Crossrail: 'A journey from embarrassing farce to shiny railway'

I remember when coming down in the Crossrail tunnels involved helmets, steel boots, a safety briefing and you had to carry your own breathing apparatus in case there was a gas leak.

It used to be a building site underground - dusty and noisy and full of miners - as the huge boring machines inched their way through the London clay.

Well, today it is something very, very different - it is a brand new railway, to be known as the Elizabeth line, and it is very close to opening.

I went on one of the new trains now being tested below London.

The new Elizabeth Line will increase rail capacity by 10% in central London

It is very difficult not to be in awe of the engineering achievement as they whisk you from Paddington to Liverpool Street in 12 minutes.

The stations are huge and glistening. The trains clean, bright and fast. Eventually they'll run every few minutes.

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Of course we can't downplay the problems this scheme has had and the impact it has had on Londoners.

It is three-and-a-half years late, and is billions over budget.

The line is three-and-a-half years late, and is billions over budget

The early mantra of "on time and on budget" disappeared into an embarrassing farce as one management team was replaced by another.

I've spoken to countless businesses who have suffered due to the delays and the broken promises. The stress of the Crossrail delays has taken businesses to the brink.

And it will be a while before everything is open - Bond Street station is still behind schedule.

But now it seems the end is in sight and most of it will open in the next few months.

It will bring 1.5 million people to within a 45-minute journey of central London

Londoners will get quite a shock when they see it. It is big. It will increase rail capacity by 10% in central London and reduce congestion at other stations.

It'll bring 1.5 million people to within a 45-minute journey of central London.

At the moment, the scheme is carrying out "trial operations". They are carrying out 150 scenarios - like evacuations - to make sure the systems can cope.

Of course, no-one really knows the impact working from home will have on public transport - is Crossrail and infrastructure on this scale ever going to be built again?

But being on those trains as they shoot through the tunnels, after a tortuous and farcical journey - it seems the end is in sight.

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