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TFL unveils new London Overground trains

Published: 13/07/2009 - Filed under: News »

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Transport for London has unveiled the new trains which will be gradually rolled out over the London Overground network, with features including air conditioning and more space for passengers.

The London Overground system serves stations in north London including Watford Junction, Wembley Central, Stratford and Barking, as well as stations south of the river such as Richmond and Clapham Junction. It will also incorporate the forthcoming extension to the East London line, including stations such as Crystal Palace and West Croydon in south London.

The new fleet will be similar to Tube trains, with flip-down seats and more standing room “reflecting the type of short trips most passengers make on the network”. The trains will also have air conditioning, walkthrough carriages, in-carriage screens with real-time information, and improved CCTV.

The first of the new trains was unveiled at Willesden Junction station today, with a total of 54 due to come online by 2011. The first 24 trains will run on the existing north London, west London and Watford-Euston lines of the Overground network, with another 20 to be delivered for the East London line extension due to be completed next year. A further 10 will also be delivered to run throughout the network by 2011.

The trains will initially run with three carriages, with a capacity of 500 passengers, an 8 per cent increase on the current fleet. From 2011 the trains will increase to four carriages (with a capacity of 700 passengers), when exisitng Overground stations have been extended to accommodate the longer trains.

The new trains form part of TFL’s plan to transform the Overground network into an orbital railway around London by 2012, by connecting existing links at Clapham Junction and Surrey Quays. Click here for the existing and planned London Overground network.

For more information visit tfl.gov.uk.

Report by Mark Caswell

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COMMENTS » 

RichardEnglish - 17/07/2009 08:49

So they're still not serving that unimportant and scarcely used destination, the Excel Exhibition centre, then (as the North London Line did until just a few years ago).

Mind you, it's always such fun changing at Canning Town onto that wonderful DLR that I suppose we shouldn't really complain. After all, Excel is only the venue for the World Travel Market, a very minor event that only attracts those unimportant travel and tourism executives.

ighinedion - 09/09/2009 09:13

I completely hate the New London Overground Trains. They are terrible. I get this train from Stratford and there are hardly any seats. The standing space is so clumsy that people are standing over you when you do get a seat, which is very annoying. Short people suffer if they cannot stand near the edge. The seats are very uncomfortable and are too small and close together that you can read what the next person is reading. This train is not fit enough for Cattle. And I cannot believe that TFL actually approved this horrible design. I try my best to get on the old trains where possibly because they are so much better. Please rethink this design before the whole of London suffers.

TonyP123 - 22/09/2009 03:44

Well, the majority of people said they wanted more room on the trains, and that's exactly what you got, if the seats were bigger then tere'd be less of them, if they were 2+2 or 2+3 seats then there's be no more room. Unfortunately whatever you do someone will always be unhappy.

Patsywillis - 30/09/2009 09:32

I too hate the new trains - there may be more room - to stand - but less seats and they are less comfortable. I get a seat now much less often than I used too and standing is difficult, especially leaning against the padded bits which play havoc with the knees and ankles! There is nowhere for bags or luggage and the struggle to get off at busy times is worse than ever. Yesterday evening the train was unbearably hot - what happened to the air conditioning?

Chrisar - 09/10/2009 15:25

I've suffered the horrendous morning journey from Canonbury to Gunnersbury for the past few years. It was always a shocking service under Silverlink and so I was very happy when TfL bought them out, and even happier to discover that they were getting new trains. However, I have to say that apart from looking shiny & new with the ability to cram even more people on, they are a real disappointment.

At least before if I could get on, I would get a seat within two or three stops and enjoy reading my book to work. Now however, the chances of getting a seat are minimal, and so I have to stand for around 40 minutes in both directions. That is hardly progress, and it's a shame that TfL had the chance to make a real difference, but have fallen way short of the mark.

It's obviously been designed by people who don't use the service, as the only person who seems to be more comfortable is the driver. In fact just about everyone I have spoken to agrees that they much prefer the older trains, which we also agree were pretty awful, so I think it's been a massive blunder. I don't think the frequency of the service helps as if you're going beyond Willsden Junction, you have to wait 20 mins for a train, which is far far worse than before.

The tube like design may work when there's a train every minute, but if you have to wait 20 mins then it's not much good. Just hoping that a more frequent service and more carriages will help the situation to give people who use the service a more comfortable journey that they deserve. I doubt TfL will be going back to the drawing board on this, so the least they can do is get the trains running every few minutes or so! Here's hoping to a more comfortable 40 mins journey sometime in the future. Is that really too much to ask?

LeroyStanley - 31/03/2011 10:01

My comment is now that they have completed the link extension of Dalston Junction to Highbury & Islington, There are propsed extensions from Surrey Quays to Clapham Junction.

My main question is to the mayor of london is if there were any future extension developments regarding London Overgound is an extension from New Cross to Thamesmead Town Centre as Thamesmead is poorly served towards Central London, I'm absolutely delighted that Woolwich Arsenal has finally have the Docklands Light Railway and officially secured the Crossrail link, having the London Overground extension to Thamesmead via Lewisham and Woolwich would open massive opportunities for people living in Thamesmead with no means of accessing Abbey Wood which contrives of travelling by bus to their local station.

The Mayor must consider this as this would make a whole difference to the residents of Thamesmead and bring in that much more revenue to further improving the transport system.

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