London Underground D78 Stock
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| D78 Stock | |
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| Manufacturer | Metro-Cammell |
| In Service | 1980-present |
| Lines Served | District |
| Length per car | 18.12 m |
| Width | 2.85 m |
| Height | 3.62 m |
| Weight | DM 27.46 tonnes UNDM 26.11 tonnes T 18.40 tonnes |
| Stock Type | Subsurface |
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The London Underground D Stock is a type of electric multiple unit used on the London Underground District Line1.
The entire fleet is due to be replaced in 2015.
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[edit] History
The stock was ordered in 1976 to replace the pre-war CO/CP Stock and post-war R Stock fleet operating on the District Line. 75 trains were built by Metro-Cammell, entering service on 28 January 1980, with final deliveries in 1983.
[edit] Detail
The D Stock is composed of six-car trains, as opposed to the seven-car trains of CO/CP, and R Stock, whose cars were shorter. The bogies are the same as on the 1973 Tube Stock.
D Stock brought many innovations. The rubber coil suspension, for example, meant a smoother ride for passengers. The driver's cab is more ergonomic, the seat being of a swiveling design that allows it to be move forwards, backwards, up or down. The dead man's handle of earlier trains is replaced by a joystick handle which only needs to be twisted for driving and braking the train. Additionally, there is a Train Management System (replacing the original Train Equipment Panel) that highlights faults to the driver.
The most noticeable difference between D Stock and earlier trains is that the doors are single leaf. Originally, passengers pressed door-control buttons to open them, but door operation is now controlled by the driver. Posters explaining how to operate the door buttons were put up around Tube stations in English, French and German when the stock was first introduced.
The D stock windows had to be modified because of overheating in the carriages when new, with pull-down opening windows installed in each car.
[edit] Refurbishment
The mid-life refurbishment of the D stock is the first to be carried out under the PPP, by Metronet, and was delayed until contract negotiations were completed. A prototype unit (three cars only) was prepared by London Underground's Train Modification Unit (TMU) at Acton Depot in 2001. This had some differences from the eventual refurbishment detail, but has now been brought up to the standard of the rest of the fleet. The refurbishment program began in summer 2005 with the first two units coming into service in June. The refurbishment now taking place consists of:
- applying the LU livery on the outside
- a restyling of the interiors in green and white
- maple flooring replaced with rubber
- adding end-of-car windows
- new grab bars instead of hanging straps (bobbles on springs)
- covering over of door buttons
- dot matrix indicators showing the station and destination on the inside of carriages and on the front and sides of trains
- audio passenger information system guided by GPS and odometer
- flip seat/disabled multi purpose area
- air conditioning to drivers cab
- anti-vandal paint and window film
- CCTV
It is the first Underground stock to have electronic side-of-carriage information displays, although some pre-war trains had slot-in or reversible destination or non-stopping plates. Metronet refurbish three trains at a time and plan to reintroduce a train every two weeks.
On 15th February 2008, the final remaining "unpainted" train was taken out of service to be refurbished. The train (comprising units 7534 west to 7115 east) was the very last unpainted passenger train on the entire London Underground.
[edit] Announcer System
The refurbished stock are fitted with an automated voice announcer (Emma Clarke). An example of the regular voice pattern is as follows:
"This, is South Kensington. Change here for the Piccadilly Line and Circle line, via High Street Kensington and Paddington. Exit for the museums and Royal Albert Hall. This is a District Line train, to Richmond."
Since the fleet was refurbished, it has been the first announcer system to have the feature of saying "Please mind the gap between the train and platform" at the station BEFORE any other announcement. This feature is quite helpful as it could prevent people from not minding the gap. e.g: "Please mind the gap between the train and the platform. This, is Victoria. Change here for the Victoria Line, National Rail services, and Victoria Coach station. This is a District Line train, to Upminster."
[edit] Gallery
 D stock train at Blackfriars station |
 Refurbished interior of a D stock train |
 Refurbished Interior of District Line train on December 21, 2007 |
 D stock trains at Earl's Court tube station. The train on the left is unrefurbished and the one on the right is refurbished |
 Interior of an unrefurbished D78 stock |
 unrefurbished D78 stock at Aldgate east |
[edit] Notes
On the Edgware Road branch of the District Line, the platforms of the stations north of High Street Kensington (Notting Hill Gate, Bayswater, Paddington, and Edgware Road) are not long enough for the D Stock. As a consequence, the service from Wimbledon-Edgware Road is provided using C Stock.
Between April 1985 and May 1987 the D78 stock ran the East London Line service in 3 car formations, there being enough spare D stock because of reduced services on the District Line. This allowed the A stock to be sent off for One Person Operation (OPO) conversion. A60 and A62 stock took over the service again upon return in 1987.
[edit] External links
- Metronet Matters newsletter PDF
- TfL press release
- D Stock - District Line Photo Site
- D Stock - Tubeprune
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