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Trivia: Most different types of stock used on any one LUL line at the same time

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Wilts Wanderer

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I was wondering what the record is for the greatest variety of stock used on any one tube or sub-surface line on London Underground has ever been? I can think of an instance of three different stock times on the same line during a fleet transition, but wondering if there are more interesting /complex examples?

Northern Line late 1990s: 1959 / 1972 / 1995 stock

Just to clarify - I know how good forum members are at finding loopholes! - I’m only interested in stock that operates the timetabled service on the LU line itself. So quoting 416 and 313 units on the Bakerloo line wouldn’t count, nor A or D stock on the Circle line.
 
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class387

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The District Line had C69/77, D78 and S Stock in 2014.
 

bramling

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I was wondering what the record is for the greatest variety of stock used on any one tube or sub-surface line on London Underground has ever been? I can think of an instance of three different stock times on the same line during a fleet transition, but wondering if there are more interesting /complex examples?

Northern Line late 1990s: 1959 / 1972 / 1995 stock.

Can add 62 stock to that, as a small number of units were moved from the Central to Northern in the 1990s replacing damaged 59/72 stock cars as well as the three 56 stock trains. However, this 59/62/72/95 stock period didn’t last long as the 72 stock was the first to be replaced so didn’t coexist for very long with the 95s.

ISTR there was also a time when the Northern had 38/56/59/72 stocks. Unless anyone knows different I don’t think there was any 62 stock on the line at that point.
 
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W-on-Sea

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Back in the early 80s, the District line had: CO/CP, R, D78 and (on the Edgware Road-Wimbledon branch) C69/C77.
 

Fireless

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Metropolitan Line just after it became part of London Transport in 1933 with ten (eleven, if you count the GN&C units) different EMU classes, at least four classes of steam locomotives, one class of electric locomotives and at least three types of coaching stock.
 

LUYMun

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Metropolitan Line just after it became part of London Transport in 1933 with ten (eleven, if you count the GN&C units) different EMU classes, at least four classes of steam locomotives, one class of electric locomotives and at least three types of coaching stock.
Not forgetting during their early days, C Stocks usually ran on the Uxbridge branch, only to be put off and kept within its Hammersmith/Circle/District lines.
 

Dstock7080

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Back in the early 80s, the District line had: CO/CP, R, D78 and (on the Edgware Road-Wimbledon branch) C69/C77.
Indeed, that’s what I was trained on !
Not forgetting during their early days, C Stocks usually ran on the Uxbridge branch, only to be put off and kept within its Hammersmith/Circle/District lines.
C Stock never worked in service north of Harrow.
 
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etr221

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C Stock never worked in service north of Harrow.
Maybe never normally, but a four car rake was used as part of Steam on the Met or some such shindig to work the Chesham branch shuttle.

Getting back to topic, one difficulty is defining what you mean by a stock (are C69 and C77 the same or different? What about Q23 and Q38?) or line. And what about temporary or special use - e.g. 1938 and 1967 stock on the Central?

I think the District Line in c1938 may have got up to 14: B, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, N, O, P and Q ... but the use of O stock was certainly temporary before it went to its intended home.
 

Dstock7080

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Getting back to topic, one difficulty is defining what you mean by a stock (are C69 and C77 the same or different? What about Q23 and Q38?) or line. And what about temporary or special use - e.g. 1938 and 1967 stock on the Central?
Certainly CO CP C69 C77 1972 I, 1972 II required different operating procedures.
Q23 Q38 were different entirely.
 
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Mikey C

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Can add 62 stock to that, as a small number of units were moved from the Central to Northern in the 1990s replacing damaged 59/72 stock cars as well as the three 56 stock trains. However, this 59/62/72/95 stock period didn’t last long as the 72 stock was the first to be replaced so didn’t coexist for very long with the 95s.

ISTR there was also a time when the Northern had 38/56/59/72 stocks. Unless anyone knows different I don’t think there was any 62 stock on the line at that point.

At other time the Northern would have seen 4 types, e.g. in the late 80s with the temporary return of the 38 stock it would have had 38, 56, 59 and 72Mk1. Previously I think a few of the 72Mk2s also worked on the Northern Line, giving 56, 59, 72Mk1 and 72Mk2 is you count the Mk2 as a separate type!
 

Ex LT

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Indeed, that’s what I was trained on !

C Stock never worked in service north of Harrow.
I am sure there was something in an old Underground News that said C stock went to Uxbridge to cover a gap in the service, what we need is the UN editor to be a member. I will look through the archive.
 

Dstock7080

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I am sure there was something in an old Underground News that said C stock went to Uxbridge to cover a gap in the service, what we need is the UN editor to be a member. I will look through the archive.
Having looked through my archive copies, Piers Connor - not the Editor of UN, wrote an article in July 2014 UN631 pg.330:
“during my time at Baker Street (Train-crew depot), there was a severe staff shortage. Often, Circles would be commandeered to work trains to Uxbridge or Amersham, filling gaps for cancelled A Stock duties.
Although they were normally restricted to a top speed of 45mph, a C Stock was sometimes thrashed down from Chalfont & Latimer to Rickmansworth or Kilburn to Finchley Road and didn’t do their rather frail gearboxes any good.

I therefore withdraw my earlier comment.
 

AY1975

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At other time the Northern would have seen 4 types, e.g. in the late 80s with the temporary return of the 38 stock it would have had 38, 56, 59 and 72Mk1. Previously I think a few of the 72Mk2s also worked on the Northern Line, giving 56, 59, 72Mk1 and 72Mk2 is you count the Mk2 as a separate type!

Yes, and I think there may also have been periods in the 1970s and 80s when the Bakerloo Line had 38, 59 and 72Mk2.
 

AY1975

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Back in the early 80s, the District line had: CO/CP, R, D78 and (on the Edgware Road-Wimbledon branch) C69/C77.

I think that was the case for just over a year, from the entry to service of the first D78 Stock in January 1980 until the withdrawal of the last CO/CP Stock in March 1981.
 

Ex LT

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Having looked through my archive copies, Piers Connor - not the Editor of UN, wrote an article in July 2014 UN631 pg.330:


I therefore withdraw my earlier comment.
Thanks for the details in which issue it appeared.
 
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