London Underground 1983 Stock

{{Short description|Train used on the Jubilee line from 1984–1998}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} {{Use British English|date=May 2017}} {{Infobox train | name = London Underground 1983 Stock | image = File:1983 Stock at Kilburn tube station in 1988 (cropped).jpg | caption = 1983 Stock at {{Tubestation|Kilburn}} in 1988 | interiorimage = Ltmd-1983ts-interior (cropped).jpg | manufacturer = [[Metro-Cammell]] | designer = [[Acton Works|London Underground Acton Works]] | service = 8 May 1984 – 9 July 1998<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":02" /> | factory = [[Washwood Heath]], England | replaced = [[London Underground 1972 Stock|1972 Stock]] | capacity = 1262 (288 seats, 974 standing)<ref name=":0" /> | lines = [[Jubilee line|Jubilee]] | carlength = {{convert|17.73|m|ftin|1|abbr=on}}<ref name=":0" /> | yearconstruction = 1982–1983 1987–1988 (Batch Two)<ref name=":4" /> | yearscrapped = 1998 | numberbuilt = 31 1⁄2 sets, (63 3-car units, 189 cars)<ref name=":4" /> | successor = [[London Underground 1996 Stock|1996 Stock]] | formation = 3 cars per unit, 2 units per train <ref name=":4" /> | carbody = steel underframe and aluminium body | trainlength = {{convert|107.7|m|ftin|1|abbr=on}}<ref name=":0" /> | width = {{convert|2.63|m|ftin|1|abbr=on}}<ref name=":0" /> | height = {{convert|2.87|m|ftin|1|abbr=on}}<ref name=":0" /> | maxspeed = {{convert|100|km/h|mph}} | weight = {{convert|38.1|tonnes|lb}} (driving motor) {{convert|33.4|tonnes|lb}} (trailer)<ref name=":0" /> | traction = | traction motors = LT122 DC motor ([[Brush Traction]])<ref name=":0" /> | electricsystem = {{630 V DC|conductor=fourth rail}} | collectionmethod = [[Contact shoe]] | interiorcaption = Interior at [[London Transport Museum|London Transport Museum Depot]] in 2005 | stocktype = [[London Underground infrastructure#Subsurface versus deep-level tube lines|Deep-level tube]] | notes = {{Portal-inline|size=tiny|London transport}} }}

The '''London Underground 1983 Stock''' was a class of [[electric multiple unit]] built by [[Metro-Cammell]] for use on [[London Underground]]'s [[Jubilee line]].

The 1983 Stock was the last train to be designed in-house by London Underground; it was the last conventional Tube train in the long line of evolving design since the [[London Underground 1938 Stock|1938 Stock]]. The stock was built by Metro-Cammell to replace the [[London Underground 1972 Stock|1972 Mark II Stock]] operating on the Jubilee line; in turn this was intended to enable those trains to replace the 1938 Stock on the [[Bakerloo line]]. The trains were considered to be unpopular by passengers, and were relatively unreliable in service. They were withdrawn after just 14 years in service, and were replaced by the [[London Underground 1996 Stock|1996 Stock]].

==History== As part of the development of the [[Fleet line]] in the 1970s, [[Acton Works|London Underground Acton Works]] began work on designing new rolling stock for the line.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Ware |first=D K |date=1984 |title=London Transport's 1983 Tube Stock. |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1243/PIME_PROC_1984_198_142_02 |journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Transport Engineering |volume=198 |issue=3 |pages=153–160 |doi=10.1243/PIME_PROC_1984_198_142_02 |s2cid=110475082 |via=Sage|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The design was finalised in 1978.<ref name=":0" /> 60 6-car trains would be required for the full Fleet line, and around 30 trains required for the first phase to [[Charing Cross tube station|Charing Cross.]]<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Hardy |first=Brian |title=London Underground Rolling Stock |publisher=Capital Transport |year=1993 |isbn=185414-164-3 |edition=13th |location=Harrow, Middlesex |pages=30–31}}</ref> However, declining ridership and cancellation of future phases of the now-Jubilee line meant that only 15 6-car trains were ordered from [[Metro-Cammell]] in 1982.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" />

The first train was delivered in August 1983,<ref name=":2">LT goes all-alluminium as 1983 tube stock is delivered ''[[Railway Gazette International]]'' August 1983 page 611</ref> and first entered service in May 1984.<ref name=":4" /> All 15 trains had been delivered by May 1985.<ref name=":4" /> Some trains were returned to Metro-Cammell for modification after delivery, as they were {{Convert|18|mm|inch}} too wide.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |last1=Duffy |first1=Hazel |date=12 January 1984 |title=Train fault may hinder Singapore metro bid |work=Financial Times |publisher=Factiva |page=5}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=12 January 1984 |title=New coaches built by Metro-Cammell for London Transport have been returned because they are 18mm too wide. |work=Textline Multiple Source Collection |publisher=Factiva}}</ref> This embarrassment was picked up in the international press, as Metro-Cammell competed to win the [[Kawasaki Heavy Industries C151|rolling stock contract for the Singapore MRT]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name="ft-battle">{{cite news |last1=Sherwell |first1=Chris |date=25 January 1984 |title=The fight for Singapore's underground : Chris Sherwell in Singapore describes the battle for a major contract |work=Financial Times |publisher=Factiva |page=10}}</ref> An increase in passenger numbers in the mid 1980s meant that another 161⁄2 sets were ordered in August 1986 (called Batch Two),<ref name=":3">Underground car order ''Railway Gazette International'' August 1986 page 777</ref> entering service from November 1987.<ref name=":4" /> All trains were converted to one person operation from 1986 onwards.<ref name=":4" />

The 1983 stock owed much to the sub-surface [[London Underground D78 Stock|D Stock]] in design. Like the D Stock, the 1983 Stock had single leaf doors, a similar orange interior and cab design.<ref name=":4" /> The single leaf doors allowed for a greater number of seats per car, and would end up being the last deep-level tube trains with transverse seats to enter service (excluding the blue cars from the experimental [[London Underground 1986 Stock|1986 Stock]]). It also featured headlights that were positioned underneath the train body, and "bobbles on springs" strap-hangers for standing passengers within, the last new trains to have them.<ref name=":0" /> All trains were formed of six carriages, made up of two three-car units, coupled together, with each unit consisting of two Driving Motor cars (DM) and a Trailer car (T).<ref name=":4" /> The six-car trains were therefore formed DM-T-DM+DM-T-DM.<ref name=":4" />

The 1983 Stock proved to be unreliable.<ref name=":022">{{Cite book |last=Mitchell |first=Bob |title=Jubilee Line Extension: From Concept to Completion |publisher=Thomas Telford Publishing |year=2003 |isbn=0727730282 |location=London |pages=126–127}}</ref> Electrical generators for lighting the carriages often failed, as did the motors. Boarding of passengers was slow because of the single leaf doors.<ref name=":022" /> Generally, the trains were considered to be unpopular by passengers, and staff considered them unreliable.<ref name=":023">{{Cite book |last=Mitchell |first=Bob |title=Jubilee Line Extension: From Concept to Completion |publisher=Thomas Telford Publishing |year=2003 |isbn=0727730282 |location=London |pages=126–127 |quote=The 1983 stock proved relatively unpopular in service and was generally regarded as unreliable by the staff.}}</ref> Subsequent design and engineering of rolling stock on the Underground was done by external contractors, with London Underground writing a train specification instead of designing the train itself.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":022" />

=== Replacement === With the [[Jubilee Line Extension]] in mind, it was originally planned that the 1983 Stock would be heavily refurbished to run alongside the newer [[London Underground 1996 Stock|1996 Stock]] that entered service on the Jubilee line in 1997; the plans included replacing the single leaf doors with double doors to speed up passenger boarding.<ref name=":022" /> The 1983 Stock was to be given similar interiors. This was abandoned due to the cost being only 10% cheaper than re-equipping the line entirely with the 1996 Stock.<ref name=":022" /> Then it was proposed for the 1983 Stock to be added to the refurbished [[London Underground 1973 Stock|1973 Stock]] on the [[Piccadilly line]] and serve the Rayners Lane - Uxbridge section of the line. This was also abandoned on the grounds of cost.<ref name=":024">{{Cite book |last=Mitchell |first=Bob |title=Jubilee Line Extension: From Concept to Completion |publisher=Thomas Telford Publishing |year=2003 |isbn=0727730282 |location=London |page=134 }}</ref> The last 1983 Stock train ran on the Jubilee line on 9 July 1998, having been in service for just 14 years.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Mitchell |first=Bob |title=Jubilee Line Extension: From Concept to Completion |publisher=Thomas Telford Publishing |year=2003 |isbn=0727730282 |location=London |page=325 }}</ref>

Despite their newness and attempts to sell the trains abroad, the trains never returned to service. A number were stored at various locations around the network, and others were scrapped.{{cn|date=May 2026}} Since retirement from service, nine cars had been stabled at sidings south of [[South Harrow tube station|South Harrow station]]. Over the years these had been heavily vandalised. With the introduction of [[Night Tube]] services, additional stabling was required, so all nine cars were removed over the weekend of 27/28 June 2015, and taken to [[CF Booth]], [[Rotherham]] for scrapping.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}} Some trains were used for testing by the [[Health and Safety Executive]] at the [[Health and Safety Laboratory|Harpur Hill Health and Safety Laboratory]].<ref>{{Citation |last=True British Metal |title=1983 Tube Stock, Harpur Hill HSE Site Buxton |date=2015-06-13 |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/truebritishmetal/19304886910/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |publisher=Flickr}}</ref>

===Preservation=== One carriage of the stock has been preserved by the [[London Transport Museum]]<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Railway vehicle; London Underground 1983-tube stock (batch II) driving motor car No. 3734, 1988 |url=https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/collections-online/vehicles/item/2002-8569 |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=London Transport Museum |language=en}}</ref> and another had been used as a studio by [[Radio Lollipop]] at [[Great Ormond Street Hospital]], but this was recently scrapped.<ref>{{Cite web |title=London Transport 3634 1983 Tube Stock Driving Motor (body only)(scrapped) built 1988 |url=http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=4385 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223164602/http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=4385 |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 February 2024 |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=www.cs.rhrp.org.uk}}</ref> A few more have been placed on the disused [[Broad Street railway station (England)|Broad Street viaduct]] in [[Shoreditch]] for use as artists' studios.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tubelines.com/news/releases/200608/20060803a.aspx|title=Any old iron? Disused tube carriages being turned into studio space|publisher=Tube Lines|date=2006-08-03|accessdate=2008-08-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-13 |title=History |url=https://villageunderground.co.uk/about/history/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=Village Underground |language=en-US}}</ref> List of preserved stock: * DM 3734 at the [[London Transport Museum Depot]].<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Raven-Hill |first=Paul |date=3 October 2022 |title=Preserved LT / LU Vehicles – A further update on the updates! |url=https://www.lurs.org.uk/03_Oct_22_PRESERVED_LT_LU_VEHICLES.pdf |access-date=23 Feb 2023 |website=London Underground Railway Society |page=3}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> * DM 3733 at [[Broad Street railway station (England)|Broad Street viaduct]].<ref name=":6" /> * T 4633 at [[Broad Street railway station (England)|Broad Street viaduct]].<ref name=":6" /> * T 4662 at [[Broad Street railway station (England)|Broad Street viaduct]].<ref name=":6" /> * DM 3662 at [[Broad Street railway station (England)|Broad Street viaduct]].<ref name=":6" /> * DM 3721 at Washington, Sunderland used as tunnel rescue training.<ref name=":6" /> * The complete [[Destination sign#Rollsign|destination blind]] from DM 3702 exists in a private collection, and is in operational condition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://streetlightonline.co.uk/Tube/1983-Stock-Blind.htm|title=English Street Lights Online|year=2019|accessdate=2019-05-20}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}} *

==External links== * [https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/collections-online/photographs London Transport Museum Photographic Archive] ** {{LTM archive|1998-83088|1983 Stock train at Charing Cross, Jubilee line platform, 1986}}

[[Category:London Underground electric multiple units|1983]] [[Category:Metropolitan Cammell multiple units]] [[Category:Train-related introductions in 1984]]