Engineering news
The last of a 191 order of 'S Stock' trains for the London Underground has rolled off the production line at Bombardier's Litchchurch Lane site in Derby.
The new fleet, which comprises a total of 1,395 vehicles, is the UK’s largest ever rolling stock manufacturing contract. The trains will serve on four lines on the Tube the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.
The new S-Stock trains are more spacious than the rolling stock they replace, with walk-through carriages increasing capacity by as much as 25%.
The trains also provide significant energy savings from regenerative braking, and need less frequent maintenance. They are more reliable and are averaging in excess of 60,000 km between failures, said Bombardier.
Nick Brown, managing director of London Underground, said: “The trains have proved an instant hit with our customers and it’s easy to see why. With air-conditioning, more space, improved accessibility and better customer information systems, they are a major part of vital modernisation.”
Per Allmer, head of Western Europe, Middle East and Africa region at Bombardier Transportation said: “With the successful completion of this new [S Stock] fleet, together with our previous build of the new Victoria Line trains, we have now delivered more than 1,700 vehicles to London Underground since 2009 and amassed over two million engineering hours’ experience.
“As the only supplier currently providing air-conditioned stock on the Tube, we’re keen to capitalise on this experience in the future.”
Bombardier has produced a total of 191 new trains for the project. In total, the build consisted of 1,395 vehicles: 58 eight-car S8 units for the Metropolitan line and 133 seven-car S7 units for the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines.
In November 2015, the new S-Stock trains received public recognition through Transport for London’s 'Design Icons' search to find London's favourite transport designs. Over two months the public voted from a shortlist of 100 transport designs that had been carefully chosen by industry experts, with the S- Stock trains voted as one of the top 10 most popular designs.
The final entry into service of the new S-Stock fleet on the District Line is scheduled to be completed by 2016.