Transport for London (TfL) today confirmed that, following the completion of a 10 day standstill period, it has now signed a contract with Bombardier to build a new fleet of trains which will come into service from 2018.

The contract will see 45 new trains built in Derby, supporting hundreds of jobs in the area and more than 20 apprenticeships. TfL's wider supply chain supports some 60,000 jobs outside the Capital.

The new trains will operate on the Liverpool Street to Enfield Town, Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters) and Chingford routes, which became part of the TfL network in May, as well as on the routes between Barking and Gospel Oak and between Romford and Upminster. It will also enable London Overground to improve service frequencies on other routes.

The trains will transform the service experienced by customers on these routes, and will have similar features to the fleet that serves other parts of the London Overground network, including walk-through carriages, air-conditioning and improved accessibility. TfL's 24 stations on the West Anglia routes are now, as with the rest of London Overground, staffed at all times and are undergoing an extensive programme of cleaning and other improvements to bring the service up to the high standards experienced elsewhere on the network.

Mike Brown MVO, Managing Director of London Rail, said: `These 45 new trains will significantly improve the comfort, reliability and overall quality of train services for our customers. Some of the trains we have inherited along the West Anglia route are over 30 years old and have not been in use for some time. We're now working hard to overhaul these trains to make them more reliable until the new trains come into service from 2018.

'Ordering new trains for the Gospel Oak to Barking line and West Anglia route together, as well as including a provision to order more trains should passenger demand warrant additional capacity, ensures that we get best value for money for our customers.'

Per Allmer, President, Western Europe, Middle East and Africa, Bombardier Transportation, said: `These important contracts demonstrate TfL's continued confidence in our ability to provide high quality transportation products and services. We look forward to not only delivering these new trains for TfL, but also providing ongoing maintenance and technical support.'
Ends

Notes to Editors:

  • The contract is for 45 trains to be introduced from 2018
  • 31 new trains to replace all the old Class 315 and Class 317 trains on the Overground West Anglia and Romford to Upminster routes
  • 8 new four-carriage trains for the electrification of the existing Overground route between Gospel Oak and Barking
  • 6 new trains to bolster services on other Overground routes
  • The contract also gives TfL options for more trains to meet future demand and provide potential frequency improvements. The contract between TfL and Bombardier covers the manufacture and maintenance of a new fleet
  • The Gospel Oak to Barking route, which is already part of London Overground, is being electrified by Network Rail and due to be completed in 2017. The new four carriage electric trains will run on the route after electrification has been completed, replacing all of the two-carriage Class 172