New Tube for London

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

New Tube for London
'Inspiro London'
ManufacturerSiemens Mobility
Built atGoole, East Riding of Yorkshire and Vienna, Austria
Family nameInspiro
Formation9 cars per train[1]
Capacity1,076 per train (268 seated)[1]
Line(s) servedPiccadilly
Specifications
Train length113.7 m (373 ft 3⁄8 in)[1]
Width2.648 m (8 ft 8+1⁄4 in)[1]
Height2.844 m (9 ft 3+15⁄16 in)[1]
Maximum speed100 km/h (62 mph)[1]
Traction systemIGBT-VVVF (Siemens SIBAS32)
Electric system(s)Third and fourth rail (630 to 750 volts DC)[1]
Current collection methodContact shoe
Stock typeDeep-level tube
Notes
Underground sign at Westminster.jpg London transport portal

The New Tube for London (NTfL) is a type of London Underground train to be built by Siemens as part of its Inspiro family in Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire and Vienna, Austria.[2]

An initial batch of 94 nine-car trains has been ordered at a cost of £1.5bn to replace 1973 Stock trains on the Piccadilly line, with options for a total of 250 trains allowing replacement of all existing trains on the deep-level Central, Waterloo & City and Bakerloo lines. Trains will enter service from 2025, firstly on the Piccadilly line.[3][4][5] Trains will enter service with a train operator; however trains would be future-proofed to allow for driverless operation in future.[6]

History[]

Background[]

In the late 1990s, the Labour government initiated a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to reverse years of underinvestment in London Underground.[7] Under the PPP contracts, two private consortiums (Metronet and Tube Lines) would maintain, renew and upgrade London Underground infrastructure over a period of 30 years from 2003.[8] As part of the upgrade work, new rolling stock would be ordered.[9][10]

Following the delivery of 2009 Stock and S Stock trains, Metronet planned to order 24 new Bakerloo line trains, which would enter service by 2019.[9] Tube Lines planned to order 93 new Piccadilly line trains, which would enter service by 2014.[10] However, Metronet collapsed in 2007 after cost overruns,[11] and Transport for London (TfL) bought out the Tube Lines consortium in 2010, formally ending the PPP.[12]

Feasibility and initial planning[]

Following the collapse of the PPPs, TfL began planning the modernisation of Underground lines not started by the PPP. This project would include the eventual replacement of trains, new signalling and other upgrades to the Piccadilly, Central, Waterloo & City and Bakerloo lines.[13] This would complete the modernisation of Underground lines since the formation of TfL in 2000.[14]

According to TfL, existing trains on the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines are approaching the end of their useful lives, and the 1992 Stock used on the Central and Waterloo & City lines is significantly less reliable than more modern rolling stock.[13][15]

Replacement of these older trains with open gangway rolling stock - similar to the S Stock used on the Underground's subsurface lines - would increase passenger capacity, with new automatic signalling increasing capacity further.[13] Although open gangway train concepts were considered in the late 1990s,[16] the Bombardier 2009 Stock did not utilise this technology. New trains would also have air conditioning, which existing deep-level trains lack.[13] New trains would also have the potential to be driven automatically without a train operator, which would save operating costs and prevent disruption during strikes.[17] Unattended train operation would require the installation of Platform screen doors, a substantial additional cost.[13] However, the ASLEF and RMT trade unions that represent drivers strongly oppose the introduction of driverless trains, saying it would affect safety.[18][19]

Mockup of Siemens "evo" concept proposal

In 2011, Siemens presented "EVO" - a conceptual articulated train with walk-through cars, that would be 30 tonnes lighter, consume 17% less energy and have 11% more passenger capacity than existing trains.[20][21][22] A mock-up of this Siemens Inspiro design was exhibited at The Crystal between October 2013 and January 2014.[22] Siemens also proposed building the new train in the UK, after being criticised for building the Class 700 Thameslink trains in Germany.[23]

New Tube for London[]

In early 2014, the project was named New Tube for London (NTfL) and moved from a feasibility stage to the design and specification stage. A TfL feasibility study showed that new generation trains and re-signalling could increase capacity:

  • By 60% on the Piccadilly line with up to 36 trains per hour.[13]
  • By 25% on the Central line with up to 36 trains per hour.[13]
  • By 50% on the Waterloo & City line (if the track at Waterloo station remodelled).[13]
  • By 25% on the Bakerloo line capacity with 27 trains per hour.[13]

Overall, the project is estimated to cost a total of £16 billion, with a benefit cost ratio of 4.2 to 1.[6][24] The Piccadilly line would be the first to be upgraded, given the age of its rolling stock.[25] Other lines would then be upgraded over a period of around 10 years.

Bidding process[]

In early 2014, TfL invited train manufacturers to make expressions of interest in the Official Journal of the European Union.[26][27] TfL also commissioned industrial designers PriestmanGoode to create a conceptual design vision that would be used by the train manufacturers.[28][29][30] Unveiled in October 2014 to high acclaim,[31] the design included several features not seen before on the deep level tube, including walk-through carriages and air conditioning.[32][33]

In late 2014, TfL published a shortlist of manufacturers who had expressed an interest in supplying new trains - Alstom, Siemens, Hitachi, CAF and Bombardier.[32] The invitation to tender for the trains was issued in January 2016,[26][27] with a plan to award the contract in 2016, with trains entering service in 2023.[25] During the tender period, Bombardier and Hitachi formed a joint venture (JV) and CAF chose not to submit a bid. Three bids (Alstom, Siemens, Hitachi/Bombardier JV) were submitted in September 2016.[14] All bidders proposed to construct a UK factory, or use existing UK factories to build the trains.[34][35]

Contract award and future contract options[]

Due to TfL's financial situation, a large contract to purchase all 250 new trains could not be committed to.[36] Furthermore, purchasing both new signalling and new trains for the Piccadilly line also could not be afforded.[37] In mid-2018, a decision was taken to purchase the first batch of 94 trains for the Piccadilly line, with the contract containing options to purchase additional trains in future.[14][37] In 2019, TfL announced they had raised £1bn by selling and then leasing back Class 345 Crossrail trains. These funds would then be used to purchase Piccadilly line trains.[38]

In total, 250 trains could be ordered throughout the lifetime of the Deep Tube Upgrade Programme, comprising 100 trains for the Piccadilly line, 40 trains for the Bakerloo line, 100 trains for the Central line and 10 trains for the Waterloo & City line.[5]

Siemens 'InspiroLondon'[]

In June 2018, the Siemens Mobility Inspiro design was selected, with 94 trains ordered in a £1.5 billion contract.[39] In July 2018, the award was challenged in the High Court by the Hitachi/Bombardier JV.[40] The challenge was unsuccessful; Siemens was awarded the contract in November 2018.[41]

Around 50% of the trains will be assembled in a new factory in Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire,[35] with the remainder to be built at an existing Siemens factory in Vienna, Austria while the Goole factory is constructed.[2] In July 2020, Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited the Goole site to mark the start of construction of the factory.[42][43] Full manufacturing of the trains in Austria is due to commence in August 2021, with first deliveries to London taking place from 2024.[44]

Despite the lack of resignalling,[45] the purchase of new trains will still increase the capacity of the Piccadilly line, with 27 trains per hour at peak times by 2027.[3] Trains will enter service with a train operator. However, resignalling of the line could allow for driverless operation in future.[6]

Features of the new train include:[46][47][48]

  • 10% increase in passenger capacity per train due to the open gangway design.
  • Wider double doorways throughout, with no half width doors allowing for faster boarding
  • Energy consumption 20% lower than existing trains due to regenerative brakes, LED lighting and lighter construction
  • Air conditioning, for the first time on the Deep level tube
  • Faster and more reliable than existing older trains
  • Ability to run in driverless operation once lines have been resignalled
  • LED screens to provide passenger information and advertising

Siemens has branded the train "Inspiro London",[4] although some sources have named it "2024 Stock",[49] following existing naming precedent. As of March 2021, the official name of the train has not been confirmed by TfL.[4]

Initially, deliveries were to begin in 2023, with entry into service in 2024.[50] As of March 2021, the delivery schedule has slipped, and the trains are expected to enter service on the Piccadilly line in 2025.[2][4] Improvements to service levels would follow in 2027.[3][44]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Siemens specification sheet https://assets.new.siemens.com/siemens/assets/api/uuid:30e8ceea-66f4-49f0-87cf-d40d2f7a5829/siemens-mobility-piccadilly-line-tube-train-data-sheet.pdf
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Lydall, Ross (4 March 2021). "First look: TfL unveils design of new Piccadilly line trains". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Piccadilly Line: Plans for new 'walk-through' trains unveiled". BBC News. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "TfL and Siemens Mobility unveil detailed design of new Piccadilly line trains" (Press release). Transport for London. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "Siemens Mobility Limited to be awarded TfL contract to design and manufacture a new generation of Tube trains" (Press release). Transport for London. 15 June 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c Beard, Matthew (9 October 2014). "Revealed: Inside the new 'driverless' Tube trains to be phased in on London Underground from 2022". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  7. ^ "New blow to Tube sell-off plan". BBC News. 16 December 2000. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  8. ^ "Final stamp on Tube PPP deal". BBC News. 4 April 2003. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b "Metronet Brochure 2005" (PDF). Metronet. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 October 2006. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b "Details of Tube modernisation plans unveiled". Tube Lines. 8 January 2003. Archived from the original on 19 May 2006. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Metronet calls in administrators". BBC News. 18 July 2007. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Tube maintenance back 'in house' as new deal is signed". BBC. 8 May 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i "New Tube for London - Feasibility Report" (PDF). Transport for London. October 2014.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Deep Tube Upgrade Programme – Piccadilly line Upgrade Stage 1: Rolling stock replacement" (PDF). Transport for London. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  15. ^ Hawkins, John (January 2017). "LU Train reliability" (PDF). Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  16. ^ Hope, Richard (1 August 1998). "Space Train to boost Tube capacity". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  17. ^ "TfL prepares for driverless tube". Railnews. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  18. ^ "Driverless Tube trains: Unions vow 'war' over plan". BBC News. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  19. ^ "Driverless trains 'not going to happen'". BBC News. 16 February 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  20. ^ "Siemens Inspiro London". Atlantic Design. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  21. ^ Connor, Piers (January 2013). "Deep tube transformation". Modern Railways. pp. 44–47.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b "Siemens unveils London Underground concept train". Railway Gazette International. London. 20 June 2011.
  23. ^ "The Tube of the future? £1m per carriage Inspiro train concept is". Evening Standard. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2021. with a hint to the mayor that if he placed an order for one of the new trains for the Piccadilly, Bakerloo and Central lines it would be fulfilled in the UK. Siemens controversially manufactured the £1bn-plus Thameslink train order from the Government in its native Germany.
  24. ^ "The 'New Tube for London'". www.railtechnologymagazine.com. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  25. ^ Jump up to: a b "Rail and Underground Panel Item 6: New Tube for London" (PDF). Transport for London. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  26. ^ Jump up to: a b "New Tube for London Programme" (PDF). Board Minutes. Transport for London. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  27. ^ Jump up to: a b "New Tube for London Programme". Railway Gazette International. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  28. ^ Acharya, Dipal (23 October 2014). "Tunnel Vision: meet the team that are 'future-proofing' London's tubes". Evening Standard. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  29. ^ "New Tube for London". PriestmanGoode. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  30. ^ The New Tube for London, Transport for London, 9 October 2014, retrieved 6 March 2021
  31. ^ "Priestmangoode's driverless tube train designs for London Underground". Dezeen. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  32. ^ Jump up to: a b "Design for the 'New Tube for London' revealed" (Press release). TfL. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  33. ^ "London Underground: Designs for Tube trains unveiled". BBC News. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  34. ^ "French train firm unveils plans for £20m plant in north-west England". The Guardian. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  35. ^ Jump up to: a b "East Yorkshire factory wins £1.5bn Tube train deal". BBC News. 15 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  36. ^ Harris, Simon (3 January 2018). "Plan to sell part of Tube fleet branded 'quite mad'". ITV News. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  37. ^ Jump up to: a b "Deep Tube Programme in doubt". www.keymodernrailways.com. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  38. ^ "TfL awards controversial £1bn 'sale and leaseback' Crossrail fleet deal to Natwest-backed group". CityAM. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  39. ^ "Siemens to supply London Underground deep tube fleet". Metro Report International. 15 June 2018.
  40. ^ "Bombardier and Hitachi file high court papers over London Underground contract". International Railway Journal. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  41. ^ "TfL and Siemens sign £1.5bn New Tube for London contract". International Railway Journal. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  42. ^ "Prime Minister marks major milestone for Siemens Mobility's Goole rail facility". Siemens News and Information. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  43. ^ Riley, Anna; Laister, David (6 July 2020). "PM Boris Johnson hails Goole's train-building future on site visit". Business Live. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  44. ^ Jump up to: a b Hirani, Krupesh; Khan, Sadiq (5 July 2021). "Piccadilly line upgrade". Mayor's Question Time. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  45. ^ Mathewson, Jessie (9 July 2020). "Piccadilly line upgrade "paused" as Covid-19 hits TfL finances, Mayor confirms". East London and West Essex Guardian. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  46. ^ "Piccadilly Line: Plans for new 'walk-through' trains unveiled". BBC News. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  47. ^ "Improving the Tube - What we're doing - Improving the trains". Transport for London. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  48. ^ "Introducing the newest edition to the world's oldest metro system". Siemens Mobility. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  49. ^ "2024 Stock design due soon". Rail Express. No. 207. February 2021. p. 43.
  50. ^ "Siemens signs £1·5bn London Underground train contract". Metro Report International. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""