I tried to ride the UK's newest train - what happened next made my jaw drop

Nowadays, as an Express reporter, I have my eyes cast nationwide looking for news to report. But, in my former job, I oversaw our sister site MyLondon's coverage of politics and transport, and this, of course, included keeping an eye on what was new on Transport for London's (TfL) extensive network. I reported on delays to the rollout of the Dockland Light Railway's (DLR) trains due to various issues, and my eyes lit up when I saw that the first one had finally entered passenger service at the beginning of this month.

Customers are now able to enjoy spacious walk-through carriages with 10% more capacity compared to the old carriages, as well as air-conditioning, live travel information and mobile device charging points, three multi-use areas for pushchairs, bicycles, and luggage, as well as three dedicated wheelchair spaces to improve accessibility. Albeit, only one of the state-of-the-art trains is currently running, between Stratford International and Woolwich Arsenal.

I ventured to Stratford and got to the platform for services towards Woolwich.

According to the dot matrix, the next train was arriving soon, and so I optimistically watched the tunnel-naively, I now realise-expecting to see the brand new stock appear out of the darkness.

Sure enough, headlights shone as a train arrived at the platform.

But, disappointingly, it was one of the old ones.

They were exciting perhaps in the 80s, but certainly not now.

I resolved to wait for the next train - around seven minutes, if memory serves - and the same sinking feeling arrived in my stomach, as one of the current crop homed into view.

Having already spent some time that morning trying out Sadiq Khan's new Bakerloo bus, I was keen to get back to the office.

So, I headed for the Jubilee line platform, uncertain as to whether the new white and turquoise carriages would have turned up for the next service on the DLR platform, as is sod's Law.

But as I approached my Tube train to Canary Wharf, I suddenly noticed that the new train had turned up at the opposite platform to the one I had been standing on.

Initially peeved, thinking I had missed my chance, I noticed that it said it was "not in service", as, presumably, it headed to the wherever trains go in stations when they've finished their route, ready to run in the other direction later.

I'm sure I'll ride one of the new trains eventually. Maybe I'll wait until fate decides that it is my time.