TfL: Watch a fly-through of new Piccadilly line trains

The new factory at which a fleet of trains for the Piccadilly line will be built has nearly been completed.

With the existing trains approaching 50 years in use, Transport for London (TfL) has commissioned a fleet of 94 new trains with a capacity 10% greater than existing stock.

A digital fly-through video has been created by Siemens Mobility, which has the contract as part of a £2.9bn spend on the line.

The firm is in the final stages of fitting out a new factory in Goole, Yorkshire where up to 80% of the Tube trains will now be produced, up from a figure of 50%.

The factory is due to open this spring and is part of the wider rail village where the company says up to 700 jobs will be created, along with up to 1,700 opportunities in the supply chain.

Sambit Banerjee, joint CEO of Siemens Mobility, said: "For the first time Siemens Mobility will assemble trains here, in Britain. This is a truly exciting milestone not just for us but the industry and local economies as a whole. And the fact that we will be increasing the amount up to 80% of Piccadilly line Tube trains being assembled in Goole is a testament of our manufacturing capabilities.

"We are proud to be assembling these trains here in Yorkshire, which will transform rail travel for commuters and visitors to our great capital city. These next generation of walk-through, air conditioned, energy efficient Tube trains for Britain will be put together right here by the next generation of engineers.”

Stuart Harvey, TfL’s chief capital officer, said: “Producing more Piccadilly line trains in Goole will support local supply chains, clearly demonstrating how investment in transport in London benefits the whole of the UK. We have ensured that this development will not impact when the first train arrives for testing in London later this year, ahead of entering service in 2025, nor the planned timetable uplift in 2027.

“Subject to long-term certainty on government funding, the factory in Goole is also expected to deliver a replacement fleet for the Bakerloo line, which at more than 50 years old is the oldest train in passenger service in the UK.”

The first Piccadilly line train has been delivered from Goole’s sister factory in Vienna, and has been undergoing testing by Siemens Mobility’s engineers at its test track and climate chamber in Germany.

The first train is due to arrive in London this summer, ahead of TfL infrastructure testing and integration. The trains are expected to enter service in London in 2025.  

Siemens Mobility said in a statement: "The Piccadilly line trains are based on Siemens Mobility’s Inspiro family of metro trains and offer passengers an improved customer experience with walk-through, air-conditioned carriages and improved accessibility.

"The new metro trains will increase capacity by around 10% and are also lighter than existing designs which will mean the trains are more energy efficient as well as providing a smoother ride for passengers. This is from the semi-articulated design enabling fewer bogies to be fitted on the longer 113 metre train.

"All trains will be fitted with digital passenger information screens with real time information and CCTV in the carriages."