LU Metropolitan A class. Any mainline reuse possible?

[Manchester77]

Best place for tube stock would be on the Isle of Wight, especially if any of those plans to extend the Island Line back to its original southern terminus come to fruition.

Even so there are 80 odd 1992 stock and I doubt an extension on IOW will require all them
It just seems like a waste because they still seem new to me even though they're 20 years old

 

[Nym]

There's a reason they're looking at withdrawing 1992TS earlier than it would seem sensible, DC motors are nae very good....

The only place I can see the D stock being possibly useful is the Nexus Metro...

 

[HSTEd]

Even so there are 80 odd 1992 stock and I doubt an extension on IOW will require all them
It just seems like a waste because they still seem new to me even though they're 20 years old

Indeed.... how many lines could be opened on the Isle of Wight with all those trains.....


Could literally replace buses, but it would cost an absurd amount.

 

[Manchester77]

There's a reason they're looking at withdrawing 1992TS earlier than it would seem sensible, DC motors are nae very good....

The only place I can see the D stock being possibly useful is the Nexus Metro...

Yeah apparently they go through them brush things like there's no tommorrow
(I have very little technical knowledge)

Indeed.... how many lines could be opened on the Isle of Wight with all those trains.....


Could literally replace buses, but it would cost an absurd amount.

Apparently there were once 55.5 miles on IOW! But it's unlikely this figure will ever return. But if the 1938 stock ever does leave us then I suspect the 1992 stock will replace it. But having said this, the 1973 is probably(?) more reliable. I don't know.

 

[Chris125]

Apparently there were once 55.5 miles on IOW! But it's unlikely this figure will ever return. But if the 1938 stock ever does leave us then I suspect the 1992 stock will replace it. But having said this, the 1973 is probably(?) more reliable. I don't know.

The IoW will almost certainly get the 73TS when they become available - the 92 stock might be younger but condition, reliability and ongoing maintenance costs also need to be taken into account along with the cost and practicality of converting new stock to 2-car operation with guard operated doors and conventional tripcock signalling. It wouldn't surprise me either if the 73 Stock was easier for the existing works staff and limited facilities to adjust to and maintain.

Mind you there's a lot more choice than if they'd gone ahead and replaced the Standard Stock with 503's...

Chris

 

[D365]

Aren't the W&C 1992s two-car at the core - driving/shunting controls on every carriage end? At the very least, each two-car unit shares equipment. 1973s would be a lot more rugged though, and more similar to the '38s.

 

[aylesbury]

Scrap all the A stock its life expired and has no place anywhere on the network ,noone deserves this awful crap foisted on them.

 

[Eagle]

Scrap all the A stock its life expired...

Erm, that's already been done...

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Top speed was 70, not 75

An article in RAIL written by a fellow member on this forum about the A-Stock suggested that the train had reached 74 mph on the farewell tour.

The A-stock has had it now, they have had their time. And it would be a bit hard to be using bits of scrap metal thats been crushed by a crusher

If they were to be intact however. the lymington pier branch would utilize them as would stourbridge IMO
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

awful crap

A-Stock Awful crap? hock: Get a grip mate :eek::eek::eek:

 

[sprinterguy]

Scrap all the A stock its life expired and has no place anywhere on the network ,noone deserves this awful crap foisted on them.

They weren't awful crap, they were just old. The C-stock is far, far worse if you ask me.

 

[Drsatan]

If they were to be intact however. the lymington pier branch would utilize them as would stourbridge IMO
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I doubt that would happen since the A-stock units would have to be gauge-cleared for the Lymington branch and converted to third rail operation. Additionally they would need to be gauge cleared for running to and from Bournemouth West Depot, since the 158 (450 at weekends) that works Lymington branch line services is kept there overnight IMO

I doubt anyone could justify electrifying the Stourbridge branch for fourth-rail operation since it would be isolated and the 139s do a perfectly good job.

 

[DarloRich]

What conversion steps would be required before A class stock could run on third rail NR routes?

Aren't there any DC electrified branch lines that could make very good use of some extra 75 mph sets to run in the peaks?

The stock may be 50 years old, but there are plenty of much lighter duties than LU work on the national network. Perhaps the old stock could hold its own in such places. In 2011, how did A stock hold up against the competition on miles between failures?

there is absolutely no chance in this world (or the next) that these trains would ever be converted for use on the network. None.Zip.Nil.Nada.Zero.

 

[Voyager 2093]

I agree, the C Stock is by far one of the worst stocks on the LU.

I may be one of the small minorities that thinks that a restoration programme should have been invested in maybe one or 2 A Stocks. Very sad to see them go. They were amazing Trains.

 

[jopsuk]

What purpose would "restoration" have? the London Transport Museum already has the 1938 stock and Sarah Siddons with coaches for heritage events- the latter only able to operate on the Met as it is.

 

[biggus]

there is absolutely no chance in this world (or the next) that these trains would ever be converted for use on the network. None.Zip.Nil.Nada.Zero.

Maybe this forum needs an "Incontrovertible Statements" section.

I suspect it would be busy

 

[dosxuk]

We could convert them to hauled coaches and get the similarily aged Deltics to pull them around?

 

[W-on-Sea]

I'm no fan of the C stocks, but the refurbishment and refurnishing they got in the early 90s (I think it was...) improved the passenger experience immeasurably - more so than any refurbishment carried out for the Underground since. Before the refurbishment...they really were grim, uncomfortable, unpleasant trains to use

 

[starrymarkb]

Aren't the W&C 1992s two-car at the core - driving/shunting controls on every carriage end? At the very least, each two-car unit shares equipment. 1973s would be a lot more rugged though, and more similar to the '38s.

The Central line uses two car sets as well. Outer pairs have driving cabs, inner pairs just shunt controls under the perch seats

 

[D365]

The Central line uses two car sets as well. Outer pairs have driving cabs, inner pairs just shunt controls under the perch seats

Ah yes. Would make it easier to use on IoW?

Back to the OP, a similar discussion has taken place on District Dave, featuring D Stock in Southern livery.

 

[Wolfie]

What conversion steps would be required before A class stock could run on third rail NR routes?

Aren't there any DC electrified branch lines that could make very good use of some extra 75 mph sets to run in the peaks?

The stock may be 50 years old, but there are plenty of much lighter duties than LU work on the national network. Perhaps the old stock could hold its own in such places. In 2011, how did A stock hold up against the competition on miles between failures?

Is it not the case that there were comments on this very forum (maybe in the LU subfora) that the maximum speed had been reduced from 75 to 50mph for this stock (which in any event has mostly already been scrapped) due to fatigue cracking?

 

[DXMachina]

A rule more honoured in the breach, I think everyone who lives along the met line has at some point noticed their A-stock overtaking a 165/166. I clocked 70+mph several times but this became much less common in the A-stock run-down.

 

[Chris125]

Ah yes. Would make it easier to use on IoW?

Unlikely i'd have thought - they might work in multiple's of two carriages but only one has a conventional driving cab, work would presumably still be needed for two DM's to work back to back. Besides, various other issues make the 92TS unsuitable anyway.

Chris

 

[aylesbury]

Erm, that's already been done...

I meant dont foist them onto anyone else,yes I know they are being scrapped.