Would this be the right place to ask how London Underground vehicle numbering works? They seem to have only a number for each car (not for each unit) & I can't make out any patterns.
So, a very quick answer to your questions for current underground stock would be
yes each car has an individual number,
yes they do have set numbers, and
yes there are set patterns. Luckily I had something I wrote for somewhere else a few years back so I hope the description below answers your question in enough detail. As a general rule for set numbers, they're normally on the end of each driving cab as you look at it, mostly on the front but the Piccadilly set numbers are on the side of the driving cab, not the front. Note that each line is different and the formations that you see running are normally made up by 2 individual sets being joined, or 4 sets in the case of the Central Line. I hope the following description makes sense, if not then feel free to get in touch and I'll help if I can
1972 Stock, Bakerloo Line
7-car formations, 1x 4-car set paired with 1x 3-car set. The 4-car sets are numbered in the 32xx series (3231-3267 + 3299) and the 3-car sets are numbered in the 35xx series (3531-3567). There is no particular pattern to pairing, no deliberate consecutive numbering, and the 32xx set should be at the south end.
Individual car numbers are formed in the following example set sequences:
Set 3231 is formed of
3231+4231+4331+3331
Set 3531 Is formed of
3531+4531+3431
1973 Stock, Piccadilly Line
6-car formations, 2x 3-car sets numbered in the 100-253 & 854-896 series. They run with 1x odd numbered set paired with 1x even numbered set. There is no particular pattern to pairing, no deliberate consecutive numbering, and you do not get pairs that contain 2x sets from the 8xx series. Sets 100-253 always run with the set number driving-car at the front but sets 854-896 are double-ended and can run either way so could have car 854 or 855 leading. Note that the pattern of the individual car numbering is different in the 8xx sets.
Individual car numbers are formed in the following example set sequence:
Set 100 is formed of
100+500+300
Set 200 is formed of
200+600+400
Set 854 is formed of
854+654+855
Set 896 is formed of
896+696+897
1992 Stock, Central Line
8-car formations, 4x 2-car sets in the 91xxx (91001-91349) and 93xxx (93002-93266 & 93402-93464) series (or also referred to as 92xxx series depending on who you ask). These are the most annoying set formations to monitor, made more difficult as only leading cars show up on the Intertube website, and formations seem to change more often than any other line. They run as 4x sets of 2, the outer 2 sets are always 91xxx as they are the driving cabs, and these are always odd numbered. The inner 2 sets are
normally 2x 93xxx non-driving sets, and these are always even numbered. However, some sets are formed with a 91xxx driving set on the inside of the formation in place of the normal 93xxx non-driving set. For info, regardless of whether the set is a 91xxx or 93xxx, the second car of each set is always 92xxx with the same last 3 digits as the 91xxx or 93xxx that it is coupled with.
Individual car numbers are formed in the following example set sequence:
91001+92001,
93054+92054, 92176+
93176, 92201+
91201
1992 Stock, Waterloo & City Line
4-car formations, 2x 2-car sets, numbered in the 65501-65510 series. They run in consecutive numbered pairs, the odd number is always the lowest, and the odd number should be at the east end.
Individual car numbers are formed in the following example set sequence:
65501+67501, 67502+
65502
1995 Stock, Northern Line
6-car formations, 2x 3-car sets numbered in the 51xxx series (51501-51686 & 51701-51726). They run with either 1x odd numbered set paired with 1x even numbered set (if both sets are from the 51501-51686 series), or for pairs that include one of the 517xx sets, they run with either both even numbered sets or both odd numbered sets. Most (but not all) of the pairs that don't include a 517xx set run in consecutive numbered pairs, but there is no obvious pattern to whether the odd or even number is the lowest in these sets that do run as consecutive pairs.
Individual car numbers are formed in the following example set sequence:
51501+52501+53501, 53701+52701+
51701
51502+52502+53502, 53503+52503+
51503
1996 Stock, Jubilee Line
7-car formations, 1x 4-car set paired with 1x 3-car set. The 4-car sets are odd numbered
and the 3-car sets are even numbered, all in the 96xxx series (96001-96126). They do not run in consecutive numbered pairs and the odd number should be at the east end.
Individual car numbers are formed in the following example set sequence:
96001+96201+96601+96401, 96402+96202+
96002
2009 Stock, Victoria Line
8-car formations, 2x 4-car sets, all numbered in the 11xxx series (11001-11094). They run in consecutive numbered pairs, the odd number is always the lowest, and the odd number should be at the south end.
Individual car numbers are formed in the following example set sequence:
11001+12001+13001+14001, 14002+13002+12002+
11002
S7 Stock, Circle, District and Hammersmith & City Line
7-car formations, 1x 3-car set paired with 1x 4-car set, all numbered in the 21xxx series (21301-21568). They run in consecutive numbered pairs and the odd number is always the lowest.
Individual car numbers are formed in the following example set sequence:
21301+22301+24301, 24302+25302+22302+
21302
S8 Stock, Metropolitan Line
8-car formations, 2x 4-car sets, all numbered in the 21xxx series (21001-21116). They run in consecutive numbered pairs and the odd number is always the lowest.
Individual car numbers are formed in the following example set sequence:
21001+22001+23001+24001, 24002+25002+22002+
21002
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