Let’s be honest with each other. You won’t see a shiny new Piccadilly line train in regular service until mid-2026 at the earliest. Maybe late 2026. Knowing TfL, early 2026 is a safe bet. I’m not being pessimistic—I’m being experienced.
But here’s the good news: the first train has already been built. It’s been doing test runs on the network. I’ve seen photos. It looks… nice. It has that new-train smell. You know, that little hit of synthetic hope and plastic. I want to ride it so badly.
Coming 2026: New trains enter service on Piccadilly line - Murky Depths
By the time the whole fleet is replaced—that’s 94 trains—we’re looking at 2027. So the last of the old trains will be kicking around for a few more years. They’ll be like that one grumpy aunt who refuses to leave the party. But eventually, she’ll go.
What about the delays? (Rhetorical, but I’ll answer anyway)
Yes, there have been delays. There were gaps in funding. Then a pandemic. Then supply chain hiccups. I think a pigeon got stuck in a signal box once? Honestly, it’s a miracle any new trains ever arrive in London. We should probably throw a parade when they do. I’ll bring the snacks.
And let’s not forget the strikes. Oh, the strikes. Every time a new train is mentioned, someone threatens to down tools. It’s practically a British tradition. So we wait. And we grumble. And then we wait some more.
