Mayor unveils trains 'to revolutionise commuting'
The first of a new £223million fleet of London trains intended to "revolutionise" commuter travel was unveiled today by Mayor Boris Johnson.
It marks the first stage of ambitious plans by Transport for London to build an orbital railway around the capital by the Olympics in 2012. The Mayor said the new design would "surprise even the most hardened traveller".
The trains will run on TfL's London Overground - the first 24 on the North London, West London and Watford-Euston lines and a further 20 on the East London line which reopens next year. Ten more will be delivered by 2011. The Mayor said: "For far too long passengers on the Overground lines have suffered from crumbling, unreliable trains that were just not up to muster.
"Every element of these trains has been crafted to meet the capital's needs and the standard of design will surprise even the most hardened traveller.
"Air conditioning, walk-through carriages and CCTV, combined with the completion of the East London line by 2012, will revolutionise the network."
Transport commissioner Peter Hendy said: "The new trains will play a vital role in providing transport for Olympic spectators and are a dramatic improvement on the trains we inherited."
