London Underground O Stock
Encyclopedia
Metropolitan Line
The Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground. It is coloured in Transport for London's Corporate Magenta on the Tube map and in other branding. It was the first underground railway in the world, opening as the Metropolitan Railway on 10 January 1863...
and Hammersmith & City Line
Hammersmith & City Line
The Hammersmith & City line is a subsurface London Underground line. It connects Hammersmith in the west with Barking in the east, running through the northern part of central London. It is coloured salmon pink on the Tube map...
in 1937–1940 by Gloucester RC&W and Birmingham RC&W. In all there were 262 driving motors (DM) and 103 trailers. The trailers were constructed to the same physical design as the DMs, with provision for the fitting out of a driving cab at one end of the car, although while used as a trailer the unused cab doors were locked closed.
The O stock was built for the Hammersmith & City service and the P stock for the Metropolitan Line service to Uxbridge, although initially some worked on the District Line's Putney Bridge to Edgware Road service. The guard's position on the O stock DMs was in the cab, this continuing the policy of the former Metropolitan Railway. In contrast, the guard's position on the P stock was at the trailing end of the DMs, following the practice of the District Line (and the tube lines).
History
As built the units had MetadyneMetadyne
A Metadyne is an electrical machine with three, or more, brushes. It can be used as an amplifier or rotary transformer. It is similar to a third brush dynamo but much more complex, having additional regulator or "variator" windings. It is also similar to an amplidyne except that the latter has a...
equipment, being classified as O Stock and P Stock. The units were originally built as two-car sets, but an intermediate trailer was later added.
From the late 1940s, some of the P Stock used on the Uxbridge services were transferred to the Circle Line to replace the former Metropolitan Railway Stock still in use. Trains of F Stock were transferred from the District Line for use on the Uxbridge services.
Starting in 1955 the Metadyne equipment was removed from the DMs and was replaced with PCM equipment. Converted cars were renumbered from 1xxxx to 5xxxx and reclassified with a C (meaning Converted) before the O or the P.
In the early 1960s, the remaining P (or CP) stock still used on the Uxbridge services was transferred to the District Line. Metropolitan Line services were taken over by new trains of A Stock.
In the late 1960s the CO/CP Stock used on the Circle Line and Hammersmith & City Line was transferred to the District Line (following the introduction of C69 Stock
London Underground C69 Stock
C Stock is the name given to the trains currently running on London Underground's Circle and Hammersmith & City lines as well as on the District Line between Edgware Road and Wimbledon...
).
Withdrawals started in earnest in 1977 following the introduction of new trains of C77 Stock
London Underground C69 Stock
C Stock is the name given to the trains currently running on London Underground's Circle and Hammersmith & City lines as well as on the District Line between Edgware Road and Wimbledon...
for use on services between Wimbledon and Edgware Road (which were restricted to six cars, rather than the seven cars then used on the rest of the District Line). The bulk of the CO/CP Stock (as well as R Stock) were replaced by new trains of D Stock in the early 1980s. The last examples were withdrawn in 1981; they were the last red painted sub-surface stock used on the London Underground.
War time losses
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
several cars were lost as a result of bombing by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
.
14199 (O stock DM) was destroyed at Neasden
Neasden
Neasden is an area in northwest London, UK. It forms part of the London Borough of Brent.-History:The area was recorded as Neasdun in 939 AD and the name is derived from the Old English nēos = 'nose' and dūn = 'hill'. It means 'the nose-shaped hill' referring to a well-defined landmark of this area...
on 27 September 1940, 13036, 14042, 14049 (all O stock DM), 13229, 14229 (all P Stock DM), 014080 (O stock trailer) at Moorgate station
Moorgate station
Moorgate station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground station on Moorgate in the City of London; it provides National Rail services by First Capital Connect for Hertford, Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth and also serves the Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan Lines and...
on 29 December 1941, and 14263 (P stock DM) at Baker Street
Baker Street tube station
Baker Street tube station is a station on the London Underground at the junction of Baker Street and the Marylebone Road. The station lies in Travelcard Zone 1 and is served by five different lines...
in 10 May 1941 .
To make up for the number of 'D' end DMs (14xxx) cars destroyed, three 'D' end trailer cars were rebuilt into DMs. These were 014270-014272 which were renumbered 14270-14272 when converted.
During the war 'D' end DM 14233 was damaged during bombing of Neasden depot
Neasden
Neasden is an area in northwest London, UK. It forms part of the London Borough of Brent.-History:The area was recorded as Neasdun in 939 AD and the name is derived from the Old English nēos = 'nose' and dūn = 'hill'. It means 'the nose-shaped hill' referring to a well-defined landmark of this area...
, one end of the car being destroyed. Instead of the car being scrapped one end of Q38 Stock trailer 013167 (which had been badly damaged when a bomb hit Plaistow station
Plaistow tube station
Plaistow station is a London Underground station on the District and Hammersmith and City lines, located in Plaistow and West Ham, east London. It is in Zone 3....
) was used to rebuild 14233. The DM returned to service, renumbered 54233 in 1963, and was eventually preserved.
P1 Stock
Six 'A' end P stock DMs, numbered 13264-13269, were not fitted with any guard's controls, which were fitted on other P stock DMs. These six cars, designated P1 Stock, were used on the through UxbridgeUxbridge
Uxbridge is a large town located in north west London, England and is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is located west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres...
-Barking
Barking
Barking is a suburban town in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, in East London, England. A retail and commercial centre situated in the west of the borough, it lies east of Charing Cross. Barking was in the historic county of Essex until it was absorbed by Greater London. The area is...
service in the 1930s and 1940s. Guard's controls were fitted in the 1960s when the Metadyne equipment was replaced by PCM equipment, and the six cars were redesignated P stock.
Numbering
As built the numbers were as follows:| 'O' Stock | ||
|---|---|---|
| 'A' DM | 'D' DM | T |
| 13000 - 13057 | 14000 - 14057 | 013058 - 013086 / 014058 - 014086 |
| 'P' Stock | ||
|---|---|---|
| 'A' DM | 'D' DM | T |
| 13193 - 13257 13262 - 13269* |
14193 - 14257 14262 - 14269 |
013087 - 013101 / 013258 - 013273 014087 - 014100 / 014258 - 014273 |
Cars 13264 - 13269 were designated P1 stock
Preservation
One complete unit, and a driving motor have been preserved.
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|
Vehicles 53028 and 013063 are CO Stock and 54233 and 54256 are CP Stock.