CO/CP and R stock guards control panels

eirikh0 is right.

However, in times past when "passenger door control" was operative, one button was "passenger open", the other "normal open". These were separated by the "close" button and the "signal" (i.e. to ring the bell) button was on the end.

Also remember that the R Stock originally door controls operated by a 'key' with an off-centre 'lug'. This system was replaced when the first lot of 1938 Tube Stock was withdrawn and their panels were used instead. Recycling, eh!!

All true except that the door buttons on the 'drivers desk' - certainly on 'C' & 'D' stocks - can be opened with one hand.
As a relatively new T/op, I did find it painful after a while using two fingers - the spread to get both buttons is kinda unnatural - but your fingers get used to it after a while.

The bulkhead buttons are certainly a 'two hand' job (ooh Matron), but you would only use these carrying out a door open procedure when your not in - or a failure of - the CDSE loop.

The close button was generally between the two open buttons, but on OPO trains could still be operated with a single open stretched hand however from D stock the close buttons became adjacent and the process was less likely to cause repetitive strain injury.

I have always assumed the two "open" buttons was an obvious safety feature. I have ceratinly had a train where one "open" button became jammed in.

Sounds about right. The numbers sound right too, they were converted when moved to the District an made CP stock.

This was done earlier - 1950.

Also worth suggesting that the Doors Open circuits in these stocks will have have separate feed and return train wires, one set for each side of the train, to give protection against electrical defects. These separate circuits were fed over one button each at the active Position.

That's what I was lead to believe too. I thought the Q23 trailer conversions (14) where to compensate for Q38 trailer cars being converted to COP trailers. This was to cover the Circle Line upgrade from 5 to 6 cars.

The key hidden behind the flap at the top of the panel was the key which livens the panel at that position. This was a centre lug key.

The R stock key on the old panels had an off-centre lug. If you held the key the "right" way up, you could easily cut your hand on the sharp bits of the quadrant, so most guards would use it by putting the thum and forefinger at the bottom end of the key.

Yes the open buttons could easily be used with one hand. The same panels were used on the old Mersey electrics, W&C stock etc.

The R stock panel mods came in late 1972 when they started withdrawing Q stock.

Although slightly o/t.
A key that was also a useful addition to the AET's toolkit and had many unofficial uses to make life easier when faulting or maintaining.
F

Possibly the same type of motorman's key that I used to keep in the trainstop maintenance bag for undoing pineapples. I used to keep a couple of such keys of slightly different size.

A pineapple is the light green plastic coated type nut securing a trainstop lid. They are made to be hand tightened AFAIK but we inevitably had to use an adjustable spanner to loosen them without damaging the plastic and it just so happened that a key was an ideal fit with a short enough shank to apply the right amount of grip and torque in an instant.

Pineapple comes from the shape because they are fluted and resemble small pineapples.