Saying goodbye to the D Stock

My last time on the D78,
photo taken at Stepney
Green, 20th April 2017

Today London says goodbye and thank you to the D78 Stock, commonly known as the D Stock, which served the District line for 37 years. Since September 2013, the District line has been served by both the D Stock and the new S7 Stock, which will now be the only stock of train serving the line. With 280 seats on each train, the D Stock was popular amongst users as there was a mixture of transverse and longitudinal seating, where as the S7 Stock only has longitudinal seating. Whether you are a fan of the new S7 Stock, or prefer the D Stock, today will mark the end of a reliable set of trains which have sadly came to an end 15 years before their expected lifespan.

Although I prefer the history and aesthetics of railways to actual trains, I am still interested in London Underground stock. My earliest memory of the London Underground is getting the District line to Westminster (I cannot remember where from) as a child, as such, the D Stock train was the first London Underground train I rode. As I write this, the D Stock is also the last London Underground train I have rode, as I caught the D Stock yesterday from Stepney Green to Embankment.

Interior of a D78 Stock,
28th January 2017

75 sets were built in the late 1970s, and the D78 Stock entered service in January 1980 and has served the capital for 37 years. The D Stock replaced the CO/CP Stock built in the 1930s, and the R Stock built in the late 1940s. When the trains were first introduced to the network, passengers had to open the doors by pressing door-control buttons. Some of you will be thinking 'hold on they do not have door-control buttons', and you will be correct. In the late 1990s it was decided that the control of doors closing and also opening was sent over to the driver, therefore the buttons were inactive. The buttons remained until each of the 75 sets were refurbished between 2004 and 2008. 

When the D Stock came out in the 1980s, one of the biggest and noticeable difference for passengers was the instalment of single-leaf doors, something that was new to any of the pre-existing stock on the network. The D78 Stock was the first stock of trains in London to feature the familiar LED information systems provided on the interior and exterior of the train. However, the C69 and C77 Stock were the first trains to feature audio announcements in the carriages. This seems all too familiar to us now.

D78 Stock at Monument,
14th February 2017

The final D Stock train (7007+7032) ran its final service from Upminster to Ealing Broadway, and then on to the depot this evening (21st April 2017). Whilst it is nice to be nostalgic, it is also important to look to the future. We have had the S7 Stock, which has slowly replaced the D Stock, since September 2013. The S Stock has become familiar to London, as two types, the S7 and S8 serve four lines, and will be responsible for serving roughly 30% of the capitals annual users of the London Underground network. The S7 and S8 Stock are the first trains on the London Underground to feature air-conditioning, and walkways between carriages, which increases standing capacity. 

It has been a sad day for those who are fond of the D78 Stock such as myself. Whilst the new trains feature air-conditioning and standing room is increased, there is something special about the D Stock. Regular users probably wont notice the difference, but next time you are on a S7 Stock train on the District line, think about and appreciate how they have become pioneering for London, just as the D78 before it was pioneering in 1980. We say goodbye and thank you to the D78. 

12/270 - Stepney Green

Stepney Green exterior
on a sunny afternoon,
18th February 2017

Opening in 1902, Stepney Green has changed little in its 115 years serving the East of London. With just under 6 million users each year, the station is the third least used station served by both the District line and Hammersmith & City line. Also, Stepney Green is the second least used station out of the nine London Underground stations that end in 'Green', with Kensal Green being the least used station on the network that ends in 'Green'. The classic and historic station is situated between Whitechapel and Mile End and has retained much of its character since opening in 1902.

My final journey on a D78 Stock
train from Stepney Green,
20th April 2017

Stepney Green opened on 23rd June 1902 by the Whitechapel and Bow Railway, which was a joint project by the London Tilbury and Southend Railway, and the Metropolitan District Railway. Electrified services started serving the station in 1905 and were provided by the Metropolitan District Railway. The Metropolitan Railway started serving Stepney Green in 1936, which would become the Hammersmith & City line in 1990. Roughly 42 stations serve this station every hour during off-peak hours. On the Hammersmith & City line, 6 trains an hour head eastbound, and 6 trains an hour head westbound. On the District line, 12 train an hour head east to Upminster and 3 more head east terminating at Barking. On the other hand, heading west, 6 terminate at Ealing Broadway an hour, 6 terminate at Richmond an hour and 3 an hour terminate at Wimbledon.

The original "to the trains"
signage at Stepney Green
station,
18th February 2017

The station is a sub-surface station, just below the surface, with two platforms. The station is filled with original features, including the original signage painted onto the wall heading from the ticket office in the station building towards the stairs down to the platforms. This "to the trains" signage has become an icon for the London Underground, and I have seen this sign at Stepney Green countless times on TV, news and social media. To access the westbound platform, or to exit the station from the westbound platform, you have to walk over a bridge, which looks really old - adding to the character of Stepney Green. 

Recently Stepney Green station was closed over the Easter weekend in 2017. Although they are extremely important and necessary, weekend closures are frustrating, especially over four days during Easter, but I thought it would be interesting to share some details of the important work conducted. So if you are a regular user of Stepney Green and were irritated last weekend, maybe this will make things better. According to @districtline on twitter, which is provided by TFL, radio units were installed and the existing signals were improved. 

Stepney Green is a classic station in zone 2, near the Queen Mary University of London on Mile End Road. If you prefer classic London Underground stations, I highly recommend a visit to this station to see some of the original features Stepney Green offers. 

More photos

Platforms at Stepney Green,
21st March 2017

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11/270 - Barkingside

Barkingside station, a Grade II
listed building,
3rd April 2017

Situated on the Hainault loop, Barkingside is a gorgeous station in East London. The station is between Newbury Park and Fairlop, and is in zone 4. With 1.41 million annual users, Barkingside is the 6th most used station on the Hainault loop, with only Fairlop, Grange Hill, Chigwell and Roding Valley being used less on the Hainault loop. Barkingside station is not to be confused with Barking on the District line and Hammersmith and City line. Barking is the terminus of the Hammersmith and City line. However, the stations are four miles apart and Barkingside is served by just one line, the Central line.

Footbridge at Barkingside,
3rd April 2017

London Underground services started serving the station on 31st May 1948, however Barkingside has had a longer history with railways. Barkingside initially opened on 1st May 1903 when the Great Eastern Railway (GER) opened a branch line from Woodford to Ilford via Hainault, and was originally known as the Fairlop loop, which would later form a large part of the

Hainault loop. The Fairlop loop was designed for suburban growth. During World War One, the station was closed to passengers between 21st May 1916 and 30th June 1919. Four years after reopneing, the GER was merged with other local railway companies to become part of the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) as part of the 1921 Railways Act.

During the 1930s the line was being transformed to form an Eastern extension to the Central line. Work started in 1938, but due to World War Two it was suspended until 1946. A year later, in November 1947, steam railway services closed at Barkingside so the line and station could be electrified for Central line services to open on 31st May 1948. During the transformation to London Underground services, very little was done to alter the station. 

On average, 9 trains per hour leave the station towards Ealing Broadway, 3 trains per hour leave to Woodford, where as 6 trains use the same track but terminate at Hainault. The 3 trains an hour which continue to Woodford stop at Grange Hill, Chigwell and Roding Valley, the three least used stations on the London Underground network.

Oakside Stadium from the
footbridge at Barkingside,
3rd April 2017

The station still retains many of its original features, including a lovely waiting room on the westbound platform. Barkingside is a stones throw away from Redbridge FC, despite being three stops away from Redbridge station. Formed in 1959, the club now play football in the Essex Senior League after being relegated from the Isthmian League Division One North at the end of the 2015-16 season. Redbridge FC play their home matches at the 3,000 seater Oakside Stadium. You get a wonderful view of the stadium from the footbridge at Barkingside station. 

Eastbound platform at
Barkingside,
3rd April 2017

I need to point out that Barkingside, like a lot of other stations on the eastern end of the central line, present their roundels in a lovely way. At Barkingside, towards the north of the station, the roundels are presented on concrete with a light attached. In the middle of the station on the eastbound platform, a roundel is placed on a isolated small brick wall, a little, but

lovely characteristic.

Barkingside is a lovely station which has retained many of its original features. If you prefer the classic style of railway stations, Barkingside is a station you must visit! I have used the word lovely a lot throughout this entry, and the reason is, lovely is the perfect word to describe Barkingside, a small, quiet, but characteristic station on the Central line. If you have not been to Barkingside, I highly recommend that you do. 

More photos

Roundel at Barkingside,
3rd April 2017

View from the footbridge
at Barkingside,
3rd April 2017

Are you going to any London Underground journeys this Easter bank holiday? I would love to know if you are. Comment any of your stories or send your photos to my Instagram account, tubespottingdan. 

10/270 - North Greenwich

North Greenwich roundel on
the Eastbound platform,
7th April 2017

Sandwiched between Canary Wharf and Canning Town, North Greenwich is the only London Underground station on the Greenwich Peninsula. With over 26 million users each year, North Greenwich is the 25th busiest London Underground station and the fourth busiest station to be served by just one line, with Vauxhall, Brixton and Canary Wharf being the three busier stations to be served by one line. The station forms a range of transport services including the Emirates Airline, Riverboat services and a large bus station.

The underground station opened in 1999 and is served by just one line, the Jubilee line. North Greenwich is another example of stations that opened on the Jubilee line extension. However, the station is closer to Charlton than it is to Greenwich, so how come the name? Despite being nearer Charlton, the station is located in the northern part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich. If you are going to a Charlton Football Club match at The Valley, the ground is two miles away, it would be quicker to get the 161 bus from the nearby bus station at North Greenwich. The station is designed to be able to handle 20,000 passengers an hour, this is important for the nearby O2 Arena, originally known as the Millennium Dome, or simply just The Dome.

The O2,
7th April 2017

Of course, The Dome is a major reason for why you might want/need to use North Greenwich station. The O2 arena can hold 20,000 people for concerts and sporting events, and is actually the worlds busiest music arena, with 1,064,92 tickets sold in 2015. Since 2012, visitors have been able to walk along a 190m fabric walkway over the building, offering views of the Olympic Park, Canary Wharf and Royal Greenwich. 

Access to the river Thames

North Greenwich is one of just seven London Underground stations to feature Riverboat services on the London Underground map, and also the furthest east to do so. MBNA Thames Clippers provide a regular service between North Greenwich and Westminster/London Eye, and North Greenwich and Woolwich (Royal Arsenal). These services provide commuters and tourists with quick and relatively inexpensive transport along the Thames, with a bar, toilets and plenty of seats. The North Greenwich pier is also served by other slightly slower tourist services. 

Entrance to the Emirates Airline at
North Greenwich,
7th April 2017

Emirates Greenwich Peninsula

The Emirates Airline is located a five minute walk away from North Greenwich station. There is a love/hate split over the 'cable cars' which opened in 2012. However, that being said, the 1 km cable car offers views over East London, with the city centre in the distance. 1.4 million people used the service in 2016, which is roughly 3,888 people a day. With an Oyster card it costs just £3.50 to ride the Emirates Airline, which is great value for money if you want to use it as a tourist attraction. However, as a form of transport for local residents or regular commuters, critics claim that it is an expensive river crossing. Critics also suggest that it is in a poor location, this perhaps reflects the low usage. Have you been on the Emirates Airline? If not, I suggest you do, if not for the views, but just to say you have done and tick something else off of the London bucket list. 

Platform screen doors on the
eastbound platform,
7th April 2017

North Greenwich blue's tiling in the interior make the station unique. The blue-tiled interior was designed by Alsop, Lyall and Stormer. The platforms also feature platform screen doors, a common feature of the Jubilee Line Extension, for added safety. This feature also enables users to predict where to stand, as they can see where the train doors are. It is predicted that TFL will introduce this technology to more stations in central London for "safety and reliability". 

If you have not visited North Greenwich station, I ask you why not? The station is spacious, the blue tiling is striking and there are many different transport opportunities to explore. The Emirates Airline is a unique experience, the first urban cable car in the United Kingdom. The MBNA Thames Clippers is a relaxing, quick and different way to travel throughout the capital, giving views of central London, East London and Greenwich. Whilst I prefer the London Underground, the MBNA Thames Clippers are an exciting way to see, travel and explore the city. 

More photos

North Greenwich exterior,
7th April 2017

Emirates Greenwich Peninsula,
7th April 2017

Emirates Airline,
7th April 2017

For more London transport photos follow my Instagram account, tubespottingdan. If you have any questions, please do send them in and I will answer them in my next blog post. 

9/270 - Canary Wharf

The impressive main entrance
to Canary Wharf,
4th April 2017

From yesterday's visit to the least used station on the network to one of the most used, Canary Wharf is the busiest station to only be served by one underground line. Canary Wharf is the tenth most used station on the London Underground with over 54 million passengers a year, and the only underground station on the Isle of Dogs, home to the major business district of Canary Wharf. Exciting times are coming for the area with arrival of Crossrail, or the Elizabeth line as it will be known, in December 2018.

Escalator from the ticket hall
to the main entrance,
4th April 2017

Canary Wharf opened in 1999 as part of the Jubilee Line Extension. Before the Jubilee Line Extension, Jubilee line stations terminated at Charing Cross, but part of the extension meant that trains diverged from Green Park to Westminster instead of Charing Cross. The station is important to the increasingly expanding Canary Wharf business district, with the user ship being mainly used by commuters. As a result, the station is extremely busy during peak hours, and all 54 million annual passengers cram onto the Jubilee line. The station, designed by Norman Foster, is often referred to a cathedral. Canary Wharf is so large mainly to accommodate with the expected 50,000 daily passengers, however, in 2006 it was recorded that 69,759 people on average use the station on weekdays, 20,000 more than the station was originally expected to accommodate.  

The DLR is an important
service to the Isle of Dogs,
4th April 2017

The most used station served by one line?

It is important to recognise that Canary Wharf is only served by one London Underground line. Although passengers change to interchange with the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), this is a separate station. In fact, if you want to change for the DLR at Canary Wharf, it is quicker to do so at Heron Quays, as it is slightly nearer to the entrance of the Jubilee line station. The second most used station on the network to be served by just one line is Brixton on the Victoria line, with 30 million annual passengers. 

The impressive DLR
station,
4th April 2017

The Docklands Light Railway

Although Canary Wharf is the only London Underground station in the Isle of Dogs, the DLR plays an important role in providing transport for East London, linking Greenwich, the Isle of Dogs, Stratford, London City Airport and 'the city' together. 19 million people use the DLR from the Canary Wharf station each year. The station is served by three tracks, as trains go from Bank to Lewisham, and Canary Wharf to Stratford. Platforms 1 and 2 serve the Northbound three car service to Bank from Lewisham, whereas platforms 5 and 6 serve the Southbound three car service to Lewisham from Bank. Platforms 3 and 4 serve two car services running to Stratford via. Bow Church. Heron Quay, the closest DLR station to Canary Wharf London Underground station, is used by just under 8 million people each year. The platforms are elevated and is situated inside an office building. 

A taste of the future

The new Crossrail station
at Canary Wharf,
4th April 2017

Crossrail will open at Canary Wharf in December 2018, and it will provide a much needed service to the business districts. Crossrail, or the Elizabeth line, services will run between key hubs at Heathrow, Farringdon and Liverpool Street to allow commuters to access these key transport services. With around 20,000 excess passengers using the station each working day, all using the Jubilee line, Crossrail will provide extra support to the area. Interestingly, just like Heron Quays is the closest DLR station to the Jubilee line station, West India Quay is the closest DLR station to the new Crossrail station. You can see the impressive new station waiting to be open, with a lovely roof garden. Just take a quick walk across Crossrail Place to have a glimpse at what is to come. Crossrail does have its critics, but I believe that the Elizabeth line will be important to the capital, and I cannot wait for the railway to begin to open in May this year between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, taking over the existing TFL rail services. 

The largest roundel at
platform level on the entire
London Underground
network,
4th April 2017

A cathedral in a tube station

Canary Wharf, despite being so busy during peak times, is a well-loved station. A YouGov poll in 2013 saw users voting the station as the "Most Loved" on the London Underground, with a Londonist poll in 2012 seeing the station as the second "best underground station" behind the impressive Westminster station. A reason why Canary Wharf is so popular is how spacious it is, and the platform edge doors allows passengers to accurately judge where to stand for the train doors. There are five entrances to the station, two in the shopping centre and three surface buildings. However, a fact that makes Canary Wharf unique are the roundels, which are the largest at platform level on the network.





Personally, Canary Wharf is my fourth favourite station. I am currently working on a blog post for next week ranking my top 10 stations, this will swap and change as I explore more of the London Underground. I appreciate Canary Wharf's and the Jubilee Line Extension's design, a display of modern engineering. The only negative I have with Canary Wharf is how Crossrail, the DLR and the Jubilee line stations are spaced.

However, if you work or frequently travel through the area, why not visit the new Crossrail complex, or as much of it as possible. I predict that once the new railway is open the roof garden will be a lot busier, so visit it now whilst it is quiet.

More photos

Roof Garden on top of the new
Crossrail complex,
4th April 2017

Westbound Jubilee line
platform,
4th April 2017

Escalator from the platforms
to Canary Wharf ticket hall,
4th April 2017

If you want to see more photos of transport in London, follow my Instagram account, tubespottingdan. Have you got any questions? Please send them in and I will answer them in my next blog post.

8/270 - Roding Valley

Roding Valley roundel,
3rd April 2017

Today I visited a station most people have never been to, Roding Valley, the least used station on the London Underground. Around 260,000 people use the station each year, Waterloo gets more than that daily. Roding Valley is the least used station by around 300,000 passengers, as Chigwell is the second least used station with 560,000 passengers annually, and Grange Hill is the third least used station with 660,000 annual passengers, all three of the least used stations are the three stations between Woodford and Hainault on the Central London.

Roding Valley opened on the London Underground in 1948, although the area has had a longer history with railways. The station initially opened in 1936 by the London & North Eastern Railway, although tracks were originally placed as early as 1903. Although staff are apparently on site 24 hours a day, there is no staffed ticket office, and is one of just twelve stations on the entire network to not have ticket barriers. The station takes its name from the nearby river Roding.

A to scale diagram situating Roding Valley

The least used station in 'London'  

Despite not being in 'London', Roding Valley is still in zone 4. The station is actually in the county of Essex. Roding Valley is situated halfway between Woodford and Buckhurst Hill on the part of the Central London heading towards Epping. However, despite being about 200m from that part of the line, Roding Valley is the first of stations from Woodford to Hainault. This section on average receives three trains an hour, and these services tend to only serve Woodford, Roding Valley, Chigwell, Grange Hill and Hainault. 

What was the user ship at Roding Valley on my visit?

View of Roding Valley from the
footbridge,
3rd April 2017

Admittedly I visited Roding Valley in the afternoon during off-peak hours, but I was still surprised to be the only passenger getting off at the station. When I got off, nobody else got on. I then had to wait 20 minutes for the next train to Chigwell, in this time, nobody else joined me on the platform, there was one other passenger on the Eastbound platform waiting for the train to Woodford. When the train eventually arrived to take me to the next station, Chigwell, two passengers got off the train, but I was the only person to get on. It was surprising that during a period of 20 minutes, just four people used a station on the London Underground. 

The footbridge at Roding Valley,
3rd April 2017

As always, I attempt to point out the little details that make each station unique, and that is why the London Underground is so special. Roding Valley appears to be just an average 1930's station, you really do get the sensation you are not in London at all, which is true. It was not until I was on the Central line train heading West towards Chigwell before I realised just how far out of London I am, as I saw Canary Wharf as a blur on the horizon. Other than a slightly curved platform, a lovely, but common footbridge, and a glimmer of the more frequent trains running from Buckhurst Hill and Woodford, there is nothing that stands out at Roding Valley. However, if you enjoy the London Underground, Roding Valley is an experience.

The chances are you have never been to Roding Valley. I ask, why not? On a lovely sunny day, like today, take a trip out of London, away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, and just enjoy and marvel at how wonderful and unique the London Underground really is. 

More photos

Train at the Eastbound platform
heading towards Woodford,
3rd April 2017

Roding Valley exterior,
3rd April 2017

Panorama of Roding Valley from the Westbound platform,
3rd April 2017 

My train to Hainault
arriving,
3rd April 2017

If you like trains, the London Underground, or both, are you following my Instagram account? If you are not, follow tubespottingdan on Instagram for photos and videos of my journey around the capital as I attempt to tick off all 270 London Underground stations.