Usage and Withdrawal
The D stock is currently used only on the District Line. On the Edgware Road branch of the District Line, the platforms of the stations north of High Street Kensington (Notting Hill Gate, Bayswater, Paddington and Edgware Road) are not long enough for the D Stock. As a consequence, the service from Wimbledon-Edgware Road is provided using C Stock. All other branches exclusively use the D stock.
Between April 1985 and May 1987 the D78 stock ran the East London Line service in 3 car formations, there being enough spare D stock because of reduced services on the District Line. This allowed the A stock to be sent off for One Person Operation (OPO) conversion. A60 and A62 stock took over the service again upon return in 1987.
The D78 Stock is scheduled for replacement by the S Stock trains in 2015. However because the stock has been extensively refurbished there may be scope to sell the trains abroad.
In July 2011, Harrogate Chamber of Commerce proposed to use D78 stock on the Harrogate Line in order for this route from York to Leeds via Harrogate to increase capacity.
Stations in the Harrogate and Leeds urban areas are close together; the superior acceleration of D78 stock over the Class 150 diesel multiple units currently used is intended to cut journey times. The line would be electrified with 3rd rail similar to that of the Docklands Light Railway as opposed to the Southern electric network and the Underground.
On 24 July 2012, Unit 7007 was designated as the Olympic 2012 Train with Chief Operator Howard Collins leading the Olympic torch from Wimbledon station to Wimbledon Park station. This is the only train in London Underground's history to be designated as an Olympic Torch train.
The District line will be the last Sub-Surface line to receive the S Stock, which is largely due to the recent refurbishment of the D Stock.
Read more about this topic: London Underground D78 Stock
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