1930s STOCK SPECIALS ON THE MET

OVER the weekend of September 3/4 the four-car heritage 1938 Tube Stock (TS) owned by the London Transport Museum (LTM) operated on London Underground metals, albeit not on the deep tube (Bakerloo, Northern and Piccadilly) lines the train was originally built for (see picture, p82).

On both days three return trips operated between Amersham and Watford, travelling along the so-called Watford curve, not normally used by passenger services. A final one-way trip on both days to Harrow-on-the-Hill station allowed the unit to stable at nearby Neasden depot, normally used for Metropolitan S8 trains and Jubilee Line 1996 TS.

Of the four cars that make up the 1938 TS, only ‘A’ end Driving Motor (DM) car, No. 10012, was part of the original 1938 TS four-car delivery. The other three cars originate from other units: No. 12048 was previously numbered 92048 when part of an experimental nine-car train, No. 012256 served on the Northern City Line Moorgate to Finsbury Park branch, while No. 11012 was previously numbered 11178 until September 1983. It replaced the original No. 11012 that was written off during an incident in London Road depot on the Bakerloo Line.

During the past decade, the 1938 TS unit has undergone a lengthy overhaul, which began in 2015 following a maintenance lift. This identified several issues, including bogie fractures. Progress was slow, as maintenance on regular service trains took priority. The work, that also included upgrades to the on board traction system motors, allow the unit to take the higher 750V DC power now available (the system was previously energised at 630V).

Work was completed in 2017.

■ The LTM is currently at an early planning stage to operate another event towards the end of January 2023 or later in the year. It should be noted that at the moment this event is not confirmed. If it went ahead, this would celebrate the centenary of the 20 Metropolitan Vickers DC electric locos, that operated on the Metropolitan

Line between 1921 and 1961. Today, two survive: No. 5 John Hampden, on display in LTM’s Covent Garden museum and No.12 Sarah Siddons, which is retained in full running order for heritage services.