London Underground rolling stock

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Underground trains come in two sizes, larger sub-surface trains and smaller tube trains. A Metropolitan Line A Stock train (left) passes a Piccadilly Line 1973 Stock train (right) in the siding at Rayners Lane.

The history of the London Underground's rolling stock is as complex as the history of the network itself. A wide variety of types have been operated, from the early days of steam locomotives and carriages through to today's electric multiple units. The different types used are listed here.

• For details of the numbering and classification systems used, see: London Underground rolling stock numbering and classification

Electric multiple units

Current stock

London Underground lines

Line	Current stock	Image	Introduced	Refurbished	Replacement	Due
Bakerloo	1972 Stock		1973	1989–1995	"Evo" new concept tube train[1][2]	TBA
Central	1992 Stock		1993–1995	2011-2012	None announced
Circle	C Stock		1970	1990–1994	S Stock	2012[1]
District main line	D Stock		1980–1983	2004–2008	S Stock	2013[1]
District Edgware Road– Wimbledon	C Stock		1977[1]	1990–1994	S Stock	2013[1]
Hammersmith & City	C Stock		1970[1]	1990–1994	S Stock	2012[1]
Jubilee	1996 Stock		1997–1998	Not scheduled	None announced
Metropolitan	A Stock		1961–1963	1994–1998	S Stock	2010-2013[1]
Metropolitan	S Stock		2010	Not scheduled	None announced
Northern	1995 Stock		1998–2001	Not scheduled	None announced
Piccadilly	1973 Stock		1975	1996–2001	"Evo" new concept tube train[1][2]	TBA
Victoria	2009 Stock		2009–2011	Not scheduled	None announced
Waterloo & City	1992 Stock		1993	2006	None announced

Digital Voice Announcer (DVA)

On London Underground, all but the A stocks have automated DVAs fitted.

Emma Clarke provides the voice on the systems on the Bakerloo, District and Central lines, which share similar characteristics but are in different formats.

The S stocks and Victoria line stock share the same voice, while the remaining stock all use different artists. The 1995 and 1996 are similar in style and they share the same "This train terminates at...." characteristic. The Piccadilly Line uses a different format altogether, "Please mind the gap between the train and the platform. This is Green Park, change here for the Jubilee and Victoria Lines. Alight here for Buckingham Palace. This is a Piccadilly Line service to Cockfosters".

The Warterloo & City don't have a speaker atall because it only has two stops on its route.

Future tube stock

Future "Evo" Concept Design.

LUL has asked Alstom, Bombardier and Siemens to develop a new concept of lightweight, low-energy, semi-articulated, aluminium-bodied train for the deep-level lines, provisionally called "Evo" (for 'evolution'). This would be used in the first instance to replace the oldest Tube stock on the system, that on the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines. LUL hopes that Evo trains will feature air-conditioning for the first time on any deep tube trains. This would be achieved by various measures to lower the weight by 30 tonnes and reduce energy consumption by 17%, and thus generate less heat to be dispersed in the tunnels. The trains will have a lower floor and 11% higher passenger capacity than the present tube stock, and will feature through gangways between cars. There is an intention to begin the procurement process in 2012.^[1][2][3]

Former and present-day rolling stock types

Tube stock

This is the general designation applied to the trains specially designed to run in the restricted space available in the tunnels used on part or all of the Bakerloo, Central, Northern, Piccadilly, Waterloo & City, Victoria and Jubilee Lines. The dimensions vary between individual designs but the common feature is the ability to run through a circular tunnel of approximately 13-foot (4.0 m) diameter. (The precise tunnel size varies from line to line.)

Sub-surface stock

This is the general designation (also known more simply as "Surface Stock") of the Underground trains constructed to width and height dimensions closer to those commonly used for railway vehicles in Great Britain, although in some cases (e.g. A60/62 stock) they slightly exceed various standard dimensions or clearances. They are used in the shallower (“sub-surface”) tunnels built with more generous clearances than the smaller diameter "tube" tunnels. The new trains for all lines are S stock. The old types of stock that are still in service are A60/A62(some withdrawn), C69/C77 and D78 stocks.

Locomotives

London Transport numbered all of its service stock locomotives into one unified series, regardless of the type.

Steam locomotives

Metropolitan District Railway

The first services were run by the Metropolitan Railway, but in 1871 the Metropolitan District Railway began running its own services with locomotives were identical to the Metropolitan Railway A Class already in use. Twenty were supplied initially,^[4] and by 1905 the District had 54 locomotives.^[5]

Metropolitan Railway

Metropolitan Railway steam locomotive number 23, one of only two surviving locomotives, is displayed at London Transport Museum.

Concern about smoke and steam in the tunnels led to new designs of locomotive. Before the line opened in 1861 trials were made with the experimental "hot brick" locomotive nicknamed Fowler's Ghost. This was unsuccessful and the first public trains were hauled by broad gauge GWR Metropolitan Class condensing 2-4-0 tank engines designed by Daniel Gooch. They were followed by standard gauge Great Northern Railway locomotives and then by the Metropolitan Railway's own standard gauge locomotives.^[6] The locomotives were all tank engines and where classified by letters of the alphabet. Initially eighteen A Class (4-4-0) were ordered in 1864 and these given names. By 1870 a total of forty-four had been built and in 1885 an improved version was ordered and twenty-two B Class where built.^[7]

From 1891 more locomotives were needed for work on the extension line from Baker Street into the country. Four C Class (0-4-4) were received in 1891 and six D Class (2-4-0) in 1894.^[8] From 1896 to 1901 seven E Class (0-4-4) locomotives where built to replace the A class on the main line.^[9] Also in 1901 the Met received four F Class (0-6-2),^[8] a freight variant of the E Class.^[10] Not all these new locomotives were fitted with the condensing equipment needed to work south of Finchley Road.^[11]

The need for more powerful engines meant in 1915 four G Class (0-6-4) arrived^[12] and named after people or places associated with the Metropolitan Railway.^[13] Eight 75 mph (121 km/h) capable^[14] H Class (4-4-4) were built in 1920^[12] for express passenger services,^[15] replacing the C and D class locomotives.^[16] Finally in 1925 six freight K Class (2-6-4)^[12] locomotives arrived. These were out of gauge south of Finchley Road.^[13]

Preserved units

Two locomotives survive, one A Class No. 23 (LT L45) at the London Transport Museum,^[17] and E Class No. 1 (LT L44) is preserved at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre.^[18]

Electric locomotives

All electric locomotives were withdrawn from passenger service by 1962, when electrification from Rickmansworth to Amersham was completed.

Diesel locomotives

Until the construction of the Jubilee Line Extension in 1996, London transport only operated a half-dozen diesel locomotives. The first was an unsuccessful experimental unit constructed during World War 2. The other five were special-purpose shunting units.

Battery-electric locomotives

A large number of battery-electric locomotives are still in service as departmental units.

Hauled carriages

• Coaching stock — Former-BR coaching stock used for special-services on Metropolitan Line

Engineering trains

• Departmental stock — Former units converted for various departmental roles
• Engineering stock
• Sleet locomotives

References

Sources

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: London Underground trains

• Bruce, J. Graeme (1979). Tube trains under London (2nd ed.). London: London Transport. pp. 122. ISBN 0-85329-095-4. 
• Bruce, J. Graeme (1983). Steam to Silver: A history of London Transport Surface Rolling Stock (2nd ed.). London: Capital Transport. pp. 124. ISBN 0-904711-45-5. 
• Green, Oliver (1987). The London Underground — An illustrated history. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1720-4. 
• Foxell, Clive (1996). Chesham Shuttle (2 ed.). Chesham: Clive Foxell. ISBN 0-9529184-0-4. 
• Hardy, Brian (1976). London Underground Rolling Stock (1st ed.). London: Capital Transport. pp. 76. ISBN 0-904711-01-3. 
• Hardy, Brian (2001). Underground Train File: Tube Stock 1933-1959. London: Capital Transport. pp. 96. ISBN 1-85414-235-6. 
• Hardy, Brian (2002). Underground Train File: Surface Stock 1933-1959. London: Capital Transport. pp. 120. ISBN 1-85414-247-X. 
• Hardy, Brian (2002). London Underground Rolling Stock (15th ed.). London: Capital Transport. pp. 112. ISBN 1-85414-263-1. 
• Horne, Mike (2003). The Metropolitan Line. Capital Transport. ISBN 1-85414-275-5. 
• Simpson, Bill (2003). A History of the Metropolitan Railway. 1. Witney: Lamplight Publications. ISBN 1-899246-07-X. 

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