Starting in 2018, Crossrail will link Maidenhead, Berkshire, in the west to Shenfield, Essex, and Abbey Wood, south-east London, in the east.

BBC: Crossrail bridges in Slough and Hillingdon to be replaced

Once complete, the rail line will run from Abbey Wood in south-east London to Heathrow and Maidenhead, Berkshire, in the west.

BBC: Bronze Age transport route 'found during Crossrail dig'

Services are expected to start running from 2017, including the south-east section down to Abbey Wood, which will open up the Thames Gateway.

BBC: NEWS | UK | England | London | Fares 'to rise to fund Crossrail'

Plaid Cymru AM Leanne Wood, and Jonathan Edwards, the new Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP, urged "left-leaning or disillusioned Liberal Democrat supporters in Wales to switch their allegiance".

BBC: New and ex-Welsh secretaries in referendum 'smear' row

The BBC's Middle East correspondent, Paul Wood, says the call by some Palestinian officials for people to defend the Haram al-Sharif or Temple Mount, site of the al-Aqsa mosque, comes amid rumours of plans by Jewish extremists to take control of the area.

BBC: US envoy George Mitchell postpones Israel visit