Elizabeth Line passengers protected thanks to high-performance glazing

Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems UK manufactured the floor-to-ceiling platform screen and door systems in order to realise a transparent safety barrier between the platform edges and the track. The glazed barriers feature on both the 240 metre-long eastbound and westbound platforms at Paddington, Bond Street, Woolwich, Canary Wharf, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street and Whitechapel stations.

The glazing comprises two pieces of advanced toughened glass based on the technology that underpins the Pilkington Pyroclear range, thereby addressing the current risk requirements (among them barrier safety, blast resistance and fire protection).

The Elizabeth Line is designed to serve 41 accessible stations, 31 of them upgraded, including all three terminal rail stations at Heathrow Airport and services to Reading. It’s on track to boost the capital’s rail capacity by 10%, bringing an additional 1.5 million people within 45 minutes’ commute of central London.

Crossrail now a reality

Kristian Chalmers, head of sales at Pilkington UK, explained: “We’re proud to be one of the many suppliers from across the UK’s nations and regions that have helped Crossrail to become a reality. Naturally, a project on this scale demands the specification of high-performance materials that can withstand very high traffic, while also meeting critical safety requirements.”

Chalmers continued: “Knorr-Bremse chose to work with us on the project for the Elizabeth Line due to the strength and quality of the Pilkington Pyroclear product’s technology and our ability to meet both a demanding technical brief and a complex programme. The glass is an ideal choice for projects with safety and security standards as high as this. This is reflected in the fact that we now have products listed in London Underground’s approved product directory.”

*Further information is available online at www.pilkington.com/en-gb/uk