A Stock withdrawals - Discussion

It should be 5014+5151; 5181 still going strong, last seen paired up with 5102 on 25/04/2012.

Best Wishes

Green Lion.

video of today scrap train at Northwood now at



rest of the shunting and road movement video's will go up later when I get time this evening.

Edit

a sad sight under the iron bridge looking back for one last time.

I have to agree here metman. I have grown up with these trains, along with other now withdrawn stocks (CO/CP; R; 38TS; 59TS; 62TS; and most recently the 67TS) and it feels as though a little part of your life is being taken away.

The same feeling applies, for example, with buildings you have known or worked in because they have become a part of you - although you can often gut and re-fit a building to offer it a new lease of life (and I don't know why more of our heritage is not preserved by doing this) - how did people feel when Chiswick Works disappeared? The sad reality though is that after 50 years there is no further use for the A stock.

Perhaps it's inevitable that emotions will surface when there is change? Many of us mourn the passing of the A's, whilst others (and probably the younger generation especially) love their shiny new S stocks. Perhaps some of those people will, in the future, feel just as we do now when time is up for the S stock?

Going past Northwood tonight there was only one passenger carriage and a DM left in the siding - another one bites the dust!

5070 is the south end unit.

I mourn with suitable understanding anything of distinction passing but when it's a non-sentient being I moderate my senses somewhat. These trains, like their predecessors, were great in their time but now they're obselete, and they're going to be recycled into something more useful for the present day. A noble service in life and in death.

Having lost two close members of family this last year, a situation that really does deserve strong emotion, I cannot begin to understand how the replacement of one set of trains with another can cause what appears to be the eqivalent amount of grief. As a comparison, I'm on my sixth car now. All of them hold a place in my heart but when the scrapyard called, they were replaced in short order and off they went without tears from me. Same with the 62TS on my local line. Out of date and out of time. Wished them well with a smile but that's about it to be honest.

Any particular reason why the A60's lasted 10-12 years longer in service than the 1959TS?

The 1959 were actually falling apart. The failure rate was dreadfull with the 59ts. The other reason is that a finance deal was reached so the trains could be leased from Alsthom which would spread the cost.

I think the plan was to refurb all 20 trains of 1972 stock and then either refresh the 59s by giving them a paint job or start to buy new trains.

Imo the 59/62 stock could have looked quite nice with a paint job in and out. They could have been made to look very smart.

Back to 5034....

Perhaps this could be a preservation car? Renumbered back to 5008 and kept in the museum as a lone DM. I doubt 5234 will be moved from its unit. If the heritage units are kept in service the double ended car will give a lot of flexibility. Remember 5034 is a single ended car and does not have the electrical coupling ability.

You're correct but you couldn't couple another unit (5110) to it, so loosing flexibility.

Thus 5235-6235-6234-5034+5111+6111+6110+5110 would not be possible.

The only possible formation would be

5034-6234-6235-5235+5110-6110-6111-5111

I would very much hope that the driver would act professionally, and ensure any emotions did not interfere with the safe operation of their train.

@ Brian A60K

+ 1

Well said!!

quote author=delboy200 board=met thread=15879 post=333523 time=1335965176]Alright guys, I think charleyfarley may have made that comment in jest...

Are there any updates as to how long we will still have A stock running off peak and at weekends? I'd still love to have a few trips while I can and preferably not on one that’s packed to the rafters.
[/quote]

As a daily traveller on the Met, I would recommend the MF midday off-peak when there are always several 'A' stocks in service. There is a pattern starting to emerge as to which Set Numbers are formed of A Stock, an example being T456.

Are you being serious??? Honestly some people on here really need to have a bit of a reality check!

It's a shame, it's a big loss of an old classic unit but thats it - it is a train! It hold great memories for many people and as such some people including me will be sad to see it go but talking about emotional states of drivers!? Come on!!! What do you think they are going to do? Break down at the controls and refuse to drive in to the sidings?