From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london
From
https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/bakerloo-line-upgrade-pulls-out-of-the-depot-as-tfl-starts-the-hunt-for-suppliers-87478/
Transport for London (TfL) has fired the proverbial starting pistol for the Bakerloo line upgrade, issuing a call for suppliers to carry out the work.
Not the trains or the projected extension, but all the other works needed
to allow new trains to run on the existing line and to enable the extension
to be built later.
The Bakerloo line trains, at over 50 years old, are by far the oldest
passenger trains in use in the UK, and that means itrCOs not really possible
to simply swap in some new trains as replacements. ThatrCOs because the technology in trains has changed so much over the past half-century that it would be a huge waste of an opportunity not to take advantage of the improvements.
The downside is that modern trains require modern signalling and modern
depot facilities.
Therefore, what is defined as the Bakerloo Line Upgrade Stage 1
Infrastructure works (BLU Stage 1) will require a number of changes to the Bakerloo line to accommodate the new trains.
In a preliminary market engagement notice, TfL has outlined what it is
looking for.
They need to rebuild the Stonebridge Park Depot to consolidate all their maintenance activities.
The depot next to QueenrCOs Park needs to be expanded to provide additional stabling capacity for the trains.
The existing London Road Sidings in south London need to be modified to accommodate slightly longer trains that will be delivered and to create
space for a driver training school to get used to the new trains.
Along the length of the Bakerloo line tracks, all lineside equipment needs
to be checked to ensure it wonrCOt interfere with the slightly
different-sized new trains when they arrive.
At the moment, this is just the pre-procurement activity, long before they issue actual contracts, and is the stage where potential suppliers are headhunted to do the work.
The formal contract to buy the new trains, assumed to be supplied by
Siemens based on the new Piccadilly line trains, is also still to be
signed. And of course, thererCOs still the unfunded extension to Lewisham,
and beyond.
Subject to usual caveats, the railway upgrade works are currently expected
to start around the middle of 2027 and run through to the end of 2034,
which, in theory, gives a tentative indication of the duration of the
project to introduce new trains on the Bakerloo line.
That means the last Bakerloo line trains to be replaced could be well into human retirement age when they are themselves finally retired.
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