New B23 Rolling Stock for the Docklands Light Railway Finally Enters Passenger Service

A debut at dawn.
TfL Image - New DLR train

At last! The new Docklands Light Railway B23 rolling stock, manufactured by CAF, finally entered passenger service on 30th September 2025.

Here is the press release from Transport for London (TfL):

Transport for London reveals reason for delays to new DLR rolling stock B23, expected to enter service later in 2025

After a long hiatus, the new £942 million Docklands Light Railway rolling stock B23 is finally back in trial service. Transport for London (TfL) has explained the reasons for the delay in response to a Freedom of Information request.

Your exclusive sneak peek of the new DLR trains 👀

Coming soon. Find out more about the new features ⬇️ https://t.co/eYvOKFOfjy pic.twitter.com/DLHxD2aTgt

— TfL (@TfL) September 1, 2025

Request ID: FOI-1452-2526
Date published: 08 September 2025

Reimagining the Silvertown Tunnel: A Case for Tram Integration

Map of the Silvertown Tunnel
Image - Transport for London (TfL)

This article follows up on my previous suggestion to explore the conversion of bus lanes and priority measures for tram use. It's important to remember that bus lanes and priority schemes aren't solely for buses; they also play a crucial role in enabling emergency services to improve their response times and potentially save lives by avoiding heavy traffic congestion.

Transport for London Reveals Delays Rolling Out The New CAF B23 Rolling Stock For The DLR, And Increasing Journey Times

B23 Rolling Stock - © TfL

A Freedom of Information request to Transport for London (TfL) has revealed reasons why the new B23 rolling stock, manufactured by CAF for the Docklands Light Railway, has been delayed instead of Spring 2024, as reported in my previous article early this year.

Request ID: FOI-1926-2425
Date published: 10 October 2024

Details of the challenges faced by TfL as part of the test of the new DLR Rolling Stock

Transport for London Lists Four Pre-Qualified Manufacturers to Design and Build a New Fleet of High-Spec Trams

Clipping from London Transport News - No. 392, March 15 1991

Transport for London (TfL) has listed four pre-qualified manufacturers to design and build a new fleet of trams for their tram network in South London.

TfL Press release:

• Manufacturer sought to build 24 new air-conditioned trams
• The new trams will provide customers with a more comfortable and reliable service, with new features including mobile charge points and real-time travel information
• The new generation of trams will start to be introduced in the late 2020s, subject to funding
• An option to procure additional trams in the future that could enable a full fleet replacement

Making A Case For New Rapid Transit Lines (Including New Tram Lines) By Increasing Bus Priority Measures

To tackle traffic congestion and pollution, London is in dire need of more bus priority measures and light rail services, including trams (also known as streetcars for North American readers), as it will help improve the economy.

The first generation of trams operated from 1860 to 1952, serving most of the London County Council area except for the west end of London. The type of trams London had were double-deck.

Then came trolleybuses, which served the London Passenger Transport Area from 1931 until 1962, as they were replaced by the diesel-engined AEC Routemaster.

Automatic braking system for South London Trams

TfL are implementing a new system for the trams which will automatically apply the brakes when they exceeded the speed limit at high risk locations. This will improve safety for the Tram service in South London.

From TfL Press release

New system will automatically bring a moving tram to a controlled stop if exceeding speed limit at high risk locations.

TfL has begun the tender process for the installation of a new safety system on the London Trams network that will automatically apply the brakes should the speed limit be exceeded at high risk locations.

Cross-City Extension for the Dublin Trams Luas has opened!

In Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Luas has opened up the extension for the Green Line Tram service which began on 9^th December 2017.

From Transport Infrastructure Ireland

An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar; Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, Shane Ross; and Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe were in attendance today at the official opening of Luas Cross City at the GPO in Dublin.

Consultation to abolish cash fares for Croydon Tramlink

TfL has opened up a consultation to abolish cash fares for the Croydon Tramlink network.

From TfL press release

Transport for London (TfL) has begun an eight-week public consultation on plans to make trams in London 'cashless'.

The proposal would see existing cash ticket machines, which only sell a small number of the more expensive paper tickets every week and do not allow customers to top-up their Oyster card, removed from the Tram network.

TfL responds to RAIB on Croydon Tram derailment

Since the Croydon tram derailment which happened on the morning of 9^th November 2016, TfL has added more safety measures for their trams serving the South of Greater London.

We begin with the RAIB’s article on the tram derailment in Croydon...

30 year anniversary of the Docklands Light Railway

TfL is celebrating the 30 year anniversary of the Docklands Light Railway. (DLR)

Back on the 30^th July 1985, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II formally opened the Docklands Light Railway in East London. The purpose of the DLR was to regenerate the Docklands area of East London with an elevated light railway system.

TfL searches for supplier to build new DLR rolling stock trains

Transport for London (TfL) has announced in their press release about the new trains for the driverless Docklands Light Railway system.

From TfL press release

Customers on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) are set to benefit from new walk-through air-conditioned trains from 2022.

The new trains, which will increase capacity by over 30%, will be more reliable and provide customers with real time information, air-conditioning and mobile device charging points.

Bus and Light Rail videos - February 2017

To round this month off, I will show you my videos which feature London Buses, Tramlink, and Docklands Light Railway services.

Buses and Trams outside East Croydon station

Buses and Trams outside East Croydon station by clondoner92

More Tram services for South London

As we move into April there is some good news for commuters in the South of Greater London with the Tramlink system.

From TFL Press release

Wimbledon Tram services increase by 50 per cent

From next week, passengers travelling on Transport for London's (TfL) Tram network will be able to take advantage of more frequent services.

On Monday 4 April, services between Wimbledon and Croydon will rise from eight to 12 trams per hour. The increase in frequency follows the completion of work to build an additional tram platform at Wimbledon station late last year.

Light Rail systems in London (DLR and Trams)

Transport for London (TfL) currently have two Light Rail systems, the automated light rail which serves the City of London, East London and the Docklands, and the tram system which serves the South of London.

Docklands Light Railway

The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is an automated light rail system, it carries almost 140 million passengers (from April 2014 to March 2015 annual report).

Video Journey on the DLR from Stratford to Canary Wharf

Docklands Light Railway
B92 + B2K Rolling Stock
Operated by KeolisAmey Docklands Ltd.
From Stratford to Canary Wharf
filmed on 12th June 2015