C Stock formation reports

Its sad that today's final service run was cut short...

However I was out and about yesterday evening on the Wimbleware and have 92 memories to share via my FLICKR account.

Regards

ChrisW

malcolmffc, I'm not entirely sure I understand you there. In the post you quoted, I was saying that I thought it made sense to take the train out of service today so it could run the tour. Which you seem to be agreeing with, so I don't see how I'm being selfish? For info, I will be on the tour, so I am one of the people who have paid a lot of money.

With respect I think malcolmffc is missing the point.   What would have made the well promulgated 1309 ex Wimbledon 'so special' for me is that I would have been there to capture on video for posterity the last time a C stock performed its task of serving the travelling public: the driver's farewell announcements to passengers (er - sorry, customers), the attractive green 'last day' banners on the front (good work on somebody's part), curious looks from the public, the farewell whistles at Edgware Rd as she headed off empty and maybe a few waves from bystanders.  I personally am very sorry to have missed all that human element - so will the people I show my videos to.  It's a pity if disappointment at missing that bittersweet moment of the last service run of the C comes across as a selfish attitude.  I can only say it seems several other members of this forum shared it. 

It's totally different from a tour special which is about fellow enthusiasts, friends and families enjoying a trip on a vintage train, swapping yarns about travel and/or work experiences, and seeing the train in one or two unusual places. But, crucially, the resulting photographs and videos will be little more than souvenirs of a jolly day out. Heritage runs with C stock will hopefully occur in the future to be enjoyed by those who never knew them in service but it's never the same as the real thing.

On a positive note, I and doubtless many other forum members would like to express my thanks to 'Dstock7080' for his frequent and greatly valued updates on C stock formations during the last month or so.  

I may be wrong but i think each train can travel a number of miles before they have to go for maintenance and the C stock that was being used today was nearly at the number so the pulled it early.

They presumably must have known about this, so why not plan for it. There were no dount ways around the problem, but there seems to be an unwillingness to do so, and a general ambivalence to give the C stock a decent send off.

The trains do not have "mile" counters.

This issue revolves around exam rotations (though this is sometimes inaccurately referred to as mileage) the trains are required to undergo periodic examinations to ensure fitness for service. It is this that has generally dictated the order of disposal. No exams have been done upon C stock for a while and no more would be done, so the tour train (and spare) have to be "in date". The issue was that Train 74 upon arrival at Edgware Road was booked to go to Neasden and soon onwards to scrap. However the units working T074 were one of the two formations needed to end up at Hammersmith as tour trains. Other trains required to end up at other locations (one at Acton for Museum use)were also in the wrong place. This required a complete redeployment of the resources which now involved the same staff having to move S stock to various places and C stock now to different places with consequent logistic difficulties. It was about getting the train and other trains where they needed to go, the exam expiry date of T074 was the same if it ran all day and night as if come off at 0930!

The service issues the previous day had little impact, as the C stock formations were not on the correct workings to end up where they needed to end up even before that occurred. (By the way T076 reversed in Putney bay during Monday - possibly the last passenger use)

The District Line tried to stop the early withdrawal of the C on T074 today but were overruled.

None the less I do rather feel the withdrawal of T074 was premature and getting the correct trains where they needed to be could have been done without loosing T074 so early, even if it was swapped with another, even if that didn't have the green headboards.

It is a shame that whomever wanted specific trains to end up in specific locations failed to ensure they stabled where they needed to the night before!!

A lot of people were put out having paid to come along and taken leave from work etc... Not Good.

Aspect, are you saying that a C stock vehicle (or vehicles) has been preserved by the LTM or is this something else?

I had contemplated travelling up to Paddington off night shift to have a final blast on C Stock yesterday. I'm glad I didn't bother because I wouldn't have arrived until well after it went out of service! I'm very suspicious about the mileage excuse. There were three other sets in service on Monday. Were they all down to zero miles until their next exam too? It would be a huge coincidence if half the remaining fleet became due an exam on the same day.

One 6-car train will be entering the Museum compound next week. Whether 1, 2, 4 or 6 cars will be staying is anyones guess now! My guess is 1 car only.

I note the aside 'on the way north by road'. Driving to the south west next week I was thinking of a detour via Eastleigh but will save myself the bother if they're not going there. Does anyone know where this final batch is being disposed of? Chatting to the lowloader driver at Northwood isn't on as the driveway to the loading site is off limits to visitors.

All to Booths AFAIK.

With regard to 5555, is there any estimate to what sort of time it'll be driven off to it's doom?

Maybe I'm getting my wires crossed and it's another set, but a posting to Tube Group suggests that the set is only at the museum so they can remove some parts for the Q stock project.