New DLR trains withdrawn: What next for service levels?

Transport for London have withdrawn all new DLR trains after an issue around overrunning stopping point on a platform.

The new trains entered service almost 18 months late which saw a number of older trains already withdrawn for scrap. The first of 54 new trains entered service last month.

Hopefully a quick fix is possible as without it further old stock will reach the end of permitted mileage levels (a bit like an MOT for cars every year – sort of) and so will require expensive work to keep running or withdrawal potentially resulting in further service cuts.

We’ve already seen some service reductions as a result of the delay into service, with Beckton to Stratford/Canning Town shuttles withdrawn. That has halved service levels from every five minutes to every ten.

It may not sound much but it’s something that’s already cost me big. I needed to catch a train from Stratford and with Liz line problems at Abbey Wood I was running a bit late. No problem though I thought, I’ll take the Liz line and get off at Custom House rather than risk a change at Whitechapel to head out to Stratford given issues.

Of course having forgotten about the removal of half the DLR services I got off at Custom House, went to the DLR for a train and an eight minute wait – which wasn’t going Stratford.

End result is I got that (a Tower Gateway service) then changed for the Jubilee at Canning Town but missed the train at Stratford by two minutes. As an advance ticket it was for a specific train. Needed to buy an on the day ticket. Not cheap.

Chances are if I got to Custom House and waited three instead of eight minutes, I’d have made that train at Stratford.

New stock

The new trains are being built by Spanish manufacturer CAF. Delays around signaling and stopping points already delayed introduction as mentioned above which meant TfL had to pay out funds to store completed trains in Spain.

DLR passengers numbers bounced back quickly after covid and despite the Elizabeth line’s introduction, until train issues arose. To compare, Southeastern like to blame the Liz line for sluggish service recovery though hefty cuts there from 2022 are more likely a factor.

Well, with new train issues and delays the DLR recovery has also stalled. After healthy recovery it’s hovering around 80 per cent. Ongoing extensive closures to test stock don’t help.

TfL will be desperate to get the new trains back in service and soon, as every day they aren’t means a bigger risk of service reductions, less revenue and higher costs.