Central line trains revamp under way

Engineers are carrying out the biggest train overhaul that Transport for London (TfL) has overseen in the history of the Tube. 

So far only one Central line train has been stripped back and rebuilt but the whole 92-strong fleet of old stock will get the same treatment. 

We went out on its third test run in the wilds of Essex on the Central line. Onboard it feels the same, but slightly different. 

There is a new design for the fabric seat covers, new more reliable motors, a redesigned space for wheelchairs and now for the first time CCTV. 

The Central line is one the Tube's busiest and longest, serving 4.5 million journeys a week.

But the trains are 30 years old and unreliable and the service has suffered. To be blunt, the interiors are grotty.

This overhaul will cost £500m and extend the life of the trains by 10 to 15 years.

'Refurbish not replace'

Refurbishing and not replacing may become more common as TfL needs capital funding from central government to carry out a lot of its infrastructure work.

TfL says it can find three-quarters of the capital infrastructure spend itself but needs £500m a year from central government.

New signalling on the Piccadilly and new Bakerloo line trains are dependent on government help. 

Without it, some of its ambition will be cut back. 

The decision on that is yet to be made by the Department for Transport but it points out it has provided more than £6bn since 2020. It also says TfL received just under £1.2bn in capital grant funding until the end of March 2024.

Big projects at the moment though hang in the balance.