 00:26:03,800
♪ ♪

516
00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:05,433
MAN (on radio):
Keep coming down.

517
00:26:05,433 --> 00:26:06,833
Another little flick to
your left for me.

518
00:26:08,066 --> 00:26:09,766
Right, that's nice like that.

519
00:26:09,766 --> 00:26:11,466
FORREST:
So far, so good.

520
00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:17,300
NARRATOR:
This section must slot
into an 82-foot-long gap.

521
00:26:17,300 --> 00:26:20,700
It's going to be tight.

522
00:26:20,700 --> 00:26:22,766
MAN (on radio):
Go to your left a bit more,
mate.

523
00:26:24,500 --> 00:26:26,566
(continues speaking on radio)

524
00:26:26,566 --> 00:26:28,933
(metal creaking)

525
00:26:30,066 --> 00:26:32,033
(alarm sounding)

526
00:26:32,033 --> 00:26:33,900
All stop there for me a minute.

527
00:26:33,900 --> 00:26:36,433
All stop there.

528
00:26:36,433 --> 00:26:38,366
NARRATOR:
Just as they near the drop zone,

529
00:26:38,366 --> 00:26:41,000
they hit a glitch.
MAN (on radio):
Hit the handrail.

530
00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:44,133
FORREST:
What do you need to do?
Take a foot out of it?

531
00:26:45,300 --> 00:26:46,566
Okay.

532
00:26:46,566 --> 00:26:48,666
It's such a tight fit
with the handrails,

533
00:26:48,666 --> 00:26:52,033
that to get the unit in,

534
00:26:52,033 --> 00:26:54,666
they've got to cut
a small gap in the handrails.

535
00:26:54,666 --> 00:26:56,366
NARRATOR:
They must act fast.

536
00:26:56,366 --> 00:26:57,700
A hold-up here

537
00:26:57,700 --> 00:27:01,433
could stop rush-hour trains
running tomorrow.

538
00:27:01,433 --> 00:27:03,366
Right, how's that looking
on that handrail now?

539
00:27:03,366 --> 00:27:05,366
MAN 2:
That looks pretty sleek.

540
00:27:05,366 --> 00:27:06,366
Right, we're having him
come down, yeah?

541
00:27:06,366 --> 00:27:07,400
MAN 3:
I'm ready.

542
00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:08,400
You ready, Adam,
you all right?

543
00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:10,100
Get ready!

544
00:27:10,100 --> 00:27:13,433
MAN (on radio):
Yeah, start bringing her
down slowly, then.

545
00:27:16,100 --> 00:27:19,900
Give us a shout if that's
gonna touch that handrail.

546
00:27:20,633 --> 00:27:22,466
MAN (on radio):
All right, Dave, inch to go.

547
00:27:25,266 --> 00:27:27,100
MAN:
Right, that's us... in.

548
00:27:30,033 --> 00:27:33,233
FORREST:
You're looking at
a very happy chappy.

549
00:27:33,233 --> 00:27:36,333
Yeah, it's gone
really well, that.

550
00:27:36,333 --> 00:27:38,333
NARRATOR:
With this giant steel section
now in position,

551
00:27:38,333 --> 00:27:40,366
it takes around a year

552
00:27:40,366 --> 00:27:44,333
to install all of the
6,500 pieces.

553
00:27:44,333 --> 00:27:46,733
Though the steel skeleton
is a huge milestone,

554
00:27:46,733 --> 00:27:49,400
they still need to construct

555
00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:52,633
the walls,
roof, and interiors

556
00:27:52,633 --> 00:27:54,900
if this station is going to be
ready for opening.

557
00:27:57,100 --> 00:28:00,733
Workers across the line
are making progress.

558
00:28:00,733 --> 00:28:03,766
They install wall cladding,

559
00:28:03,766 --> 00:28:07,100
huge ventilation fans,

560
00:28:07,100 --> 00:28:11,066
and miles of cabling
to give the stations power.

561
00:28:11,066 --> 00:28:13,133
(exclaiming)

562
00:28:13,133 --> 00:28:15,200
NARRATOR:
Engineers have also started work

563
00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,866
on building another key element
of the railway: its trains.

564
00:28:20,166 --> 00:28:23,066
The railway's
70 new super-fast trains

565
00:28:23,066 --> 00:28:26,666
will each carry
up to 1,500 passengers

566
00:28:26,666 --> 00:28:30,766
and come with air conditioning
and Wi-Fi onboard.

567
00:28:30,766 --> 00:28:32,633
We can build all the stations
and track you like,

568
00:28:32,633 --> 00:28:35,766
but trains
have to be there, as well.

569
00:28:35,766 --> 00:28:37,966
NARRATOR:
The $1.4 billion contract

570
00:28:37,966 --> 00:28:41,166
to design and build
Crossrail's rolling stock

571
00:28:41,166 --> 00:28:42,666
has been awarded to the owners

572
00:28:42,666 --> 00:28:45,433
of this historic
train factory in Derby,

573
00:28:45,433 --> 00:28:48,533
114 miles north of London.

574
00:28:48,533 --> 00:28:50,066
Workers have been
building trains on this site

575
00:28:50,066 --> 00:28:53,400
for more than 140 years.

576
00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:55,333
But constructing
the Crossrail fleet will

577
00:28:55,333 --> 00:28:58,966
really test the mettle of
these seasoned train builders.

578
00:28:58,966 --> 00:29:00,633
It's a massive challenge,
going from

579
00:29:00,633 --> 00:29:02,666
effectively
a blank sheet of paper

580
00:29:02,666 --> 00:29:06,200
to ramping up to producing
a whole fleet of trains.

581
00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:07,366
It's a huge task.

582
00:29:07,366 --> 00:29:08,800
MAN:
And so you can see that

583
00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:09,800
there's a tiny gap there.

584
00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:10,933
Yup.

585
00:29:10,933 --> 00:29:13,733
NARRATOR:
They have just 24 months

586
00:29:13,733 --> 00:29:15,833
to design, build, test,

587
00:29:15,833 --> 00:29:19,200
and deliver the first of
70 new trains--

588
00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:20,400
a tall order.

589
00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:21,666
Faster.

590
00:29:23,633 --> 00:29:27,466
NARRATOR:
Capable of traveling at
speeds of 90 miles per hour,

591
00:29:27,466 --> 00:29:31,200
each passenger train will be
over 650 feet long--

592
00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:35,100
almost the length of
seven basketball courts.

593
00:29:35,100 --> 00:29:39,566
The team is designing
their floors, walls, and roofs

594
00:29:39,566 --> 00:29:41,866
to be made from aluminum.

595
00:29:41,866 --> 00:29:46,000
They must be compact to
squeeze through the tunnels,

596
00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:47,633
but big enough on the inside

597
00:29:47,633 --> 00:29:51,366
to accommodate
up to 1,500 passengers.

598
00:29:51,366 --> 00:29:53,500
The trains need
full air conditioning

599
00:29:53,500 --> 00:29:57,366
and live passenger
information boards.

600
00:29:57,366 --> 00:29:59,166
The stakes are high.

601
00:30:02,900 --> 00:30:04,800
What time are the covers
coming?

602
00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:07,666
NARRATOR:
It's up to 24-year-old
Kane Jellyman

603
00:30:07,666 --> 00:30:11,466
to keep this $1.4 billion train
build on track.

604
00:30:11,466 --> 00:30:13,133
JELLYMAN:
These are the largest-length
trains

605
00:30:13,133 --> 00:30:15,000
we've actually produced
on the site,

606
00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,266
and the largest-length trains
you'll probably see

607
00:30:17,266 --> 00:30:18,800
on London Underground
for a long while.

608
00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:21,300
There's five key steps into

609
00:30:21,300 --> 00:30:22,766
making it look like
an actual train.

610
00:30:22,766 --> 00:30:26,533
The underframe comes in,
which is like the floor.

611
00:30:26,533 --> 00:30:28,166
The roof is
loaded into the jigs.

612
00:30:28,166 --> 00:30:31,300
Followed by that,
we bring the body sides in.

613
00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:36,200
(whirring)

614
00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:38,033
It's called
the tubing process,

615
00:30:38,033 --> 00:30:39,433
'cause this is where the shape
of the vehicle actually

616
00:30:39,433 --> 00:30:41,133
comes together, and it
looks very much like a tube.

617
00:30:44,933 --> 00:30:48,300
NARRATOR:
With the roof, floor, and
sides of this car in place,

618
00:30:48,300 --> 00:30:50,800
it's time to attach
the driver's cab.

619
00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:52,400
Okay,
it's on the way.

620
00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:57,166
NARRATOR:
This cab unit weighs
over three tons

621
00:30:57,166 --> 00:31:03,166
and contains more than $325,000
worth of crucial electronics.

622
00:31:03,166 --> 00:31:06,300
The electronics
control everything,

623
00:31:06,300 --> 00:31:07,533
from the train's speed

624
00:31:07,533 --> 00:31:10,066
to the passenger doors
and lighting.

625
00:31:10,066 --> 00:31:13,433
A dent could wreck
its intricate components

626
00:31:13,433 --> 00:31:16,000
and set the
train-building schedule back.

627
00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:17,633
Okay, just a box
behind you there.

628
00:31:17,633 --> 00:31:20,000
JELLYMAN:
We don't have
excess cabs in stock,

629
00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:22,866
so he needs to make
sure he doesn't scratch it.

630
00:31:22,866 --> 00:31:25,666
Do you want us to help you
guide it in, Kels?

631
00:31:27,566 --> 00:31:29,700
Trying to let him concentrate

632
00:31:29,700 --> 00:31:31,566
so he doesn't make
any mistakes.

633
00:31:32,166 --> 00:31:33,266
JELLYMAN:
Keep coming.

634
00:31:33,266 --> 00:31:36,366
Whoa.

635
00:31:36,366 --> 00:31:38,166
There's a lot of money
being craned there, so...

636
00:31:38,166 --> 00:31:39,600
God forbid if
something did happen.

637
00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:41,166
Couple of clicks east.

638
00:31:42,300 --> 00:31:43,866
Here you go.

639
00:31:43,866 --> 00:31:48,000
(crane whirring)

640
00:31:51,266 --> 00:31:52,266
(clangs)

641
00:31:52,266 --> 00:31:53,400
JELLYMAN:
Nice landing.

642
00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:55,033
NARRATOR:
The trains must pass

643
00:31:55,033 --> 00:31:56,833
a series of rigorous trials

644
00:31:56,833 --> 00:31:59,000
before they can go
into operation,

645
00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,600
from winter weather tests

646
00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,966
freezing them to
-13 degrees Fahrenheit

647
00:32:04,966 --> 00:32:08,733
to speed and performance
trials.

648
00:32:08,733 --> 00:32:11,033
♪ ♪

649
00:32:11,033 --> 00:32:12,566
JELLYMAN:
We can't be complacent.

650
00:32:12,566 --> 00:32:13,733
This is just the start.

651
00:32:13,733 --> 00:32:16,866
We've got over 500 cars
left to deliver,

652
00:32:16,866 --> 00:32:18,300
so the guys need
to keep working hard

653
00:32:18,300 --> 00:32:19,933
and carry on delivering them.

654
00:32:22,933 --> 00:32:25,100
♪ ♪

655
00:32:25,100 --> 00:32:27,466
NARRATOR:
Across London,

656
00:32:27,466 --> 00:32:31,366
stations are fitted with
ticket gates, lighting,

657
00:32:31,366 --> 00:32:35,200
and escalators.

658
00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:38,066
Here at Crossrail's
new Bond Street Station,

659
00:32:38,066 --> 00:32:39,600
in London's
luxury retail quarter,

660
00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:41,933
builders are installing

661
00:32:41,933 --> 00:32:43,433
the longest escalators
on the line.

662
00:32:43,433 --> 00:32:45,833
(tools whirring)

663
00:32:45,833 --> 00:32:47,700
Delays in tunneling

664
00:32:47,700 --> 00:32:49,800
and mechanical
and electrical work

665
00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:52,933
has pushed this station build

666
00:32:52,933 --> 00:32:55,100
$715 million over budget

667
00:32:55,100 --> 00:32:57,066
and many months
behind schedule.

668
00:32:59,233 --> 00:33:00,966
As workers here
pick up the pace,

669
00:33:00,966 --> 00:33:04,900
builders at
Tottenham Court Road Station

670
00:33:04,900 --> 00:33:07,166
have completed work on
its concrete roof.

671
00:33:07,966 --> 00:33:09,300
LIH-LING HIGHE:
You installing some signage,
Mark?

672
00:33:09,300 --> 00:33:10,300
(inaudible)

673
00:33:10,300 --> 00:33:12,166
When's it going in?

674
00:33:12,166 --> 00:33:15,300
NARRATOR:
Project manager Lih-Ling Highe

675
00:33:15,300 --> 00:33:17,166
now leads the station's
interior finishing work.

676
00:33:17,166 --> 00:33:19,833
This is the time when we are

677
00:33:19,833 --> 00:33:22,933
turning empty structures
and empty tunnels

678
00:33:22,933 --> 00:33:27,300
into living, breathing
buildings with lighting,

679
00:33:27,300 --> 00:33:31,033
with cladding, with
fixtures, with fittings.

680
00:33:31,033 --> 00:33:34,300
Being a project manager
of a station

681
00:33:34,300 --> 00:33:37,033
on such a complex project

682
00:33:37,033 --> 00:33:41,666
is a bit like holding onto
400 spinning plates

683
00:33:41,666 --> 00:33:43,333
and making sure
they're delivered

684
00:33:43,333 --> 00:33:46,566
in exactly the right place,
whilst riding a unicycle

685
00:33:46,566 --> 00:33:48,200
crossing on a tightrope.

686
00:33:49,300 --> 00:33:51,333
NARRATOR:
Today, Lih-Ling's team

687
00:33:51,333 --> 00:33:53,000
is waiting for
a construction train

688
00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:56,033
to deliver the station's
platform screen doors.

689
00:33:56,033 --> 00:33:58,500
HIGHE:
It's really important to get
the platform screen doors in,

690
00:33:58,500 --> 00:33:59,833
because without
the platform screen doors,

691
00:33:59,833 --> 00:34:02,700
we're not going to be able
to open the station.

692
00:34:03,700 --> 00:34:06,400
NARRATOR:
Engineers must install
two-and-a-half miles

693
00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:09,066
of floor-to-ceiling
platform screens

694
00:34:09,066 --> 00:34:12,766
in eight new stations.

695
00:34:12,766 --> 00:34:15,500
The screens stop passengers
falling onto the line

696
00:34:15,500 --> 00:34:19,733
and maintain air flow
around the station.

697
00:34:19,733 --> 00:34:22,566
Each screen unit is made from
bombproof glass

698
00:34:22,566 --> 00:34:25,000
and has a straight edge.

699
00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,100
But Tottenham Court Road's
eastbound platform

700
00:34:27,100 --> 00:34:32,533
is a 768-foot-long curve,
shaped to avoid hitting

701
00:34:32,533 --> 00:34:35,400
a subterranean maze of
sewers, foundations,

702
00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:37,733
and other rail lines.

703
00:34:37,733 --> 00:34:41,033
So Lih-Ling's team is
relying on a construction train

704
00:34:41,033 --> 00:34:43,300
equipped with
special robotic arms

705
00:34:43,300 --> 00:34:46,200
to carefully lift and
connect each screen

706
00:34:46,200 --> 00:34:50,366
at a 0.4-degree angle
from one another.

707
00:34:50,366 --> 00:34:53,400
If the angle is off,
the screen could jut out

708
00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:56,833
and collide with
an oncoming train.

709
00:34:56,833 --> 00:34:59,333
They must fight for
every inch of space.

710
00:34:59,333 --> 00:35:01,000
The more screens they install,

711
00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:03,300
the tighter
their worksite becomes.

712
00:35:05,233 --> 00:35:07,800
Lead engineer Frank Foley
is in charge of

713
00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:09,766
installing the platform
screen doors on site.

714
00:35:09,766 --> 00:35:12,333
(tool whirring)

715
00:35:12,333 --> 00:35:15,333
FOLEY:
The first step is for the train
to be carefully aligned

716
00:35:15,333 --> 00:35:17,733
in the correct spot

717
00:35:17,733 --> 00:35:19,333
to start unloading
the first module,

718
00:35:19,333 --> 00:35:21,133
to lift the module off
the back of the train,

719
00:35:21,133 --> 00:35:23,366
and align it accurately
with the brackets

720
00:35:23,366 --> 00:35:25,900
that are already
installed on the platform.

721
00:35:28,500 --> 00:35:30,166
Ready?

722
00:35:30,166 --> 00:35:32,166
NARRATOR:
Using a remote control,

723
00:35:32,166 --> 00:35:36,200
workers carefully guide
the train's robotic arms

724
00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:38,600
to move each screen
into position.

725
00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:40,166
MAN:
All right, coming down.

726
00:35:41,866 --> 00:35:42,900
Go right a touch.

727
00:35:43,966 --> 00:35:47,000
Okay, all in.

728
00:35:48,100 --> 00:35:49,300
FOLEY:
It's that nail-biting time
when they find out if

729
00:35:49,300 --> 00:35:51,300
the brackets are
in the right place or not.

730
00:35:52,733 --> 00:35:53,866
MAN:
Now go back a touch.

731
00:35:53,866 --> 00:35:55,733
NARRATOR:
Lining up each screen,

732
00:35:55,733 --> 00:35:58,166
weighing the equivalent
of a pick-up truck,

733
00:35:58,166 --> 00:36:01,033
with its brackets
takes a delicate touch.

734
00:36:01,033 --> 00:36:02,933
MAN:
Yeah, that's good, yeah.

735
00:36:02,933 --> 00:36:05,666
It's a bit fiddly with
the spanners to, uh, to do.

736
00:36:06,766 --> 00:36:09,366
They do have to be careful when
they're installing the doors.

737
00:36:13,500 --> 00:36:15,433
MAN:
Okay, all good.

738
00:36:17,033 --> 00:36:19,066
FOLEY:
Now, that's the first one done.
(train horn beeps)

739
00:36:19,066 --> 00:36:20,533
So we've still got
a long way to go.

740
00:36:22,166 --> 00:36:23,666
NARRATOR:
Over the next nine weeks,

741
00:36:23,666 --> 00:36:25,133
Frank's team races

742
00:36:25,133 --> 00:36:29,300
to install
the remaining 137 screens.

743
00:36:29,300 --> 00:36:30,933
(train horn beeps)

744
00:36:30,933 --> 00:36:34,833
♪ ♪

745
00:36:38,966 --> 00:36:40,933
(train horn beeps)

746
00:36:40,933 --> 00:36:43,866
The closer they get to
the end of the curved platform,

747
00:36:43,866 --> 00:36:46,866
the tighter the space
becomes for the crew.

748
00:36:46,866 --> 00:36:48,766
Excuse me,
watch your back, please.

749
00:36:48,766 --> 00:36:51,133
Come in, come in, come in,
come in, come in, come in.

750
00:36:51,133 --> 00:36:52,800
Now, hold, hold on,

751
00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:54,400
you have to keep,
really hold the pressure.

752
00:36:56,266 --> 00:36:57,866
Stop for a minute, yeah?

753
00:36:57,866 --> 00:36:59,633
NARRATOR:
Everyone's feeling the pressure.

754
00:36:59,633 --> 00:37:02,000
MAN:
Do not leave it on the wood,
right, because if you break it,

755
00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:03,033
we're not gonna get any more
for weeks.
(train horn beeps)

756
00:37:03,033 --> 00:37:05,000
See this metal?
Yeah.

757
00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:06,266
That's what you need to put
on the floor,

758
00:37:06,266 --> 00:37:07,433
so you need to turn it
so it goes like that

759
00:37:07,433 --> 00:37:08,433
and then lift it up, right?

760
00:37:08,433 --> 00:37:09,700
Just because

761
00:37:09,700 --> 00:37:12,566
I don't want
the glass touching the floor.

762
00:37:14,466 --> 00:37:15,866
MAN: Uh-oh.
MAN 2: Let go, let go.

763
00:37:15,866 --> 00:37:20,500
MAN:
All mine, all mine,
all mine, all mine.

764
00:37:20,500 --> 00:37:23,900
MAN: This glass needs to
come up this way.

765
00:37:23,900 --> 00:37:26,333
Oh-- how is it?

766
00:37:27,933 --> 00:37:29,000
The tower,
bring it closer.

767
00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:30,666
Right, going back now,
bring the tower.

768
00:37:30,666 --> 00:37:32,400
It's the very last piece now.

769
00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:34,366
(train horn beeps)

770
00:37:34,366 --> 00:37:37,266
(people talking,
radio running in background)

771
00:37:37,266 --> 00:37:39,600
You have one bolt in.

772
00:37:41,633 --> 00:37:43,433
That's it, all done.

773
00:37:43,433 --> 00:37:45,833
NARRATOR:
The doors are finally in,

774
00:37:45,833 --> 00:37:49,300
but six weeks later
than originally planned.

775
00:37:49,300 --> 00:37:51,233
♪ ♪

776
00:37:51,233 --> 00:37:53,200
By the summer of 2018,

777
00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:56,266
delays completing the
intricate station construction

778
00:37:56,266 --> 00:37:58,866
and tunnel-finishing work

779
00:37:58,866 --> 00:38:00,733
impact the testing of
the railway,

780
00:38:00,733 --> 00:38:02,500
so more time and money
will be needed.

781
00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:06,933
Afternoon,
Franz, afternoon.

782
00:38:06,933 --> 00:38:09,233
NARRATOR:
After seven years,

783
00:38:09,233 --> 00:38:11,966
work at Farringdon Station
is progressing,

784
00:38:11,966 --> 00:38:15,633
and Linda can get her first
glimpse of its grand entrance.

785
00:38:15,633 --> 00:38:17,200
Wow, wow, wow, wow!

786
00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:22,600
♪ ♪

787
00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:25,600
That looks fantastic.

788
00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:29,133
♪ ♪

789
00:38:32,666 --> 00:38:35,333
It's like when you
walk into a cathedral.

790
00:38:35,333 --> 00:38:36,866
It is a relief,

791
00:38:36,866 --> 00:38:41,200
to, to finish the last of
the big builds on site.

792
00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:42,766
I suppose it's
a little sad, too,

793
00:38:42,766 --> 00:38:45,033
as, as it is whenever you, you
accomplish something

794
00:38:45,033 --> 00:38:48,100
that, that feels great.

795
00:38:48,100 --> 00:38:50,066
They say diamonds are forever,

796
00:38:50,066 --> 00:38:52,966
but these diamonds are
meant for 120 years, at least.

797
00:38:58,066 --> 00:39:00,766
NARRATOR:
Finishing work ramps up
across the line,

798
00:39:00,766 --> 00:39:02,966
and by 2021,

799
00:39:02,966 --> 00:39:05,733
stations are slowly
starting to complete,

800
00:39:05,733 --> 00:39:09,333
including Farringdon Station,

801
00:39:09,333 --> 00:39:11,933
Lih-Ling's Tottenham
Court Road Station...

802
00:39:13,466 --> 00:39:16,566
HIGHE:
This is a huge milestone.

803
00:39:16,566 --> 00:39:18,633
We can see the finishing posts.

804
00:39:19,633 --> 00:39:24,433
NARRATOR:
...and Jim Forrest's floating
station at Whitechapel.

805
00:39:24,433 --> 00:39:25,800
FORREST:
This is a landmark for us,

806
00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:27,966
and it demonstrates
to everybody here

807
00:39:27,966 --> 00:39:30,233
that we are capable of
delivering this station

808
00:39:30,233 --> 00:39:33,266
as we said we would do.

809
00:39:33,266 --> 00:39:35,700
NARRATOR:
But the formidable scale of
this engineering endeavor

810
00:39:35,700 --> 00:39:39,666
has pushed the project
more than four years past

811
00:39:39,666 --> 00:39:41,633
its scheduled opening date.

812
00:39:41,633 --> 00:39:45,066
The cost of the project
has also spiraled

813
00:39:45,066 --> 00:39:47,200
to nearly $25 billion.

814
00:39:49,666 --> 00:39:52,900
As work on the tunnels,
platforms,

815
00:39:52,900 --> 00:39:56,833
stations,
and trains completes,

816
00:39:56,833 --> 00:39:58,966
one area of the railway

817
00:39:58,966 --> 00:40:01,200
that is still being tested
is its software.

818
00:40:03,266 --> 00:40:05,866
Crossrail will be
the first fully digital railway

819
00:40:05,866 --> 00:40:07,300
in the U.K.

820
00:40:07,300 --> 00:40:09,666
It has one of
the most complex systems

821
00:40:09,666 --> 00:40:12,600
of rail software
in the world,

822
00:40:12,600 --> 00:40:16,066
to control everything
from the trains and signals

823
00:40:16,066 --> 00:40:20,833
to CCTV and platform doors.

824
00:40:20,833 --> 00:40:22,500
Yeah, on the screen
right here...

825
00:40:22,500 --> 00:40:23,866
NARRATOR:
The person responsible for

826
00:40:23,866 --> 00:40:26,366
ironing out any bugs
in the software

827
00:40:26,366 --> 00:40:28,266
is Pradeep Vasudev.

828
00:40:28,266 --> 00:40:30,800
Pradeep has nearly
40 years' experience

829
00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:34,066
developing computer software
for transport systems,

830
00:40:34,066 --> 00:40:37,166
from Tube lines
to military aircraft.

831
00:40:37,166 --> 00:40:41,366
Crossrail has built
this $13 million facility,

832
00:40:41,366 --> 00:40:43,800
where his team has spent
more than three years

833
00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:47,400
testing out the software
using virtual trains

834
00:40:47,400 --> 00:40:48,633
on virtual tracks.

835
00:40:48,633 --> 00:40:50,266
VASUDEV:
My interest is making sure

836
00:40:50,266 --> 00:40:51,633
all the bits work together.

837
00:40:52,633 --> 00:40:54,966
For me,
finding any issues

838
00:40:54,966 --> 00:40:57,666
early on is absolutely
the thing we need to do.

839
00:40:57,666 --> 00:41:00,566
There's nothing worse than
finding it out on the railway.

840
00:41:00,566 --> 00:41:04,800
NARRATOR:
Their job is to push
the new software to the limit,

841
00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:06,700
seeing how
platform doors perform

842
00:41:06,700 --> 00:41:08,666
and discovering how
the trains cope with errors.

843
00:41:08,666 --> 00:41:10,700
Each version can have

844
00:41:10,700 --> 00:41:13,666
as many as 250 bugs
that need to be

845
00:41:13,666 --> 00:41:15,533
rooted out and fixed.

846
00:41:15,533 --> 00:41:18,733
Jim, if you can start
driving the train?

847
00:41:20,966 --> 00:41:22,600
♪ ♪

848
00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:24,033
NARRATOR:
Today,

849
00:41:24,033 --> 00:41:27,166
nearly 13 years after
construction work first began

850
00:41:27,166 --> 00:41:28,500
on the project,

851
00:41:28,500 --> 00:41:30,466
the team is
finally ready to conduct

852
00:41:30,466 --> 00:41:32,566
a full live trial
of the railway.

853
00:41:32,566 --> 00:41:34,933
This is a critical moment.

854
00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:38,833
They aim to run the
intended timetable service

855
00:41:38,833 --> 00:41:42,033
of 24 trains per hour.

856
00:41:43,966 --> 00:41:47,400
VASUDEV:
Today we're trying to prove
that we can run

857
00:41:47,400 --> 00:41:49,533
a sustainable,
consistent service

858
00:41:49,533 --> 00:41:52,300
at 24 trains per hour.

859
00:41:52,300 --> 00:41:53,566
That is
the ultimate timetable

860
00:41:53,566 --> 00:41:56,966
that we want to run
for Crossrail.

861
00:41:56,966 --> 00:41:59,466
We've got to a point now
where we're confident

862
00:41:59,466 --> 00:42:01,933
that system
technically can achieve it.

863
00:42:01,933 --> 00:42:04,133
Everything
has to work perfectly.

864
00:42:06,700 --> 00:42:09,833
NARRATOR:
With only two-and-a-half-minute
gaps in between trains,

865
00:42:09,833 --> 00:42:14,366
running a fault-free service
to time will be a challenge.

866
00:42:14,366 --> 00:42:16,766
To do this,
they will need to use

867
00:42:16,766 --> 00:42:20,566
a radical new feature
called auto reverse.

868
00:42:20,566 --> 00:42:23,766
During rush hour,
trains sometimes need to

869
00:42:23,766 --> 00:42:27,266
switch direction to relieve
the busy central stations.

870
00:42:27,266 --> 00:42:31,333
To avoid the driver
having to walk 650 feet

871
00:42:31,333 --> 00:42:34,666
to the cab at the other end,
wasting valuable minutes,

872
00:42:34,666 --> 00:42:38,133
these trains have
a much quicker solution.

873
00:42:38,133 --> 00:42:39,700
When they need
to do a fast turnaround

874
00:42:39,700 --> 00:42:43,000
to head back into the West End
from Paddington Station,

875
00:42:43,000 --> 00:42:45,666
the driver activates
an auto reverse feature

876
00:42:45,666 --> 00:42:49,133
that allows the train
to drive itself.

877
00:42:49,133 --> 00:42:52,100
In this mode,
when the computer takes over,

878
00:42:52,100 --> 00:42:55,966
it swaps tracks
and changes direction.

879
00:42:55,966 --> 00:42:58,066
As it moves
back into the tunnels,

880
00:42:58,066 --> 00:43:00,033
the driver is
free to walk to the cab

881
00:43:00,033 --> 00:43:02,766
at the other end
of the train.

882
00:43:02,766 --> 00:43:05,300
Auto reverse
is key to the railway

883
00:43:05,300 --> 00:43:08,000
hitting its
24-train-per-hour target.

884
00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:12,600
The early tests of its software
demonstrated that it was safe,

885
00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:16,966
but its real-life performance
has been far from reliable.

886
00:43:16,966 --> 00:43:19,200
VASUDEV:
Auto reverse is
absolutely crucial

887
00:43:19,200 --> 00:43:22,966
in our ability to run
a 24-train-per-hour service.

888
00:43:22,966 --> 00:43:25,633
Without it,
we would struggle

889
00:43:25,633 --> 00:43:28,166
to run a consistent service
at that level.

890
00:43:28,166 --> 00:43:31,933
NARRATOR:
Assisting Pradeep
in the railway's control room

891
00:43:31,933 --> 00:43:34,700
is systems integration manager
Rory Mitchell.

892
00:43:34,700 --> 00:43:36,700
MITCHELL:
The main thing that we've not

893
00:43:36,700 --> 00:43:39,566
tested before, at scale,
is having trains

894
00:43:39,566 --> 00:43:44,066
every two-and-a-half minutes
in the whole tunnel section.

895
00:43:44,066 --> 00:43:49,166
So it's difficult to predict
what might go wrong.

896
00:43:49,166 --> 00:43:52,900
♪ ♪

897
00:43:52,900 --> 00:43:55,433
NARRATOR:
In West London,
driver Emma Knowles

898
00:43:55,433 --> 00:43:59,200
will be at the controls
of one of the trains.

899
00:44:00,300 --> 00:44:01,700
Okay.

900
00:44:01,700 --> 00:44:04,033
KNOWLES:
At 24 trains per hour,

901
00:44:04,033 --> 00:44:06,500
this, this is a biggie today,

902
00:44:06,500 --> 00:44:08,366
but it's going to be fine.

903
00:44:08,366 --> 00:44:10,100
It's all going to work.

904
00:44:10,100 --> 00:44:11,700
(P.A. system beeps)

905
00:44:11,700 --> 00:44:15,366
TRAIN ANNOUNCER:
This is the TFL rail service
to Paddington.

906
00:44:15,366 --> 00:44:17,100
NARRATOR:
Any software bugs

907
00:44:17,100 --> 00:44:20,600
on the trains, tracks,
or station platforms

908
00:44:20,600 --> 00:44:23,966
during this trial
could trigger serious delays

909
00:44:23,966 --> 00:44:26,800
across
London's commuter network.

910
00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:27,800
And they're off.

911
00:44:27,800 --> 00:44:29,366
KNOWLES:
We're off, we're moving.

912
00:44:31,133 --> 00:44:32,300
NARRATOR:
The team feeds

913
00:44:32,300 --> 00:44:34,800
more trains onto the line,

914
00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:37,000
all heading towards
the new Underground stations.

915
00:44:38,800 --> 00:44:42,700
On the platform
at Paddington Station

916
00:44:42,700 --> 00:44:44,300
in West London,

917
00:44:44,300 --> 00:44:47,233
engineers must make sure that
the railway's display boards

918
00:44:47,233 --> 00:44:49,366
are providing
accurate information.

919
00:44:49,366 --> 00:44:52,566
PAUL NAYLOR:
So we've got a train arrived.

920
00:44:52,566 --> 00:44:54,566
It wasn't due
to arrive here now,

921
00:44:54,566 --> 00:44:57,400
so we need to check why that
train turned up

922
00:44:57,400 --> 00:44:58,933
and isn't being shown
on these screens.

923
00:44:58,933 --> 00:45:00,433
Clearly, we want it to be right

924
00:45:00,433 --> 00:45:03,633
for our passengers
when they board the trains.

925
00:45:03,633 --> 00:45:07,033
♪ ♪

926
00:45:07,033 --> 00:45:08,733
This train has arrived

927
00:45:08,733 --> 00:45:11,366
showing "not in service,"

928
00:45:11,366 --> 00:45:12,766
whereas we would
normally expect it to show

929
00:45:12,766 --> 00:45:15,300
"terminates here."

930
00:45:15,300 --> 00:45:16,566
As you can see,

931
00:45:16,566 --> 00:45:19,300
we're down into the
fairly small-scale issues

932
00:45:19,300 --> 00:45:21,166
that we're trying to
deal with now.

933
00:45:22,166 --> 00:45:23,466
NARRATOR:
The display board faults

934
00:45:23,466 --> 00:45:25,933
are yet more glitches for the
software team

935
00:45:25,933 --> 00:45:29,866
to iron out before
the line can open.

936
00:45:29,866 --> 00:45:32,333
Meanwhile, on the tracks...

937
00:45:32,333 --> 00:45:36,433
TRAIN ANNOUNCER:
This is the TFL rail service
to Paddington.

938
00:45:36,433 --> 00:45:38,866
NARRATOR:
...Emma pulls into Paddington.

939
00:45:38,866 --> 00:45:40,900
KNOWLES:
Here we go.

940
00:45:40,900 --> 00:45:42,666
NARRATOR:
Here, she will attempt to

941
00:45:42,666 --> 00:45:44,133
put the train into
auto reverse:

942
00:45:44,133 --> 00:45:45,400
to turn it around

943
00:45:45,400 --> 00:45:48,400
and travel back in
the opposite direction.

944
00:45:48,400 --> 00:45:49,600
Is everybody off
that needs to be off?

945
00:45:49,600 --> 00:45:51,100
'Cause I'm
closing the doors now.

946
00:45:53,900 --> 00:45:56,866
Right, auto reverse.

947
00:45:59,000 --> 00:46:00,333
Auto reverse.

948
00:46:01,666 --> 00:46:03,400
NARRATOR:
With auto reverse activated,

949
00:46:03,400 --> 00:46:05,600
Emma's train should now
automatically move

950
00:46:05,600 --> 00:46:07,266
forward around a mile

951
00:46:07,266 --> 00:46:10,766
to change tracks, stop,
switch direction,

952
00:46:10,766 --> 00:46:12,800
and head back east
into the tunnels.

953
00:46:15,300 --> 00:46:17,833
KNOWLES:
So, as we come out,

954
00:46:17,833 --> 00:46:19,600
we're going to come out
into daylight,

955
00:46:19,600 --> 00:46:20,700
to Westbourne Park sidings,

956
00:46:20,700 --> 00:46:23,266
and it's: safety,

957
00:46:23,266 --> 00:46:24,966
check there's
no trespassers.

958
00:46:24,966 --> 00:46:25,966
If there is a trespasser,

959
00:46:25,966 --> 00:46:28,133
emergency stop.

960
00:46:29,433 --> 00:46:31,500
NARRATOR:
For those used to
driving trains manually,

961
00:46:31,500 --> 00:46:34,600
the auto mode
takes some getting used to.

962
00:46:34,600 --> 00:46:37,033
That's scary.

963
00:46:38,833 --> 00:46:39,833
No driver!

964
00:46:39,833 --> 00:46:41,533
That is so scary!

965
00:46:42,733 --> 00:46:45,600
Mild heart attack.

966
00:46:45,600 --> 00:46:47,466
(shudders)

967
00:46:49,200 --> 00:46:53,733
♪ ♪

968
00:46:53,733 --> 00:46:57,300
It's a very, very...

969
00:46:57,300 --> 00:46:59,966
It's a very strange feeling
that...

970
00:46:59,966 --> 00:47:02,033
I'm meant to be driving it.

971
00:47:06,600 --> 00:47:10,166
And we're on our way
to Stratford.

972
00:47:10,166 --> 00:47:13,433
The train is driving itself,
modern technology.

973
00:47:13,433 --> 00:47:16,400
NARRATOR:
The auto reverse software
on this train

974
00:47:16,400 --> 00:47:18,300
has worked perfectly,

975
00:47:18,300 --> 00:47:23,600
and allows Emma to begin her
route east along the line.

976
00:47:23,600 --> 00:47:27,266
Meanwhile, at Paddington,

977
00:47:27,266 --> 00:47:31,766
engineers are still
troubleshooting problems.

978
00:47:31,766 --> 00:47:32,833
DAVE:
Is Stratford open now, Paul?

979
00:47:32,833 --> 00:47:34,500
Yeah.
Yeah?

980
00:47:34,500 --> 00:47:35,500
Yeah.

981
00:47:35,500 --> 00:47:36,933
NARRATOR:
They've noticed that

982
00:47:36,933 --> 00:47:38,433
when a train returns from

983
00:47:38,433 --> 00:47:40,000
completing an
auto reverse maneuver,

984
00:47:40,000 --> 00:47:43,800
the platform screen doors
aren't opening properly.

985
00:47:43,800 --> 00:47:47,700
♪ ♪

986
00:47:47,700 --> 00:47:51,433
(doors beeping)
That didn't work, did it?

987
00:47:51,433 --> 00:47:53,400
So all right,
that's another one to note.

988
00:47:53,400 --> 00:47:54,766
We're not sure
why that didn't work,

989
00:47:54,766 --> 00:47:55,966
but it didn't work.

990
00:47:59,500 --> 00:48:01,900
They should all open
completely.

991
00:48:01,900 --> 00:48:03,066
So, I think...

992
00:48:03,066 --> 00:48:04,066
There you go, see?

993
00:48:04,066 --> 00:48:05,500
That's the door glitch.

994
00:48:05,500 --> 00:48:07,266
We need to fix it.

995
00:48:07,266 --> 00:48:09,600
And we will fix it.

996
00:48:09,600 --> 00:48:12,066
NARRATOR:
While the team deals with

997
00:48:12,066 --> 00:48:14,900
door problems in
West London...

998
00:48:14,900 --> 00:48:18,166
MITCHELL:
I think we might have
an issue with the trains.

999
00:48:18,166 --> 00:48:19,966
NARRATOR:
...the control room is
witnessing a train jam

1000
00:48:19,966 --> 00:48:23,500
in Stratford, East London.

1001
00:48:23,500 --> 00:48:26,600
MITCHELL:
We've now got four trains

1002
00:48:26,600 --> 00:48:29,733
queuing up
to get into Stratford,

1003
00:48:29,733 --> 00:48:32,966
which is not going to
rectify quickly.

1004
00:48:32,966 --> 00:48:36,166
And then we've got delays on
about half of the trains.

1005
00:48:36,166 --> 00:48:39,800
I didn't think
it would be this bad.

1006
00:48:39,800 --> 00:48:41,233
(watch ticking)

1007
00:48:41,233 --> 00:48:43,033
NARRATOR:
To add to their problems,

1008
00:48:43,033 --> 00:48:46,300
another train has become
stuck at Paddington.

1009
00:48:46,300 --> 00:48:49,166
(exhales, murmurs)

1010
00:48:49,166 --> 00:48:51,733
MITCHELL:
The train at Paddington

1011
00:48:51,733 --> 00:48:53,366
has got quite a major failure.

1012
00:48:53,366 --> 00:48:54,833
The guys have
been trying to reset it,

1013
00:48:54,833 --> 00:48:58,066
so, we're,
we're a bit stuck.

1014
00:48:58,066 --> 00:48:59,900
(chuckling):
We've got 12 trains

1015
00:48:59,900 --> 00:49:03,000
between Tottenham Court Road
and Westbourne Park.

1016
00:49:03,000 --> 00:49:05,600
(watch ticking,
people talking in background)

1017
00:49:05,600 --> 00:49:08,766
NARRATOR:
It's now up to the signalers
to coordinate the trains

1018
00:49:08,766 --> 00:49:10,400
to clear the gridlock

1019
00:49:10,400 --> 00:49:12,933
and reboot
the railway's software.

1020
00:49:12,933 --> 00:49:14,233
(watch ticking)

1021
00:49:14,233 --> 00:49:15,700
MAN:
Let's get it east to Farringdon

1022
00:49:15,700 --> 00:49:16,866
and try to change ends...
Yeah, yeah,
yeah.

1023
00:49:16,866 --> 00:49:18,833
...and see if we can
clear enough to...

1024
00:49:18,833 --> 00:49:20,266
Yeah, at least we'll create
some space.

1025
00:49:20,266 --> 00:49:21,833
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

1026
00:49:21,833 --> 00:49:24,100
NARRATOR:
After nearly four hours of

1027
00:49:24,100 --> 00:49:26,066
trying to reboot the software,

1028
00:49:26,066 --> 00:49:28,633
and multiple attempts
to untangle the fleet...

1029
00:49:28,633 --> 00:49:30,433
Are you calling it, Paul?

1030
00:49:30,433 --> 00:49:33,666
NARRATOR:
...the team is forced
to abort the test.

1031
00:49:33,666 --> 00:49:35,033
(people talking in background)

1032
00:49:35,033 --> 00:49:37,566
MITCHELL:
The system is brilliant at

1033
00:49:37,566 --> 00:49:39,233
managing a steady state,

1034
00:49:39,233 --> 00:49:41,266
and it's actually
really good at managing,

1035
00:49:41,266 --> 00:49:44,566
like, partial degradation
when you've got minor delays,

1036
00:49:44,566 --> 00:49:47,733
but when it gets
to such a bad situation,

1037
00:49:47,733 --> 00:49:49,766
and you've got a train
that's blocking the line,

1038
00:49:49,766 --> 00:49:51,100
there's not much it can do--
it can't...

1039
00:49:51,100 --> 00:49:54,500
It can't teleport trains
around a blockage.

1040
00:49:55,900 --> 00:49:59,400
Because we had so many delays,
we had to suspend the service

1041
00:49:59,400 --> 00:50:00,733
and park all the trains
up in the depots.

1042
00:50:02,066 --> 00:50:03,433
NARRATOR:
The team didn't make

1043
00:50:03,433 --> 00:50:06,066
its 24-trains-per-hour
target today.

1044
00:50:07,700 --> 00:50:10,466
And there are still
more glitches to fix.

1045
00:50:10,466 --> 00:50:13,833
♪ ♪

1046
00:50:13,833 --> 00:50:17,066
It's unfortunate, but,
but it's, it's our baby,

1047
00:50:17,066 --> 00:50:19,033
and we've got to
deal with it.

1048
00:50:19,033 --> 00:50:20,833
NARRATOR:
Over the next four months,

1049
00:50:20,833 --> 00:50:23,500
Pradeep's team
continues to test

1050
00:50:23,500 --> 00:50:25,700
and develop the software.

1051
00:50:25,700 --> 00:50:27,900
♪ ♪

1052
00:50:27,900 --> 00:50:30,833
In May 2022,

1053
00:50:30,833 --> 00:50:32,700
a very special visitor arrives

1054
00:50:32,700 --> 00:50:37,133
to give the finished railway
a royal seal of approval--

1055
00:50:37,133 --> 00:50:39,300
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,

1056
00:50:39,300 --> 00:50:41,800
in one of her
final public appearances.

1057
00:50:41,800 --> 00:50:44,500
ANDY BYFORD:
I would like to thank
Her Majesty the Queen

1058
00:50:44,500 --> 00:50:47,400
for gracing us with
her presence here today.

1059
00:50:47,400 --> 00:50:50,933
♪ ♪

1060
00:50:50,933 --> 00:50:53,533
NARRATOR:
The new railway is now known as

1061
00:50:53,533 --> 00:50:56,300
the Elizabeth Line.

1062
00:50:56,300 --> 00:50:58,666
A week later,

1063
00:50:58,666 --> 00:51:00,566
crowds gather to be
the first to travel

1064
00:51:00,566 --> 00:51:03,966
on the new
Elizabeth Line trains.

1065
00:51:03,966 --> 00:51:06,033
This is a bit of history
in the making, isn't it?
Exactly.

1066
00:51:06,033 --> 00:51:07,200
This is really a game-changer.

1067
00:51:08,633 --> 00:51:10,866
NARRATOR:
Over two million people
use the new line

1068
00:51:10,866 --> 00:51:12,466
in the first week,

1069
00:51:12,466 --> 00:51:16,900
helping to take the strain off
London's packed Tube lines.

1070
00:51:16,900 --> 00:51:18,333
MARK WILD:
It's been a real effort.

1071
00:51:18,333 --> 00:51:20,000
I'm so proud of
the whole team

1072
00:51:20,000 --> 00:51:21,966
that pulled together
to make this happen.

1073
00:51:21,966 --> 00:51:24,666
♪ ♪

1074
00:51:24,666 --> 00:51:26,633
MILLER:
I think in 100 years' time,

1075
00:51:26,633 --> 00:51:28,566
people will
look back at Crossrail

1076
00:51:28,566 --> 00:51:33,400
and they will see
what courage it took.

1077
00:51:33,400 --> 00:51:36,233
Future engineers,
future British citizens

1078
00:51:36,233 --> 00:51:38,233
will say,
"This is awesome.

1079
00:51:38,233 --> 00:51:39,700
"This is an amazing project

1080
00:51:39,700 --> 00:51:42,566
"that, that is for the benefit

1081
00:51:42,566 --> 00:51:45,366
of everyone in this region."

1082
00:51:45,366 --> 00:51:47,500
NARRATOR:
It's taken 13 years,

1083
00:51:47,500 --> 00:51:51,200
almost $25 billion,

1084
00:51:51,200 --> 00:51:55,133
and the determination
of 75,000 workers

1085
00:51:55,133 --> 00:51:58,733
to finally complete the largest

1086
00:51:58,733 --> 00:52:03,366
and one of the most ambitious
rail projects in the world.

1087
00:52:03,366 --> 00:52:08,400
♪ ♪

1088
00:52:21,233 --> 00:52:24,466
♪ ♪

1089
00:52:44,900 --> 00:52:48,300
ANNOUNCER:
This program is available
with PBS Passport

1090
00:52:48,300 --> 00:52:50,700
and on Amazon Prime Video.

1091
00:52:50,700 --> 00:52:54,700
♪ ♪

1092
00:53:05,300 --> 00:53:10,900
♪ ♪