London Mayor rolls out ‘spanking new’ Overground trains

Mayor of London Boris Johnson unveiled the capital’s first air-conditioned Overground train this morning.

 

Built by Derby-based rail equipment manufacturer Bombardier in a £223m contract, the 54 new trains are set to roll out across the entire Overground network, offering driver-operated CCTV and walk-through carriages.

Borrowing heavily from Underground train design, the new carriages will be able to carry twice as many passengers as their existing counterparts once train platforms are extended in 2011, allowing trains with four carriages instead of three.

Flip-down seats feature heavily in the new design, which maximises standing space to accommodate more passengers for ‘hop-on, hop-off’ journeys.

Seats, aisles, gangways and doorways are wider in the new design, which Transport for London claims will facilitate quicker boarding and alighting, as well as better access for wheelchairs.

Johnson, who was at the unveiling at Willesden Junction station, says, ‘Every element of these brand spanking new trains has been crafted to meet the capital’s needs and the standard of design will surprise even the most hardened traveller.’

Hide Comments (1)Show Comments (1)
Comments
  • Ibolya Nemeth November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Fantastic about the new trains, but what about the actual station? Covered with litter, pavement a mess…shame Willesden Junction lets the whole unveiling down

  • Post a comment

Latest articles