The unloved C stock

[Deleted]

Judging by posts across the site the C stock must be LUs most unloved stock. No tears at their fast approaching demise like the buckets being filled over the A stock.

I have never really taken to the Cs; I can recall my first sight of one in its pristine silver finish and thought they looked rather 'odd'. But, otherwise, they seemed to have done a workman like job for the last 40 years. I have heard reports of unreliability and certainly their ability to jolt you on acceleration is unique.

But apart from this why do they attract such negative responses?

[d7666]

I don't dis-like them, and, while this is on a relative scale, I rank them better than either A or D stock, although all three of them are not high if you compare with all types of metro stock inside and outside UK.

This is because where I use C stock the most is Edgware Road <-> Farringdon where they are always full even off peak and they are the better people shifters.

I've not made up my mind about S stock yet, again I'm limited here to Farringdon <-> Finchley Road and while I did some crush loaded trips on them in their very first couple of weeks for whatever reason I just don't seem to fall on them now depsite nearly half the service being S .

--
Nick

[Deleted]

C stock are good people movers, theyve done the job very well. But the thing is, the reason not as many people are sad about their withdrawal is because they do not really have anything to appeal to the enthusiast. For example,
Motors: They sound like washing machine motors.
Speed: Not very fast at all.
Ride quality: Near enough the same as any other surface stock.

There is just nothing good about them that stands out to the enthusiast.

[jardine01]

the 1967 stock was the best and yet apparently the C stock was based on the 1967 stock!
I don't mind the C stock but I like the A stock and D stocks more.

[Deleted]

Not really a fan of the Cattle-Stock and is looking forwards for the S7 Stock

[metman]

I have fond memories of the C stock. I used to take them to Uni years back. They aren't the best looking trains - never popular with the DRU but they do a job well. They are conventional trains and I will miss them when the S stock takes over the SSR. Enthusiasts should like them because soon we will be stuck with the S stock, there will be no variety what so ever between the SSLs except the length of trains and the seating!

[Deleted]

Going to make an admission here, the cattle trucks are my favourite on the sub surface railway. There, I said it! *cue mickey taking*
I can see why a lot of people don't like them but I think they are great. They are one of the last few "proper" trains. Nothing quite like the smell of heavy braking you get sometimes when a train comes to a halt, its the same you get on BR mk3 coaching stock, lovely... They are utilitarian, not a lot to look at but they are serious people movers and do a good job. I've spent a lot of time recently trying to get the circle where I can off-peak, camera in hand so I can get a good few journey's on them before they finally all depart from the railway.
If you have trains with four sets of double doors on all cars, put them on circles for 40 years, let them get into a bad state, refurbish, leave them to get in a bad state again, of course they won't be terrifically reliable.

I totally agree with metman on variety, whether or not you like the S stock, they will be everywhere soon and the lack of variety might get a bit boring. Seeing as pretty much all of the fleet is still in service and won't be for long, make the most of them.

[redsetter]

some were based in wembley,i can remember them heading into london early saturday morning while waiting for the first watford going fishing at croxley moor in the later 1970s.

i dont mind them either and remember them with fondness also.

[uzairjubilee]

I have mixed feelings on the C stock. I prefer the D and A stock respectively, however I've been using the C stock for years now. Whenever I'm at Southfields, I never take a C stock and always wait for a D stock. However, I will definitely miss them when they go. They have a certain smell (sometimes) and noise that will be missed.

[Deleted]

I like the c stock loads too, all through my school days used to take from eastham-mile end I still ride them a lot now too.will miss them when they are gone..

[Deleted]

I liked driving the C stock, when we went OPO they had not been modified so sticking your hands behind your back to open the doors was not fun every 2 minutes but apart from a few electrical problems I always found them reliable. Someone mentioned on here they are not fast, we used to rocket down from Notting hill gate to High St, I always thought they had a good fast acceleration to, sometimes the rheo brake was iffy but Westinghouse was spot on.

[21146]

As a passenger these are awful - rough-riding, no heaters in winter, no opening windows in summer. But for a District Line T/Op in the 1990s they offered the chance to drive a train 'properly', full Westinghouse for the entire duty - terminal platforms, bay roads, short platforms, Triangle Sidings - the lot! (And no 'nominal' maximum speed of 40mph either - you could easily get up to 60 on the Wimbledon Road.) Wonder how that would fit in with today's 'defensive driving' techniques?

[jardine01]

The C stock does have higher acceraration than the A stock and D stock.
It just depends on if the driver uses full power for speed.

[Deleted]

As a driver of both stocks, I prefer the C and considering their age, they still perform outstandingly despite the maintenance regime on them appearing to be non-existant.

They have quirks which seem to define reason - I was on one this morning where the Westinghouse was absolute pants (I use Westinghouse all the time) - yet the Rheo worked fabulously;
The heating refused to get above a chilly breeze down my neck on one end, but seemed intent on gently roasting me on the other end (the train that is).

I look forward to the S stock, but will miss the C more when the D & C go.

[superteacher]

I will always remember the C's in their unrefurbished state. Every Friday, I used to go from Becontree to Old Street to stay with my nan and grandad for the weekend, and I would always change at Barking to get a C stock from the bay platform in the evening peak. I remember a few lively rides between Barking and East Ham - they certainly do shift, and they postively screamed when driven at high speed!

Happy days, and they were never quite the same after refurbishment.

[tubeprune]

I drove C Stock for its first 5 years in service. It was horrible. Rough acceleration, rough and weak braking, Westinghouse slow to recharge, controls in all the wrong places for manual driving, suspension always breaking down, noisy, cab heater hopeless, phone in the wrong place, draughty, terrible cab seat, difficult to get in and out of the cab etc. Good people shifters though.

They were improved after refurbishment.

[kabsonline]

Not a fan myself either. The D Stock has to be my favoruite sub-surface trains after the S Stocks. I always seem to find the C's jam packed and bumpy. In a way they remind me of a sort of copy of the A Stock, with the A Stock being the better copy. Bring on the S7's!

[Deleted]

I quite like the C stock from the limited amount of time I've spent on them. I find them quite comfortable and they seem to do their job well. I feel their occasionally run down appearance lets them down in part and they certainly do not look as well looked after as the D stock.

I like the S stock and look forward to their introduction on the Circle and H&C lines, but I agree that the character of the current stock will be missed.

Although I'll miss the D stock more, having been on one on a very busy Saturday last year from Victoria that was packed, I understand the C do a better job with boarding and alighting.

[trainopd78]

I for one will miss the C stock. They are a superb people mover and although they can be rough, I used to make it my challenge to get them to be a smooth as possible. The westinghouse is now excellent and I used to perform many a rounder on it. I will miss them, especially now I only drive them once or twice a month at best.

OMHO D stock is superb. Its the best surface stock train that we've ever had or ever likely to have in terms of mechanical reliability. The old KISS priciple of "Keep It simple Stoopid" certainly worked.

[a60]

I got a C Stock a couple of Sundays ago, and it was in a fairly good state. 5528 it was, and it had yellow advertisement brackets, new thing?

[Deleted]

Feb 21, 2012 20:17:25 GMT a60 said:

I got a C Stock a couple of Sundays ago, and it was in a fairly good state. 5528 it was, and it had yellow advertisement brackets, new thing?

It was part of the Yellow Pages train!

[Deleted]

In additon to being the best sub surface stock in relation to mechanical reliability,
I think also the quality of the ride is also very good. At the weekend after riding to town on the S Stock, for the first time in many months I rode the D stock for some distance.
I was immediately struck by the way in which the trailer car rode compared with my earlier journey; it almost glided, with very little track noise. No jolting or pitching. Maybe this is down to the quality of the District's track work - but I don't see why it should be different from the Met's.
Back home on a S Stock with its hard ride and a sort of 'rail roar' not experienced by me on any other s surface stock. Apart from the air conditioning on the S Stock, (and that's dubious) , my vote is for the D stock as being the most comfortable to travel on. (any one old enough to recall the quality of the LNWR stock on the DC?)

[ruislip]

Seems like once they were fully introduced, my family and I didn't have to travel to KXSP like we used to. We were lucky to catch a thru train past Baker St, and once we picked up my "Nana" who came down alot from Grantham we'd take a bus to Baker St and then a Met back to Middlesex(the changes @ Baker St were too much for her). Despite only one trip on them, I always wondered where the Guard's doors were(as an adult I would discover that the guard would sit in the rear driver's cab).

[Deleted]

The Yellow Pages train comprised units 5537+5555+5593.

The Olympic livery train comprised units 5532+5555+5570.