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The new three-carriage trains that are now being used on the North London line |
Arriving at last, new trains along the ‘Cinderella’ line
Passengers hope £250m fleet will mean an end to overcrowding
PASSENGERS had to “pinch themselves” this week as they boarded the first of the spanking new trains on the notorious North London “Cinderella” line.
But with just one of the new trains arriving every two to three hours, the majority of commuters were yet to ride on one. Those lucky enough to catch a new model – including the Tribune – were quite positive.
The trains, part of a £250million fleet of 44 with three walk-through air-conditioned carriages, are being gradually introduced over the next 18 months to two years. It follows years of neglect when passengers were forced to ride in ageing, overcrowded carriages on the service which passes through Highbury and Islington, Caledonian Road and Barnsbury.
Ultimately, the new trains will run every 10 to 15 minutes.
They will be able to carry almost 500 people, which represents an eight per cent increase compared to the outgoing trains. When Overground platforms are extended in 2011 to cater for trains four carriages long, they will be able to carry almost 700 people each – almost 50 per cent more passengers than now.
London Mayor Boris Johnson said: “For far too long passengers on our Overground lines have suffered from crumbling, unreliable trains that were just not up to muster. Every element on these brand spanking new trains has been crafted to meet the capital’s needs and the standard of design will surprise even the most hardened traveller.”
The new fleet will be similar to Tube trains inside, with more flip-down seats, giving extra standing room.
The arrival of the new trains is a crucial step towards Transport for London’s ambitious plans to build the Overground into an orbital railway around the capital by 2012.
As well as air-conditioning, the trains also feature driver-monitored CCTV, improving security for passengers, and state-of-the-art information displays and announcements.
However, rail campaigners argue that the new trains will initially make little difference to the “poor” standard of service.
Barking-Gospel Oak User Group secretary Richard Pout said the occasional new train would do nothing to end major delays to the service and to prevent people being squashed into carriages like sardines.
He added: “One of the biggest problems is that freight trains are still using the passenger lines between Camden Road, Highbury and Islington and Barking, which means huge delays.”
Is it an easier ride? Rail users’ reactions...
Piers Childs, 22, an administrator at the Whittington Hospital, said that anything was a great improvement on the current trains: “My only complaint is that there are still so few of the new ones. You hardly ever see them and they make little difference to peak-time crowding.”
Bernard Boafakio, a support worker, said the new trains were spacious with a lot of standing room: “They are very comfortable – you feel a lot more relaxed.”
Matthew Rees, 25, an ITV journalist in Cardiff, who is in London for one month, said they reminded him of rail services in Scandinavia: ”What a difference they are to the dirty, ,
overcrowded trains.”
Megan Madge, 18, a supermarket worker, in Borehamwood, said: “The old trains are really grubby and unpleasant. These are a wonderful transformation. I have to pinch myself and tell myself I’m not on the wrong train. “ |
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Your comments:
NOBODY is forced to travel on trains, and the old trains on the north london line are still modern by todays standards, they became grubby and vandalised and damaged due to the carrying of not so nice passengers who like nothing better to do then smash up trains, use them as a litter bin, dirty feet on seats ,illegal smoking etc I should know I worked on the railway for 12 years how long will it be before these newer trains become grubby and vandalised, seats slashed graffitti etc then you will have something else to moan about, mind you you only have to look at the north london line in certain places, want a shopping trolley, bed settee,fridge etc if so,just take a look along certain parts of the line, you wont be disappointed.so dont keep knocking the railways, just take a look closer to home. Yes the drunk, vandalising commuters. This country has too many commuter routes, and London has too many people coming in from miles away just to work.
Terry
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