London Underground 1973 Tube Stock

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London Underground 1973 Tube Stock
A 1973 Tube Stock train at Ickenham Station
A 1973 Tube Stock train at Ickenham Station
Numbering: DM: 100–203, 205–253, 854–897
T: 500–603, 605–653,
654–696 (even numbers)
UNDM: 300–403, 405–453
Number: 86½ moves
Manufacturer: Metro Cammell
Year of construction (s): 1974-1977
Gauge : 1435 mm ( standard gauge )
Length over coupling: 107,150 mm (whole train)
Height: 2,888 mm
Width: 2,629 mm
Trunnion Distance: 11,124 mm
Empty mass: DM: 29.76 t
UNDM: 28.53 t
T: 20.18 t
Whole train: 156.93 t
Power system : 630 V DC
Power transmission: 2 power rails (positive and negative)
Seats: 228

The London Underground 1973 Tube Stock (or just 73 Tube Stock for short ) is a series of electric railcars that are used on London's Piccadilly Line . According to the usual London Underground convention, the name is derived from the year of the planned commissioning (1973).

history

The 1973 Tube Stock was ordered as part of the extension of the Piccadilly Line to Heathrow Airport . Although the 1959 tube stock used on the Piccadilly Line was still relatively young, it was decided to use a newly developed series in order to be able to offer passengers to the airport more space for luggage. The trains of the 1959 Tube Stock were subsequently moved to the Northern Line . The first passenger use of the 1973 Tube Stock took place during the opening of the Hatton Cross station on July 19, 1975; the first regular service followed on August 18, 1975.

The trains were modernized from 1995 to 2000 at Bombardier Prorail .

Train formation and details

A 1973 Tube Stock train is made up of two units with three cars each. The units usually consist of a Driving Motor Car (DM) , a Trailer Car (T) and an Uncoupling Non-Driving Motor Car (UNDM) , which normally results in the following order: DM-T-UNDM-UNDM-T- DM. A driving motor car is equipped with a drive and a driver's cab, an uncoupling non-driving motor car has a drive, but only a shunting drive switch to enable separation and maneuvering in the depots. A trailer car is neither equipped with drives nor with a driver's cab. To increase flexibility, some units have a second driving motor car instead of an uncoupling non- driving motor car and thus have driver's cabs at both ends.

Compared to the 1959 Tube Stock, which was replaced by the 1973 Tube Stock on the Piccadilly Line, a train now only consists of six instead of seven cars, but the individual car bodies have been lengthened. A whole train of the 1973 Tube Stock is about five meters shorter and therefore fits completely on all platforms of the Piccadilly Line.This was necessary for the later planned conversion to one-person operation , as the necessary mirrors and monitors only on the Platforms can be mounted. However, the trains were still delivered for operation with guards who monitored the closing of the doors. In order to facilitate the use to Heathrow Airport, space was created directly at the doors to facilitate the transport of the passengers' luggage. The car bodies were planked with unpainted aluminum, only the front surface below the driver's cab window was painted red.

As part of the modernization, the vehicles were then given the underground paintwork (white car body with blue stripes on the floor, doors and driver's cab in red). In addition to the new paintwork, the vehicles also received new target displays in LCD technology. The interior was also redesigned during the modernization, the previous mix of lengthways and transverse seats was replaced by straight-line seating, the free space next to the doors was enlarged and a padded ledge was added in these areas to lean on. In addition, the interior was equipped with LED displays for passenger information. Additional windows were installed at the cab-less ends of the car bodies to allow a view of the neighboring car. Another innovation is the modified front doors on the driver's cabs, these have been given a folding staircase with handrails so that if the train is evacuated, the vehicle can be left forwards and thus faster than before. Before the modernization, small ladders were used in such a case, which one had to climb backwards.

commitment

So far, the trains have only been used on the Piccadilly Line, only 6-car trains are used in passenger operation, but until the discontinuation in 1994 a 3-car train with two driver's cabs was in shuttle operation on the branch line between Holborn and Aldwych used. Since the modernization, use on other lines is not possible without further precautions.

literature

  • Brian Hardy: London Underground Rolling Stock . 15th edition. Capital Transport, Harrow Weald 2002, ISBN 1-85414-263-1 .

Web links

Commons : London Underground 1973 Stock  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Clives Feather: Piccadilly Line. Retrieved January 13, 2009 .