New Bakerloo line train confirmation slipped out?

Could we have heard confirmation that replacement stock for the now 53 year old trains on the Bakerloo line?

In a speech this week (see here to read it all on Hansard) Transport Minister Heidi Alexander stated funds were to be available “to continue with the purchase of new Piccadilly, Bakerloo and Docklands Light Railway trains”.

We knew about both the Piccadilly and DLR stock were coming as those orders have long been confirmed under the previous government, with the DLR, for example, seeing additional stock ordered in 2023 above and beyond the initial batch of 43 with money from the former Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Housing Infrastructure Fund. None of that is new.

Much of the speech was in that vein, with previous projects already approved and funded under the prior government now being claimed by this one, yet including the Bakerloo line was new.

However it’s perhaps not a big surprise – assuming it wasn’t a slip-up and there is in fact no order – as it’s long known that an order would need to be made in order to follow on from constructing the Piccadilly line’s new trains and keep the Siemens factory in Goole open.

It only opened in 2024 so to build stock for one line and then close would be a tad short sited rather than a follow-on order for Bakerloo line stock.

And at 53 years of age, how long can they keep going?

Graffiti

Bakerloo line trains have been in the news a fair bit for extensive tagging which impacted both inside and out – but often that’s cosmetic while mechanical issues on trains of such an age make it harder to keep them going.

Funding to do so would come from the recently announced four-year TfL settlement, which they’ve long asked for.

However it’s not all good news as the Department for Transport have insisted that in return for funding over four years, above inflation fare rises will need to be made over the four year time period.