London Underground 1973 Stock

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London Underground 1973 Stock
1973 Tube Stock Hillingdon.jpg
Refurbished 1973 Stock train at Hillingdon
1973 Tube Stock T Interior.jpg
The interior of a refurbished 1973 Stock car
Stock type Deep-level tube
In service19 July 1975 – present
Manufacturer Metro-Cammell [1]
Built at Washwood Heath, Birmingham, England [1]
Replaced 1959 Stock
Constructed1974–1977 [1]
Refurbished Bombardier Prorail (at Horbury railway works) 1996–2001 [1]
Number built175 units (87+12 trains)
Successor 2024 Stock
Formation3 cars per unit, 2 units per train
Capacity684 per train (228 seated) [1]
Depots Northfields
Lines served Piccadilly
Specifications
Train length106.810 m (350 ft 5.1 in)
Car length
  • DM 17.473 m (57 ft 3.9 in)
  • UNDM/T 17.676 m (57 ft 11.9 in)
Width2.629 m (8 ft 7.5 in)
Height2.888 m (9 ft 5.7 in)
Maximum speed72 km/h (45 mph)
Weight
  • DM 27.15 long tons (27.59 t; 30.41 short tons)
  • UNDM 26.16 long tons (26.58 t; 29.30 short tons)
  • T 18.16 long tons (18.45 t; 20.34 short tons)
Traction systemPneumatic single camshaft (GEC Traction) [1]
Traction motors LT118 DC motor (Brush Traction) [1]
Electric system(s) Fourth rail,  630 V DC
Current collector(s) Contact shoe
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The London Underground 1973 Stock is a type of rolling stock used on the Piccadilly line of the London Underground. It was introduced into service in 1975 with the extension of the line to Hatton Cross, followed by a further extension to Heathrow Central in 1977. A total of 86 six-car trains were built.

Contents

The trains were built by Metro-Cammell between 1974 and 1977, and were refurbished by Bombardier Transportation between 1996 and 2001. They are some of the oldest trains running on the Underground, and in Britain as a whole, second only to the 1972 Stock running on the Bakerloo line.

History

1973 Stock in original livery at Ealing Common in 1994 Wot^ No Commuters^ - geograph.org.uk - 16120.jpg
1973 Stock in original livery at Ealing Common in 1994

In the early 1970s London Transport placed an order for a new fleet of trains to replace the 1938 Stock and 1959 Stock vehicles which previously operated on the Piccadilly line. Built between 1974 and 1977 by Metro Cammell in Birmingham, [2] the first unit entered service on 19 July 1975 and the last was introduced by 1977. [3] The trains featured longer cars and larger door space than the previous units, being designed for airport travellers with luggage. [4]

The order was for 87+12 6-car trains, made up of 196 driving motor (DM) cars, 175 trailer (T) cars and 154 uncoupling non-driving motor (UNDM) cars. Each train is made up of two 3-car units, and most units are single-ended, formed DM-T-UNDM. There are also 21 double-ended units, formed DM-T-DM, to provide additional flexibility and to operate the Aldwych shuttle (now closed). [5]

The initial order included two test units equipped with solid state traction equipment and electronic control systems. These were double-ended units 892-692-893 (delivered 1977) and 894-694-895 (delivered 1979), and were known collectively as the ETT (Experimental Tube Train). The first unit was equipped by Westinghouse, the second by GEC. In order to provide additional units for the opening of the Heathrow loop, these units were converted to standard at Acton Works, entering service between 1986 and 1987. [5]

One three-car unit (166-566-366) was damaged in a terrorist attack on 7 July 2005 and subsequently scrapped. [6]

Refurbishment

From 1996 to 2001, the entire fleet was refurbished by Bombardier Prorail at Horbury railway works. [7] The interior was completely remodelled, with changes including the removal of transverse seating, replacement of the original wooden flooring with new floor material, replacement of straphangers with new grab rails, new enclosures for the ceiling ventilation fans, brighter lighting with new diffusers, installation of car-end windows and new perch seats in the centre of the cars, creating more luggage space for airport passengers. [7]

The original unpainted exterior was painted in London Underground's corporate livery, and a new emergency detrainment system was fitted in the cabs. The external destination blinds were also replaced with LCDs, and these were subsequently replaced with new LED units in 2015. [8]

Interior dot-matrix displays were also introduced around this time, with later refurbished trains having a more compact surrounding than earlier refurbished cars. [9]

The first refurbished unit re-entered service in June 1996, [7] with thee final refurbished unit re-entering service on 10 July 2001. [10]

Future replacement

The Deep tube programme (DTP) originally covered the replacement of the trains and signalling on the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines, and had been expanded to cover rolling stock requirements arising from the planned extension of the Northern line to Battersea, the eventual replacement of Central line trains, and proposed increased service frequency on the Northern and Jubilee lines. The EVO tube concept design, a lighter articulated train with walk-through cars, was introduced early in 2011. [11]

In early 2014 the Bakerloo, Piccadilly, Central and Waterloo & City line rolling stock replacement project was renamed New Tube for London (NTfL) and moved from its feasibility stage to the design and specification stage. [12] [13] The proposal introduces fully automated trains and signalling to increase capacity first on the Piccadilly line in 2025, followed by the Central, Waterloo & City, and Bakerloo lines by 2033. The fully automated trains may not have drivers. [14] The ASLEF and RMT trade unions that represent the drivers strongly oppose this, saying it would be unsafe. [15]

In June 2018, TfL announced 94 nine-car 2024 stock trains to replace the 1973 Stock. [16] As of early 2021, these are expected to enter service from 2025. [17] [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central line (London Underground)</span> London Underground line

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), making it the longest line on the Underground. 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 traversing narrow tunnels, Central line trains are smaller than those on British main lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bakerloo line</span> London Underground line

The Bakerloo line is a London Underground line that runs from Harrow & Wealdstone in suburban north-west London to Elephant & Castle in south London, via the West End. Printed in brown on the Tube map, it serves 25 stations, 15 of which are underground, over 23.2 kilometres (14.4 mi). It runs partly on the surface and partly through deep-level tube tunnels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Underground 1959 Stock</span>

The 1959 Tube Stock was a type of London Underground tube train constructed in the late 1950s. They were intended for use on the Piccadilly line, but also saw use on several other tube lines. It was the first production tube stock to have unpainted aluminium alloy bodywork.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Underground rolling stock</span> Passenger trains that run on the London Underground

London Underground rolling stock includes the electric multiple-unit trains used on the London Underground. These come in two sizes, smaller deep-level tube trains and larger sub-surface trains of a similar size to those on British main lines, both running on standard gauge tracks. New trains are designed for the maximum number of standing passengers and for speed of access to the cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Underground 1938 Stock</span> London Underground tube stock design

The London Underground 1938 Stock was a London Underground tube stock design. A total of 1,121 cars were built by Metro-Cammell and Birmingham RC&W. An additional 173 cars were added to the fleet by the end of 1953, comprising 91 new builds, 76 conversions from Pre-1938 Tube Stock or 1935 Tube Stock, and six unconverted cars of 1935 Tube Stock, and the stock was used on the London Underground until 1988. During their long lives they worked on the Bakerloo, Northern, Piccadilly, East London, Central, and Northern City lines. Ten sets were refurbished and ran on the Isle of Wight as Class 483, making them the oldest passenger rolling stock operating timetabled services on the National Rail network at the time of their withdrawal in January 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Underground 1992 Stock</span> Electric multiple unit used on the Central and Waterloo & City lines of the London Underground

The London Underground 1992 Stock is a type of rolling stock used on the Central and Waterloo & City lines of the London Underground. A total of 85 eight-car trains were built for the Central line and 5 four-car trains were built for the Waterloo & City line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Underground Standard Stock</span>

The Standard Stock title was applied to a variety of Tube stock built between 1923 and 1934, all of which shared the same basic characteristics, but with some detailed differences. This design is sometimes referred to as 1923 Tube Stock, 1923 Stock, or Pre 1938 Stock. Most of the Standard Stock was built to replace the first generation of "Gate Stock" Tube trains or to provide additional trains for extensions built in the 1920s and early 1930s. Standard Stock cars consisted of motor cars, with a driver's cab, behind which was a "switch compartment" occupying approximately one-third of the length of the car, plus trailer cars and "control trailers", with a driving cab but no motor. All were equipped with air operated sliding doors. The guard's door on the earlier trains was a manually operated, inward-opening hinged door.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Underground 1962 Stock</span>

The London Underground 1962 Stock was a type of London Underground tube train built for use on the Central line. They were used on the Central line between 1962 and 1995, with some later being transferred to the Northern line where they were used until 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Underground 1983 Stock</span> Train used on the Jubilee line from 1984–1998

The London Underground 1983 Stock was a class of electric multiple unit built by Metro-Cammell for use on London Underground's Jubilee line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Underground 1972 Stock</span> Type of rolling stock used on the Bakerloo line of the London Underground

The London Underground 1972 Stock is a type of rolling stock used on the London Underground. The 1972 Stock was originally ordered to make up the shortfall in trains on the Northern line's 1959 Tube Stock fleet, but is currently used on the Bakerloo line. Following the withdrawal of the British Rail Class 483 EMUs in 2021, the 1972 Stock are now the oldest EMUs in passenger service in the United Kingdom. A total of 63 seven-car trains were built in two separate batches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Underground C69 and C77 Stock</span> Type of sub-surface railway vehicle

The London Underground C69 and C77 Stock, commonly referred to as the C Stock, was a type of sub-surface rolling stock used on the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines of the London Underground between 1970 and 2014. They were replaced by the S7 Stock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Underground 1996 Stock</span> Electric multiple unit used on the Jubilee line of the London Underground

The London Underground 1996 Stock is a type of rolling stock used on the Jubilee line of the London Underground. The trains were built by GEC Alsthom-Metro-Cammell and entered service in 1997. They are externally similar to the 1995 Stock used on the Northern line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Underground 1995 Stock</span> Type of rolling stock used on the London Underground

The London Underground 1995 Stock is a type of rolling stock used on the Northern line of the London Underground. A total of 106 six-car trains were built, entering service between June 1998 and April 2001, replacing the 1959 Stock, 1962 Stock and 1972 Stock. They are externally similar to the 1996 Stock used on the Jubilee line.

Rolling stock used on the London Underground and its constituent companies has been classified using a number of schemes. This page explains the principal systems for the rolling stock of the Central London Railway (CLR), the Underground Electric Railways Company of London (UERL), the District Railway (DR) and the Metropolitan Railway (MR). For information about individual classes of locomotives and other rolling stock, see London Underground rolling stock.

The 1949 Tube Stock was composed of ninety-one cars built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company in Smethwick, England. These cars were identical to the earlier 1938 stock with which they were used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Underground 1956 Stock</span> Prototype electric multiple unit of the London Underground

The London Underground 1956 Stock consisted of three prototype units built before mass production of the 1959 tube stock. These units were tested on the Piccadilly line and remained in service after production trains were introduced. Later they were transferred to the Northern line, but in 1995 they were replaced as non-standard by 1962 Stock cascaded from the Central line.

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 just below the surface using larger trains, and the deep-level tube lines, that are mostly self-contained and use smaller trains. Most of the lines emerge on the surface outside the Central London area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Underground 2024 Stock</span> New type of London Underground rolling stock

The London Underground 2024 Stock, known as the New Tube for London (NTfL) during development, is a London Underground train being built by Siemens Mobility at its facilities in Goole, United Kingdom and Vienna, Austria. It is part of the Siemens Inspiro family of metro and rapid-transport trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail tube trains</span>

Although the railway network in Great Britain has some of the smallest loading gauges in the world, the vast bulk of it is still capable of operating full sized vehicles. However, British Rail, together with its predecessors and successors have, on occasion, been required to operate passenger trains to an even smaller loading gauge and have, as a consequence, obtained rolling stock identical to that of the "deep tube" lines of London Underground; these are lines built using the tunneling shield method, that were, by necessity, smaller than those lines built using the cut-and-cover method. In 1892, a Parliamentary Committee headed by James Stansfeld recommended that such lines be in tunnels with a minimum diameter of 11 ft 6in. Two routes operated by British Rail required the use of such deep-tube rolling stock, the Waterloo & City Line in London, and the Island Line on the Isle of Wight.

The Four Lines Modernisation (4LM) is a series of projects by Transport for London (TfL) to modernise and upgrade the sub-surface lines of the London Underground: the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines. The upgrades entail new rolling stock, new signalling and new track and drainage.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Neil, Graham (4 August 2015). "London Underground Rolling Stock Information Sheet" (PDF). WhatDoTheyKnow. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  2. "Piccadilly line facts". Transport for London. Archived from the original on 10 February 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  3. "London Underground 1973 Tube Stock". TrainWeb. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  4. "1973 tube stock". Square Wheels. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  5. 1 2 "1973 Tube Stock".
  6. "July Bombing Train returned to service - London Banter".
  7. 1 2 3 "New Look Trains on the Piccadilly Line". London Transport . 17 June 1996. Archived from the original on 11 January 1997. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  8. "New displays on the 73s | District Dave's London Underground Site".
  9. "New look trains on the Piccadilly Line" (Press release). London Transport. 17 June 1996. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  10. Griffin, Richard. "SQUAREWHEELS.org.uk - 1973 tube stock". www.squarewheels.org.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  11. Connor, Piers (January 2013). "Deep tube transformation". Modern Railways . pp. 44–47.
  12. "New Tube for London Programme" (PDF). Board Minutes. Transport for London. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  13. "New Tube for London Programme". Railway Gazette. 28 February 2014. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  14. "TfL prepares for driverless tube". Railnews. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  15. "Driverless Tube trains: Unions vow 'war' over plan". BBC News. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  16. Siemens to supply London Underground deep tube fleet Metro Report International 15 June 2018
  17. 2024 Stock design due soon Rail Express issue 207 February 2021 page 43
  18. Lydall, Ross (4 March 2021). "First look: TfL unveils design of new Piccadilly line trains". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 4 March 2021.