Staff at Bombardier’s Derby plant celebrated the production of the 1,000th Sub-Surface line carriage for London Underground.
Construction of SSL air-conditioned trains started in 2010 with the last of the 1,395 carriages scheduled to depart Derby in 2015. Current production levels see a new train leave Derby every week for testing at Old Dalby.
The trains have revolutionised travel across the capital following their introduction on the Metropolitan line and their increasing use on the Hammersmith and City, Circle and District lines. All older stock on these lines is expected to be withdrawn by 2016, with the Hammersmith and City line stock being the next to go.
The SSL trains are supplied in two versions. S8 operates on the Metropolitan line in an eight-car formation. S7 trains run on the Circle, Hammersmith and City, District lines as seven-car trains. Each train has seating capacity for 306 and 256 passengers respectively with total standing capacity figures of 697 and 609.
Every axle of the train is motored, maximising acceleration rates and improving braking capability. Staff at the Derby factory are hoping that 2014, which also marks the 175th anniversary of Derby producing trains for Britain, will see them winning the Crossrail trains contract.
Recent and current orders include trains for the Victoria Line, new trains for London Overground and Southern Railway, as well as the fleet currently being produced for the Sub-Surface lines of London Underground.
