TfL Rail

TfL Rail is the current name of the commuter railway line in London and its environs that serves the 14 stations on the Great Eastern Main Line from Liverpool Street in central London to Shenfield in Essex. It is operated by MTR Corporation (Crossrail) Ltd under contract to Transport for London (TfL), and forms part of the future Crossrail route from Shenfield to Reading and Heathrow Airport.

TfL Rail took control of the Liverpool Street to Shenfield "metro" service in May 2015. It will be re-branded as the Elizabeth line in December 2018 when the central underground section of the route opens.

History
In June 2013 TfL announced that Arriva, MTR Corporation, Keolis/Go-Ahead Group and National Express Group had been shortlisted to bid for the concession to operate Crossrail, which was under construction.

In July 2014 TfL awarded the contract to MTR, with a duration of eight years with an option to extend by an additional two years.

MTR Corporation (Crossrail) Ltd was created as a new train operating company and took control of the "metro" service between Liverpool Street and Shenfield from the previous operator, Abellio Greater Anglia, in May 2015. The existing trains were re-painted in the TfL Rail livery, and appropriate branding, advertising and message boards were added at the 14 stations along the line. Every station is also staffed from first train to last of the day.

Route
TfL Rail utilises the existing 20 mi of track on the Great Eastern Main Line between Liverpool Street and Shenfield. The future Crossrail route will retain most of the use of this track, except the portion between Liverpool Street and Stratford, where trains will use new underground tunnels to connect to the central section of the route.

The 14 stations on TfL Rail are:

Services
The typical Monday-Saturday off-peak service pattern is:


 * 6 trains per hour (tph) from Liverpool Street to Shenfield, calling at all intermediate stations;
 * 6 tph from Shenfield to Liverpool Street, calling at all intermediate stations.

During peak times, service frequency is increased and calling patterns vary, with some stations omitted on certain services.

On Sundays there are typically two trains per hour between Liverpool Street and Shenfield and two trains per hour between Liverpool Street and Gidea Park.

Future services
The schedule of the handover of services on the Crossrail route is as follows:

Between Shenfield and Liverpool Street once the Crossrail brand has been introduced there will be at least 12 trains per hour at peak times and eight per hour during off-peak times.

Rolling stock
TfL Rail operations commenced with the existing fleet of rolling stock. These units will be replaced by 66 new trains built by the Canadian firm Bombardier Transportation.

The trains will continue to be maintained at the existing Ilford depot.

The fleet will be maintained at a new depot at Old Oak Common.