Transport for London has announced that it has received the first of its new Piccadilly line trains, ahead of an intensive testing programme.
The test is the first of a 94-strong fleet of trains being built by Siemens Mobility for TfL, being introduced to replace the current fleet that is almost half a century old. This comes as part of a modernisation programme worth £2.9 billion, working to improve journey times, train frequency and reliability, whilst also making the line more accessible and sustainable.
Most of the new trains will be built at the new Simens Mobility factory in Goole, however, this tester was constructed in Vienna, Austria. After being built, the train spent the last year on the test track in Germany, before travelling to London. Testing in London will focus on integration, making sure that it is compatible with the existing Piccadilly line, and will initially take place at night.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said:
"It's an exciting moment for London as testing begins on the new Piccadilly line trains. These state-of-the-art trains - most of which will be manufactured here in the UK - will be more spacious, equipped with CCTV cameras and, for the first time ever in a Deep Tube train, air-conditioned, to make everyone's journeys more comfortable.
"These new trains are just one example of the work we're doing to continue delivering the world-class transport network Londoners deserve, building a better, greener London for everyone."
The Piccadilly line is one of the capital’s busiest, and this move will see nine-carriage trains increasing capacity by about 10%. Lighter, and more energy-efficient than the original design, the new trains will also be improved through developments such as air-conditioning., enhanced digital display screens, and wider doorways.
Stuart Harvey, Chief Capital Officer at Transport for London, said:
"The countdown is on for the next generation of Tube trains to start serving London, with the arrival of the first, new Piccadilly line train in the capital this month. These new trains are going to transform the experience of millions of our customers, providing a more frequent and reliable service on walk-through, air-conditioned trains with a host of features that will make journeys quicker, easier and more comfortable. We now have a year of rigorously testing the new trains before we start bringing them into service by the end of 2025."
Image credit: iStock
