A/C Tube Train Trials Begin

The Underground's new S-stock trains, which go into service on the District, Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City and Circle lines from next year, are now undergoing engineering trials. The trains, which we got a sneak preview of last year, grab the headlines for being the first on the network to feature air conditioning. But there's more: the trains are longer, and will increase capacity by nearly 20%, although that increase is achieved through additional standing room, as the carriages have less seats than the ones being replaced. They feature wheelchair space and are linked to each other by bendy bus-style concertina doorways, meaning one could sprint from front to back with ease if one chose. Boris Johnson was proud of the trains at last year's preview, but admitted that the real challenge would be getting a/c onto sweltering low-level lines like the Victoria or Northern, something that has flummoxed Tube bosses for years.