Standard tube fleet

Will there be a standard tube stock fleet too (eventually )

Just like the new carriages for the 96ts. There are quite a few differences between the first build and the latest build.

You could also compare the differences between the 95 and 96ts.

It wouldn't make sense, you couldn't replace the whole of the tubes fleet in such a short time period. There isn't enough manufacturing capacity. There are also differences in the different lines stock requirements due to curvature, speeds, tunnel size. These can affect the design of the stock. e.g A train with steerable axles would be very suitable for the Bakerloo, but not so on the Victoria.


There probably won't be a standard tube stock fleet. However I wouldn't be surprised if the Tubelines infraco ends up with all 17.7m car trains (when the 73s are replaced to add to the 95 and 96TS), and likewise Metronet's Bakerloo Line may well end with trains based upon the Victoria Line's 2009TS, but these will probably be slightly different in dimensions (and very different mechanically) to the 92TS.

As Phil said, I'm sure there will be quite a few differences throughout the build of S-stock.

Also, wouldn't it make sense not to have a uniform tube stock? Perhaps a reduction, but not use one model completely throughout, coz in case there is a design fault which requires the withdrawal of one type of tube stock - the impact is far less if you are operating different tube stocks on other lines. Basically having a bit of redundancy. And with the best will in the world, you can never predict what potential design problems can crop up in the future.

The first attempt to standardise the tube fleet began with the delivery of ‘standard stock’ in the 1920s, but in 1935 a completely different type of stock was delivered for evaluation. By that time, it would have made no sense at all to continue ordering an outdated design in some misguided attempt to standardise. Ongoing design changes, both cosmetic and mechanical, meant that pre-38 standard stock was far removed from anything that could realistically be called a ‘standard’. The only thing that cars from the different batches and manufacturers had in common was that they had a similar overall appearance if viewed from a distance.
The standard stock experience also teaches us one other lesson, so dramatically highlighted by soultrain in his post on this subject. Once you have standardised, your whole fleet is in trouble if a major design problem manifests itself.
There is little doubt that the world goes a little faster that it did when standard stock was being built. It therefore follows that even if you found the capital to invest and the manufacturers to construct the fleet over a short timeframe - and if you were prepared to take a chance that no major fault would become apparent - you would still almost certainly be overtaken by technological advances that you simply could not ignore.
At best, I suggest that we will end up with a modern version of the old standard stock – a collection of cars that look similar to each other. I presume that they will be a little more compatible and a little less ‘interesting’ to operate than standard stock was.
There is one other thing to consider. If there was a completely standard tube fleet, there would be a lot less to talk about in this forum and a lot less to go out and look at!

I think that we can have a new standard tube stock but that new standard stock will have different sub-series corresponding to modifications made during the frabrication.
So the stock will be similar in design but have a few minor technicals differences.
This is what happened to the "standard" metro stock of Paris the MF67 the train are fairly similar in design but there are huge differences between the first and the last built.

Because A and C stock are due for replacement, A stock defiantly needs replacing, and the D stock will be in the next decade.

The SSLs will be getting a brand new signalling system with ATO. To make the most of this signalling system, as well as reducing junction conflict times, new higher performance trains with better acceleration and decceleration are needed.

If we are fortunate, Metronet will see sense and create three separate sub-classes of S stock, differing in seating arrangements only - the advantages of commonality would be retained, with the only disadvantage being if an A-type S train was sent round the Circle instead of a C-type S train.