As Wikipedia will inform you, in 1968 an order for new, C stock trains was placed. It was originally intended that delivery would begin in 1969 and these trains were designated C69 stock. In the end, they were slightly delayed and trials didn't actually begin until 1970. Despite this hiccup, they entered service in 1970 and were eventually rolled out across the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines. Then, in 1977, further C stock trains - designated C77 stock - were ordered to operate the Wimbledon - Edgware Road service. The line between High Street Kensington and Edgware Road could, at that time, only be operated by C stock, however District line D stock trains from central London augment the service between Earl's Court and Wimbledon and also operate the infrequent shuttle between High Street Kensington and Kensington (Olympia).
Now, however, many are significantly over 40 years old and they have been in dire need of replacement for some time. I can't honestly say they were the most lovable - or the most anything good really - trains to begin with. However, they were wonderful workhorses, they were very good at shifting lots of people over short distances and they've become part of the scenery - since they operate over so much of the network. I, myself, have lots of memories of C stock journeys from my early tube adventures and other, less nerdy, travels.
Still, as I'm sure you also know, the process of replacing them with S stock trains has been underway for a while, now. On the 06/07/2012, the first S7 stock train entered service on the Hammersmith & City line between Hammersmith and Moorgate. Then, on 09/12/2012, S7 stock trains began operating on the full length of the Hammersmith and City line. The Circle was next - but with no gradual phasing in, this time. On 02/09/2013, S7s also entered service on the Circle line (and on the District line, too, from Kensington (Olympia) to West Ham).
Since then, it's been a gradual process of S stock deliveries, of new S stock trains entering service and of old C stock trains being retired and scrapped. Then came the news that from 10/02/2014 the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines are planned to go 100% S stock. That's to say that no more C stock trains are timetabled to run on those lines, but you never know what could happen if the service goes up the wall. Still, given all the memories and everything, I thought I'd have one last go, so I decided to go for a jaunt today.
I'm not completely certain, but I don't think that any C stocks are running on the H & C this weekend (and haven't been for a few weekends, I think), but I think one or two might still be out and about on the Circle. So, today, I decided to try and ride the full length of the Hammersmith & City line - in both directions - on a C stock. As I say, they're far from my favourite trains - I'll be quite glad to see the back of the buggers really - but I still felt the need to get all nostalgic, etc. :P
So, I got up bright and early, boarded a WOO train at ROV and then changed for what I think was a WER (West Ruislip) train to MIE (Mile End). At MIE, I hopped onto a District line train to Upminster and headed up to Barking. It was quite a good day for spotting unusual things, really - I noticed an S7 in the bay platform at Plaistow and then got to watch it leave before we headed on our way. Soon, I arrived at Barking and was under the impression that a C stock would be due out of Barking sidings at 10:12. Now, the H & C had minor delays at that time (presumably, hence the train in Plaistow bay platform) and, sadly, it never materialised. I did see the District line's S7 operating the Olympia service (which seems now to have been extended to Barking, and I saw it at least one more time, actually :P) but no sign of any H & C line C stock. I did notice an extremely unusual signal layout on platform 7, but that was all :P
In the end, I got too cold and gave up. Besides, I was worried my hanging around would begin to constitute suspicious behaviour. I decided to head up the line and try and wait somewhere warmer - somewhere in a tunnel, with a roof. So I made my way to Aldgate East and low and behold I passed the bugger going in the other direction at Stepney Green. If only I'd gotten off at MIE. Still, I knew it was out and about, so I carried on to Aldgate East and waited. Waited a lot. Then I got bored, and thought I'd move up to Baker Street - makes things more interesting and saves sitting around, not moving, for so long. On the way, I noticed a Met line train terminating at Moorgate platform 3.
Eventually, after a little while at Baker Street, I noticed the crappy yellow headlights of a C stock! But, alas, it was a Circle line train. Nevertheless, I took it to Hammersmith and waited a little bit more. Got to see an S7 go into the yard from platform 3 (plus the shunt signal clear it to do so) which was quite nice. Then, finally, it arrived!
So, I hopped on. I hopped on and headed all the way back the way I had come - albeit it at about 13:45 or something, at this stage :P It wasn't a bad trip actually and it didn't take very long to get back to Barking. Now, once upon a time (actually, until very recently), most Hammersmith & City lines terminated in a bay platform - platform 3. Nowadays, it seems that most Hammersmith & City line trains reverse via Barking sidings, terminating at what I think must be platform 2. The upshot of this was, however, that I had to get back out in the cold, make my way back to platform 6 and wait for it to come back out of the sidings, heading westbound.
Eventually, it returned from its trip to the sidings and we headed all the way back to Hammersmith - with just a short delay due to a platforms and hold call at Barbican, 'cause of a problem with a train at Baker Street. All in all, despite the cold (and it was freezing in the old C stocks (which I think have heaters, but the ones in today's train were either faulty or off)), it was a very nice trip and I made sure to get a good look at the crossover at East Ham, the bay platform at Plaistow, the reversing siding at West Ham (which looks like it could do with one or two rusty rail moves being routed through it :P) and crossovers at Whitechapel, Aldgate East, Baker Street and Royal Oak. I also managed to get a very nice view of Praed Street Junction (just outside Edgware Road). These are sights you won't be able to see from a C stock soon and it was lovely weather for it, too.
I plan to do pretty much the same on the Circle line tomorrow (and the Wimbleware, too, if I get lucky), let's hope I manage to have a bit more luck with the timings :P
For now, then, it's pretty much goodbye to these things on the H & C:
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| A C stock train operating a Hammersmith & City line service, seen here at West Ham. (Image courtesy "Edgepedia" (via Wikipedia)) |
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| An S7 stock train operating a Hammersmith & City line service, also shown at West Ham. (Image courtesy "Edgepedia" (via Wikipedia)) |
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