Inspiro-ing the Piccadilly Line – a look at TfL’s new trains
Transport for London (TfL) and Siemens Mobility have unveiled the detailed design of the new generation Tube trains for the Piccadilly line, which will soon be in production to replace the existing 1970s fleet.
94 new Siemens Inspiro ‘2024 Stock’ trains are due for delivery starting in 2025.
The state-of-the-art Tube trains will significantly improve the experience of millions of customers, with wider doors and longer, walk-through, air-conditioned carriages for more comfortable journeys. The new trains optimise space to boast 10 per cent more capacity, as well as being significantly lighter than existing designs, meaning energy efficiency is increased and damage to tracks is reduced.
The new trains will improve reliability and allow TfL to run more trains per hour during peak times from 2027 – up from 24 to 27. This will mean a train every 135 seconds at the busiest times – a 23% increase in the number of trains running at those times.
Half of the new train fleet will be built in Goole, East Yorkshire, employing up to 700 people in engineering and manufacturing roles – 250 in the construction phase and 1700 in the broader supply chain.
The order for the new Piccadilly line trains, with a further investment in signalling, would support 25,000 new jobs in London. It would also support the next generation of transport workers through apprenticeship places created both by Siemens Mobility, TfL and the wider supply chain.
What I notice from the picture of the interior is that there are no luggage racks. That is a feature the old stock still in use and was very useful when travelling through Heathrow. I imagine the reason is encourage people to use the more expensive alternatives through Paddington
I guess it’s a reflection on the fact that there are faster, more ‘geared up’ alternatives to travel to Heathrow, particularly from central London. These are very much designed to be people movers!
I guess that the 3 other tube lines (Bakerloo Line, Central Line and Waterloo & City Line) have been left out for the time being.