New state-of-the-art Elizabeth Line trains have been undergoing testing in some of the most gruelling conditions.

Newham Recorder: The first batch of trains will come on the line from May 2017. Picture: TfL.The first batch of trains will come on the line from May 2017. Picture: TfL. (Image: Archant)

The testing over the festive period in Vienna, Austria, is to prepare carriages for any possible weather conditions they might encounter when running through Newham and beyond.

An Elizabeth line train front carriage has been trialled in a climatic wind tunnel ahead of the first batch going into service from May 2017, on the TfL rail line between Liverpool Street and Shenfield.

The Rail Tec Arsenal test centre in Vienna has put carriages through temperatures ranging from -25ºC up to +40ºC.

It is the only place in Europe which can carry out this level of testing on trains.

Howard Smith, operations director for the Elizabeth line, said: “Although we’ve not had snow in London yet this year, we’ve put the train through a white Christmas.

“It’s important that we check that the new trains can operate in anything that the changing British weather can throw at them and it won’t be long before our customers will be able to get on board a train, with the first of them going into service in May 2017.”

In total 66 new trains will operate on the line, which will link Ilford, Seven Kings and Romford with central London and Heathrow Airport.

Bombardier Transportation, is building the new trains in Derby, which will have seven carriages and measure 160 metres long.