Testing for trains destined for the new Elizabeth line has begun in Derby.

Up to 66 new trains will run on the track by 2019, running west to east from Reading and Heathrow across to Shenfield and Abbey Wood, and serving the West End, City and Docklands via 40 accessible stations.

The new line will increase central London’s rail capacity, and carry more than 500,000 passengers a day when running at full steam.

Initially, seven carriage ‘Class 345’ trains will run between Liverpool Street and Shenfield from May 2017, before nine-carriage trains - with space for 1,500 people - join the network 12 months later.

All 66 trains come with walk-through carriages, air conditioning, CCTV, and provide real-time travel information.

Built using lightweight materials, the carriages also feature regenerative braking, which helps reduce energy usage by up to 30 per cent, with electricity piped back into the power supply whenever the train’s brakes are applied.

Deputy mayor for transport Val Shawcross believes the new trains will play a part in boosting the economy by billions of pounds.  

She commented: “These state-of-the-art trains will help to deliver a modern, world class transport system through the new Elizabeth line and enabling London's transport network to cope as our population rises.”