Transport for London (TfL) has revealed fresh photos of the new London Underground Piccadilly line trains, which are currently undergoing testing in Germany. The first of the 94 new trains arrived in Germany and they are being put through their paces on the U7 line in Berlin.
The new trains are a significant upgrade on the current Piccadilly line fleet, which dates back to the 1970s. They will be longer, wider, and more energy-efficient, and they will feature air conditioning for the first time on a deep-level Tube line. The trains will also be walk-through, which will make it easier for passengers to move around.
The new trains are expected to enter service on the Piccadilly line in 2025. Once they are in operation, they will increase capacity by 10% and reduce journey times by up to 10 seconds. They will also make the Piccadilly line a more pleasant experience for passengers, with better air quality and more space.
The new trains are part of a £1.5 billion investment in the Piccadilly line, which is also being upgraded with new signalling and trackwork.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “These new trains will transform travel on the Piccadilly line, making them more comfortable for passengers and improving people’s daily journeys. Improvements like this also have a vital role to play in making our network more energy efficient and can only happen with continued government investment.
“I will continue to work with TfL and the Government to ensure we get the long-term investment our network needs and help build a better, more prosperous city for all Londoners.”
Stuart Harvey, TfL’s chief capital officer, said: “Seeing the first of our new Piccadilly line trains getting ready to undergo rigorous testing clearly demonstrates the hard work that has been going on behind the scenes to build a new fleet of state-of-the-art Tube trains for London. We remain on track for these new Piccadilly line trains, which will see air-conditioning brought to the Deep Tube network for the very first time, to start serving our customers from 2025.”
The new trains are based on Siemen Mobility’s Inspiro models which are lighter than existing designs which in turn makes them more energy-efficient.
Half of the fleet currently being built will be assembled at Siemen Mobility’s new site in Goole in East Yorkshire. The new site, which is close to opening has seen an investment of £200 million and hopes to create up to 700 skilled jobs.
Photo Credit: Siemens Mobility
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