The London Underground is set to welcome its first new Piccadilly line trains in 50 years by the end of 2025. Siemens, the rail firm responsible for the new fleet, confirmed the start date for the 94 air-conditioned, walk-through trains.
Transport for London (TfL) is still seeking Government funding to upgrade the Bakerloo line fleet and to replace the Piccadilly line signalling, which would allow the new trains to run at a frequency of 36 trains per hour, similar to the Victoria line.
Mayor Sadiq Khan and TfL commissioner Andy Lord aim to highlight the economic benefits of this investment, particularly the job creation at Siemens’ new factory in Goole. Of the 94 new trains, 79 will be assembled in Goole, with the remainder built at Siemens’ existing factory in Vienna, Austria.
The first Vienna-built train is expected in London by the end of 2024 and will undergo a year of overnight testing before joining the Piccadilly line’s current fleet, which dates back to 1973.
“We are collaborating with Siemens, the Mayor of London, and the Government to ensure the continued benefits of this project, including funding for new Bakerloo line trains to replace the UK’s oldest operating passenger fleet,” said a TfL spokesperson. “We look forward to the arrival of the first new Piccadilly line test train later this year and its entry into service next year.”