More new Tube trains are set to built at Siemens‘ new £200m train factory in Goole.
80% of the new trains for The Piccadilly Line will be built in Yorkshire, up from the originally planned 50%.
The Goole rail village, set to open in Spring 2024, is part of a £200m investment by Siemens and will create up to 700 new jobs.
The first new train was built in Vienna and is now undergoing testing in Germany before being delivered to London this Summer. Testing in the UK can then begin before trains enter service in 2025.
Siemens says that rolling stock for the UK market will be assembled here in the UK, starting with the Piccadilly Line trains and all future UK orders, including new Bakerloo Line trains, subject to Transport for London securing funding from the UK Government.
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.”
Responses
If TFL, London Underground would lower the price of their tickets I might use these new trains!
I wonder if the test track in Germany has a fourth rail ?
I understand the historical reason for a fourth rail on deep level tube lines but I have never understood the need on sub surface lines like the Metropolitan line. The East London Line had a fourth rail but this was removed when the ELL became part of the Overground.
Has anyone worked out the extra cost of having a fourth rail on the entire network ? It must be huge. It must surely be possible to design new trains that can operate on third rail and four rail and gradually eliminate the fourth rail from surface lines ?
Well it’s about time they had nicer train’s.
When I was traveling on them….
Blooming heck…….
It’s like traveling on the council bins . ☺️☺️
Rattle rattle and so flipping noisy.
Apparently it is something to do with signalling and the Earth. Whereby Earthing via the running rails affects the signalling system. So I understand.
All tracks a 4 rail for flexibility, so we can run Tube stock over the sub surface sections and so we don’t need two sets of engineering vehicles
Nice to see new London Underground trains to be manufactured and assembled at Siemens Goole manufacturing plant that will be built for the Piccadilly Line. And with new tube trains to be built for the Bakerloo Line as well to be manufactured in Goole. Marvellous.
Need some new orders for Derby Litchurch lane don’t we?? 🙏
Not manufactured, only assembled with parts imported.
Good point Tommo. I wonder if only sub assemblies will be sent to Goole meaning the assembly is relatively simple, so not manufacturing at all.
Great to hear, British built