New state-of-the-art Piccadilly line tube put through 'rigorous testing' in Germany

  • Watch for a sneak peak of the new trains

A new Piccadilly line tube train - that will finally bring air conditioning to the deep underground line - is being put through its paces during testing at a German site.

There will be 94 new state-of-the-art trains built, and the first test train is at the Test and Validation Centre in Wegberg-Wildenrath, Germany.

As well as being smoother and more energy efficient, the 94 new trains will be fully walk-through and will have improved accessibility.

The new metro trains will also increase capacity by around 10% and are also lighter than existing designs which will mean the trains are more energy efficient, quieter and smoother.

All trains will be fitted with CCTV in the carriages.

Air-conditioned carriages, CCTV and improved accessibility are just some of the upgrades to the old model.

The train will be tested on a dynamic track to demonstrate acceleration and braking along with noise and vibration trials.

A three-car formation of the Piccadilly line carriages has been put through testing in a special climate chamber to ensure the trains will be able to endure extreme weather conditions.

Tests focused on the effects of extreme ambient temperatures from -15°C to 40°C, ice and high wind speeds of up to 100km/h to check the train can still operate in extreme weather conditions.

The carriages are being tested to withstand temperatures of -15°C to 40°C.

Monitors are being used to understand what passengers would experience, measuring humidity and temperatures in the carriages.

Siemens Mobility is building 94 Piccadilly line trains for TfL, with around half set to be assembled from the new train manufacturing facility in Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire.

Work from the UK-based site will commence next year. Up to £200m is being invested in developing the rail village, which will create up to 700 skilled jobs, as well as up to 1,700 in the supply chain and 250 during construction.

Stuart Harvey, TfL’s Chief Capital Officer, said: “Progress on bringing a new fleet of state-of-the-art Tube trains into service in 2025 on the Piccadilly line continues apace with rigorous testing now underway on all aspects of the train’s functionality and performance.

"The most important thing now is that we are making the case to Government for the vital long-term capital investment we need to continue with improvements like this, which support jobs and economic growth.

"We want to follow the introduction of these new trains on the Piccadilly line by doing the same on the Bakerloo line, replacing the 51-year-old trains that it currently operates, and by continuing to modernise our fleets and signalling to make sure they remain safe and reliable."

The intensive testing is taking place in the build up to the first train arriving in London next summer for further testing and integration.

The new trains will start entering service in London in 2025, replacing the existing fleet dating from the 1970s.