Detail
The D Stock is composed of six-car trains, as opposed to the seven-car trains of CO/CP, and R Stock, whose cars were shorter. The traction motors (type LT118) are the same as on the 1973 Tube Stock although bogies are different. The style of the stock train (single leaf doors and transverse and longitude seating) is very similar to that of the 1983 stock that used to operate on the Jubilee line.
D Stock brought many innovations. The rubber coil suspension, for example, meant a smoother ride for passengers. The driver's cab is more ergonomic, the seat being of a swiveling design that allows it to be move forwards, backwards, up or down. The dead man's handle of earlier trains is replaced by a joystick handle which only needs to be twisted for the dead man feature, and moved fore and aft for motoring and braking the train. Additionally, there is a Train Management System (replacing the original Train Equipment Panel) that highlights faults to the driver.
The most noticeable difference between D Stock and earlier trains is that the doors are single leaf. Originally, passengers pressed door-control buttons to open them. Posters explaining how to operate the door buttons were put up around Tube stations in English, French and German when the stock was first introduced. Trains were fitted with a "POGO" switch (Passenger open/Guard's open) which could switch control of the doors from the passengers to the guard (when the trains were first introduced, a guard controlled the doors from the rear cab). While this function proved useful at above-ground stations and termini (especially in the winter months), it did cause a few problems. Station dwell time was significantly increased, and passengers had trouble getting used to the new system, not knowing how to open the door. By the late 1990s, the control of the doors went to the driver, but the buttons still remained, until they were removed upon refurbishment between 2004 and 2008.
Another distinguishing feature is that, at over 18 metres in length, the D78 stock cars are the longest passenger vehicles to be put into service by London Underground.
The D stock windows had to be modified because of overheating in the carriages when new, with pull-down opening windows installed in each car.
Read more about this topic: London Underground D78 Stock
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