1973 stock withdrawal

[YSTrains]

Are there any plans for the first unit to be withdrawn? 2024 is not far by and the NTfL train will be delivered in spring.

 

[MaidaVale]

Not at the minute (that I'm aware of). Wheel flats are an issue more severe than usual at the minute so stock is a little bit short. I don't imagine we'll start to see the 73s being withdrawn for a good while yet, or at least until the 24 stock testing is well underway and T/Ops begin training on them.

 

[Thirteen]

My guess is from 2025 to 2027, no point withdrawing them before the 2024 stock arrrives.

 

[Nym]

One does wonder if the modern TfL will try and turn them into engineering vehicles, or just scrap them and then buy new trains for engineering vehicles at 10 times the price.

 

[MaidaVale]

One does wonder if the modern TfL will try and turn them into engineering vehicles, or just scrap them and then buy new trains for engineering vehicles at 10 times the price.

I imagine at least one will be retained for use as a RAT as the Piccadilly line just uses temporarily converted service 73s anyway. There's no plans for a signaling upgrade for a number of years, so the 73s should still remain perfectly compatible for RAT duties.

 

[D7666]

One does wonder if the modern TfL will try and turn them into engineering vehicles, or just scrap them and then buy new trains for engineering vehicles at 10 times the price.

Given that a lot of ex-tube stock engineering trains have been scrapped the past few years can't see any real need.

Apart from the track recording unit (L132/666/L133) and the two Central RATs) there is not anything else. The ex D78 RATS are not tube size so don't count.

The MPU project stopped and cars scrapped, the Asset Inspection train project stopped, the tunnel cleaning train project stopped, and increased use of on track plant and road-rail vehicles, and, probably the most important, there are ££££££s for SFA at the moment. Engineers toys are at the bottom of the pile.

So what actual engineering vehicles is anyone else proposing we need ?

I suggest the whole lot will be reduced to scrap, except, as mentioned upthread, Picc. RATs (which seasonally exist already) + 1 car for Acton museum. And any other mug who buys any for use as a greenhouse, or classroom, or other equally non mobile project.

Remember now that a general use engineers train needing to run on more lines than the Picc, will need other lines ATP like CLATP, DTG, TBTC and CBTC. You are talking seven figure sums per train type to do that. Even if the Picc don't get resignalled for decades, to use 73TS as engineers vehicles elsewhere you'd need most if not all of that lot. You soon won't be able to get out of Ruislip at all without CBTC or CLATP. Does tend to limit scope. The Bakerloo no resignalling plans yet, but you can't get an LU engineers train there without entering from the Jubilee, hence needs TBTC; etc. etc for getting to and from all other lines. It all costs £££££££. And there is no realistic need for other engineers vehicles captive to either Piccadilly or Bakerloo.

 

[Julia]

Can the 73TS even run on the other tube lines, due to car length? Makes little sense to have Picc-only engineering vehicles.

 

[Mojo]

Can the 73TS even run on the other tube lines, due to car length? Makes little sense to have Picc-only engineering vehicles.

Track recording car 666 is a modified 73 TS trailer car which operates on other lines already.

 

[90sWereBetter]

I assume the only unit withdrawn at present was the one destroyed at Russell Square on that dreadful day in 2005?

 

[bramling]

I assume the only unit withdrawn at present was the one destroyed at Russell Square on that dreadful day in 2005?

A few more have been lost over the years.

DM 888 was scrapped after a fire between Wood Green and Bounds Green in the early 80s.

The entire unit 204-604-404 was scrapped after a collision in Northfields Depot around 1990 (the actual damage was fairly minor, but the unit became a spares donor, and in particular was used to repair another collision damaged car, DM 170)

UNDM 314 was also scrapped at the same time as unit 204, having never entered service. It became spare after the associated DM 114 replaced DM 888, and T 514 became the track recording car.

Then of course there’s unit 166-566-366 which was lost as a result of the King’s Cross / Russell Square incident. It isn’t entirely clear at what point DM 166 was actually scrapped, as that detail seems to have been lost.

As an aside, the bodywork on the front of car DM 170 has an interesting history. It is believed to have originated from above-mentioned DM 888, having in the interim been used as part of the abortive repair of DM 204. So a small fragment of 888 survives to this day, having started on 888, then 204, and finally to this day 170. The piece of bodywork stands out, as it is painted a slightly darker shade of red than all the other trains.

 

[RacsoMoquette]

Could some parts of withdrawn 1973TS be retained by TFL engineers to create a pool of spare parts for the continued operation of the 1972TS? As they probably have similar mechanical and electric components.

 

[MaidaVale]

Could some parts of withdrawn 1973TS be retained by TFL engineers to create a pool of spare parts for the continued operation of the 1972TS? As they probably have similar mechanical and electric components.

Potentially the odd bit or piece could be cross-transferable, but with all the changes over the years they're substantially different units. As a result, I find this unlikely on the most part.

 

[LUYMun]

With the new 2024 Stock being built and slowly arriving onto LU rails, I thought now would be a good time to start documenting the withdrawals of the 1973 Stock over the next few years.

With exception of four* units (314, 166, 204 and 888) that have already been scrapped many years ago, three 1973 Stock units have been withdrawn from general traffic: 251 in circa October 2024 now stored at Cockfosters, alongside 210 and 122 more recently at Northfields. All three had parts robbed, and today I’ve seen a video from a Facebook group showing cars of 122 being moved away by road: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16iuQR31aA/? (Link is to a privately-viewed group so you may need to log in).



I’m told that another scrap move is scheduled for 7 August to take away three more carriages, presumably that of 210.

 

[Dstock7080]

Cars 114 and 514 still survive in other uses, only car 314 scrapped.
Car 888 also scrapped.

 

[bluegoblin7]

Car 322 also moved from Northfields today - I'm awaiting confirmation if 522 has also departed.

 

[Bikeman78]

I take it that one of the early scrappers was the one damaged in July 2005. What happened to the others?

 

[Dstock7080]

888 damaged in Wood Green fire
314 never worked in service
204-604-404 damaged in collision
166-566-366 Russell Square 2005

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Jul 2025 ==

Car 322 also moved from Northfields today - I'm awaiting confirmation if 522 has also departed.

It has.

 

[Mawkie]

With the new 2024 Stock being built and slowly arriving onto LU rails, I thought now would be a good time to start documenting the withdrawals of the 1973 Stock over the next few years.

With exception of three units (314, 166, 204 and 888) that have already been scrapped many years ago, three 1973 Stock units have been withdrawn from general traffic: 251 in circa October 2024 now stored at Cockfosters, alongside 210 and 122 more recently at Northfields. All three had parts robbed, and today I’ve seen a video from a Facebook group showing cars of 122 being moved away by road: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16iuQR31aA/? (Link is to a privately-viewed group so you may need to log in).

View attachment 185039

I’m told that another scrap move is scheduled for 7 August to take away three more carriages, presumably that of 210.

I'm not sure if this video is the same as the Facebook one, as I'm not on Facebook.
View attachment VID_20250728_203549.mp4
(Video shows a 73 Stock carriage being lifted onto a low loader lorry for departure by road from Northfields Depot).

Incidentally, the 3 carriages in the top of the video frame are 248, 648(?), 448 and are totally stripped of serviceable items, so due for removal soon.

 

[73Stock]

248 is covered in graffiti.

 

[Bikeman78]

888 damaged in Wood Green fire
314 never worked in service
204-604-404 damaged in collision
166-566-366 Russell Square 2005

Thanks. Why did 314 never run in service?

 

[Mawkie]

248 is covered in graffiti.

Didn't see any on 248, but 448 was covered.

(Image shows 73 Stock, car 448 with pixelated graffiti, and equipment removed from interior.)

 

[Dstock7080]

Thanks. Why did 314 never run in service?

Used for crew training when new, then robbed of parts for incoming defective trains.
Car 314 served as a temporary staff canteen at Northfields 1984/5. Used for trial of 1973 Stock refurbishment, transferred to Doncaster then Horbury, scrapped 2000.
Car 514 used for ventilation experiments 1982. Subsequently converted to Track Recording Car 666.
Car 114 replaced bomb fire damaged 888 in 1982.

 

[Central]

Thought 888 was scrapped due to fire damage after the incident with pos/neg earth faults at Bounds Green

 

[Dstock7080]

Post #5

 

[FrontSideBus]

I bet you'd make a fortune cutting up the bodywork and then selling the shards as keyrings with the unit number engraved onto it ect.
The London Underground is a worldwide known brand.

 

[73Stock]

Lets hope Rail Tags can get hold of something!

 

[Central]

Sorry didn’t see the crossing out.

 

[LUYMun]

Been told that unit 248-648-448 will be wheeled out tomorrow (31 July). No idea on scrapyard destinations for any of these lot but EMR Kingsbury has been rumoured.

 

[FrontSideBus]

Lets hope Rail Tags can get hold of something!

I didn't even know that was a thing! I know you could get them from aircraft.

 

[Mawkie]

Been told that unit 248-648-448 will be wheeled out tomorrow (31 July). No idea on scrapyard destinations for any of these lot but EMR Kingsbury has been rumoured.

248-648-448 were removed by road today from Northfields.