The first Elizabeth line train has started passenger service between Liverpool Street and Shenfield on the TfL Rail route, following extensive testing and preparations.
Eleven trains will be introduced before the end of the year on the Elizabeth line, which is also referred as the Crossrail project.
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The locomotives will initially be 160m-long with seven carriages and will be extended to nine carriages and the full length of 200m at a later date, which will allow them to carry up to 1,500 people.
The new trains were manufactured at Bombardier Transportation's UK site, and feature air-conditioning, walk-through carriages, intelligent lighting and temperature control.
CCTV systems have also been installed for passenger security, as well as three sets of double doors along each carriage to facilitate hassle-free boarding.
They will also have dedicated wheelchair spaces and additional multi-use spaces for luggage and improved travel information for passengers.
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By GlobalDataThe trains are said to use nearly 30% less energy than older trains. and have been built with lightweight materials and equipped with regenerative braking systems.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “I'm delighted that our first state-of-the-art Elizabeth line train has entered service on the TfL Rail service.
“It gives Londoners a first look at a new service that will transform travel across London and the south east when the line opens.
“The Crossrail programme remains on time and on budget, and the huge success of this project shows how vital it is for the whole of the country that we also push ahead with Crossrail 2.”
The Elizabeth line comprises 40 stations and will operate through the West End, the City and Docklands, running from Reading and Heathrow in the west across to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.
It is scheduled to become fully operational in 2019, and is expected to increase central London's rail capacity by 10%.
Image: First Elizabeth line train is introduced. Photo: courtesy of TfL via Flickr.
