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Brand new London Underground trains vandalised before making it to the tracks

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A new Piccadilly Line train was tagged with graffiti while being delivered over the weekend, raising concerns about security and the protection of London's new fleet. The incident occurred as one of the brand-new trains, part of Transport for London???s (TfL) modernization efforts, was en route to its destination. The train, intended to serve the busy Piccadilly Line, was defaced with graffiti before it even made it onto the tracks. Images circulating online show the train tagged with spray paint, sparking frustration among TfL officials and the public alike. The new Piccadilly Line trains are part of a multi-million-pound upgrade aimed at improving service reliability, increasing capacity, and providing more comfortable journeys for passengers. The vandalism raises questions about the security measures in place during the transportation of such valuable assets. TfL is yet to comment on the incident, but it is expected that an investigation will be launched to determine how the vandalism occurred and what steps can be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. Authorities are urging members of the public with any information to come forward, as the search for those responsible continues.
A new Piccadilly Line train was tagged with graffiti while being delivered over the weekend, raising concerns about security and the protection of London’s new fleet (Picture: UKNIP)

Londoners have been left outraged after a brand-new Underground train was vandalised with mindless graffiti, months before it is even due to enter service.

A snap of the train was shared online on Monday, showing it sporting three spray-painted tags.

The carriage was reportedly targeted while being transported to a depot for testing, with the new trains planned to start running on the Piccadilly Line from 2025.

The train can be seen on rails inside an industrial depot.

A new Piccadilly Line train was tagged with graffiti while being delivered over the weekend, raising concerns about security and the protection of London's new fleet. The incident occurred as one of the brand-new trains, part of Transport for London???s (TfL) modernization efforts, was en route to its destination. The train, intended to serve the busy Piccadilly Line, was defaced with graffiti before it even made it onto the tracks. Images circulating online show the train tagged with spray paint, sparking frustration among TfL officials and the public alike. The new Piccadilly Line trains are part of a multi-million-pound upgrade aimed at improving service reliability, increasing capacity, and providing more comfortable journeys for passengers. The vandalism raises questions about the security measures in place during the transportation of such valuable assets. TfL is yet to comment on the incident, but it is expected that an investigation will be launched to determine how the vandalism occurred and what steps can be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. Authorities are urging members of the public with any information to come forward, as the search for those responsible continues.
The train, intended to serve the busy Piccadilly Line, was defaced with graffiti before it even made it onto the tracks (Picture: UKNIP)
A new Piccadilly Line train was tagged with graffiti while being delivered over the weekend, raising concerns about security and the protection of London's new fleet. The incident occurred as one of the brand-new trains, part of Transport for London???s (TfL) modernization efforts, was en route to its destination. The train, intended to serve the busy Piccadilly Line, was defaced with graffiti before it even made it onto the tracks. Images circulating online show the train tagged with spray paint, sparking frustration among TfL officials and the public alike. The new Piccadilly Line trains are part of a multi-million-pound upgrade aimed at improving service reliability, increasing capacity, and providing more comfortable journeys for passengers. The vandalism raises questions about the security measures in place during the transportation of such valuable assets. TfL is yet to comment on the incident, but it is expected that an investigation will be launched to determine how the vandalism occurred and what steps can be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. Authorities are urging members of the public with any information to come forward, as the search for those responsible continues.
The vandalism raises questions about the security measures in place during the transportation of such valuable assets (Picture: UKNIP)

It still resembles existing Underground trains but looks much newer and brighter.

However, the shiny paintwork is somewhat spoiled by the three tags which take up large portions of the carriages and doors at one end.

The image was shared to social media yesterday with the caption: ‘New Pic (sic) Line stock already graffitied months before even entering into service.’

British Transport Police said it received reports that several train carriages had been vandalised and inquiries were ongoing.

The vandalised train, which will be a walk-through carriage similar to those found on the Elizabeth Line, has since been cleaned and looks brand new again.

It is part of a fleet of 94 fully air-conditioned and accessible trains manufactured by Siemens, which will be rolled out following a period of rigorous testing in late 2025.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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