London Underground 1960 Stock - Trailer Cars

Trailer Cars

Initially the 1960 stock cars were coupled to two modernised "Standard Stock" trailers, numbered 4900-4911. Originally the cars were to have been numbered starting at 4000. Conversion work included the fitting of fluorescent lighting, the addition of door indicator lights to the outside of the cars, and painting in silver paint, to match the unpainted aluminium of the motor cars. Four of the trailers had been built in 1927, and only included two sets of double central doors. Two of these were rebuilt with additional single doors at each end. The rest of the trailers were built in 1931, and included the extra single doors when built. Four of these trailers were later fitted with de-icing gear, and carried a 'D' below the running number to indicate this. By 1974, the trailers were a serious maintenance problem, and a decision was taken to replace them with single 1938 Stock cars marshalled between the two motor cars, reducing the units from four to three cars. Conversion work included the fitting of two compressors, as the pre-1938 trailers had been equipped with one each, but the process was costly, and only three sets were completed.

The pre-1938 trailer cars were withdrawn between 1975 and 1983, and the converted 1938 trailers that entered revenue earning service were numbered 4921, 4927, and 4929. The process was delayed by the discovery of asbestos in some of the motor cars. Two further four-car trains were refurbished in 1980 and 1981 at Hainault depot. One visible difference was that the trailers were painted white, rather than silver. The sixth train was by this time used for track recording. A 1938 trailer was converted for use with it and renumbered TRC912, but was never used. It remained in store until 2006, when it was scrapped by Booths at their Rotherham plant.