Metropolitan Railway
When the Metropolian Railway opened in 1863 it had no stock of its own but first the Great Western Railway (GWR) and then the Great Northern Railway providing services. The GWR used eight-wheeled compartment carriages constructed from teak. By 1864, the Met had taken delivery of its own stock, made by the Ashbury Railway Carriage & Iron Co., based on the GWR design but standard gauge. Lighting was provided by gas — two jets in first class compartments and one in second and third class compartments, and from 1877 a pressurised oil gas system was used. Initially the carriages were braked with wooden blocks operated by hand from the guards' compartments at the front and back of the train, giving off a distinctive smell. This was replaced in 1869 by a chain which operated brakes on all carriages. The operation of the chain brake could be abrupt, leading to some passenger injuries, and it was replaced by a non-automatic vacuum brake by 1876. In the 1890s, a mechanical 'next station' indicator was tested in some carriages on circle services; triggered by a wooden flap between the tracks. It was considered unreliable and not approved for full installation.
In 1870, some close-coupled rigid-wheelbase four-wheeled carriages were made by Oldburys. After some derailments in 1887, a new design of 27 feet 6 inches (8.38 m) long rigid-wheelbase four-wheelers known as Jubilee Stock was built by the Cravens Railway Carriage and Wagon Co. for the extension line. Fitted with the pressurised gas lighting system and non-automatic vacuum brakes from new, steam heating was added later. More trains followed in 1892, although all had been withdrawn by 1912. By May 1893, following an order by the Board of Trade, automatic vacuum brakes had been fitted to all carriages and locomotives. Bogie stock was made by Ashbury in 1898 and by Cravens and the Met's Neasden Works in 1900. This gave a better ride quality, steam heating, automatic vacuum brakes, electric lighting and upholstered seating in all classes.
Read more about this topic: London Underground Main Line Stock
Famous quotes containing the words metropolitan and/or railway:
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