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Like an aging rockstar that just won’t give up touring, London’s Bakerloo line trains have been on their last legs for quite some time now. While lots of people might enjoy the vintage vibes of the 54-year-old carriages, let’s face it, it’s time for London’s oldest trains to pack it in and let someone else have the limelight for once.
This week, the long-awaited replacement of the ancient carriages just got one step closer to happening. TfL has invited contractors to enter bids to carry out the Bakerloo upgrade. However, it could still be a while before we are riding new Bakerloo trains, because the proposed timeline for the works suggests that the upgraded trains might not come into action for another decade.
Dating back to 1972, the Bakerloo trains are the oldest operational fleet in all of the UK. Cash-strapped TfL is yet to order the much-needed new fleet of 36 Bakerloo trains, despite that fact that the authority set aside £1 billion for the upgrade in its business plan. It’s hoped that once all the walk-through, air-conditioned new Piccadilly line trains are finally delivered then TfL can get cracking on the brown line.
TfL published a ‘preliminary market engagement notice’ asking private companies to bid for the job. In the notice the transport bosses outlined that work – which would include the reconstruction of the Bakerloo train depot at Stonebridge Park – could begin in July 2027 and be complete in December 2034, meaning new trains wouldn’t be on the tracks until at least 2035.
Plus: TfL has revealed the completion date (and cost) of the DLR extension into southeast London.
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