Electric multiple units have operated on the London Underground since 1898, and exclusively since 1961. [1] They are of two sizes, smaller deep-tube trains and larger sub-surface trains that are of a similar size to those on British main lines.
The Waterloo & City line opened in 1898 with electric multiple units, [2] and the later tube railways followed, using trains that were known as gate stock, as access was via lattice gates at each end of each car. [3] The earlier railways had electrified the underground sections by 1907. [4] Pneumatic sliding doors were introduced on tube trains in 1920 [5] and sub-surface trains in the late 1930s. [6] Until the early 1960s an electric locomotive was exchanged for a steam locomotive on the Metropolitan line beyond Rickmansworth. [7] The Victoria line opened in the late 1960s using Automatic Train Operation (ATO), [8] and the last train with a guard ran in 2000. [9]
Before 1933 the sub-surface lines were run by two companies, the District Railway and Metropolitan Railway. As the Circle line was operated jointly, they collaborated in building a prototype in 1900. [10]
Stock | Image | Entered service | Withdrawn | Line(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joint Prototype | ![]() | 1900 | 1900 | District | A 6-car train, 3 cars owned by each company [10] |
Initially District Railway cars were compatible, except for A Stock, and trains were made up from cars of any age, [11] until the incompatible F Stock arrived in 1920. [12] The District classified its rolling stock using letters of the alphabet in 1925, [13] before the fleet was rebuilt, forming main line and local pools. [14] The H Stock designation was used in 1925 for rebuilt B Stock cars and by LT in the 1930s for the remaining cars with hand-operated doors. [15]
Stock | Introduced | Withdrawn | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
A Stock | 1903 | 1925 | Two prototype 7-car trains. [16] |
B Stock | 1905 | — | Motor cars converted into 1926 H Stock. [17] |
C Stock | 1911 | — | Rebuilt 1926–30, [18] reclassified as 1938 H Stock by LT. [19] |
D Stock | 1912 | — | Rebuilt 1926–30, [18] reclassified as 1938 H Stock by LT. [19] |
E Stock | 1914 | — | Rebuilt 1926–30, [18] reclassified as 1938 H Stock by LT. [19] |
F Stock | 1920 | 1963 | Incompatible with the other District Railway trains, transferred to the Metropolitan line in the 1950s [20] |
G Stock | 1923 | 1959 | Converted to Q23 Stock except for the single G23 cars that operated South Acton shuttles. [21] |
H Stock | 1926 | 1923–35 | Converted B Stock cars [22] |
K Stock | 1927 [23] | — | Converted to Q Stock from 1937 |
L Stock | 1931 [24] | — | Converted to Q Stock from 1937 |
The Metropolitan Railway used both Westinghouse (BWE) and Thomson-Houston (BTH) control equipment, making the cars incompatible. Originally cars had a saloon layout, but after 1906 surplus bogie compartment carriages built in 1898 and 1900 were converted. Compartment stock was introduced on Watford services after 1927.
Class | Introduced | Withdrawn | Formation | Motor cars | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
V | 1905 | from 1936 | 7-car | 150 BWE 200 BTH | The original electric rolling stock, built in 1904–06. [25] |
Hammersmith & City | 1906 | from 1937 | 6-car | 150 BTH | Jointly owned with the Great Western Railway. Some trains lent to the Mersey Railway 1942–45. [26] |
W | 1906 | by 1939 | 5-car to 8-car | 1927/30/31 | Bogie stock trailers that ran with 150 BWE motor cars before converted to run with the 200 BTH motor cars. Converted to run with motor cars from the MW pool in 1927. [27] |
M | 1906 | by 1939 | 7-car, then 8-car | 200 BTH | Bogie stock conversion [28] |
N | 1906 | 1939 | 6-car, then 4-car | 150 BWE | Bogie stock conversion [29] |
Circle | 1913/21 | 1950 | 5-car | 200 BTH 200 BWE | Refurbished after 1933, when the motors were replaced. [30] |
Hustle S | 1919/25 | 8-car | Experimental compartment stock with swing doors, and motor cars with electro-pneumatic control equipment [31] | ||
MV | 1927–29 | — | 7-car | 1927 | Compartment stock, the MV stock trailers rebuilt from carriages. Converted in 1935 and reclassified T Stock in 1938. [32] |
MW | 1929–33 | — | 8-car | 1927/30/31 |
In 1933 the Metropolitan and District railways were merged with the other underground railways, tramway companies and bus operators to form the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB), which continued the District Railway classification system. [33]
Stock | Image | Entered service | Withdrawn | Line(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
H Stock | — | 1957 | District | Second use of the designation, for District Railway trains that remained with hand-operated doors. [34] | |
M/N Stock | 1935 | — | Hammersmith & City District | Converted to Q Stock in 1937 [35] | |
O/P Stock | ![]() | 1937 | 1981 | Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, East London and District | Converted to CO/CP stock in the 1950s. [36] |
Q Stock | ![]() | 1938 | 1971 | District East London | District Railway cars built after 1923 with new Q38 cars. [37] |
R Stock | ![]() | 1950 [38] | 1983 | District | Q38 cars formed with new cars. [39] |
T Stock | ![]() | 1938 | 1962 | Metropolitan | Converted from Metropolitan Railway compartment stock [40] |
A Stock | ![]() | 1961 | 2012 | Metropolitan East London | [41] [42] |
C Stock | ![]() | 1970–78 | 2014 | Circle District Hammersmith & City | [43] [44] |
D Stock | | 1980–83 | 2017 | District | [43] [45] [46] |
S Stock | ![]() | 2010–17 | In service | Metropolitan (2010-current) Hammersmith & City (2012-current) Circle (2013-current) District (2013-current) | In service [47] |
The Great Northern & City Railway (now the Northern City Line) was a tube built in the early 20th century with an internal diameter of 16 feet (4.9 m) to take main-line trains.
Stock | Entered Service | Withdrawn | Line(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
GN&C Stock | 1904 | 1939 | Northern City Line | Replaced by Standard Stock [48] [49] |
The deep-level tubes use smaller trains that run in two circular tunnels with a diameter of about 11 feet 8 inches (3.56 m).
Stock | Image | Entered Service | Withdrawn | Line(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Original Waterloo & City line stock | 1898 | 1940 | Waterloo & City | [50] | |
1903 Stock | ![]() | 1903 [51] | 1939 [52] | Central | Central London Stock, with trailers rebuilt from locomotive hauled cars that entered service in 1900. [53] Refurbished in 1926–28. [54] |
Gate Stock | ![]() | 1906 [55] | 1930 | Bakerloo, Northern, Piccadilly | Except for two cars that ran on the Aldwych branch and were scrapped in 1956. [56] |
1914 Stock | 1914 | circa 1935 [ citation needed ] | Bakerloo | For the extension to Paddington [57] | |
1915 Stock | 1917 | Bakerloo, Central | Motor cars, used on the Bakerloo line until replaced by Joint Stock in 1920/21. Refurbished with the rest of the Central London Stock in 1926–28. [58] | ||
Watford Joint Stock | ![]() | 1920 | 1930–31 [59] | Bakerloo | Jointly owned with the London & North Western Railway, [60] and replaced by Standard Stock with air-operated doors. Three 3-car sets were modified for use by the LMSR on the Watford Junction-Rickmansworth and Croxley Green shuttles. These were withdrawn in 1939. [59] |
1919/22 Stock | 1920 | 1938 | Bakerloo, Piccadilly | First trains with air-operated doors [5] | |
Standard Stock | ![]() | 1923 | 1966 | Bakerloo, Central, Northern, Piccadilly, Northern City Line | Also known as pre-1938 [61] [48] Standard Stock trains ran on the Isle of Wight 1967–92. [62] |
1935 Stock | 1935 | 1976 [ citation needed ] | Four six-car prototypes, some with air-conditioning and stream-lining. Non-streamlined units converted into two cars in 1940 [63] | ||
1938 Stock | ![]() | 1938 | 1988 [64] | Bakerloo, Piccadilly, Northern, Northern City Line, East London | Withdrawn in 1985, but five trains re-entered service the following year to allow stock to be converted for One Person Operation. [65] In 1989 some trains were sold to replace Standard Stock on the Isle of Wight. [66] |
Waterloo & City 1940s stock | ![]() | 1940 | 1993 | Waterloo & City | [67] [68] |
1949 Stock | 1951 | 1978 [ citation needed ] | Bakerloo, Northern, Piccadilly | To supplement 1938 Stock [69] | |
1956 Stock | ![]() | 1957 | 2000 [ citation needed ] | Bakerloo, Northern, Piccadilly | Prototype trains with unpainted aluminium bodies. [70] |
1959 Stock | 1959 | 2000 [9] | Central, Bakerloo, Northern, Piccadilly | Minor changes from 1956 Stock | |
1960 Stock | ![]() | 1960 | 1994 [ citation needed ] | Central | Prototype motors cars that ran with converted pre-1938 Stock, then converted 1938 Stock. [71] |
1962 Stock | ![]() | 1962 | 1999 [ citation needed ] | Central, Piccadilly, Northern | Compatible with 1959 Stock. [72] |
1967 Stock | ![]() | 1968 [73] | 2009–11 [74] | Victoria | |
1972 Stock | ![]() | 1972–75 | In service | Bakerloo [43] [75] | |
1973 Stock | | 1975–78 | In service | Piccadilly [43] [76] | |
1983 Stock | ![]() | 1984 | 1997–98 | Jubilee | [77] |
1986 Stock | ![]() | 1986–87 | 1989 | Jubilee | Prototypes [78] |
1992 Stock | ![]() | 1993–95 | In service | Central, Waterloo & City [43] [79] | |
1995 Stock | ![]() | 1997–2000 | In service | Northern [43] [80] | |
1996 Stock | ![]() | 1997–1998 | In service | Jubilee [43] [81] | |
2009 Stock | ![]() | 2009–2011 | In service | Victoria [82] |
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England.
The Central line is a London Underground line that runs through central London, from Epping, Essex, in the north-east to Ealing Broadway and West Ruislip in west London. Printed in red on the Tube map, the line serves 49 stations over 46 miles (74 km). It is one of only two lines on the Underground network to cross the Greater London boundary, the other being the Metropolitan line. One of London's deep-level railways, Central line trains are smaller than those on British main lines.
The Circle line is a spiral-shaped London Underground line, running from Hammersmith in the west to Edgware Road and then looping around central London back to Edgware Road. The railway is below ground in the central section and on the loop east of Paddington. Unlike London's deep-level lines, the Circle line tunnels are just below the surface and are of similar size to those on British main lines. Printed in yellow on the Tube map, the 17-mile (27 km) line serves 36 stations, including most of London's main line termini. Almost all of the route, and all the stations, are shared with one or more of the three other sub-surface lines, namely the District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines. On the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines combined, over 114 million passenger journeys were recorded in 2011/12.
The District line is a London Underground line running from Upminster in the east and Edgware Road in the west to Earl's Court in west London, where it splits into multiple branches. One branch runs to Wimbledon in south-west London and a short branch, with a limited service, only runs for one stop to Kensington (Olympia). The main route continues west from Earl's Court to Turnham Green after which it divides again into two western branches, to Richmond and Ealing Broadway.
The Hammersmith & City line is a London Underground line that runs between Hammersmith in west London and Barking in east London. Printed in pink on the Tube map, it serves 29 stations over 15.8 miles (25.5 km). Between Farringdon and Aldgate East it skirts the City of London, the capital's financial heart, hence the line's name. Its tunnels are just below the surface and are a similar size to those on British main lines. Most of the track and all stations are shared with either the District, Circle, or Metropolitan lines. Over 114 million passenger journeys are made each year on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines.
The Piccadilly line is a deep-level London Underground line running from the north to the west of London. It has two branches, which split at Acton Town, and serves 53 stations. The line serves Heathrow Airport, and some of its stations are near tourist attractions such as Piccadilly Circus and Buckingham Palace. The District and Metropolitan lines share some sections of track with the Piccadilly line. Printed in dark blue on the Tube map, it is the fourth busiest line on the Underground network, with over 210 million passenger journeys in 2011/12.
Blake Hall is a disused former station on the London Underground in the civil parish of Stanford Rivers, and south from the village of Bobbingworth in Essex. It was latterly on the Central line, between North Weald and Ongar, but was originally served by the Epping to Ongar shuttle service branch line.
London Underground rolling stock includes the electric multiple units that are used on the London Underground. The trains come in two sizes, smaller deep-level tube trains and larger sub-surface trains that are of a similar size to those on British main lines. New trains are designed for the maximum number of standing passengers and for speed of access to the cars.
Gants Hill is a London Underground station in the largely residential Gants Hill district of Ilford in East London. It is served by the Central line and is between Redbridge and Newbury Park stations on the Hainault loop. It is in Travelcard Zone 4. It is the easternmost station to be below ground on the London Underground network and the busiest on the Hainault loop.
The Metropolitan District Railway, also known as the District Railway, was a passenger railway that served London from 1868 to 1933. Established in 1864 to complete an "inner circle" of lines connecting railway termini in London, the first part of the line opened using gas-lit wooden carriages hauled by steam locomotives. The Metropolitan Railway operated all services until the District Railway introduced its own trains in 1871. The railway was soon extended westwards through Earl's Court to Fulham, Richmond, Ealing and Hounslow. After completing the inner circle and reaching Whitechapel in 1884, it was extended to Upminster in Essex in 1902.
The history of the London Underground began in the 19th century with the construction of the Metropolitan Railway, the world's first underground railway. The Metropolitan Railway, which opened in 1863 using gas-lit wooden carriages hauled by steam locomotives, worked with the District Railway to complete London's Circle line in 1884. Both railways expanded, the Metropolitan eventually extending as far as Verney Junction in Buckinghamshire, more than 50 miles (80 km) from Baker Street and the centre of London. The first deep-level tube line, the City and South London Railway, opened in 1890 with electric trains. This was followed by the Waterloo & City Railway in 1898, the Central London Railway in 1900, and the Great Northern and City Railway in 1904. The Underground Electric Railways Company of London (UERL) was established in 1902 to fund the electrification of the District Railway and to complete and operate three tube lines, the Baker Street and Waterloo Railway, the Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway and the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway, which opened in 1906–07. By 1907 the District and Metropolitan Railways had electrified the underground sections of their lines.
An electric multiple unit (EMU) is an electric train capable of operating in multiple with other EMUs that does not have a separate locomotive, typically passenger trains with accommodation in every vehicle and a driving position at each end. The term can also be used to describe a train such as the Advanced Passenger Train that was a permanent formation with a non-driving power car. As of December 2010 two-thirds of the passenger carriages in Britain are formed in EMUs.
Electric locomotives were first used on the London Underground when the first deep-level tube line, the City and South London Railway (C&SLR), was opened in 1890. The first underground railways in London, the Metropolitan Railway (MR) and the District Railway (DR), used specially built steam locomotives to haul their trains through shallow tunnels which had many ventilation openings to allow steam and smoke to clear from the tunnels. It was impractical to use steam locomotives in the small unvented tubular tunnels of the deep-level lines, and the only options were rope haulage or electric locomotives.
The Central London Railway Stock were electric multiple units composed of trailers that had been converted from carriages designed to be hauled by electric locomotives with new motor cars. The Central London Railway opened in 1900 with electric locomotives hauling wooden carriages, but the heavy locomotives caused vibrations that could be felt in the buildings above the route. Following investigation it was found that conversion to electric multiple units solved the problem, so new motor cars were bought and replaced all the locomotives by June 1903. Trains normally ran with six-cars, four trailers and two motor-cars, although some trailers were equipped with control equipment to allow trains to be formed with three cars.
The railway infrastructure of the London Underground includes 11 lines, with 272 stations. There are two types of line on the London Underground: services that run on the sub-surface network that is just below the surface using larger trains, and the deep-level tube lines, that are for the most part self-contained and use smaller trains. Most of the lines emerge on to the surface outside the Central London area. The oldest trains currently in service on the Underground are used on the Bakerloo line—the 1972 Stock trains were introduced in 1972. The Underground is electrified using a four-rail system, the DC traction supply being independent of the running rails. Planned improvements include new stations, line extensions and more lines with automatic train operation (ATO).
The history of the District line started in 1864 when the Metropolitan District Railway was created to create an underground 'inner circle' connecting London's railway termini. The first part of the line opened using Metropolitan Railway gas-lit wooden carriages hauled by steam locomotives. The District introduced its own trains in 1871 and was soon extended westwards through Earl's Court to Fulham, Richmond, Ealing and Hounslow. After completing the 'inner circle' and reaching Whitechapel in 1884, it was extended to Upminster in East London in 1902. To finance electrification at the beginning of the 20th century, American financier Charles Yerkes took it over and made it part of his Underground Electric Railways Company of London (UERL) group. Electric propulsion was introduced in 1905, and by the end of the year electric multiple units operated all of the services.
The London Underground opened in 1863 with gas-lit wooden carriages hauled by steam locomotives. The Metropolitan and District railways both used carriages exclusively until they electrified in the early 20th century. The District railway replaced all its carriages for electric multiple units, whereas the Metropolitan still used carriages on the outer suburban routes where an electric locomotive at the Baker Street end was exchanged for a steam locomotive en route.
Ruislip depot is a London Underground traction maintenance depot on the Central line, and is situated between the stations of Ruislip Gardens and West Ruislip in the London Borough of Hillingdon. The depot is accessible from both ends, and was built for the Central Line extensions under the 1935-1940 New Works Programme. It was nearly completed by 1939, when the outbreak of the Second World War prevented further work. It was used as a factory for anti-aircraft guns during the war, and was finally opened in 1948. The main car shed has 16 tracks, and there is also a three-track car cleaning shed.
Hainault depot is a traction maintenance depot on the London Underground Central line, between Hainault and Grange Hill stations, now in the London Borough of Redbridge, England. Until boundary changes in 1998, part of the depot was in Epping Forest district. Construction began in 1939, but was delayed by the onset of the Second World War, and was not completed until 1948. It has stabled three generations of trains, Standard stock, 1962 stock and 1992 stock. It has also housed trains of the experimental 1960 stock, both when it was conventionally controlled and during trials of Automatic Train Operation (ATO) in preparation for the construction of the Victoria Line. Some of the 1967 stock destined for the Victoria Line was also stabled at the depot while its ATO equipment was tested and commissioned on the Woodford to Hainault Branch.
The first train of A60 stock entered passenger service on 12 June 1961 (units 5004 and 5008).
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