Docklands Light Railway rolling stock

Docklands Light Railway Rolling Stock
B07 stock train in 2008 livery at Poplar DLR station
The interior of the new B07 Rolling Stock
In service	P86: 1987-1991 P89: 1989-1995 B90: 1991-present B92: 1993-present B2K: 2001-present B07: 2008-present
Manufacturer	Bombardier Transportation
Number built	118 trainsets, 31 more on order
Formation	2 cars per trainset, planned upgrade to 3 cars per trainset
Capacity	284 passengers: Seats Total: 70 Pairs: 12 Longitudinal: 42 Tip-up: 4
Operators	Docklands Light Railway
Depots	Near Poplar DLR station Near Gallions Reach DLR station
Lines served	Docklands Light Railway
Specifications
Train length	2 car set: 56 m (183 ft 9 in) (57.6 m (189 ft 0 in) over couplers)
Car length	28 m (91 ft 10 in) (28.8 m (94 ft 6 in) over coupler)
Width	2.65 m (8 ft 8 in)
Height	P86/P89: 3.47 m (11 ft 5 in) B90/B92/B2K: 3.51 m (11 ft 6 in) B07: 3.51 m (11 ft 6 in)
Floor height	1.03 m (3 ft 5 in)
Doors	2 pairs of doors each side per car, 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) wide
Maximum speed	100 km/h (62 mph) (Maximum Speed Capable) 64 km/h (40 mph) (Fastest Operation Speed) 64 km/h (40 mph) (Regular Operational Speed)
Weight	36 tons
Electric system(s)	750 V DC
Current collector(s)	Third rail bottom contact
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

Docklands Light Railway rolling stock is the passenger trains and service vehicles (collectively known as 'rolling stock') used on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), which serves the London Docklands area in the east of London.

The passenger stock consists of high-floor, bi-directional, single-articulated electrical multiple units. The trains are formed from sets of 2 semi-permanently connected cars, although it is planned to increase these to three-car sets. The trains are fully automated and have no driver, but a Passenger Service Agent (PSA) is in attendance in each train and can take control at a driver's console if required.

As of 2009, there are three different types of DLR rolling stock, but only two of them (the B90/B92/B2K fleet and the B07 fleet) are in operation; the original P86/P89 stock having been withdrawn in 1991/1995 and sold to a German operator.

Passenger stock – overview

The passenger stock consists of high-floor, bi-directional, single-articulated electrical multiple units. The trains have four doors on each side and each train is normally composed of two 28-metre (92 ft)-long cars. A third car is planned to be added to the trains by 2011. Each car has 70 seats and has a total capacity of 284 passengers.

The cars have no driver's cab, although there is a small driver's console concealed behind a locked panel at each outer car end from which the Passenger Service Agent (PSA) can drive the train when necessary. Other consoles at each door opening allow the PSA to control door closure and make announcements whilst patrolling the train. Because of the absence of a driver's position, the fully glazed car ends provide a panoramic forward (or rear) view for passengers. At least one PSA is required on each train to close the doors upon departing and for emergency situations, such as taking the controls or evacuating the train, especially in tunnelled sections.

The control desk of a Docklands Light Railway train. This control desk is usually closed.

Despite having high floors and being highly automated, the cars are derived from a German light rail design intended for use in systems with elements of street running. All the cars that have operated on the system look similar, but there have been five separate types, of which three are still in operation on the DLR. A further car type, with quite different styling, was first displayed in March 2008 and entered service in September 2008.

The DLR stock units have a maximum speed of 100 km/h (62 mph), but the fastest speed reached is 80 km/h (50 mph) in the tunnel under the River Thames to Woolwich Arsenal DLR station.

P86 and P89 rolling stock

P86 stock number 10 with a train for Stratford in 1987

The fleet for the 1987 opening consisted of 11 light-rail vehicles (LRVs) built in 1986 by Linke-Hofmann-Busch (LHB, now Alstom) in Germany and numbered 01 to 11. These were referred to as P86 stock, the 'P' referring to Poplar depot, where they were maintained. Vehicle 11 made history several times. It was part of a light rail demonstration at Debdale Park, Manchester for which it had a pantograph fitted by Balfour Beatty. The demonstration took place on 9 February 1987 as evaluation trials for a potential tram system in Manchester. P11 was the last unit to be delivered to the DLR at Poplar on 30 March 1987, without the pantograph. It was also the vehicle used by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh during the royal opening of the railway on 30 July 1987: the train ran from Island Gardens (when originally above ground) to Poplar and then to Tower Gateway. P11 also formed the first revenue-earning DLR vehicle and was the first vehicle to be moved to Essen in 1991.

There were 84 seats in each car with most arranged in transverse bays of four to take advantage of the large windows. There were two wheelchair bays, and twelve longitudinal seats increased the circulation area. An emergency console for the Train Captain was provided but locked when out of use. These cars were built for the initial above-ground system and, because of failing to meet safety requirements, were not allowed to operate on the tunnelled extension to Bank. Because of this, and because adaptation to a new signalling system was too costly, these cars were sold in 1991 to Essener Verkehrs-AG of Essen, Germany, where they were extensively rebuilt and put into service on its Stadtbahn between 1994 and 1998. Originally, they retained DLR colours and were limited to route U11, but after a further modification programme started in 2005, trains are appearing in a yellow livery and are used on all routes.

Train of P89 stock running in Essen, Germany

In 1989-1990, BREL supplied another ten LRVs, numbered 12 to 21. These share the characteristics of the original P86 stock. They were, though, equipped with sufficient fire-proofing to operate through the tunnels of the Bank extension. These were designated P89 stock and remained in operation on the DLR until 1995. The P89s were rebuilt with sliding doors. They were also sold to Essen, where they entered service between 1999 and 2004 after major modifications had been carried out. They are now painted yellow and blue and are used on all routes of the Essen Stadtbahn network.

As the Essen Stadtbahn does not use fully automated driving, and uses overhead line rather than third rail power collection, the modifications to both sets of cars involved fitting driver's cabs and pantographs.

B90/B92/B2K rolling stock

B90 stock train 32 approaches Pontoon Dock.

Further vehicles were required as the network grew and as the original P86 and P89 cars had to be replaced due to their unsuitability for the changed system conditions. Bombardier built 23 vehicles of B90 stock in 1991, 47 vehicles of B92 stock between 1993 and 1995, and 24 vehicles of B2K stock in 2001 and 2002. When new the B2K stock differed from the earlier vehicles in appearance as the doors and handrails were painted in colours contrasting to their surroundings. They are also fitted with internal LCD display screens. These differences were all mandated by the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (RVAR) of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), which were not in force when the older cars were built.

The 'B' in the type codes refers to Beckton DLR depot, where they are primarily maintained. They are of a common design and can be operated interchangeably in trains of up to three sets.

The interior of B92 stock train 49.

The DLR fleet at the end of 2004 consisted of:

• 22–44: Bombardier B90, built in 1991
• 45–91: Bombardier B92, built 1993–1995
• 92–99, 01–16: Bombardier B2K, built 2001–2002

The numbering of the last B2K cars restarted at 01, reusing the numbers of the replaced, original cars. The main reason for this was that the DLR computer system had only been designed originally to handle 2-digit car numbers, and an upgrade to allow 3-digit car numbers did not take place until some time after these cars were received.

DLR cars had a common livery of blue, red, and white upon delivery. Over the years, several vehicles have received all-over advertising livery. A new livery of turquoise and blue was tested on B92 car 40 in the mid-1990s, but it was not adopted, and the car was repainted in standard livery a few years later. The B90, B92 and B2K stocks were refurbished starting in 2004 with the completed trains re-entering service with a redesigned interior and in a new livery of red and blue with grey doors to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act. The refurbished units feature an Audio and Visual Information System (AVIS) which gives audio announcements when approaching a station: "This train is for destination, the next stop is next stop", for example: "This train is for Bank, the next stop is Canary Wharf". It also announces the name of the station when the doors have opened, for example: "This is Canary Wharf".

B07 rolling stock

B2007 stock train at Heron Quays DLR station.

In May 2005, Bombardier announced that they would be providing a further 24 vehicles of a new design, which they consider superior to the B90/B92/B2K. The new cars, needed for network extensions and three-car service on the Bank–Lewisham route, were to be delivered between May 2007 and September 2008, but were delayed. These vehicles are known as 'B07 stock', and are numbered 101 to 124. The first new DLR train was delivered on 22 December 2007, and three units of B07 stock, 104, 105, and 106, were on display at West India Quay on 13 March 2008. The first train of B07 stock, made up of units 105 and 106, went into service in September 2008. Even by March 2009 few of the new trains had appeared in service, but all units of this batch had entered service by July 2009.

In June 2006 another 31 vehicles were added to this order, partly funded by the Olympic Delivery Authority, to be delivered by 2009. If previous naming conventions are applied, then it is expected these additional vehicles will be known as the second batch of B07 stock, or the Olympic batch, and will be numbered 125 to 155. This batch is now being delivered, with the first six units having been delivered by June 2009. Units 125 - 141 have entered service, and 142 - 144 have now been delivered.

An artist’s impression of the new B07 DLR stock from Bombardier Transportation

The B07 stock units feature a different external design, larger windows and doors, and more leg room. Technical improvements include better acceleration, altered door functions to enable faster boarding and alighting, and improved braking for a smoother ride.. However B07 units are said to shake more than older models due to having two soft compressors whereas older stock only had one. The operating software that is used by the B07 has had numerous bugs and has been unstable, forcing several trains to come to a halt. This problem has made the units unreliable so as of 2009 there are not many B07 units in service; Docklands Light Railway are fixing the problem and slowly introducing the new trains into service.

The B07 stock units are also generally safer than the older models. For example their on-board software can detect whether there is something pushing against the doors and automatically re-open them, before trying to close the door again. After trying to close the doors for three times, the software automatically disengages the door so that it can be manually pushed open. This mechanism is intended to prevent people and pets being squashed by the doors. On the older stock a person stuck in the doors would have to push against the force of the closing doors to get them to re-open.

Problems suffered

All DLR stock has wheels which are more angled than that on regular trains. The angled wheels are effective in dealing with the tight curves encountered on DLR routes. However, a downside to this innovation is that they are partly responsible for violent shaking as the train travels at higher speeds on the straight parts of the route.

In addition, according to a Docklands Light Railway passenger service agent (PSA), the operating software that is used by the B07 also had numerous bugs and has been unstable, forcing several trains to come to a halt. This problem has made the units unreliable so currently there are not many B07 units in service; DLR are fixing the problem and slowly introducing the new trains into service.

Gallery

• 
  P86 stock fitted with pantograph (at Debdale Park, Manchester) during evaluation trials for a potential tram system in Manchester
• 
  B90 stock pulling into Pontoon Dock DLR station
• 
  B92 stock train 57 arrives at Canary Wharf DLR station
• 
  B2K stock car 02, shown at Canary Wharf station
• 
  Two B07 rolling stock next to an older B92 rolling stock at the Poplar DLR depot next to Poplar DLR Station.

External links

• DLR at Transport for London