Between mid-November last year and January part of the line was put out of action after nearly all Piccadilly line trains were damaged
The Piccadilly line descended into chaos last autumn after significant leaf fall led to it being part-suspended for two months. Two storms in quick succession meant Transport for London (TfL) workers struggled to clear the build up of leaves on the above-ground track between Uxbridge and Rayners Lane.
A mulch formed on the track and within a few weeks nearly all Piccadilly line trains were damaged. This was due to ‘wheel flats’, which happens when the brakes are applied but the wheels slide – causing erosion on the track.
Just 60 trains were running on the line, which is 15 short of the 75 needed to run a full timetable. As a result, the stretch between Uxbridge and Rayners Lane was suspended from mid-November until the end of January while the repairs were carried out.
TfL told MyLondon at the time that newer trains being introduced on the line would be more resilient to the problem. But with the new fleet now being delayed until 2026, this begs the question of whether a similar closure can be expected this autumn and winter?
‘Extensive works’ underway to limit closures
It’s no secret the Piccadilly line is the most susceptible on the TfL network to closures due to leaf fall. It has a long tree-lined stretch between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge which its 50-year-old trains struggle to cope with in autumn.
Despite the new trains being delayed next year TfL said “extensive mitigation planning” is underway to limit the possibility of a closure.
A spokesperson said: “We employ a robust action plan to minimise the impact of leaf fall on our network which includes intensive trackside vegetation clearance and running specialist engineering trains along affected sections. We would like to reassure Piccadilly line customers that extensive mitigation planning is already underway and we will provide an update on any changes to services in advance of the autumn season, to help customers plan ahead.”
The likelihood of another closure also depends on the severity of stormy weather.
Where is the new Piccadilly line fleet?
The rollout of the 94-strong fleet was meant to happen this year, but this has now been pushed back until the second half of 2026. We don’t yet know why, but Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan told the London Assembly last month that “the process is taking longer than expected due to challenges with the design, build and commissioning.”
Technical issues were identified on a prototype which meant the trains could be damaged unless they were modified. TfL commissioner Andy Lord told the London Assembly last month that the new model was “extremely complex and we need to make sure it is introduced both safely and reliably”.
He said there had been “some issues” between the manufacturer and TfL, with further modifications needed. TfL previously said there had been engineering and design challenges due to the Piccadilly line being one of the deepest and longest Tube lines.
Siemens Mobility and TfL both said it would take up to a year to test the trains, partly due to the tunnel infrastructure, which is almost 120 years old.
In a comical moment at Mayor’s Questions in early July Andy Lord ruled out the delay was due to the trains not being able to fit through the tunnels.
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