New DLR Trains

Trains 104, 105, 106 are going to be at West India Quay platform 1 for a press Launch at 10am tomorrow(thursday march 13th) and will be there all day

The read train wasn't in the platform, but it was attached. Cheers franknapo for letting us know.

I took a couple of pictures. Here they are.

I was told in no uncertain terms that I was not allowed to take photographs of the train, because I'd not been authorised by the manufacturers!

Quite why there are so many rules about this sort of thing I have no idea - it was there for public inspection and a press photo call. What have they got to lose by letting people take photos of it?
Anyway, I didn't manage to get photos of the interior, but I got a couple of exterior shots before they told me I wasn't to take photos. I then went to Canary Wharf and took some photos from there.
I've not downloaded them yet, but will link to them when they're online.

I was there just after 4pm.

When will they enter service?

It was still there with the doors open and people milling about when I left work at about 1800. Looking good!

That sounds pretty laughable, given that it was on a press release day! What job title was the person who said you couldn't take the photos?

I was told in no uncertain terms that I was not allowed to take photographs of the train, because I'd not been authorised by the manufacturers!

Interesting. I asked permission to photograph the interior c.1200 and was allowed. I also took numerous exterior views in front of the "Travelsafe"(sic) Officers and various other DLR officials. Maybe it was OK because it was after the official photocall? (The fat, bearded, gent from London Travelwatch was seen departing on the NB platform.)

I was on the way to work and was wearing an LU uniform topcoat (the last "decent", dark blue pre-2000 style). I "exposed" the red & blue LUL roundel flap in the top L/H pocket just before commencing photography, did this make a difference? Who knows?

See Underground News for the eventual results...

"DLR photocall - No Photographs"

A question about the new trains: Will they completely replace the current fleet, or work alongside them?

At least 8 of the new trains have now been delivered to Beckton depot, including 110 and 111.

Also 112 is now there but its anybodys guess when they will be in service. Also 113 is Due at Beckton in 2 weeks. Because I was talking to a tester of the new trains and he said here is still a few techneail problems to be sorted before they can even start to be handedover

Did you manage to get a picture of them?

Unfortunately not, I was heading in the opposite direction at the time. I'm back in my Marsh Wall office now, with the tracks and new station build behind me, so I'll keep an eye out for any further movements.

Saw 105+106 today, empty of course with paper 'test train' labels, but opening and closing doors at each station and thus struggling to keep potential punters off.

I saw it around midday at Canary Wharf when it was coming back from Crossharbour. It then went up the Stratford branch and am assuming it reversed at Bow Church as you probably couldn't squeeze another train on the single line to/from Stratford, plus it came back fairly quickly. On the approach to Poplar it then crossed over and went towards the Bank direction. I would again suspect it reversed short (at Shadwell) as it returned through Westferry very quickly. It then proceeded off east, but whether to Stratford or Beckton I don't know.