The new Whitechapel station is a key interchange hub on the Elizabeth line, serving thousands of passengers per day.
It is one of ten new stations constructed for the Elizabeth line (constructed as part of the Crossrail project) and for the first time, provides step-free access which will benefit visitors to the internationally renowned Royal London Hospital situated just across the road.
The new station means that Whitechapel will be a short 3-minute train ride away from Canary Wharf, a 7-minute ride to Tottenham Court road and a 36-minute ride to Heathrow when the Elizabeth line opens.
Impressive engineering
This project was delivered by a joint venture consisting of Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall and VINCI Construction (BBMV). Works included the new station bridge concourse and a new ticket hall, behind a retained Victorian façade. In addition, the platforms of the existing Hammersmith & City and District lines were also upgraded.
Along with the main station works, the contract also involved constructing new shafts and platforms for the Elizabeth line tunnels, as well as the related architecture and mechanical and electrical infrastructure. Piling works were carried out in-house by Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering alongside Bachy Soletanche, while the mechanical and electrical work was installed by Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick.
of structural steel work used
escalators installed
new major stations for the Elizabeth line
Sustainability on track
The new station has been awarded a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ certificate, reflecting the strong emphasis on sustainability throughout its construction and into its operations.
Sustainable solutions implemented on the new station include low energy light bulbs and wood and aggregates from sustainable sources. The escalators also switch to a low energy mode and reduce their speed during quiet times to reduce their energy use. A green roof was also installed and planted with sedum seeds, to help improve air quality and biodiversity in the area.
A catalyst for regeneration
The arrival of the Elizabeth line is part of a masterplan to regenerate the Whitechapel area, through the delivery of 3,500 new homes and 5,000 new jobs.
Keeping essential services running
The station is situated in the heart of the area with homes, shops and a school, amongst other public services nearby. To ensure that construction works did not negatively impact local residents and other stakeholders, we liaised closely with them throughout the project.
We also scheduled our works to ensure the London Underground and London Overground lines in the existing station continued to operate as normal, making Whitechapel an incredibly complex construction challenge.
Whitechapel Station facts and figures:
- 18,000m³ concrete poured
- 2,800 tonnes of structural steel work used
- 355m cross passage tunnel
- 3 x escalators installed
- 2 x 30m-deep shafts excavated