If you took the Piccadilly line in London last weekend, you might have been wondering just when the new fleet of trains is due to arrive with that sweet, sweet air conditioning. They’re still very much coming, but it’s now been confirmed we’ll have to wait a little longer for the new models to hit the tracks.
Over the last few years, they’ve announced the new trains (which feature the aforementioned air-con, plus a sleek new design, increased capacity, and walk-through carriages), and we’ve seen them snapped in their thorough testing process in Austria and here in the UK. They were initially slated to arrive in late 2025, but now the date has been pushed back to the second half of 2026, as the testing phase is carried out.
In a press release, TfL said that the delay was down to the nature of the challenge of introducing the new trains into the carriages of one of the deepest and oldest lines on the London Underground network. Once complete, it will mark the first ‘Deep Tube train’ to boast air conditioning. The process is more complex than initially thought, meaning the testing phase needed to be rescheduled as TfL and Siemens have worked together to address issues.
So while they won’t be on the tracks for more than a year, they’re working towards the safety of them running and once they do hit the lines, they’ll likely be worth the wait with their (literally and figuratively) cool carriages and more energy efficient running.
Speaking on the new trains, Stuart Harvey, TfL’s Chief Capital Officer, said: ”We’re proud and excited that these innovative new trains on the Piccadilly line will have a transformative effect for London. This hugely complex project will boost capacity and make journeys more accessible and more comfortable for millions of people. This is an ambitious project with new 21st century trains providing engineering challenges in both building and introduction into service on a 20th century railway and it is critical that we ensure that safety comes first and that the trains are in top condition when they begin to service London.
“It will obviously be disappointing for customers that they will have to wait a bit longer for the new trains, and I regret that. But I would like to assure Londoners and visitors to our city that we are working extremely closely with Siemens to ensure that the new trains can be introduced as soon as possible in the second half of next year.”