Engineering news
The first of 66 new trains for London’s new Crossrail line has been revealed at Bombardier Transportation’s test track in Derby.
Crossrail, which has now been named the Elizabeth Line, will run from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east through 40 accessible stations when fully opened in 2019.
The first Class 345 trains will be seven-carriages long, 160m, and operate between Liverpool Street and Shenfield from May 2017. The first full length, nine-carriage trains, which will be 200m long, will be first introduced between Heathrow and Paddington from May 2018 and has a capacity of 1,500 passengers.
The trains, which are based on Bombardier’s Aventra design, are made form lighter materials and feature regenerative braking to use up to 30% less energy than similar trains. They have walk-through carriages, air conditioning, CCTV for passenger security and real-time travel information.
The first train will now undergo a rigorous testing programme in Derby and from next month at the Old Dalby test centre in Leicestershire. The trains will be loaded with more than 100 tonnes of weight to simulate being full of passengers, and testing includes taking a complete carriage to a climatic chamber to ensure passengers will be kept comfortable at the extremes of temperature London can experience.
Once trials are completed, testing equipment will be removed from the first trains and the interiors of the trains will be completed with seats and moquette seat-covers before delivery for passenger service.
The trains are being built and tested at Bombardier Transportation's site in Derby, supporting 760 jobs and 80 apprenticeships.
Peter Doolin, vice-president projects, Crossrail and London Underground at Bombardier Transportation, said: “We are delighted to be working with TfL on this flagship project to deliver the Elizabeth Line trains and look forward to continuing to work together with TfL in manufacturing, testing and introducing these new trains into service in London."