# London Underground 1983 Stock

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Train used on the Jubilee line from 1984–1998

London Underground 1983 Stock 1983 Stock at Kilburn in 1988 Interior at London Transport Museum Depot in 2005 Stock type Deep-level tube In service 8 May 1984 – 9 July 1998[1][2] Manufacturer Metro-Cammell Designer London Underground Acton Works Built at Washwood Heath, England Replaced 1972 Stock Constructed 1982–1983 1987–1988 (Batch Two)[1] Scrapped 1998 Number built 31 1⁄2 sets, (63 3-car units, 189 cars)[1] Successor 1996 Stock Formation 3 cars per unit, 2 units per train [1] Capacity 1262 (288 seats, 974 standing)[3] Line served Jubilee Specifications Car body construction steel underframe and aluminium body Train length 107.7 m (353 ft 4.2 in)[3] Car length 17.73 m (58 ft 2.0 in)[3] Width 2.63 m (8 ft 7.5 in)[3] Height 2.87 m (9 ft 5.0 in)[3] Maximum speed 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) Weight 38.1 tonnes (84,000 lb) (driving motor) 33.4 tonnes (74,000 lb) (trailer)[3] Traction motors LT122 DC motor (Brush Traction)[3] Electric systems Fourth rail, 630 V DC Current collection Contact shoe Notes/references London transport portal

The **London Underground 1983 Stock** was a class of [electric multiple unit](/source/Electric_multiple_unit) built by [Metro-Cammell](/source/Metro-Cammell) for use on [London Underground](/source/London_Underground)'s [Jubilee line](/source/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 [1938 Stock](/source/London_Underground_1938_Stock). The stock was built by Metro-Cammell to replace the [1972 Mark II Stock](/source/London_Underground_1972_Stock) operating on the Jubilee line; in turn this was intended to enable those trains to replace the 1938 Stock on the [Bakerloo line](/source/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 They were withdrawn after just 14 years in service, and were replaced by the [1996 Stock](/source/London_Underground_1996_Stock).

## History

As part of the development of the [Fleet line](/source/Fleet_line) in the 1970s, [London Underground Acton Works](/source/Acton_Works) began work on designing new rolling stock for the line.[3] The design was finalised in 1978.[3] 60 6-car trains would be required for the full Fleet line, and around 30 trains required for the first phase to [Charing Cross.](/source/Charing_Cross_tube_station)[1] 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](/source/Metro-Cammell) in 1982.[3][1]

The first train was delivered in August 1983,[4] and first entered service in May 1984.[1] All 15 trains had been delivered by May 1985.[1] Some trains were returned to Metro-Cammell for modification after delivery, as they were 18 millimetres (0.71 in) too wide.[5][6] This embarrassment was picked up in the international press, as Metro-Cammell competed to win the [rolling stock contract for the Singapore MRT](/source/Kawasaki_Heavy_Industries_C151).[5][7] An increase in passenger numbers in the mid 1980s meant that another 161⁄2 sets were ordered in August 1986 (called Batch Two),[8] entering service from November 1987.[1] All trains were converted to one person operation from 1986 onwards.[1]

The 1983 stock owed much to the sub-surface [D Stock](/source/London_Underground_D78_Stock) in design. Like the D Stock, the 1983 Stock had single leaf doors, a similar orange interior and cab design.[1] 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 [1986 Stock](/source/London_Underground_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.[3] 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).[1] The six-car trains were therefore formed DM-T-DM+DM-T-DM.[1]

The 1983 Stock proved to be unreliable.[9] Electrical generators for lighting the carriages often failed, as did the motors. Boarding of passengers was slow because of the single leaf doors.[9] Generally, the trains were considered to be unpopular by passengers, and staff considered them unreliable.[10] 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.[3][9]

### Replacement

With the [Jubilee Line Extension](/source/Jubilee_Line_Extension) in mind, it was originally planned that the 1983 Stock would be heavily refurbished to run alongside the newer [1996 Stock](/source/London_Underground_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.[9] 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.[9] Then it was proposed for the 1983 Stock to be added to the refurbished [1973 Stock](/source/London_Underground_1973_Stock) on the [Piccadilly line](/source/Piccadilly_line) and serve the Rayners Lane - Uxbridge section of the line. This was also abandoned on the grounds of cost.[11] The last 1983 Stock train ran on the Jubilee line on 9 July 1998, having been in service for just 14 years.[2]

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.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Since retirement from service, nine cars had been stabled at sidings south of [South Harrow station](/source/South_Harrow_tube_station). Over the years these had been heavily vandalised. With the introduction of [Night Tube](/source/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](/source/CF_Booth), [Rotherham](/source/Rotherham) for scrapping.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Some trains were used for testing by the [Health and Safety Executive](/source/Health_and_Safety_Executive) at the [Harpur Hill Health and Safety Laboratory](/source/Health_and_Safety_Laboratory).[12]

### Preservation

One carriage of the stock has been preserved by the [London Transport Museum](/source/London_Transport_Museum)[13] and another had been used as a studio by [Radio Lollipop](/source/Radio_Lollipop) at [Great Ormond Street Hospital](/source/Great_Ormond_Street_Hospital), but this was recently scrapped.[14] A few more have been placed on the disused [Broad Street viaduct](/source/Broad_Street_railway_station_(England)) in [Shoreditch](/source/Shoreditch) for use as artists' studios.[15][16] List of preserved stock:

- DM 3734 at the [London Transport Museum Depot](/source/London_Transport_Museum_Depot).[17][13]

- DM 3733 at [Broad Street viaduct](/source/Broad_Street_railway_station_(England)).[17]

- T 4633 at [Broad Street viaduct](/source/Broad_Street_railway_station_(England)).[17]

- T 4662 at [Broad Street viaduct](/source/Broad_Street_railway_station_(England)).[17]

- DM 3662 at [Broad Street viaduct](/source/Broad_Street_railway_station_(England)).[17]

- DM 3721 at Washington, Sunderland used as tunnel rescue training.[17]

- The complete [destination blind](/source/Destination_sign#Rollsign) from DM 3702 exists in a private collection, and is in operational condition.[18]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:4_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:4_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:4_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:4_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:4_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:4_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-:4_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-:4_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-:4_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-:4_1-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-:4_1-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-:4_1-11) [***m***](#cite_ref-:4_1-12) Hardy, Brian (1993). *London Underground Rolling Stock* (13th ed.). Harrow, Middlesex: Capital Transport. pp. 30–31. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [185414-164-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/185414-164-3).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:02_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:02_2-1) Mitchell, Bob (2003). *Jubilee Line Extension: From Concept to Completion*. London: Thomas Telford Publishing. p. 325. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0727730282](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0727730282).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:0_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:0_3-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-:0_3-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-:0_3-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-:0_3-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-:0_3-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-:0_3-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-:0_3-11) Ware, D K (1984). ["London Transport's 1983 Tube Stock"](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1243/PIME_PROC_1984_198_142_02). *Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Transport Engineering*. **198** (3): 153–160. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1243/PIME_PROC_1984_198_142_02](https://doi.org/10.1243%2FPIME_PROC_1984_198_142_02). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [110475082](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:110475082) – via Sage.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:2_4-0)** LT goes all-alluminium as 1983 tube stock is delivered *[Railway Gazette International](/source/Railway_Gazette_International)* August 1983 page 611

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_5-1) Duffy, Hazel (12 January 1984). "Train fault may hinder Singapore metro bid". *Financial Times*. Factiva. p. 5.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** "New coaches built by Metro-Cammell for London Transport have been returned because they are 18mm too wide". *Textline Multiple Source Collection*. Factiva. 12 January 1984.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ft-battle_7-0)** Sherwell, Chris (25 January 1984). "The fight for Singapore's underground : Chris Sherwell in Singapore describes the battle for a major contract". *Financial Times*. Factiva. p. 10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:3_8-0)** Underground car order *Railway Gazette International* August 1986 page 777

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:022_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:022_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:022_9-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:022_9-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:022_9-4) Mitchell, Bob (2003). *Jubilee Line Extension: From Concept to Completion*. London: Thomas Telford Publishing. pp. 126–127. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0727730282](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0727730282).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:023_10-0)** Mitchell, Bob (2003). *Jubilee Line Extension: From Concept to Completion*. London: Thomas Telford Publishing. pp. 126–127. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0727730282](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0727730282). The 1983 stock proved relatively unpopular in service and was generally regarded as unreliable by the staff.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:024_11-0)** Mitchell, Bob (2003). *Jubilee Line Extension: From Concept to Completion*. London: Thomas Telford Publishing. p. 134. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0727730282](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0727730282).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** True British Metal (13 June 2015), [*1983 Tube Stock, Harpur Hill HSE Site Buxton*](https://www.flickr.com/photos/truebritishmetal/19304886910/), Flickr, retrieved 22 February 2024

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:5_13-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:5_13-1) ["Railway vehicle; London Underground 1983-tube stock (batch II) driving motor car No. 3734, 1988"](https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/collections-online/vehicles/item/2002-8569). *London Transport Museum*. Retrieved 23 February 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["London Transport 3634 1983 Tube Stock Driving Motor (body only)(scrapped) built 1988"](https://web.archive.org/web/20240223164602/http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=4385). *www.cs.rhrp.org.uk*. Archived from [the original](http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=4385) on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Any old iron? Disused tube carriages being turned into studio space"](http://www.tubelines.com/news/releases/200608/20060803a.aspx). Tube Lines. 3 August 2006. Retrieved 9 August 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["History"](https://villageunderground.co.uk/about/history/). *Village Underground*. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:6_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:6_17-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:6_17-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:6_17-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:6_17-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:6_17-5) Raven-Hill, Paul (3 October 2022). ["Preserved LT / LU Vehicles – A further update on the updates!"](https://www.lurs.org.uk/03_Oct_22_PRESERVED_LT_LU_VEHICLES.pdf) (PDF). *London Underground Railway Society*. p. 3. Retrieved 23 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["English Street Lights Online"](http://streetlightonline.co.uk/Tube/1983-Stock-Blind.htm). 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.

## External links

- [London Transport Museum Photographic Archive](https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/collections-online/photographs) - [1983 Stock train at Charing Cross, Jubilee line platform, 1986](https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/collections-online/photographs/item/1998-83088)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [London Underground 1983 Stock](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:London_Underground_1983_Stock).

v t e London Underground rolling stock Current Deep tube 1972 1973 1992 1995 1996 2009 Sub-surface S7/S8 Future Deep tube 2024 Former Deep tube 1900/1903 1906 1914 1915 1920 Watford Joint Standard 1938 1949 1956 1959 1960 1962 1967 1983 Sub-surface District Railway A B C D E F G H K L Metropolitan Railway Electric multiple units GN&C S T Circle London Transport M/N O/CO/P/P1/CP Q/Q23/Q27/Q31/Q35/Q38 R38/R47/R49/R59 A60/A62 C69/C77 D78 Locomotives Battery-electric Diesel Electric London Transport locomotives Steam locomotives A B C D E F G H K District ex GWR Brill Tramway Tube-gauge steam locomotives Other stock Carriages Coaching stock Sleet locomotives Experimental Deep tube 1935 1986 Other Departmental Engineering Miscellaneous Numbering and classification

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