History
The O Stock and P Stock were built for the Metropolitan Line and Hammersmith & City Line in 1937–1940 by Gloucester RC&W and Birmingham RC&W. In all there were 262 driving motors (DM) and 103 trailers. The trailers were constructed to the same physical design as the DMs, with provision for the fitting out of a driving cab at one end of the car, although while used as a trailer the unused cab doors were locked closed.
The O stock was built for the Hammersmith & City service and the P stock for the Metropolitan Line service to Uxbridge, although initially some worked on the District Line's Putney Bridge to Edgware Road service. The guard's position on the O stock DMs was in the cab, this continuing the policy of the former Metropolitan Railway. In contrast, the guard's position on the P stock was at the trailing end of the DMs, following the practice of the District Line (and the tube lines).
As built the units had Metadyne equipment, being classified as O Stock and P Stock. The units were originally built as two-car sets, but an intermediate trailer was later added.
From the late 1940s, some of the P Stock used on the Uxbridge services were transferred to the Circle Line to replace the former Metropolitan Railway Stock still in use. Trains of F Stock were transferred from the District Line for use on the Uxbridge services.
Starting in 1955 the Metadyne equipment was removed from the DMs and was replaced with PCM equipment. Converted cars were renumbered from 1xxxx to 5xxxx and reclassified with a C (meaning Converted) before the O or the P.
In the early 1960s, the remaining P (or CP) stock still used on the Uxbridge services was transferred to the District Line. Metropolitan Line services were taken over by new trains of A Stock.
In the late 1960s the CO/CP Stock used on the Circle Line and Hammersmith & City Line was transferred to the District Line (following the introduction of C69 Stock).
Withdrawals started in 1977 following the introduction of new trains of C77 Stock for use on services between Wimbledon and Edgware Road (which were restricted to six cars, rather than the seven cars then used on the rest of the District Line). The bulk of the CO/CP Stock (as well as R Stock) were replaced by new trains of D Stock in the early 1980s. The last examples were withdrawn in 1981; they were the last red painted sub-surface stock used on the London Underground.
Read more about this topic: London Underground O And P Stock
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