Posted 4th October 2013 | 6 Comments
First air-conditioned tube train goes on display
WHAT could be the first air-conditioned tube train has been unveiled by Siemens, and a full-scale mock up is to go on public display in London's Docklands.
Siemens has been developing its concept in co-operation with the London Transport Museum and CBS Outdoor UK, as part of the celebrations of 150 years of London Underground, but the operator has not been directly involved.
LUL managers were invited to see the new 'Inspiro' for themselves on 3 October.
Air conditioning in the London tubes has been a challenge for many years, because the main running tunnels are only about 3.7m in diameter. This constricted space means that it is very difficult to dissipate the heat produced by conventional air conditioning.
However, a Siemens spokesman told Railnews that the trains would be 30 per cent more energy efficient and 20 per cent lighter. As a result the new trains would produce significantly less heat in operation, and the spare 'thermal overhead' should permit some heat to be removed from the compartments without boosting temperatures in the tunnels beyond their usual levels.
If Siemens is right, its design could be a major breakthrough. Although the new sub-surface 'S' stock trains now coming into service on the Underground have air-conditioning, previous builds of tube stock have not included it because of the problems with tunnel temperature.
A competition to find a cooling solution for trains in the deep tubes was staged by the Mayor of London a few years ago, but there were no successful entrants.
Siemens will be hoping to gain initial orders from London Underground for new stock on the Piccadilly and Bakerloo Lines, where the present fleets date from the 1970s and are the next in line for replacement following the delivery of the 'S' stock, which is being built by Bombardier in Derby.
The exhibition 'Going Underground' is being staged at The Crystal, which is a Siemens centre close to Royal Victoria station on the Docklands Light Railway, and will run for three months from 8 October.
Reader Comments:
Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.
Gregory Darroch, London
Whilst admittedly not part of the overall article, the matter of driverless trains is already in place on the underground. The Victoria, Central, Jubilee [?] and soon parts of the Northern line and in the future sub-surface lines will be automated, only requiring the 'driver' to sit back and read the newspaper, as can be regularly seen on the Victoria line!
(And of course the true 'driverless' railway is the DLR, where the trains only have a standby control position which is normally locked out of use. This has been the case since the first sections opened in 1987.--Editor.)
Andrew Gwilt, Wickford Essex
This new concept of the London Underground Siemens Inspiro "Evo" would be built for the 4 lines-Bakerloo, Piccadilly, Central and Waterloo & City lines.
The Bakerloo & Piccadilly lines will have their old stocks scrapped as Siemens are built this new tube train for the 2 preferred tube lines. And Central line & Waterloo and City line would see these new tube trains in 2018.
Tim Price, Bestwood Village
Looking at that front end was it designed for the Circle line?
Roger, Paisley, UK
Joginder, the front end looks fantastic!
Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
One has to seriously ask how appropriate driverless operation of London sprawling tube lines really is ?
Most driverless systems are either newly built or cover relatively short simple lines something with the exception of the Waterloo and City lines London lines are not!
As for the Piccadilly Line surely the best way forward would be to make it Cockfosters to Heathrow only with the Rayners Line / Uxbridge service transferred to the District Line with S Stock trains that would then match Metropolitan Line trains on the joints section making same height platforms possible for both lines.
As for new trains only the Piccadilly Line has recently gained funding but going by an item in London evening paper Siemens is looking for a bulk order for several lines with the possibility the trains will then be built in this country ,
The delay by Boris in not ordering new trains now raises the quests as to whether the upgraded Jubilee Line could get priority for a larger fleet of new trains allowing its existing ones to be cascaded to the Bakerloo Line and some to the Northern Line to cover Battersea extention .
Memories of Moorgate and where the controller would reside on these trains raises questions that need to be answered satisfactorily first.
As to those who see these trains as a way of removing power from the NUR.should remember the NUR will still control signals etc and it's actually ASLEF that will be more affected !
(Seriously ask as you will, but where does this story mention 'driverless' trains?--Editor.)
Joginder Singh, London
10 out of 10 for effort with the air con, train weight reducion and energy efficiency But minus several million for that front end