Jump to content

London Underground A60 and A62 Stock

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Harfarhs (talk | contribs) at 06:28, 17 November 2016 (Added links; improved links; removed redundant links; improved phrasing and punctuation). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

A60 and A62 Stock
Amersham (local) bound Metropolitan line train approaching Chorleywood, Hertfordshire.
Amersham-bound A Stock Metropolitan line train approaching Chorleywood station, Hertfordshire.
The refurbished interior of an A60 Stock train in 2010
The refurbished interior of an A60 Stock train in 2010
In service12 June 1961–26 September 2012 (51 years, 106 days)
ManufacturerCravens[1]
Built atSheffield, England[1]
ReplacedT Stock
F Stock
P Stock
1938 Stock
Steam-hauled trains used on Amersham branch
Constructed1960–1962
Entered service1961–1963
RefurbishedAdtranz (at Derby)[1]
1994–1998
Scrapped1987/1994/2011–2012
Number built58 trains
Number in service2 trains + 2 cars (depot only)
Number preserved1 car
Number scrapped55 trains + 5 cars
FormationDM-T-T-DM (per unit)
Fleet numbersDM: 5000-5233
T: 6000-6233
CapacityDM: 54 seats + 4 tip-up seats
T: 58 seats
OperatorsLondon Underground
DepotsNeasden Depot
Lines served Metropolitan line  (1961–2012)  East London line  (1977–1985/1987–2007)
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium
Train length212 ft (64.62 m) (4 cars)
Car length636.5 in (16,167 mm)
Width116 in (2,946 mm)
Height145 in (3,683 mm)
EntryLevel
DoorsDM: two double and one single
T: three double
Wheel diameter3 ft (914 mm)
Maximum speed70 mph (110 km/h)
WeightDM: 32.1 t (31.6 long tons; 35.4 short tons)
T: 21.8 t (21.5 long tons; 24.0 short tons)
Traction systemResistance control by pneumatic driven camshaft (Associated Electrical Industries)[1]
Traction motorsG.E.C. (Witton) type LT114 motor (300Vdc series wound) [1]
Transmission17:74 ratio
AuxiliariesMotor-Alternator-Rectifier MG3005 (Associated Electrical Industries)[1]
Electric system(s)630 V DC fourth rail
Current collector(s)Contact shoe
UIC classificationBo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

London Transport portal

The London Underground A60 and A62 Stock[2] operated on the Metropolitan line from 12 June 1961[3][4][5] to 26 September 2012, and on the East London Line from 1977 until 22 December 2007 (except in 1986, when one-man operation conversion of the fleet took place).

The stock was built in two batches (A60 and A62) by Cravens of Sheffield in the early 1960s, and replaced all other trains on the line.

At the time of its withdrawal in September 2012, the stock was the oldest on the Underground, and on any subway system in Europe[citation needed]. It was the only stock to have luggage racks, umbrella hooks and separate motoring and braking controls, and the last to have no automated announcements.

Development and introduction

A Stock (right) replaced F and P (left) Stocks on the Metropolitan line

The design was formulated by W S Graff-Baker of the London Passenger Transport Board, as part of the electrification of the Metropolitan line from Template:LUL stations to Template:LUL stations and Template:LUL stations under the 1935–1940 New Works Programme,[6] and owes much to the smaller 1938 Stock. The project was delayed by World War II and lack of funds during the austerity period after the war. In 1946 two experimental trailers similar in exterior appearance to the production trains were built using underframes from T Stock, but they were scrapped when the trials concluded.[7] Graff-Baker died in 1952, before the trains were finally built.

When electrification commenced in 1959, London Transport placed an order for 31 A60 Stock trains to replace both T Stock on services to Template:LUL stations and Rickmansworth, and locomotive-hauled services to destinations north of Rickmansworth. The first units, 5004 and 5008, entered service to Watford in June 1961.[3][4][5] The Amersham/Chesham services began later that year. London Transport later ordered 27 A62 Stock trains; these were introduced between 1961 and 1963 to replace F and P Stocks on the Template:LUL stations service. By December 1963 the roll-out was complete.[7]

The trains were designated as A Stock to mark the electrification of the Metropolitan line to Amersham. Four-car units were used on the East London line (then a branch of the Metropolitan line) from June 1977 to April 1985, May 1987 to 24 March 1995 and 25 March 1998 to 27 December 2007, when the line closed to become part of the London Overground network.[7]

Design

A Stock at Rayners Lane station in their original unpainted livery

The stock was a compromise between the needs of longer-distance “outer suburban” passengers on the outer reaches of the line and short-distance “urban” passengers over the heavily used Circle and Hammersmith & City lines. For this reason the trailer cars have three sets of doors per car.

A distinctive feature was the use of transverse seating only, uncommon on the Underground. This is because it was designed for journeys which might last over an hour. Most of the seating was of the high-capacity transverse 3 + 2 arrangement.[8] Four tip-up seats were provided at the rear of the driving motor.[9] Despite each 8-car train seating 448 passengers,[10] the stock provided fewer seats than the locomotive-hauled and T stock trains that they replaced, but more seats than the S Stock which started to replace them on 31 July 2010. The stock had luggage racks and umbrella hooks, the only Underground stock to have these features, despite their presence on most contemporary National Rail trains.

A60 and A62 stocks were nearly identical in appearance. The most significant differences were the border around the destination window on A62 motor cars and the make of compressor under the trailer cars: A60 stock used the Westinghouse DHC 5A, A62 cars the Reavell TBC 38Z.[11]

At 116 in (2,900 mm) they were the Underground's widest trains.[12] The stock was refurbished between 1993 and 1998 by Adtranz (now Bombardier) in Derby. Car end windows were installed, the seating was reupholstered, and the livery was updated.[10] At the time of refurbishment the Metropolitan line had a low priority for receiving new trains.[13]

Operation

A Stock at Whitechapel station in 1979

Each unit consisted of four cars: two powered driving motors at each end and two non-powered trailers in between. Each unit was further divided into two semi-permanently-coupled sets, a driving motor and trailer. Although the intention was to operate four-car trains in the off-peak, this practice was short-lived except for the Chalfont & Latimer–Chesham shuttle, which was always operated by a single four-car unit. For its main services the stock operated in a two-unit formation of eight cars between Template:LUL stations and Amersham, Chesham (peak hours only), Uxbridge and Watford.

When built it had a top speed of 70 mph (110 km/h) (world's fastest fourth-rail train), but from the late 1990s/early 2000s it was restricted to 50 mph (80 km/h) to improve reliability.

Other areas of operation

In addition to the Metropolitan line, A Stock was permitted to traverse the following sections, subject to the following restrictions:[14]

Section Passengers permitted Coupled units permitted Notes
Template:LUL stations to Template:LUL stations and Northfields Depot Yes No Westbound local line only
No access to Siding 7 at Northfields Depot
Template:LUL stations to Template:LUL stations No Yes
Template:LUL stations to Template:LUL stations Yes Yes No access to side platforms at Edgware Road
Edgware Road to Template:LUL stations No No Specific authorization is required to run on this section
Edgware Road to Template:LUL stations No No
Template:LUL stations to High Street Kensington and Template:LUL stations (via Template:LUL stations), including the Cromwell Curve No Yes No access to the Acton Town, Template:LUL stations, and Template:LUL stations sidings
15 miles per hour (24 km/h) speed limit at three bridges between Acton Town and South Harrow.
Embankment to Mansion House No No
Jubilee Line tracks between Template:LUL stations and Template:LUL stations Yes Yes No access to the Wembley Park and West Hampstead sidings
Usage permitted only when ATO is not in use

Roster

Name and manufacture year of an A62 Stock carriage in the doorway

Cars had a four-digit number. The first digit identified the type of car (driver or trailer), the last three digits the set (000 to 231).

Sub-type Driving Motors (DM) Trailers (T)
A60 5000 to 5123 6000 to 6123
A62 5124 to 5231 6124 to 6231
Citation: Hardy 2002, p. 36 harvnb error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFHardy2002 (help)

In further detail:

   Renumbered - unit exists, number withdrawn (x23x )
(original unit) Scrapped before 2010
Withdrawn
Scrapped after the introduction of S Stock
Rail Adhesion Train (not in service)

^ operational DM
† Renumbered
+ Replaced/formed with a renumbered car

A60
A DM T D DM   A DM T D DM   A DM T D DM   A DM T D DM   A DM T D DM   A DM T D DM
^5000 6000 6001 5001 ^5022 6022 6023 5023 ^5044 6044 6045 5045 ^5066 6066 6067 5067^ ^5088 6088 6089 5089^ ^5110 6110 6111 5111^
^5002 6002 6003 5003 ^5024 6024 6025 5025 ^5046 6046 6047 5047 ^5068 6068 6069 5069 ^5090 6090 6091 5091 5112 6112 6113 5113^
^5004 6004 6005 5005[2] ^5026 6026 6027 5027 ^5048 6048 6049 5049 ^5070 6070 6071 5071 ^5092 6092 6093 5093^ ^5114 6114 6115 5115^
^5006 6006 6007 5007[2] ^5028†[c] 6028†[c] 6029 5029 ^5050 6050 6051 5051 ^5072 6072 6073 5073 ^5094 6094 6095 5095^ ^5116+[d] 6116 6117†+[e] 5117^†+[e]
5008†+[a] 6008†[a] 6009†[b] 5009†[b] ^5030 6030 6031 5031 ^5052 6052 6053 5053 ^5074 6074 6075 5075 ^5096 6096 6097 5097^ ^5118 6118 6119 5119^
^5010 6010 6011 5011 ^5032 6032 6033 5033 ^5054 6054 6055 5055 ^5076 6076 6077 5077 ^5098 6098 6099 5099^ ^5120 6120 6121 5121^+[g]
^5012 6012 6013 5013 5034†+[a] 6034 6035 5035 ^5056 6056 6057 5057^ ^5078 6078 6079 5079 ^5100 6100 6101 5101^ ^5122 6122 6123 5123^
^5014 6014 6015 5015 5036†[d] 6036[s] 6037†[e] 5037†[e] ^5058 6058 6059 5059^ ^5080 6080 6081 5081 ^5102 6102 6103 5103^ ^5232+[c] 6232+[c] 6233+[e] 5233^+[e]
^5016 6016 6017 5017 ^5038 6038 6039 5039 ^5060 6060 6061 5061^ ^5082 6082 6083 5083 ^5104 6104 6105 5105^ ^5234+[a] 6234+[a] 6235+[b] 5235^+[b]
^5018 6018 6019 5019 ^5040 6040 6041 5041 5062 6062 6063 5063^ ^5084 6084 6085 5085 ^5106 6106 6107 5107^        
^5020 6020 6021 5021 ^5042 6042 6043 5043 ^5064 6064 6065 5065^ ^5086 6086 6087 5087 ^5108 6108 6109 5109^        
A62
A DM T D DM   A DM T D DM   A DM T D DM   A DM T D DM   A DM T D DM   A DM T D DM
^5124 6124 6125 5125 ^5142 6142 6143 5143[2] 5160 6160 6161 5161^ 5178 6178 6179 5179^[2] 5196 6196 6197 5197^[1] 5214 6214 6215 5215^
^5126 6126 6127 5127 5144 6144 6145 5145^ 5162 6162 6163 5163^ 5180 6180 6181 5181^ 5198 6198 6199 5199^ 5216 6216 6217 5217^
^5128 6128 6129 5129 5146 6146 6147 5147^ 5164 6164 6165 5165^ 5182 6182 6183 5183^ 5200 6200 6201 5201^ 5218+[f] 6218 6219 5219^
^5130 6130 6131 5131 5148 6148 6149 5149^ 5166 6166 6167 5167^ 5184 6184 6185 5185^ 5202 6202 6203 5203^ 5220 6220 6221 5221^
^5132 6132[s] 6133 5133 5150 6150 6151 5151^ 5168 6168 6169 5169^ 5186 6186 6187 5187^ 5204 6204 6205 5205^ 5222 6222 6223 5223^
^5134 6134 6135 5135 5152 6152 6153 5153^ 5170 6170 6171 5171 5188 6188 6189 5189^ 5206 6206 6207 5207^ 5224 6224 6225 5225^
^5136 6136 6137 5137 5154 6154 6155 5155^ 5172 6172 6173 5173^[1] 5190 6190 6191 5191^ 5208†[f] 6208 6209 5209†[g] 5226 6226 6227 5227^
^5138 6138 6139 5139 5156 6156 6157 5157^ 5174 6174 6175 5175^ 5192 6192 6193 5193^ 5210 6210 6211 5211^ 5228 6228 6229 5229^
5140 6140 6141 5141^ 5158 6158 6159 5159^ 5176 6176 6177 5177^ 5194 6194 6195 5195^ 5212 6212 6213 5213^ 5230 6230 6231 5231^

Renumberings:[15]
a. 5034 and 5008 swapped numbers in July 1985; new 5008 and 6008 became set 234 on September 1994, 5034 preserved at the London Transport Museum, Acton.
b. set 9 renumbered 235 in September 1994.
c. set 28 renumbered 232 in June 1985.
d. 5036 renumbered 5116 in April 1993 (original 5116 scrapped in 1987 - collision at Kilburn, December 1984)
e. set 117 renumbered 233 in August 1985; set 37 renumbered 117 in April 1993.
f. 5208 renumbered 5218 in August 1992 (original 5218 scrapped in 1994 - experimental suspension)
g. 5209 renumbered 5121 in March 1993 (original 5121 scrapped in 1994 - collision at Neasden depot, October 1986)
Converted works vehicles:
s. Sandite dispenser car.
Withdrawals:
1. Underground News (588). London Underground Railway Society: 737. December 2010. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
2. Underground News (591). London Underground Railway Society. March 2011. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)

Withdrawal

A60 stock train at C. F. Booth in Rotherham, waiting to be scrapped

A60 Stock reached 50 years of service on 12 June 2011.[16] The age of the stock made spare parts harder to obtain and vehicles had to be cannibalised to keep the rest of the stock in operation.[citation needed]

S8 Stock replaced the stock, with the first unit introduced on 31 July 2010.[17] This is similar to the S7 Stock for the District, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines; the main differences are the layout and number of seats and the provision of two sand hoppers for each rail due to the different conditions at the country end of the line.[18] The withdrawal of A Stock commenced on 9 October 2010.[citation needed]

In February 2012 the London Transport Museum began offering luggage racks from withdrawn A Stock for sale.[19]

The old and the new. A Stock (left) and S Stock (right) at Baker Street

The last train ran in passenger service on 26 September 2012, formed of 5034 + 5062.[20] The same train was used on 29 September 2012 for the final ticket-only railtour, organised by the London Transport Museum. It ran from Moorgate along the entire Metropolitan line, including Watford, Amersham, Aldgate, Uxbridge, Chesham and the Watford North curve. The tour ended at Wembley Park: on the final stretch from Finchley Road, the train was unofficially recorded at 74 mph. One of the driving motor cars, 5034, was part of the first (as 5008) and also the last A Stock train, giving it a life of over 51 years. It was sent to Northwood sidings on 8 October 2012 and loaded onto lorries for disposal. The historical age and significance of No.5034 saw it taken to the Acton Museum Depot for preservation but vehicle 5062 was scrapped.

The stock outlasted many former British Rail EMUs: the Scottish Class 303 managed 43 years, the Class 309 Clacton Express units 38 years and British Rail Class 312 only 28 years. The former Southern Region 4CIG and 4CEP managed 46 and 49 years respectively. The stock was one of Britain's longest-serving types of train, although falling short of the service length of the ex-1938 Stock still in use on the Isle of Wight around 77 years after construction, or the 81 years of Glasgow Subway rolling stock between 1896 and 1977. A Stock may be outlasted by the InterCity 125 HSTs and the Bakerloo Line 1972 tube stock.[21]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Rolling Stock Data Sheet, London Underground (First Edition)" (PDF). WhatDoTheyKnow. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  2. ^ Rolling Stock Information Sheets (PDF), Transport for London, March 2007, pp. 16–17, retrieved 23 September 2010
  3. ^ a b Hardy, Brian (1988). London Underground Rolling Stock (11th ed.). Capital Transport. p. 35. ISBN 0904711943.
  4. ^ a b Hardy, Brian (2002). London Underground Rolling Stock (15th ed.). p. 36. ISBN 1854142631. The first train of A60 stock entered passenger service on 12 June 1961 (units 5004 and 5008).
  5. ^ a b Metropolitan Line No 2 Section Working Timetable No 189 12.6.61, London Underground, 1961 {{citation}}: |format= requires |url= (help)
  6. ^ Glancey, Jonathan (2007-10-22). "Classics of everyday design No 33". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
  7. ^ a b c Hardy 2002, p. 36 harvnb error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFHardy2002 (help)
  8. ^ "A60/62 stock". SQUAREWHEELS.org.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
  9. ^ Hardy 2002, p. 37 harvnb error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFHardy2002 (help)
  10. ^ a b "'A' Stock". Transport for London. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
  11. ^ Mugridge, Peter (8 August 2012). "Tube's A-listers bow out". Rail (702). Bauer Media: 54–59. ISSN 0953-4563.
  12. ^ "London Underground Rolling Stock Dimensions". London Underground. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
  13. ^ Bayman, Bob (2008), London Underground: Official Handbook (6th ed.), Capital Transport, p. 33, ISBN 978-1-85414-317-4
  14. ^ "Clive's UndergrounD Line Guides". Clive's UndergrounD Line Guides. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  15. ^ Hardy 2002, p. 98 harvnb error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFHardy2002 (help)
  16. ^ "Marking 50 Years of A Stock | District Dave's London Underground Site". Districtdavesforum.co.uk. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  17. ^ Underground News (585). London Underground Railway Society: 516–517. September 2010. ISSN 0306-8617. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ^ Underground News (584). London Underground Railway Society: 440A–444A. August 2010. ISSN 0306-8617. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. ^ "Metropolitan Line luggage racks". Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  20. ^ "A Stock last day on the Metropolitan Line". Railways Today. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  21. ^ "Saying goodbye to oldest tube train". London Tonight - ITV London. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)(subscription required)

Further reading

  • Hardy, Brian (2002), London Underground Rolling Stock (15th ed.), Capital Transport, ISBN 1-85414-263-1
  • Mugridge, Peter (8 August 2012), "Tube's A-listers bow out", RAIL (702), Bauer Media Group: 54–59, ISSN 0953-4563
  • Underground News, London Underground Railway Society, ISSN 0306-8617 {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to London Underground A60 and A62 stock.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=London_Underground_A60_and_A62_Stock&oldid=749989853"