DLR B23 Stock (CAF Inneo)

[LUYMun]

It appears that a notice board has been circulating on social media at a DLR station that services on the Lewisham branch will be reduced to running 2-car trains during the Christmas period. This will be a tight squeeze for passengers in the area!

Source to the "Canary Wharf & Isle of Dogs E14 Residents" Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17jnto9PF2/?mibextid=wwXIfr

The length of trains between Bank and Lewisham is changing
From Saturday 13 December 2025 until Sunday 4 January 2026, the Bank to Lewisham branch will operate with two-carriage trains.

This is to reduce mileage, to protect the existing trains and ensure a good service level can be maintained at busier times as we work to return the new trains back into service.

Please allow extra time for your journey, as services will be busier than usual. Consider travelling during off-peak times where possible.

There will be some service changes and planned works between Monday 22 December and Friday 2 January. We advise customers to check before you travel and plan ahead.

 

[DGP]

It appears that a notice board has been circulating on social media at a DLR station that services on the Lewisham branch will be reduced to running 2-car trains during the Christmas period. This will be a tight squeeze for passengers in the area!

Source to the "Canary Wharf & Isle of Dogs E14 Residents" Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17jnto9PF2/?mibextid=wwXIfr

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I'm posting this on Friday 12th when I've spotted only one Bank to Lewisham train so far today and it was only 2-cars long.

 

[DLRnotDave]

Hearing that reintroduction is unlikely to be within the first half of next year.

 

[Taunton]

Seriously, given we are heading into year 4 of delayed delivery now, are we in fact going to scrap them, and buy replacements from the manufacturer of the current trains, in Brugge and Bautzen, who unlike the current project management did know what they were doing. Didn't the new design B07 and B09 just work 'out of the box'?

 

[Thirteen]

Seriously, given we are heading into year 4 of delayed delivery now, are we in fact going to scrap them, and buy replacements from the manufacturer of the current trains, in Brugge and Bautzen, who unlike the current project management did know what they were doing. Didn't the new design B07 and B09 just work 'out of the box'?

There's no chance they'll scrap a load of built trains and replace them given it'd take another couple of years to do a tender and build the same number of trains.

These new trains have teething problems but the idea TfL will scrap the entire order when the old trains are barely hanging on is bordering on insanity.

 

[TRAX]

Seriously, given we are heading into year 4 of delayed delivery now, are we in fact going to scrap them, and buy replacements from the manufacturer of the current trains, in Brugge and Bautzen, who unlike the current project management did know what they were doing. Didn't the new design B07 and B09 just work 'out of the box'?

No trains work out of the box.

 

[Taunton]

There's no chance they'll scrap a load of built trains and replace them given it'd take another couple of years to do a tender and build the same number of trains.

Yes, but in the same time that it's been since the first of the new trains actually arrived in London, the B09s were ordered, built, fully delivered, and worked. What is apparent is that TfL and the builder, between them, don't know how to address the issue(s).

 

[Thirteen]

No trains work out of the box.

I think some on here would risk people's lives just so they could get the new trains in service.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Dec 2025 ==

Yes, but in the same time that it's been since the first of the new trains actually arrived in London, the B09s were ordered, built, fully delivered, and worked. What is apparent is that TfL and the builder, between them, don't know how to address the issue(s).

The B07s and B09s still had teething issues.

 

[DGP]

Since they are still running some B07s and B09s as 3-car trains on the Bank to Lewisham service, and which could have been reformatted as 2-car trains and given the older stock a bit of a rest, I wonder whether this suggests that TfL are reasonably confident that the new trains can re-enter service sooner rather than later?

 

[Kite159]

When I was in London on Monday spending time on the DLR during the middle of the day, everything was double units. Unless they only run triple sets during the peak times

 

[TheManWho]

When I was in London on Monday spending time on the DLR during the middle of the day, everything was double units. Unless they only run triple sets during the peak times

There's no uncoupling done during the day, everything that runs as a 3car during the peak stays 3car in the off peak.

 

[Taunton]

When I was in London on Monday spending time on the DLR during the middle of the day, everything was double units. Unless they only run triple sets during the peak times

There was an announcement that everything would be reduced to two cars over the Christmas period.

The DLR has never reduced formations during the day, and I understood that wear on the couplers was one of their maintenance issues, there's a desire to minimise attach/detach operations with them, opposed by a number of the storage sidings on the system only being able to hold two-car formations, something which will be a nuisance with the new trains.

 

[DGP]

There was an announcement that everything would be reduced to two cars over the Christmas period.

The DLR has never reduced formations during the day, and I understood that wear on the couplers was one of their maintenance issues, there's a desire to minimise attach/detach operations with them, opposed by a number of the storage sidings on the system only being able to hold two-car formations, something which will be a nuisance with the new trains.

And as I've said multiple times now, I observed 3-car trains on the Bank to Lewisham service during this week (one in the peak on Wednesday and two in off peak on Tuesday and Thursday).

 

[Geogregor]

The B07s and B09s still had teething issues.

But there are "teething issues" and there is 4 years of delay, with no solution or end in sight.

Not exactly the same thing...

 

[Mattplans]

And as I've said multiple times now, I observed 3-car trains on the Bank to Lewisham service during this week (one in the peak on Wednesday and two in off peak on Tuesday and Thursday).

I noticed this as well. They said they would reduce to 2-car, but perhaps they reconsidered. Or maybe they reached their senses and realised it would make sense to start the reductions from the upcoming week.

When I was in London on Monday spending time on the DLR during the middle of the day, everything was double units. Unless they only run triple sets during the peak times

All routes are 2-car except Bank<>Lewisham.

 

[Taunton]

I noticed this as well. They said they would reduce to 2-car, but perhaps they reconsidered. Or maybe they reached their senses and realised it would make sense to start the reductions from the upcoming week.

All routes are 2-car except Bank<>Lewisham.

However, a new rolling message has arrived on the platform train describers this week. "Trains on this line may be shorter than usual. Please move to the centre of the platform".

As these are also showing on lines that have been only 2-car for the last several months (the majority), and as the stopping positions of 2-car trains are such that they stop at one end of a platform, or the other, this adaptation of the "please move to the centre of the train" announcement for stations with short platforms has presumably been prepared by someone with little DLR experience.

 

[Mattplans]

Observed some trains terminating at Mudchute and All Saints today. Just now so a bit early to be putting them away? Does anyone know why?

Also Lewisham trains are definitely 2 cars now. Was on one today, and it could fit fully at Elverson Road!

 

[Taunton]

Rather a disorganisation yesterday evening, 27 December, with a breakdown somewhere around Shadwell. Now although it seemed handled somewhat straightforwardly, apparently reducing which other trains were out on the line into short pendulum shuttles back and forth, the DLR issue seen in disruptions before of information provision was present, with conflicting messages on trains, platform describers and announcements. West Ferry station, which at times had passengers going to and fro like the opening scene of "Monsieur Hulot's Holiday", had a perplexing display of "Use other platform", without further ado.

 

[DLRnotDave]

Christmas service cuts:

• Bank/Lewisham route reduced to 2-car operation from 13/12 till 04/01
• A Saturday service will operate on weekdays between 22/12 and 02/01
• Sunday service on New Year's Day
• Current service restored on 05/01

2-car running will be continuing beyond the 4th.

 

[Mattplans]

2-car running will be continuing beyond the 4th.

That’s pretty poor. Is it continuing until further notice?

 

[JCO1406]

2-car running will be continuing beyond the 4th.

Welp, I guess it was only a matter of time. How how long till we get 1 car services

 

[Kite159]

Welp, I guess it was only a matter of time. How how long till we get 1 car services

I suspect the timetable will get cut further before the services are reduced to single sets. Ie Bank - Lewisham dropping to every 7-8 minutes rather than every 5 minutes.

Or the Bank (?) - Woolwich services getting axed with the only services towards Woolwich being the ones from Stratford High Speed

 

[supervc-10]

Has there been any word on how long the B23s are likely to be out of service for? The whole thing seems to have been a major mess up - doesn't the '23' in the name mean they were supposed to enter service in 2023?

 

[Taunton]

There's no word about the financial issues involved. Presuming that CAF have been on progress payments during the build, with generally the most significant payment at point of delivery, have they been fully paid for the trains? Are all the ones presumably stored somewhere in Spain, under TfL instruction, regarded as "delivered", if they have not actually run on the DLR? When does their warranty period start and when does it expire? Is there any continuing (and presumably open ended) payment for the storage?

There's been a lot of central government money given to TfL for the trains, so I wonder when it will come to the attention of the Public Accounts Committee.

 

[Thirteen]

There's no word about the financial issues involved. Presuming that CAF have been on progress payments during the build, with generally the most significant payment at point of delivery, have they been fully paid for the trains? Are all the ones presumably stored somewhere in Spain, under TfL instruction, regarded as "delivered", if they have not actually run on the DLR? When does their warranty period start and when does it expire? Is there any continuing (and presumably open ended) payment for the storage?

There's been a lot of central government money given to TfL for the trains, so I wonder when it will come to the attention of the Public Accounts Committee.

I'm surprised you've haven't suggested just closing down the DLR if the new trains don't come into service given you've also suggested scrapping them in the past

 

[Taunton]

I'm surprised you've haven't suggested just closing down the DLR if the new trains don't come into service given you've also suggested scrapping them in the past

I'm just appalled, as a daily DLR user, at the complete management indifference to describing what quagmire they have got themselves into, with no effort to describe how they are going to get out of it, or even admit they have a problem. This apparently goes right to the top of the organisation, the main TfL board minutes are completely silent on the issues.

 

[torontoaddick]

How how long till we get 1 car services

Restrictions in the signalling configuration mean that single unit operation in passenger service is no longer permitted.

 

[JCO1406]

Restrictions in the signalling configuration mean that single unit operation in passenger service is no longer permitted.

Ah ok. 1tph then

 

[DLRnotDave]

2-car running will be continuing beyond the 4th.

Looks like this changed, 3-cars are back on the Bank/Lewisham route as of today, for now.

 

[DGP]

2-car running will be continuing beyond the 4th.

All the Bank/Lewisham trains that I've seen this morning are 3-car trains