Most comprehensive possible rail tour

I have been mulling this one over, as strangely enough I talked about it, oh, 30 years ago! The Auto Tube Rambler used 1967 TS on non-ATO lines as well as the Hainault loop in auto mode, and covered a heck of a lot of the Underground including obviously the Central, in several hours. The problem now is that you have the Central ... and the stock that is designed for it. I assume that tripcocks could be fitted but can the stock run on all other lines? I am so out of date! I assume that the Vic is out unless the line was under a possession. Of course the Metro Sprague stock comes out to play during the night when it has exclusive run of the system but realistically it would surely not be practical in London?

That said, harking back to the historic 2 x Met locos and five brake van tours, I suppose you could have two batteries + tube gauge personnel carriers between.

The Vic train must have had a mod to the shoes to allow the traversing the Central...they did of course use 1967 Stock on the Loop shuttle. However 92TS would surely be able to run on the Vic in a possession (in theory). Or I suppose you could run 67TS on the Central, modified, under a possession. I just can't see it will ever be possible now unless battery locos were used that could run on all lines and they were coupled to trailer cars.

Well, if we exclude the Victoria and Central lines, what stock could run on all the other lines?

To run on the Central ATO will be needed, which some battery locos have. And to run on the Victoria will require a possesion of the entire line.

In answer to the other part of Chris' question about how long it would take? Well to do the whole network on one of these Tube Challenge takes about a complete traffic day, so my guess using railtour type setup would be 30hours??? That's a bit random though.

How about one of these


I take it a low loader will be needed to do the Waterloo and City line bit ;D ;D ;D

Yeah!!! Make that 24 hours and 37 mins! ;D ;D ;D

When i last broused the TfL intranet on the subject the only stocks with clearance to operate virtually anywhere were 1967 stock and 1972 stock. The Central would be out to both (and probably the Jubilee Extension, I can't quite remember). Since the 1967 stock can be fitted with a tripcock and, obviously, can run on the Victoria Line, then I'd say it must be the 1967's !

(Unless some remaining 1962's or 59's can be coupled to the east end Central Line Sandite train DM's which have the necessary equipment to pick up ATO codes for driving in a form of coded manual on the Central)

My idea for a railtour would be the following done in a 67 stock:

Seven Sisters > Finsbury Park > Holloway Road > King's Cross > Barons Court > Hammersmith (reverse) > Tower Hill > Whitechapel (rev) > Liverpool Street > Farringdon > Baker Street > Harrow-on-the-Hill > Chesham > Harrow-on-the-Hill (rev) > Rayners Lane (rev) > Acton Town > Hammersmith > Piccadilly Circus > King's Cross > Finsbury Park > Seven Sisters.