London Underground A60 and A62 Stock

A60 and A62 Stock
Amersham (local) bound Metropolitan line train approaching Chorleywood station, Hertfordshire.
In service	12 June 1961–26 September 2012 (700151000000000000051 years, 7002106000000000000106 days)
Manufacturer	Cravens (Sheffield)
Constructed	1960-1962
Entered service	1961-1963
Refurbishment	1994-1998
Scrapped	1987/1994/2011-2012
Number built	58 trains
Number in service	2 trains + 2 cars (depot only)
Number preserved	1 car
Number scrapped	55 trains + 5 cars
Formation	DM-T-T-DM (per unit)
Fleet numbers	DM: 5000-5233 T: 6000-6233
Capacity	DM: 54 seats + 4 tip-up seats T: 58 seats
Operator	London Underground
Depot(s)	Neasden Depot
Line(s) served	Metropolitan line  (1961-2012)  East London line  (1977-1985/1987-2007)
Specifications
Car body construction	Aluminium
Train length	212 ft (65 m) (4 cars)
Car length	636.5 in (16,170 mm)
Width	116 in (2,900 mm)
Height	145 in (3,700 mm)
Entry	Level
Doors	DM: two double and one single T: three double
Wheel diameter	3 ft (910 mm)
Maximum speed	Design: 70 mph (110 km/h) Operational: 50 mph (80 km/h)
Weight	DM: 32.1 tonnes T: 21.8 tonnes
Electric system(s)	630V DC fourth rail
UIC classification	Bo′Bo′+2′2′
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge London Transport portal

The London Underground A60 and A62 Stock operated on the Metropolitan Line from 12 June 1961 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 trains were built in two batches (A60 and A62) by Cravens of Sheffield in the early 1960s and replaced all other trains on the line.

The A Stock was until September 2012 the oldest type of train in passenger service on the London Underground, also on any other Subway system in Europe. It was the only train to have luggage racks, separate motoring and braking controls and the last to have no automated announcements. The C Stock on the Circle Line and Hammersmith and City Lines are now the oldest.

Development and introduction

The A stock (right) replaced the F and P (left) stocks on the Metropolitan line

The core design of the A Stock was formulated by W S Graff-Baker of the London Passenger Transport Board as part of the electrification of the Metropolitan Line from Rickmansworth to Amersham and Chesham under the 1935–1940 New Works Programme. The project was delayed by the events of World War II and the lack of funds available during the austerity period after the war: however, in 1946 two experimental trailers similar in exterior appearance to the production trains were built using underframes of the T Stock. The trailers were scrapped when the trials concluded.

When electrification commenced in 1959, London Transport placed an order for 31 trains, later known as the A60 Stock to replace the T Stock on the services to Watford and Rickmansworth, and the locomotive hauled services to destinations north of Rickmansworth. The first A Stock units (5004 and 5008) entered passenger service beginning with the Watford service in June 1961. The Amersham/Chesham services began later that year. London Transport later ordered a further 27 trains, which became known as the A62 Stock. This second batch were introduced between 1961–63 to replace the F and P Stocks on the Uxbridge service. Both batches were built by Cravens of Sheffield. By December 1963, the roll-out was complete.

The trains were designated as the A Stock to mark the electrification of the Metropolitan Line to Amersham. Four-car units of A Stock were also used on the East London Line (then a branch of the Metropolitan Line) between June 1977 to April 1985, May 1987 to 24 March 1995 and from 25 March 1998 until the line closed permanently on 22 December 2007. It is now part of the London Overground network.

Design

A Stock vehicles at Rayners Lane in their original unpainted livery

The London Underground A60 and A62 Stocks were mainly designed as a compromise between the needs of longer distance “outer suburban” passengers on the outer reaches of the line and short distance “urban” passengers over part of the heavily used Circle and Hammersmith & City lines. For this reason the trailer cars feature three sets of doors per car.

A distinctive feature of this stock was the use of transverse seating only, which was uncommon on London Underground rolling stock. This is because it was designed for journeys which may last over an hour. Most of the seating was of the high capacity 3 + 2 arrangement, oriented across the car's width as opposed to a longitudinal layout, where seats were arranged along the sides of the carriage. In addition, four tip-up seats were provided at the rear of the driving motor. Nevertheless, despite each 8-car train seating 448 passengers, these trains provided fewer seats than the locomotive-hauled and T stock trains that they replaced: however, the A Stock provided more seats than their replacement, the S Stock, which started to replace them from 31 July 2010. For the convenience of long-distance passengers, the A stock was also equipped with luggage racks and umbrella hooks. It was the only stock on the system to have these features, despite their presence on most contemporary National Rail trains.

The refurbished interior of a Metropolitan line A60 Stock train in 2010

The A60 and A62 stocks were nearly identical by appearance. The most significant differences were the border around the destination window on the A62 motor cars and make of the compressor fitted under the trailer cars: the A60 cars use the Westinghouse DHC 5A type, while the A62 cars use the Reavell TBC 38Z type.

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

Operation

A stock at Whitechapel station in 1979. The A stock operated on the East London Line as well as the Metropolitan.

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 sets, consisting of a driving motor and trailer that are semi-permanently coupled. Although the intention was to operate trains of only four cars 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 A Stock operated in a two-unit formation of eight cars on the Metropolitan Line, between Aldgate and Amersham, Chesham (peak hours only), Uxbridge and Watford stations.

When built they had a top speed of 70 mph (110 km/h) (world's fastest 4-rail train), but from the late 1990s/early 2000s they were restricted to 50 mph (80 km/h) to improve reliability. However they still had the highest top speed of any stock on the London Underground network. During the farewell tour on 29 September 2012, the 8 car train was unofficially recorded as travelling at 74 mph (119 km/h).^{[citation needed]}

Farewell tour

On the 29th September 2012, London Underground held the final trip for members of the public to travel onboard an A stock trains. The tour was organized by the London transport museum. Its started off at Moorgate and traveled across the entire Metropolitan line including Watford, Amersham, Aldgate, Uxbridge, Chesham and the Watford curve! The tour ended at Wembley Park and on the final stretch from Finchley road the trains was recorded at 74mph on several mobile phones!

Roster

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

Cars of the A Stock were identified by a four-digit number. The first digit identifies the type of car (driver or trailer) and the last three digits identify the set number (Numbers 000 to 231). The numbering system of the A stock upon introduction were as follows:

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

In further detail:

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

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

A60 Stock
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		^5026	6026	6027	5027		^5048	6048	6049	5049		^5070	6070	6071	5071		^5092	6092	6093	5093^		^5114	6114	6115	5115^
^5006	6006	6007	5007		^5028†	6028†	6029	5029		^5050	6050	6051	5051		^5072	6072	6073	5073		^5094	6094	6095	5095^		^5116+	6116	6117†+	5117^†+
5008†+	6008†	6009†	5009†		^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^+
^5012	6012	6013	5013		5034†+	6034	6035	5035		^5056	6056	6057	5057^		^5078	6078	6079	5079		^5100	6100	6101	5101^		^5122	6122	6123	5123^
^5014	6014	6015	5015		5036†	6036	6037†	5037†		^5058	6058	6059	5059^		^5080	6080	6081	5081		^5102	6102	6103	5103^		^5232+	6232+	6233+	5233^+
^5016	6016	6017	5017		^5038	6038	6039	5039		^5060	6060	6061	5061^		^5082	6082	6083	5083		^5104	6104	6105	5105^		^5234+	6234+	6235+	5235^+
^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 Stock
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		5160	6160	6161	5161^		5178	6178	6179	5179^		5196	6196	6197	5197^		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+	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	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^		5190	6190	6191	5191^		5208†	6208	6209	5209†		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:
a. 5034 and 5008 swapped number on July 1985. The new 5008 and 6008 later became (set) No.234 on September 1994, 5034 preserved at the LTM, Acton.
b. No.9 renumbered No.235 on September 1994.
c. No.28 renumbered No.232 on June 1985.
d. 5036 renumbered 5116 on April 1993. Original 5116 scrapped 1987 (collision Kilburn, December 1984)
e. No.117 renumbered No.233 on August 1985; No.37 renumbered No.117 on April 1993.
f. 5208 renumbered 5218 on August 1992. Original 5218 scrapped 1994 (experimental suspension)
g. 5209 renumbered 5121 on March 1993. Original 5121 scrapped 1994 (collision Neasden depot, October 1986)
Converted works vehicles:
s. Sandite dispenser car.
Withdrawals:
1. Underground News (London Underground Railway Society) (588): 737. December 2010. 
2. Underground News (London Underground Railway Society) (591). March 2011. 

Withdrawal

Train of refurbished A Stock at C F Booths in Rotherham, waiting to be scrapped.

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

The S8 Stock replaced the fleet. The first S8 Stock unit was introduced on 31 July 2010. Although similar to the S7 Stock which will be used on the District, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines, the main differences were the layout and quantity of seats and the provision of two active sand hoppers for each rail due to the different conditions at the country end of the line. The withdrawal of the A Stock after the introduction of the S8 Stock commenced on 9 and 10 October 2010.^{[citation needed]}

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

In February 2012 London Transport Museum began offering luggage racks from withdrawn A stock for sale.

The last train formed of A Stock ran in passenger service on 26 September 2012 before permanent withdrawal. It was formed of 5034 + 5062. The same train formation was also used on 29 September 2012 for the final ticket-only railtour. Thus, one of the driving motor cars, 5034, was part of the first (as 5008, subsequently renumbered as 5034) and also the last A Stock train on the Metropolitan Line, giving it an in service life of over 51 years. It was eventually sent to the Northwood sidings on 8 October 2012 and subsequently loaded on trucks to be scrapped. Only 5034 was taken to the Acton Museum Depot to be preserved.

An ITV News report stated that a carriage, later identified as 5034, would be preserved by the London Transport Museum. The A Stock outlasted many former British Rail EMUs: the Scottish Class 303 managed 43 years, the Class 309 Clacton Express units managed 38 years whilst the former British Rail Class 312 sets only managed 28 years. The former Southern Region 4CIG and 4CEP units have come closer with the former managing 46 years and the latter managing 49 years. This makes the A Stock one of Britain's longest serving types of train, although far from the ex-1938 Stock which is still in use on the Isle of Wight around 75 years after construction, or the 81 years of service given by the former Glasgow Underground rolling stock between 1896 and 1977. As an additional note, the A Stock may be outlasted by the InterCity 125 HSTs.

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 (Bauer Media Group) (702): 54–59, ISSN 0953-4563 
• Underground News (London Underground Railway Society), ISSN 0306-8617 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: London Underground A60 and A62 stock

• A60/62 stock (SquareWheels)