A new London Underground test train has been vandalised after it arrived in London for its trial runs on the Piccadilly Line. The test train, featuring modern upgrades set to be introduced to the line in 2025, had only recently arrived from a factory in Germany when graffiti was sprayed along the sides of the carriages.
Reports of criminal damage to several train carriages were received by the British Transport Police at around 6.45 am on Monday. Enquiries into the incident are currently ongoing. Transport for London (TfL) confirmed that the new underground train fleet had been cleaned after the vandalism and was subsequently driven to its depot.
The new trains are scheduled to start operating on the Piccadilly line by the end of 2025, with a total of 94 trains expected to be fully rolled out by the end of 2027. The train had to travel 400 miles, being towed by another locomotive from Wildenrath, Germany, to London through the Channel Tunnel.
During a period of testing, the train will be assessed for compatibility with the Piccadilly line, operating overnight, during planned closures, and in between regular services. While the test train was manufactured in Germany, the majority of the new trains will be produced at Siemens Mobility’s new facility in East Yorkshire.
The new trains are designed to have walk-through carriages, wider doorways, information screens, CCTV cameras, and air-conditioning, marking a first for deep tube trains. TfL aims for the new trains to be 20% more energy-efficient than the current fleet as part of a £2.9bn modernisation programme to enhance journey times, train frequency, and reliability.
The British Transport Police has urged anyone with information regarding the vandalism to contact BTP by texting 61016 and quoting reference ’75 of 14 October’. For further travel news and advice, listeners are encouraged to tune in to Simon Calder’s podcast.