1962 stock memories

[snoggle]

The 62 stock were the Underground trains I used the most when I first moved to London. I did Leyton to Liv St regularly complete with "instant hair dryer" effect if stood in the front carriage as the train plunged into the tunnel west of Leyton. It's all very lame nowadays - the 92 stock crawls into the tunnel by comparison with the full "blow your hair" speed of 62 stock.

Some memories courtesy of Mr Smiler and his video camera. Hold on tight as some of the footage is a bit wobbly. Also note the guard having a leisurely sit down. Enjoy the decay and dereliction of Bank and Liv St stations.

[superteacher]

Happy days. Great sound of the Westinghouse brake at the start of the second video.

[grahamhewett]

How we were all shocked by the bouncy ride (eg between S Harrow and Sudbury Town) compared with the post-23 stock. And the lighting - suddenly the gloom lifted compared even to the 38ts.

[stapler]

How uncrowded the Central Line was then, and how civilised to settle in an empty car with a newspaper.
Must be the one and only attempt to film the Oakwood Hill Industrial Estate, which has just had planning permission to build a double-deck of starter offices made out of old shipping containers....

[countryman]

I used to travel to school from Perivale to East Acton in the late 60s. When going home I remember that the service from East Acton at ~15.30-16.00 was 10 trains per hour, alternately to West Ruislip and Ealing Broadway, giving a service home every 12 minutes. I wonder how that compares with the current service?

[hobbayne]

The guard in the 2nd video would have got into trouble for leaving his guards panel live and unattended.
While many guards used to unhook the guards bar and have a seat on the comfy passenger bench and a quick shifty of the paper, this fella is sitting quite a distance from the live guards panel.
Guards where supposed to keep the bar up at all times.

[spsmiler]

Thanks Snoggle for bringing these videos to here.

Here is another 1962 Tube Stock film. It was made a staggering five years ago, in 2011.




stapler, yes thats the Oakwood Hill Industrial Estate, midway between Debden and Loughton. I used to work there in the 1990s and took advantage of this to spend some summer evenings with my camcorder. Since most of my filming was at around 5:30pm - 6:30pm the trains were not too busy.

The footage in the second film above which showed the guard was sort of an experiment as I later decided that I wanted better views. Hence the third film which I am adding in this message. As some viewers might realise, i also filmed on the Hainault Woodford section of line, including the 1960 Tube Stock, albeit in 3 car format. A film showing these (inside and out) and including their sounds is in preparation.

A film showing a ride in the 1983 tube stock is also online, if asked I'll be happy to show it here, albeit in its own thread and not one about the 1962 Tube Stock.


btw, re: all this filming, I knew that the 1962 Tube Stock was doomed and thought that it would be nice to have a souvenir. I never expected that anyone would want to see it, especially not the Theydon Bois - Debden ride which is very unsteady. I did not film entire station - station rides, which I now think was an error.


Simon

[whistlekiller2000]

Mar 20, 2016 23:01:52 GMT hobbayne said:

The guard in the 2nd video would have got into trouble for leaving his guards panel live and unattended.
While many guards used to unhook the guards bar and have a seat on the comfy passenger bench and a quick shifty of the paper, this fella is sitting quite a distance from the live guards panel.
Guards where supposed to keep the bar up at all times.

I rarely saw the guard's bar in use on 62stock and when I did it was in bursts, almost as if a general warning was being adhered to periodically!

[stapler]

My experience with the bar was that it was always used at busy times, when there were any standing passengers - in the peaks, say, and eg between North Acton and Woodford, but that most guards would unhook it and take to "the cushions" at the far ends of the line. There always seemed to be handy copies of the Sun or Mail lying around, too. The unattended panel was common. Yes, you knew an inspector was around if the bar was up on the country sections.
Of course, it was unheard of to have significant standing up to Epping; but now there are several million passengers a year from the five stations on the main line outside Greater London.
By the way, Snoggle, do you mean "hair dryer" rather than hair driver? I used to love that, and would lean backwards out of the window just to experience it, much to the disgust of any lacquered girl standing or sitting nearby!

[snoggle]

Mar 21, 2016 8:07:11 GMT stapler said:

My experience with the bar was that it was always used at busy times, when there were any standing passengers - in the peaks, say, and eg between North Acton and Woodford, but that most guards would unhook it and take to "the cushions" at the far ends of the line. There always seemed to be handy copies of the Sun or Mail lying around, too. The unattended panel was common. Yes, you knew an inspector was around if the bar was up on the country sections.
Of course, it was unheard of to have significant standing up to Epping; but now there are several million passengers a year from the five stations on the main line outside Greater London.
By the way, Snoggle, do you mean "hair dryer" rather than hair driver? I used to love that, and would lean backwards out of the window just to experience it, much to the disgust of any lacquered girl standing or sitting nearby!

Yes I did. My typing is getting worse and worse. I've amended the original. I was really referring to the blast through the vent above the driver's cab and in to the first carriage. Didn't involve any leaning - just standing in the centre of the first car and nearer the front end than the back.

[hobbayne]

As a guard changing ends at Ealing Bdy I frequently had to turf disgruntled passengers off the guards gangway, as the rear car was always full up after only a few minutes of the train arriving.
I also had a snotty woman who insisted that I let her keep her childs pushchair in my gangway.

[patrickb]

Being a frequent traveler on the 67's. I recognized a lot of similar sounds that brought back a few memories, particular the hiss, tick - tick - tick and the motor sound of a departing '62. I never had a chance to travel on the 1962 TS though, however the 1959 TS in comparison which I did travel on sounded a lot different at the time.

[rincew1nd]

Mar 21, 2016 18:26:48 GMT patrickb said:

Being a frequent traveler on the 67's. I recognized a lot of similar sounds that brought back a few memories, particular the hiss, tick - tick - tick and the motor sound of a departing '62. I never had a chance to travel on the 1962 TS though, however the 1959 TS in comparison which I did travel on sounded a lot different at the time.

You can still experience the hiss tick tick tick clunk tick tick tick at the LT museum depot in Acton. There is a 67ts cab fitted out with all the control gear, I was lucky enough to be allowed a go on the handle, and it was marvellous!

[snoggle]

I've decided, having rewatched the first video, that it should be compulsory for the New Tube for London to make exactly the same noises as 1962 stock.

[Deleted]

Thanks for posting these. I'm getting a rush of 'sense-memory' seeing and hearing these trains... all the ticks, clunks, rattles, squeals and hisses. It was like travelling inside a kettle!

It's also interesting what's not there, such as the bleeping when the doors open/close and the voice announcements. They're now such a part of the 'soundscape' when taking the Tube that their absence is a little unnerving.

[spsmiler]

Thanks David, I'm just pleased to have filmed them... if I'd known then what I know now I'd have filmed a lot more!

re: the door closing bleeps, chimes and vocal exhortations, I suppose it was a case of people (in those days) not missing what they did not know.

I sometimes find the constant announcements somewhat irksome - this is because when filming I feel bad if I miss the start of the announcement and also if I film the train in a way which means that I miss the end of the announcement. Such woes were less common in those day.

Simon

[1018509]

Crumbs! I just realised how old I am. I remember the fitting of the J Door seals and the Fire Extinguisher Pods in the J doors - would glass as the seal be allowed now?. Did I really work the call points before the advent of these? As for the graffiti on the trains - didn't happen in my early days.

I liked the mention of the Marble Arch - Liverpool Street reversers - solid tunnel no daylight. Reminded me of my callpoint years at Leicester Square - winter early turn meant down the hole at Barons Court about 06:30 - finish 15:00+ and back out of the pipe towards home sometime after 16:00 depending on shift change - could often go 5 or 6 days without seeing daylight - happy days!

Excellent videos brought back lots of memories of 56/59/62 tube stock.

In my early Piccadilly years consecutive trains could be 1938 followed by 1956 - 1959 - 1962 or 1973 stocks - variety is the spice - as they say.

Also leads me to recall Leicester Square callpoint - Night Shift was a doddle - 23:00 start - last train around midnight - head down until first train about 06:00ish. Unlikely to get a call before shift change around 07:00.

I remember one late  turn 1500/23:00 got a call about 22:30 - stalled train at Piccadilly Circus - train dislodging negative rail - cab to the Circus - assisted with moving the train with what shoes it had left - rode with train to depot arrived about 02:00/03:00  - clean up,  report write, cup of tea and back on first train to callpoint where the early turn had already booked in - quick change - home and back on duty 15:00 that afternoon.

Would health and safety allow it now?

[rtt1928]

The film footage is/was a helpful reminder of what the 62ts could do in regard to transporting people along the Central line and also reminded me of what Liverpool Street and Bank stations were like before London Underground got round to modernising two of the busiest stations on the network. I had quite forgotten how grim (dilapidated) these two major stations were pre-refurbishment.

Apologies if the reference to Liverpool Street and Bank stations pre-refurbishment has taken this thread OT.