Transport for London (TfL) has temporarily taken its recently introduced B23 trains out of Docklands Light Railway (DLR) service after a braking issue during wet weather conditions was detected.
The decision follows an incident in which one of the new trains, manufactured by CAF, failed to stop at the intended platform position due to reduced adhesion thanks to rain. Because rain is hardly a rare occurance in London, this is a serious issue.
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This problem has only been identified in the new B23 trains, with the older DLR fleet unaffected and remaining in operation.
Engineers from TfL, KeolisAmey Docklands, and CAF are collaborating to determine the root cause of the issue and to establish a solution.
TfL capital delivery infrastructure director Scott Haxton said: “There’s been no injuries or any negative impact to our customers, it was an isolated incident. The timetable is operating as it was.
“From a customer service point of view, it’s very much business as usual. Introducing new rolling stock onto any operational railway is incredibly complex and it’s not unusual to experience sort of performance related issues as they are bedding into the new network.”
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By GlobalDataLast month, TfL introduced 54 new DLR trains.
The rollout will continue over the coming months, and once all 54 trains are in service, overall DLR capacity will increase by more than 50%.
Full replacement of the older fleet is anticipated by the end of next year.
In June 2025, Gibson’s Engineering, a train repair centre in Glasgow, Scotland, secured a contract with TfL to refurbish 23 long vehicle wagons over a two-year period.
