Scheme built by team featuring Kier and Bam Nuttall

Work to build Crossrail’s Farringdon station has become the first on the central London section of the route to reach a handover landmark – a week after the railway was handed a £825m bailout by the government.

Farringdon has been given a T-12 rating, meaning the station is substantially complete and is now considered to be 12 weeks away from being ready for handover to Transport for London (TfL).

Work at the station, which has been built by a Bam, Ferrovial and Kier (BFK) joint venture, will now focus on the testing and commissioning of systems. The BFK team has now begun demobilising ahead of the handover process.

The station was designed by a team made up of US architect Scott Wilson, Aedas and landscape practice Burns & Nice, based a stone’s throw away from station at Cowcross Street, but which went into liquidation last April after 22 years in business.

Farringdon will have two main entrances, both with ticket halls, one at the Barbican and the other at the existing Farringdon underground and Thameslink station.

It is expected to be one of the busiest stations in the UK as it will connect with three tube lines as well as national rail services.

Custom House was the first of the new Crossrail stations to be handed over to TfL earlier this year.

Paddington, which has been designed by Weston Williamson and is being built by a Costain Skanska JV, is expected to be the next Crossrail station to complete.