The new Elizabeth line trains, that will improve travel across London for hundreds of thousands of Londoners, are undergoing the most intense testing possible in readiness for any possible weather conditions they could encounter.

Bombardier Transportation, which is building the new trains in Derby, delivered the front carriage of a test train to the Rail Tec Arsenal test centre in Vienna for three weeks of testing in a number of weather conditions, with temperatures ranging from -25ºC up to +40ºC. The facility in Vienna is the only place in Europe that can carry out this level of testing on trains.

The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, windscreen wipers and demister, train horns and the traction motors all went through intense simulations of hot, cold, windy and foggy weather to check that they can still function in all weather conditions the train may face when operating through London and beyond.

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."

Dean Taplin, Senior Vehicle Engineer at Bombardier, said: "Subjecting the new trains to a range of climatic conditions, including thick snow and ice, is another crucial step towards making sure that the trains perform as intended whatever the weather. With these new trains entering passenger service from next year, it's key that all elements of the train are fully tested so that passengers have a comfortable experience."

Bombardier continues to build the first trains which will be tested in Derby before coming to London where the drivers will learn to drive them with the first train due to enter service in May 2017.