London Underground A60/A62 Stock
The A60 Stock is a class of sub-surface train run on the London Underground, which was built in 1960 by Cravens of Sheffield for the extension of the electrification to Amersham. The A62 Stock is a batch of almost identical units, built in 1962 for Uxbridge services. They are both commonly known simply as 'A' stock, as there is no need to distinguish between the two batches (or between them and the 1903 trains, also known as "A Stock"). The only significant difference between the A60 and A62 types is their compressors: the A60s are fitted with rotary compressors whereas the A62s have reciprocating compressors, and the different sound of these can act as an identifying feature.
The Metropolitan Line is one of the most complicated lines. During peak times, trains from Baker Street or Aldgate serve all destinations and vice versa. All Uxbridge services stop at all stations, the Watford service becomes semi-fast, not stopping between Finchley Road and Harrow on the Hill and the Amersham service remains a fast service not stopping between Finchley Road and Harrow on the Hill, and Harrow on the Hill and Moor Park. During off peak times and weekends the service is Aldgate-Uxbridge (all stations), Baker Street to Watford (all stations) and Baker Street to Amersham (Fast but stopping at Wembley Park). There are two trains in the morning and evening peak that travel between Aldgate and Chesham at other times passengers have to change at Chalfont & Latimer for a shuttle to Chesham.
The 'A' in the unit designation stands for 'Amersham', as the trains were ordered as part of the electrification of the Metropolitan Line to that station.
The trains were required to be 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 trafficked Circle line. For this reason they feature three sets of doors per carriage.
They work in an eight-car permanent formation on the Metropolitan Line, and in a four-car formation on the East London Line. They were refurbished by Adtranz (now Bombardier) Derby in the mid to late 1990s.
When built they had a top speed of 70mph, but the maximum line speed is now only 50mph. Despite this, these trains are the fastest on the London Underground network. The A60/62 Stocks are the only ones left on London underground that still feature independent brake and traction control.
A distinctive feature of these stocks is 'transverse' seating. Being designed for journeys which can last for almost an hour the seating is of the high capacity 3 + 2 design, being oriented across the car's width as opposed to a longitudinal layout, where seats are arranged along the sides of the carriage. Nevertheless, despite each 8 car train seating 448 passengers, these trains still provide fewer seats than the locomotive hauled and T stock trains they replaced.
For the convenience of longer distance passengers the A stock is also equipped with luggage racks and umbrella hooks, being the only stock on the system to have these features.
At 9'8" (approx 2.95m) these are Britains' widest trains.
Replacement
An order has been placed for new rolling stock to replace the A60 and A62 units. On the Metropolitan Line, the new S Stock will enter service around 2009, while the East London Line will receive new Class 378 Electrostar rolling stock once its extensions are open.
Although the S Stock trains are expected to be physically identical for all the sub-surface lines (Metropolitan, District, Circle and Hammersmith & City) it is likely that to counter negative passenger comments about the new trains providing a significant reduction in seating the trains for the Metropolitan Line will be treated as a dedicated sub-fleet, with more seats than the rest of the S Stock fleet.
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Sleet locomotives - Coaching stock - Departmental - Engineering | |