UK: Siemens Mobility has selected Huntingdon-based composites specialist TRB Lightweight Structures to supply emergency evacuation equipment for the 94 Inspiro trainsets which it is to build to replace London Underground’s Piccadilly Line fleet from 2025.
The evacuation doors, bridges and stairs are required to meet stringent requirements including GMRT 2100 fire and impact tests.
Almost 20% of TRB’s workforce of more than 130 people will be involved in producing the 188 evacuation systems, and the company says further orders could follow if Transport for London exercises options for Siemens to supply similar trains for the Bakerloo, Central and Waterloo & City lines.
‘We have over 40 years of experience in the design and manufacture of high quality components for the rail industry, and have manufactured the majority of the detrainment systems currently employed on UK rolling stock’, said TRB Director of Sales Toni Shepherd. ‘Our production methods include comprehensive in-house testing, from load to simulated evacuation tests.’
Siemens Mobility plans to build half of the 94 Picadilly Line trainsets at Wien in Austria, and half at a factory which it is developing at Goole in East Yorkshire.
Other UK sub-suppliers for the project include LPA Lighting, Baker Bellfield which will provide the cab partition walls and I M Kelly which will supply cab seats and footrests.
