Arriva Rail LondonCompanies House extract company no 4165861 Arriva Rail London Limited was a British train operating company owned by Arriva UK Trains that operated the London Overground concession on behalf of Transport for London until May 2026.
History In April 2015, Transport for London (TfL) placed a notice in the Official Journal of the European Union, inviting expressions of interest in operating the next concession.TfL starts search for next operator to run Overground Transport for London 9 April 2015 In July 2015, Transport for London announced the shortlisted bidders for the next concession were Arriva UK Trains, ComfortDelGro, Govia and MTR Corporation.Four bidders shortlisted for London Overground operating concession Railway Gazette International 29 June 2015
In March 2016, Arriva was awarded a seven-and-a-half-year concession with an option to extend for a further two years. Operations commenced on 13 November 2016."Arriva wins £1.5bn London Overground contract" BBC News 18 March 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2020.Transport for London announces intention to award London Overground contract to Arriva Arriva 18 March 2016TfL confirm London Overground contract with Arriva signed Railway Technology Magazine 18 April 2016 Arriva held a 50% shareholding in the previous concession holder, London Overground Rail Operations.
In June 2023, Arriva Rail London were granted a two-year contract extension, pushing the contract's expiry date to May 2026. The new contract came into effect upon expiry of the old contract in May 2024.
In November 2024, TfL invited expressions of interest in operating the next concession. In March 2025, four bidders were shortlisted. In December 2025, TfL announced First Rail London had won the contract to operate the London Overground concession, starting from 3 May 2026.
Rolling stock Arriva Rail London inherited a fleet of Class 172, Class 315, Class 317 and Class 378s. From 2019, the first of 54 Class 710s were delivered.Bombardier wins London Overground EMU contract Railway Gazette International 19 June 2015 These replaced the Class 172, Class 315 and Class 317s, and the Class 378s on Watford DC line duties, allowing them to be concentrated on North London line, East London line, West London line and South London line services.
On 22 May 2019 TfL announced that approval had been gained for the Class 710s to enter passenger service. The first two units entered service on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line on Thursday 23 May 2019 and the remaining six were in service by August 2019, with the first unit entering service on the Watford DC line on 9 September 2019. The first units on the Lea Valley lines entered service on 3 March 2020 after a first attempt on 24 February 2020. Their use on Romford–Upminster line services began in October 2020.
Final fleet Family Class ImageType Top speed Number Train Numbers Cars Seat layout Routes operated Built mph km/h Bombardier Electrostar378/1 CapitalstarEMU7512020378135–1545LongitudinalEast London lineSouth London line2009–10378/2 CapitalstarEMU7512037378201–378234378255–3782575LongitudinalNorth London lineWest London lineEast London lineSouth London lineWatford DC line2008–11Bombardier Aventra710/1 EMU7512030710101-1304LongitudinalLea Valley linesRomford–Upminster line2017–20710/2EMU7512018710256-2734LongitudinalGospel Oak to Barking lineWatford DC line2017–20710/3EMU751206710374-3795LongitudinalWatford DC line2020
Past fleet Former train types operated by Arriva Rail London include: Family Class Image Type Top speedNumberCarriagesRoutes operatedYears builtYearsoperated mph km/h Bombardier Turbostar172/0DMU10016082Gospel Oak to Barking line20102010–19BREL 1972315EMU75120174Lea Valley linesRomford–Upminster line1980–812015–2020BR Second Generation (Mark 3)EMU10016184Lea Valley lines1981–822015–2020EMU10016164Lea Valley lines1981–822015–2020
Depots Arriva Rail London's fleet is maintained at Ilford, New Cross Gate and Willesden depots.
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