CrossRail: Ventilation of the central London tunnels

The ventilation of the two 9 km long central London CrossRail tunnels and the five new subsurface stations required an extensive and intense period of design development and research. The high powered trains, with up to 12 cars and an ultimate service of 32 trains per hour will be significant generators of heat. The large number of people to be handled will require major investment to ensure their comfort and safety in both normal and emergency situations. This paper reviews the development of the design of the ventilation system, including the thermal and aerodynamic effects arising from train operations and the means of ensuring the safety of passengers, staff and emergency service personnel in the unlikely event of a fire.