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New Trains for the Central Line
The 1960 stock was built as prototypes for a new fleet of trains for the Central line,
to replace stock dating back to 1923. Cravens Limited of Sheffield built 12 new driving
motorcars. The cars were numbered 3900 to 3911. To save costs the two trailer cars in
each unit were converted cars of 1923 stock. The trailer cars were numbered 4900 to 4911.
Our unit in its original form was delivered to Ruislip Depot in August 1960, and
entered passenger service on 9 November 1960. The stock operated in 3 8-car trains on
"mainline" service on the Central line. However the plan to build more 1960 Stock for
the Central Line was never carried out. The cost of converting the old standard stock
trailer cars was high. The deteriorating condition of the standard stock together with
the anticipated increases in traffic resulting from the electrification of the routes
into Liverpool Street made the provision of new trains for the Central Line an urgent
priority. As a temporary measure the last 57 trains of the 1959 Stock then entering
service on the Piccadilly line were transferred to the Central. London Transport then
decided to order more of this design, the trains became known as the 1962 Stock.
The ATO Experiment
The full-scale introduction of the 1962 Stock left the Cravens units as non-standard
stock. However the development of a new technology gave the trains a new lease of life.
Following small scale trials of ATO (Automatic Train Operation) on a short stretch of
the District Line it was decided to carry out further tests on a larger scale. The
Woodford to Hainault line was identified as a suitable test site. In 1963 the six units
were withdrawn from service and five were converted for the ATO tests, which began in
April 1964. The tests were successful and ATO was used on the Victoria Line when it
opened in 1968. A detailed explanation of ATO as used on the London Underground can be
found on the TubePrune website. The remaining unit (3910 + 4902 + 4903 + 3911) was used
for engineering tests. This unit travelled Widely it was even hauled along the disused
Highgate - Finsbury Park line to reach the Northern City when that was part of the
Underground!
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Cravens units operated most of the Woodford - Hainault services
until the early 1990. In this scene a Hainault bound train leaves the siding at
Woodford. Gary Thorp. |
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Interior of a 1960 Stock Driving Motor. Bob Checkley.
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At Hainault depot soon after purchase in 1995. Bob Yeldham
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The 1960 spent their last few years in service between Epping and Ongar.
This view was captured a few weeks before closure in 1994. John Glover
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The converted units were to continue to operate on this lightly used section of the
Underground for over twenty years. By the mid 1970s the condition of the pre-1938
stock meant they were no longer suitable for passenger service. They were to be replaced
by 1938 stock cars. With the light level of traffic between Woodford and Hainault it was
thought that the units could be reduced to 3 cars. Six 1938 stock trailers were
therefore selected for conversion.
Standard stock cars 4908 and 4909 were withdrawn in November 1975, 4906 and 4907 followed
in 1977. However the replacement programme was delayed by the discovery of asbestos in some of
the Cravens Driving Motor cars. As a result it was 1983 before all the standard stock cars were
replaced. An additional four-car unit of 1967 was borrowed from the Victoria Line.
One car of '38 stock (012331) was prepared for use with 3910 and 3911 as a track recording train.
However it was never used in this role; asbestos was discovered in 3910 and 3911 and they
were scrapped, renumbered TRC912, the track recording car remained in storage at Acton Works. It is still there!
3902 and 3903 together with 1938 stock conversion 4929 were used for experiments in
fully automatic train control. The "FACT" train could be seen operating between Woodford
and Hainault in the early 1980s. By 1986 the experimental ATO equipment was life expired
and three units were modified to conventional one-person operation (OPO). Driving
motorcars 3901 and 3905 were converted in 1987 to become pilot motors for the
Underground's track recording car - a function they still perform. In April 1990, at
Hainault Depot, the first of the remaining three units was painted red with cream window
pillars and grey roofs (approximating the original 1938 stock livery), with gilt fleet
names and car numbers. The old Central London Railway coat of arms was applied to the
front corners of the driving motors. A year later a second unit was similarly painted
with the third being withdrawn from service and used as a source of spare parts.
The early 1990s saw timetable changes; 8-car trains of '62 stock operated all services
between Hainault and Woodford, while the Cravens units replaced the 4-car '62 stock on
the Epping - Ongar service, which was by this time restricted to peak hours. When the
Ongar branch was closed on 30th September 1994 the remaining units were stored out of
service at Hainault depot.
Into Private Ownership
With the impending closure of the Epping-Ongar line a preservation bid for the line had
begun. It was hoped that the current supply could be maintained after closure allowing
the line to become the first preserved railway to use electric traction. With this in
mind a small group of ORPS members set up the Cravens preservation fund to purchase a
unit. Unit 3906/4927/3907 which operated the last train to and from Ongar on 30th
September 1994 was selected. Trailer 4929 was also purchased in the hope that it could
be restored and become the fourth car in the unit. Sadly research revealed that this
would be prohibitively expensive. 3908, 4921, 3909 and 4929 remained at Hainault until
November 2001 when they were removed for scrapping.
After the purchase of the unit by the Cravens Group maintenance work was undertaken at
Hainault Depot. Its first passenger carrying duty in private ownership was on Sunday,
9 July, 1995. Two tours of the eastern end of the Central line, Grange Hill to Woodford,
Leytonstone and Epping, were carried out. Further tours of the eastern Central line between
Leytonstone and Epping operated at Easter 1996.
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On Easter Sunday 1996 a series of Eppping-Leytonstone shuttles were operated.
The day began with a Hainault-Leytonstone working. |
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The first train shortly after arrival at Epping.
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Passing Roding Valley on the return to Hainault.
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In 1996 completion of the Central Line re-signalling was imminent - this would make future operation
on the Central Line impossible. Rather that the train become a static exhibit it was decided to
move the train to Ruislip depot.
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Railtours since 1997 have seen the train travel widely on the LU network
Visits to Shoreditch, the lightly used northern terminus of the East London Line were made in 2000
and 2003. |
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CHTL has also supported other events on the Underground.
We were able to participate in the Stanmore Open Day. |
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Most CHTL railtours begin and end at Uxbridge because this is
easily accessed from Ruislip Depot |
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Rickmansworth sidings during a Steam on the Met event. The track recording train is
on the right. Bob Checkley. |
Between 1996 and 1999 further tours took place which saw the train travel over much
of the District, Metropolitan and Northern lines. The train was also exhibited at
Stanmore Open Day. During the popular "Steam on the Met" events the train has been
exhibited at Rickmansworth and also operated services on the Chesham branch.
In 2000 The 'Central Centenarian' was operated in recognition of the 100th anniversary
of the opening of first section of the Central Line between Bank and Shepherds Bush.
This unique tour of the entire line had to occur at night, as the train is incompatible
with the Automatic Train Operation now used on Central Line. It was only possible with
the full co-operation and support of LUL.
Unexpected repair work prevented any special
trains operating in 2001. However the work has now been completed and a new CTC was
obtained in the summer of 2002. This allowed the unit to be used for a
filming contract on the Aldwych
branch in the summer of 2002 and operate a shuttle between East
Finchley and High Barnet. Our most recent railtour the
East London Explorer ran on the 18th May 2003.
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