New S Stock Tube trains have started service on the Circle line, nine months after the first of 53 new vehicles was delivered to the Hammersmith & City line.
The Circle line is the latest Underground route to receive the trains. Last year, a roll out of 58 trains was completed on the Metropolitan line and the first of 53 new trains arrived on the Hammersmith & City line.
The S Stock order is worth around £1.5 billion and will see 191 new trains arrive on the network by the end of 2016.
The air-conditioned seven-car trains will generate 17 per cent extra capacity on lines previously served by stuffy six-car units.
Phil Hufton, London Underground’s chief operating officer, said: “As part of our continued drive to improve our passengers’ experience of travelling on the Tube we’re delighted to be rolling out these new air-conditioned, high-specification trains.”
Next year, 80 S Stock trains, the only walk-through trains on the network, will be delivered to the District line.
TFL recently announced the go ahead for Piccadily Line upgrade which will include new trains.
It’s a pity TFL have not looked at transfer of Rayners Lane/Uxbridge service of Piccadilly line to District Line with new S Stock trains which would then match those on joint section with Metropolitan Line on Rayners Lane to Uxbridge section allowing same height platforms for ALL trains?
The Piccadilly Line would mainly serve Heathrow with a limited service to Ealing Broadway to replace current District Line service!
As London Underground’s S-Stocks are taking over the 4 lines. With Metropolitan line having the S8 and Hammersmith & City and Circle lines having the S7 and District line also having the S7 in 2014-onwards.
What about replacing the Piccadilly & Bakerloo lines with new tube stocks to replace the old stocks that dont have overhead air-conditioning.
The Central & Waterloo and City lines are also expecting new tube stocks.
Alstom did built the 1995 stocks for Northern Line and 1996 stocks for Jubilee Line which could also see new tube stocks on those lines.
Bombardier who built the 2009 stocks for the Victoria Line could of also built the 2010 stocks for Bakerloo Line and 2011 stocks for the Piccadilly Line but that wasnt possible.
London Underground is seeing brand new tube stocks operated in the near future thanks to Bombardier and Alstom and even Hitachi and Siemens.