Life’s a Glitch: The 1992 Tube Stock

[@ThrushCZX]

I’m a central line driver, and yes the voice is called Sonya (and we were also told, during training, that same reason why)

[@andyrichardsvideovlogs8835]

"Maybe they'll find use elsewhere" what a polite way of saying the Bakerloo, well known dumping ground of geriatric Tube trains. I well remember 1923/27 stock groaning there in 1968 alongside the positively modern 1938 stock...

[@Dungeonfreak]

Or the Isle of Wight

[@wolf2965]

​@@Dungeonfreak Isle of Wight upgraded their 1938 stock (Class 483) with a positively modern D78 stock (Class 484) from the District line only last year. Bakerloo uses the oldest EMU stock in Britain nowadays (1972 aka Class 499/2) - and pretty much the very oldest passenger rolling stock in Britain in general, outside some heritage railways. Now, if we were talking about the Alderney Railway, then it would be a good place to dump the 1972 stock...

[@cncshrops]

As a tube-wandering 10 year old in the sixties, I loved those pre war trains! Incandescent lamps with shell shaped glass shades iirc. And the smell of the motors...

[@goatgamer001]

Isle of Wight is the bakerloo line of the bakerloo line

[@Deltic55-mw4bo]

the bakerloo would be better off just keeping the 72s

[@MinifigJez]

The Victoria (secret) Line… a superb piece of scipting there.

[@Techno-Universal]

1:18 The buttons on the doors here for opening them are large 1970s generic Dewherst buttons which were also common on generic lifts installed in the 1970s and 1980s but somehow ended up being used in the new hydraulic lifts in Flinders Street station in Melbourne Australia, which were installed in the late 1990s/early 2000s! :)

[@yy17782]

Emma wasn’t dismissed for the parody announcements. TfL actually liked those. It was actually an out of context Daily Mail article (typical) painting her out that she hated the Underground, when all she said was that she hates listening to her own voice on the tube. Shame as a lot of people actually really liked her voice, as opposed to the mundane robotic/shouty new ones. All info I got direct from her website btw, these other comments (and the commentary on it in video) are incorrect

[@cncshrops]

I think the Daily Mail carries responsibility for an awful lot of nastiness like that.

[@Psevdonim123]

Emma's voice is the best on the underground, it's so soothing and calm. Celia Drummond is fine, but she's more serious... Julie Berry sounds like she's giving you a favor allowing you to ride on the Piccadilly line, and Sarah Parnell sounds like she's constantly on extazy, because I can't imagine any other reason a person would be so euphoric 110% of the time. Actually, the whole sub-surface stock sounds like it's a trip because of that. Also, her impressions of Emma with "change for the Elizabeth line" on Bakerloo and Central are not great. I really hope someone will at least start a petition, so Emma could at least stay on Central and Bakerloo when their trains will be upgraded or BLE will happen (I don't know what will happen sooner, but it's definitely not happen soon)

[@robtyman4281]

​​@@Psevdonim123 ....I find the (all but gone) voice of Oswald Laurence quite comforting and nostalgic; though I imagine many might find it abit stuffy and too 'old school'. Famously telling you to "Mind the gap". It reminds me of the London I knew as a kid. It's now only used on the northbound platform of Embankment, on the Northern Line. Where once it was used all over the network....until the early 1990's. Though I think that's all he ever said, as modern train announcements as we know them didn't come in til well into the 90's. Prior to this, there were none, as this wasn't considered important: 'You could see the station, so why would you need someone telling you this?' - was the thinking until then. But in actual fact, these announcements are primarily for the benefit of blind people. While the destination boards showing what station is next are principally for deaf people.

[@Nice_Person7379]

@@Psevdonim123I actually liked all except Sarah Parnell. Julie sounded classy, Emma sounded soothing, Celia sounded nostalgic, and the DLR voice which although is robotic had a cockney accent which was funny and also nostalgic.

[@SentinelGiga]

The '92s still feel quite new and modern to me, even now some 30 (oh god) years later. It's kind of breaking my brain a bit realising that they're actually this old.

[@jeff4362]

It's sort of futuristic that's why. Meanwhile the mid 90s trains (95 and 96 stocks on Northern & Jubilee) don't have that futuristic feel to it. Notice the 92's have black tinted windows and a very cool sounding motor.

[@ezkymos]

Lol in Paris we have metro trains from 1955

[@JohnnyZenith]

When are '92 stock being replaced?

[@ClutchBuster]

@@JohnnyZenith by the mid 30s when the new rolling stock comes in. But I doubt it will be that near especially when the '72 rolling stock is still used

[@staszekr03]

For me they feel way more dated than even the 73 stock. I'd even rather take a ride on the 72. These should be the first to go imo.

[@clickrick]

Now I want Harry Beck to add Victoria's Secret line to the map!

[@eddyharris2372]

I have recently discovered that Jago IS Harry Beck.

[@benjones1917]

Jago IS Harry Beck! 😀

[@IamTheHolypumpkin]

Somehow I think this could really be good advertising. Do a tube themed lingerie show on the vectoria line (but better outside of normal operating hours). There will almost certainly a market for it (even if rather small)

[@EonityLuna]

I see we are all people of culture here :p.

[@highpath4776]

Ideal for those that miss strap hanging

[@idot3331]

I really really like that green train livery. As iconic as the red white and blue of the underground has become, it makes me wish there was a bit more variety in the colour schemes of tube trains.

[@JamesHawkeYouTube]

Came for the London 1992 memories. Stayed for the Victoria's Secret Line trains. Love your work sir.

[@karlosh9286]

Ahh, I remember the prototypes and the 1992 Central Line stock well. When I was an apprentice electrician for LUL Signal and Lighting dept in the late 80s . They had the prototypes at Acton works , near the apprentice training centre. I also remember the senior signalling side management waffling on about the new computerised transmission based signalling systems that did away with the track block system. i.e. know within something like a 3M accuracy where a train is, rather than "the train is on a lump of track a hundred or so metres long" (bit of a guess there, but it was quite a reasonable distance for track blocks). So trains could be run a fair bit closer together. It was the latest shiny stuff, and made the Victoria lines signalling system look distinctly "old hat" ! As for the class of 92's "retirement" maybe some will spend their dotage down in the Isle of Wight, where some old tube trains go ...

[@TheClockwise770]

I always preferred the green 1986 stock Metro Cammel due to the nice humps in their seats. When I was young the 1938 stock seemed very modern, the Northern line also being pretty hot late on Friday nights in those days.

[@ashleyhamman]

I don't know if it's a generational thing or not, what with having been a kid in the early 200Xs, but the very clean and sharp nature of industrial design from the late 80s and early 90s remains a very appealing look. That includes those 1992 units, as well as the Class 91, though of course is more widely visible in the automotive world. It just seems to have been the design language of what today we would refer to as retrofuturism, but of course back then it was just futuristic.

[@nkt1]

I think the Class 158 is another good example of this. The Class 91 looks pretty good, especially in the original livery, although the DVTs don’t look quite right. I never understood why they weren’t built to be identical to the 91. But neither is a patch on the Class 43, which I think is a masterpiece of industrial design.

[@kaitlyn__L]

Yes, the NTFL feels too curvy yet also too straight imo. Like the wrong balance. I will note clean sharp lines were also in fashion in the late-60s to early-70s, so you could say we’re overdue another renaissance. And indeed there’s signs of the pendulum swinging back to oversimplified lines in cars again, such was with the Ioniq 5. I love the balance the 92 stock and, more modern, the Honda e strikes. Reducing complexity, having bold lines, without being totally beholden to the polygons like the DeLorean, or the Cybertruck, or… the NTFL’s front windows even, ugh.

[@ashleyhamman]

@@kaitlyn__L Oh definely, it feels like we're at the start of the return, the new Bronco seems very popular and I've seen a few Rivians around, both of which also share the new-retro look. The Honda E is defintely a car that's had my attention, though it's not coming here to the US unfortunately. It very much reminds me of the Nissan Be-1 (which is so adorable!), though holds on to some more 2010s styling cues that do have resemblance to the LU S8 stock.

[@Boristhe3rd]

I work for the tube fixing these, and we do call the voice Sonia After the motor fell off, they got whole new bogies and motors. Originally they were Kawasaki, and now Siemens.

[@Pauldjreadman]

Yes, I have also seen the Jay Forman where you stared in the lead role :)

[@no-damn-alias]

the refurbished trains ma, replace 1972 tube stock then on the bakerloo line. It's now 50 years old. Wow time is running!

[@vicsams4431]

I remember working with a BR traction and rolling stock engineer, who was none to complementary about adding an extra bolt, in case the traction motors fell off. He said "Perhaps LT should fit an extra set of wheels, in case they fall off too."

[@paulketchupwitheverything767]

Hearing the bit about the traction motor falling off made me think about aircraft engines being attached using shear bolts. They are designed to break under unusual loads in order not to damage the whole airframe. It made me wonder if the traction motor was intended to be 'sacrificed' if it hit an obstruction on the line and not cause more damage to the train?

[@vicsams4431]

@@paulketchupwitheverything767 Nope. They are supposed to stay on. It was a poor design / poor maintenance. Traction motors can weigh 1 or 2 tons, and that dropping on the track poses a serious risk of derailment (which is a multi-fatality risk). Apparently, in the opposite direction, it could come up through the floor. Equally horrific. Having an aircraft engine fall off at 35,000ft is not something I wish to know, thanks ! LOL !

[@danielholmes9392]

My dad was a tube worker now retired and he said about Sonia on the underground

[@General_Confusion]

Jago remembers when the 1992 stock was new, because his mum made him hold her hand when she told him "don't worry Jago you can jump the gap"

[@mediacityavid]

I filmed the 3 prototypes in 1986 when they were unveiled at Woodford.

[@chrisrogers1669]

I costed the traction motors (LT130) at Brush Electrical Machines. There were 2,888 I think. I still work for Brush and still have the costs on an old Lotus 123 wk1 file.

[@DavidWilson-hh2gn]

Don't worry about remembering the 1992 stock when new,I can remember the 1926 stock (although not when new)!rattling through the tunnels with bulb lights flickering and going out.The Brown Boveri interior seems a bit reminiscent in interior design to the old WC/SR stock.That newest design of tube stock looks ok and hopefully will be reliable.

[@richardvoogd3012]

The name Brown Boveri seems vaguely familiar to me. I could be mistaken but I think there's a connection with public transport in Wellington, New Zealand, possibly the cable car.

[@simonweekes3068]

Fun fact: the ‘92 stock was tested on the Ongar branch line. And did (still?) have Ongar in the computer for announcements and display.

[@chilsie]

The 92 stocks on the Central Line have Waterloo in their DVA, despite not being able to go there by normal circumstances!

[@rynabuns]

What would be the quickest way for a central line train to get to Waterloo? Is the only way out in West Ruislip? Is it possible to change onto the Jubilee at Neasden?

[@johnm2012]

@@rynabuns I think there's a (almost never used) connection with the District at Ealing Broadway, which would give access to Waterloo via Richmond or Wimbledon or Olympia. In case there isn't such a connection at Ealing Broadway, there's certainly a connection with the Piccadilly at Ruislip, and the Piccadilly shares track with the District at Ealing Common.

[@paulskinner]

I have seen one with its destination board set to Ongar within the last 4 years. The driver must've been feeling nostalgic.

[@TheClockwise770]

Did they choose the Ongar branch due to the considerable lack of passengers

[@tonys1636]

I can remember when the 1927 stock on the Bakerloo was replaced with 'new' stock, new to the bakerloo but only 10 years or thereabouts younger, it still rocked, rattled and rolled but without the early Art Deco style. That was the early 1970's. Tube carriages had comfy seats then and the kinked armrests so one didn't bump elbows with the passenger sitting next to one. Flickering incandescent light bulbs and tobacco stained ceilings until all carriages became no smoking, memories.

[@JT1358]

Happy memories.. cough, cough

[@grahambartram7944]

I remember going to a special event somewhere east on the Central Line where we could look at all three models (Red, Green and Blue) and give feedback. They even gave us coffee which was fine until people started putting half-full cups in the built-in litter bins on the trains. They hadn't been waterproofed so the coffee leaked out through all the seams! The other obvious snag was the lighting, which had a metal plate to protect the tubes but with rounded rectangular holes to let the light out. Unfortunately these holes were positioned on the ceiling and shaped just like a hand hold, so during the day a couple of people (probably slipping on the coffee) tried to grab one of these "handholds" and put theirs hands straight through the fluorescent tubes behind - bit of a design failure... The other element of the new designs that worried some people were that the doors were on the outside - what would happen if a train hit the side of a tunnel? As you mention there was such an incident at Chancery Lane and I believe the doors were ripped off as predicted.

[@ZonkerRoberts]

"They even gave us coffee" From my recollections of British coffee circa 1992 I'd have taken that as a threat more than a reward. 🙂

[@highpath4776]

They were on display at Steam on The Met at Amersham too

[@aprilsmith1166]

I remember that derailment at Chancery Lane because I should have been on the train but for some reason missed it. A lucky escape, methinks...

[@norbitonflyer5625]

The display was at Woodford. I went to see it too. I never saw any of the 1986 stock again.

[@derekantill3721]

I went to Woodford to see the 3 trains on display. As a regular user I found that the outside doors on the 1992 stock would occasionally freeze up in very bad weather on surface stations.

[@ThomasTrue]

In the future, tube train cabs will have a member of staff, and a dog. The member of staff will be there to feed the dog, and the dog will be there to prevent them touching the controls.

[@CyclingSteve]

Hardly a financial embarrassment, TfL were in great financial health until the pandemic, completely self financing with no public subsidy. I would say covid triggered income downturn.

[@rumelahmed4539]

Wtf are you on about? They have always got public monies.

[@itskdog]

@@rumelahmed4539 I remember reading that Boris axed that while he was mayor, or something along those lines.

[@malachix780]

​@@itskdog yes that's right, one of the final acts of Boris as mayor was to end the subsidy to TFL

[@dikleatherdale8947]

When the '92 stock first arrived on the W&C I took a ride. On arrival at Bank I was taken aback to hear the announcement. "Grange Hill, this is Grange Hill." Sadly that was a glitch which was soon ironed out.

[@RogersRamblings]

I was on a 92 stock in 1993 when they were being introduced and got chatting with a driver. He told me that they couldn't break down. He was less than impressed when I laughed and said that we on the Piccadilly had been told the same thing about the 1973 stock. 🤣

[@freightgod]

Thank you for launching straight into your videos without intro, I appreciate that. I will never visit London, but your videos bring London to me, in bits and pieces and dribs and drabs and regular doses, too. Thank you!

[@MrJimheeren]

Why would you never visit London. It’s quite the exciting city

[@richardvoogd3012]

I'm thankful that I visited London, more years ago than I sometimes care to remember....now where did the last 50+ years go to? A trip on the District Line was one of the highlights, and being able to watch these videos is awesome!

[@freightgod]

I would love to visit London! I meant it's not likely to happen for many mostly monetary reasons.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Another interesting one.... I see the shot of the class 66 standing at the semaphore signal at Greenford is a reused shot, i've seen it on another of your vids! When i worked the Bakerloo & Jubille line in the mid to late 1980s, the Bakerloo was like a sauna, travelling on the Central was quite cool in comparison, so i don't know who deemed that the hottest line? Someone who never ventured on to the Bakerloo i'm guessing? By 2002 i was a bus driver with Blue Triangle, we had some of the Central Line rail replacement work, Barking to South Woodford and Newbury Park to Ilford i seem to recall working, allowing passengers to connect with national rail and District line services... lots of overtime and rest day working i recall.... Probably a good time all around for transport drivers, Central Line crews with nothing to do all shift except watch tv, drink tea or read a book, and bus crews coining it in!.... Happy days.......

[@OnboardG1]

Huh, I wondered why my cousin used to drive on both Central and Waterloo and City. The stock being common between them explains it.

[@andywarne963]

These trains suffered from terrible body corrosion around the windows which was the subject of legal action by LU against the manufacturers. This could be seen with paint bubbling up and eventually falling off. Thats why they have added-on external frames around the windows. The W&C dont have these are still have their original clean lines as they are used in dry conditions.

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

"I don't know what the hottest line in the figurative sense. The Victoria's Secret line perhaps?"....your innocence is one of a kind. Bless your heart. As small as the Waterloo & City line is, it's still a line with its own neat history and unique in its own way. Also turquoise is the best Tube color hands down

[@grassytramtracks]

God you're EVERYWHERE!

[@grassytramtracks]

The hottest line is on the Pyongyang metro

[@chaoringmeister]

These are my favourite tube stock because of the curving glass.

[@1963TOMB]

I recollect that when the 92TS was introduced on the Central Line ( I was a member of the electrical design team in Derby for this stock before coming down to London to play with the LU radio systems), Caxton curves near White City had to be 'shaved' so that the train would go around them.

[@darynvoss7883]

I like the look of them.

[@oscarmathia6112]

I accidentally stepped into one of these on a vacation in London, such a cramped train and tunnel, felt like extreme cost cutting. I would call it the hobbit class.

[@nevreiha]

if you told me they'd built these trains last year I'd've taken your word for it, I'm not a greater london resident so tube trains just fall into "looks rather old", "looks quite sleek and new", "2100 elisabeth line spaceship"

[@ZGryphon]

The thing about "Sonya" reminds me of the recorded voice warning systems on, e.g., airliners and American nuclear-powered submarines, which are collectively known among the professionals who have to deal with them on a regular basis (at least in the US) as "Bitching Betty". Also, I think I remember listening to some of Emma Clarke's parody announcements, way back when. I had no idea that TFL fired her over them. What a typically governmental thing to do.

[@highpath4776]

Breach of Contract probably

[@thedoublek4816]

"Thou shalt not make fun of anything related to your job". That somehow reminds me of the stereotypical jokes about Germany.

[@tudorsava1571]

This model I like the most from all existing trains in London Underground.

[@martindeane9631]

It sounds like I have been lucky but I have travelled extensively on the Central Line since using it to get to school in the, ahem, 1960s and I have found the 1992 stock to be very reliable but yes, they do get very hot in the tunnels in the summer. I heeded TFL's advice and always took a bottle of water with me but on more than one occasion I ended up giving it away to somebody who looked like they were about to pass out!

[@Garfie489]

I wouldnt be surprised if the Bakerloo line ends up with 1992 stock as a hand me down. Saves TFL money, and replaces some old equipment whilst still upgrading all lines.

[@reececollison5101]

1:00 that could look like a brand new train today!!🤯

[@jeremypreece870]

Yes, the replacement of "old" 1992 stock is a shock when it makes you realise how old you really are. For me, that happened last week when I switched on Radio 2 and thought how familiar the records were, sort of my era. It turned out to be Pick of the Pops covering 1976, and Paul Gamaccini very kindly remarked that it was 46 year ago! A truly sobering moment!

[@CorvoFG]

I was asked what my earliest memory was at work the other day. I responded that it was news reports of the Vietnam war. I was looked at like I’m about 900. I’m 51.

[@richardvoogd3012]

I'm reminded of when I moved to the Wellington, New Zealand, region in the 1980s. On some of the services, EMUs dating back to at least the 1950s were being replaced with newer EMUs. Now we're in the 21st century, they've all been replaced. Even the "new" units are gone!

[@chilsie]

The Sonia joke was apparently exclusively in reference to Janet Mayo, which confused but amused her! Emma Clarke was indeed dismissed due to parody announcements, hence why you can hear Sarah Parnell at some stations, notably Bank. The CLIP (Central Line Improvement Programme) is adding Passenger Information Screens and speaker improvements if you’re curious.

[@sydneyda]

How did they make Parnell sound so similar to Clarke? It sounds like exactly the same person

[@manomaylr]

@@sydneyda it really doesn’t.

[@Manfred_von_Karma]

The Piccadilly, Northern, District, and Metropolitan lines: Are we a joke to you?

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

"Although Clarke was dismissed in 2007 for making parody announcements on her personal website" Guess you could say her career reached... *the end of the line.* Also, "Tube announcements are serious business, y'all" Y'all? Jago's turning American! Where is Charles Yerkes holding you hostage? 😂 I don't know about the voice of the Tube, but the voice of the NYC Subway who says "Stand clear of the closing doors, please!" is Charlie Pennett, who is a veteran news anchor for Bloomberg Radio. Another voice of the NYC Subway who says the station announcements for approaching trains is Carolyn Hopkins, whose voice can also be heard at more than 200 airports worldwide from Charles de Gaulle to Incheon. She does it all from the comfort of her home in northern Maine. Sometimes they let NYC celebs like Jerry Seinfeld and Awkwafina do the subway announcements

[@caw25sha]

I believe y'all might be related to the parody announcements. Not that I want to cause a diplomatic incident.

[@JamesHawkeYouTube]

mind the gap.

[@lawrencelewis2592]

Have you ever been in Penn Station when Daniel Simmons called a Florida train? He was awesome! You can find him on YT.

[@lawrencelewis2592]

@@JP_TaVeryMuch In Toronto, it's " Stan clear the doors." That guy Stan is a busy fellow.

[@lawrencelewis2592]

@@JP_TaVeryMuch When such a sticker is put up, the powers that be have to expect that they will be improved, one way or another.

[@joost1453]

At my visit to London I was so surprised by the narrow metro tubes and the curved roof of the metro's

[@SgtMcNasty]

ABB was a merger between ASEA and Brown Bowery. In my hometown of Västerås ABB had their ABB Traction facility that made propultion systems for trains. After a few buy outs I worked for then Bombardier for years (between 2008 and 2015) and made the high voltage units for the London underground. We called the two projects SSL and VLU what ever that ment. Now Bombarider got bought up by Alstom.

[@BertiePendergast]

Regarding Sonia: On the Northern line we call it Celia for two reasons: the original voice was supplied by Celia Drummond, and it’s supposed to stand for Computer Emulated Line Information Announcer.

[@manomaylr]

The Jubilee line was also Celia Drummond.

[@BucBoydy]

I personally love the 1992 stock, especially on the central line. My grandparents live in Ealing Broadway and so I have been using the central line every time I am in London to visit them (because why on earth would I use the stupidly slow dirstrict line...did that once, never again!). When they are replaced, I will miss the stock!

[@juliansadler6263]

I am not that old (yet) but I remember the T stock on the East London Line. That was nearing 60 years old. And when the 1992 stock came in there was a suggestion aged stoned characters might be totally thrown by the outside sliding doors suddenly covering the exterior.

[@julianlineham]

Great video, amazing to think those are 30 years old, remember them as brand new

[@AtheistOrphan]

Talking of replacement tube stock, I completely missed the 1938 stock on the IOW: I last visited the island in 1986, when it was all 1920’s ‘Standard’ stock. I was planning to visit just before the ‘38 stock was withdrawn but Covid travel restrictions put the kybosh on that plan.

[@glynwelshkarelian3489]

'I Travelled the IoW 20's' is a t-shirt you should get made.

[@michaeltajfel]

I'm old enough to remember the red 1938 tube stock on the Underground! Back in the late 1950s it was used on all the deep level lines I think, and only disappeared on the Bakerloo in the late 1980s.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

My favourite part of your videos are the analogies that you draw at the end. Brilliant!

[@glynwelshkarelian3489]

Like our sincere replies to Jago's invites to make a comment?

[@jordanwelsh6406]

There is a great interview with Emma Clarke where she talks about the process of doing the announcements. For this testing process her voice was given the name "Marilyn" and when her voice was picked the rumours spread that Marilyn Monroe was the voice of the underground trains...

[@Xormac2]

After the face reveal in Jay Foreman Video i can say that Jago is literally a Victorian man in his 60s trapped somehow in a body of a 21st century millenial thanks to some Doctor Who level space magic. Jokes aside i was glad he made that cameo Also the 1986 stock is giving me the feeling of an alternate reality london (maybe the one where Broad Street station is still active). Excellent video

[@Ross.Cavendish]

Which video revealed Jago?

[@ZomgItsLeo]

@@Ross.Cavendishjay foreman’s latest video

[@LunaDragofelis]

@@Ross.Cavendish "What went wrong with the tube map" kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJKomamNjdJ_r80 Jago is playing Harry Beck

[@Ross.Cavendish]

@@LunaDragofelis Thank you.

[@eattherich9215]

Loved the Jago-like peeve. "Well I hope you enjoyed the decades of hard work I gave you. You are the ungrateful corporation to my lifetime of loyal service." 😂

[@Clavichordist]

"The passengers felt that they were better off with the 30-year-old stock..." A similar thing occurred in Boston, Massachusetts in the 1980s. In the late 1970s, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA, or "T" for short), felt it was time to replace the very aged PCC trolleys that were running on their green line system. These famous trams had been in use since the early 1940s and were beginning to show their age, meaning catching fire and rotting away. In the late 1970s, the "T" trialed some prototype light rail vehicles by Boeing. Yes, the famous passenger jet builder. The Boeing LRVs, also sold to San Francisco MUNI and Pennsylvania SEPTA, proved very unreliable. In fact, they were so unreliable that the "T" brought back their very ancient PCC trolleys again while the LRVs were rebuilt. More recently due to a change in management, meaning all chiefs and no Indians, the MBTA cut maintenance on the systems overall, causing equipment and track failures due our state tax money going to big salaries at the top, instead of to the system maintenance and upgrades. On the red line, equipment was derailing due to poor track maintenance as the trains were hitting poorly aligned points, damaging infrastructure and causing major delays. The orange line equipment was rotting away, literally, with pieces falling off and shorting out on the tracks. The orange line received some new trains which proved not only inadequate but also unreliable due to some serious equipment issues and had to be pulled. Due to all the failures throughout the system, including on the green line light rail lines, the Federal Transit Administration stepped in and ordered the "T" to update and rebuild the system. The orange line was shut down for a couple of months this year and rebuilt and the rolling stock was replaced. Even with these updates and upgrades, the system is still suffering from problems including power outages on the green line which strands the trams in tunnels and on bridges. Let's say the "T" is going to need some real public relations and marketing speek to fix their very tarnished reputation.

[@cesariojpn]

3:13 The infamous "TOX" graffiti from Daniel Halpin that plagued TfL property for a while back in the 90's-00's and was the feature topic on a TV series about "The Tube." That's a topic worth making a video of. Or vandalism on TfL in general.

[@Akmay-]

Yeah. Couldn't help noticing the lesser-spotted "Shen Yun" poster in one shot, too. I used to think they seemed cool, but found out it's run by some homophobic cult. Hm, "tube adverts" might surprise as a fun topic. Must be some stories there...

[@highpath4776]

I think the Central Line must be the most "we are not the rest of the Tube" mentality, with the test track bits on the Hainault Loop even with commonish stock to Picc and Northern it still felt different. Maybe it is its east west alignment compared to the north south of the Northern Bakerloo and Piccadilly ( yerkes group effectively) , the Jubilee feels like it is the shrunk Met Line (which it was in a way) and the Victoria proudley says I am the worlds longest shuttle twixt Brixton and Walthamstow and nothing is sharing my tracks. Of the Deep Tubes the Central Also gives you the impression you have travelled somewhere as Loughton different in feel to Greenford ( Morden and Edgware are sort of mirror images of each other )

[@vinceturner3863]

Great video as usual. There is nothing worse than losing your traction motor; extra undercarriage support is sometimes needed!

[@hairyairey]

Apparently Kryton from Red Dwarf had a similar problem once...

[@JAMESeHARNESS]

Anyone else remember the intermittent door closing glitch when the tone didn’t stop and the shrilling kept going until your ears were ringing? Horrible. I started work in late 1991 as an eager young teenage, so remember the excitement of commuting in the modern Central line carriages - and I remember the arm rests gradually disappearing. I still think of them as ‘new’ except when I actually travel on them. Dingy and dirty now.

[@SocksInAHat]

7:15 that North Acton station 😊

[@jonathangat4765]

I remember when those joined the fleet. It was a nice surprise to come to London and take the Central line to Bank (ugh) in new trains.

[@ghostything]

The 'Sonia' joke has been around for at least 20 years or so, I remember reading that in some 'tube facts' someone (my aunt?) sent me in an email in the early 2000s.

[@joelightrailway2362]

These are my personal favourite trains on the Underground because I find the 1992 stock kinda reminds me of the modern equivalent of the 1938 stock aka the Class 483s.

[@PaddyWV]

Yay! Semaphore Signals!

[@QuarioQuario54321]

A refurbishment at 30 with new motors is probably meaning TfL is cancelling the replacement for now and is delaying it until the 2040s or so

[@JohnnyZenith]

What the hell? Really? 30 years should be the minimum.

[@gmanrice]

@@JohnnyZenith really? the A60/62 fleet were 50 years old when finally taken out of service, the 1972 and 1973 fleets are literally almost 50 years of service too, the 1992 stock is still quite young, especially when you consider 1938 stock was still operating until 2021 on the Isle of Wight so old trains can keep on going, the 2009 stock on the Victoria Line will have a shorter lifespan than the 1992 stock cos modern technology makes new trains have a shorter lifespan, with the right maintenance on the 1992 stock they could easily last 50 years, however maintenance is the issue, LU never looked after them from the outset as they were procured on the cheap hence the issues but thats why they need work, cos theyve had a decade plus of neglect

[@reececollison5101]

I generally find the Central line is the most reliable line now, very rarely goes wrong now unlike when these trains started out. The 1992 stock refurb suggests to me that they’ve now changed their mind on replacing these with new trains, I don’t see this coming off the Central line anytime soon.

[@HairyHands]

I remember usig the tube around 1995 and thinking how modern the Central Line stock seemed compared to the Northern Line stock which had wooden floors

[@birdbrain4445]

I had to remind myself of how Emma's voice sounded and I have to say, yeah that's probably some of the best announcements used on the Tube. (I had to remind myself as honestly I don't use the Central line a ton.) Emma's voice is just very soothing and pleasant on the ears, with a warm tone. It's really a shame she was let go. Also on the '92 Stock - they were launched well before my time but you know, I have to say they certainly still *look* surprisingly modern. I really rather like them as trains even now some 30 years later, they're pleasant enough to ride on. I can't imagine how amazing they were back in the day, major teething problems aside. Great video!

[@garycook5071]

Liked the look of the green 1986 stock

[@LeeSmith-cf1vo]

The refirb might mean that the 92s will be the last to be replaced, rather than (as was, I believe, the plan at one point) straight after the picc

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I mean, the title is giving me LIFE! I think of myself as fortunate to follow people with a great grasp on punnery.

[@Tevildo]

Jago, this video is one of many that makes me feel old, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Excellent technical content, too. Now, I'll start with remembering the CP stock on the District Line. I'm sure that there are people who go back further. :)

[@PerCPH2200]

Sighs.... yes.... same for me... memories of the late 1970s.... The final years of red-painted CO/CP surface stock and then there were the 1938 stock trains still roaming the Bakerloo and Northern lines (I never saw them on the Piccadilly line - they were all gone before the final stretch out to Heathrow opened).

[@Aengus42]

I can remember my first tentative exploration of London by Tube in the seventies. (Balham to the Embankment for my first McDonald's!) Wooden escalators and those strange dangling balls on springs hanging down in the carriages that had varnished wood window surrounds. The whole Tube had its very own smell back then! That glorious warm waft that preceded the trains! The next time I visited that smell had changed sadly.

[@truskawkayt7872]

picadilly is possibly most crowded line and stinkiest one

[@aprilsmith1166]

Hi Jago. Is there any chance of you taking us to the Epping-Ongar line soon as it's all decked out in fairy lights for the Christmas season. It'll have to be after dark of course for us to appreciate the lights. Tho I accept it's not everyone's cup of mulled wine...

[@5340robert]

Always love the 1992 stock and it`s what i think of when i think of the tube. I remember the first time i got on one as a kid in Loughton.

[@owencarlstrand1945]

As a man who, in the early 70s, used to sneak into depots to collect Underground train numbers, the 1992 stock still looks incredibly modern. I travelled regularly on the old 1938 Northern Line trains as well as District Line R stock (and when I was very young the Q stock). In fact the old Vic line 1967 stock felt very modern as well. The idea of a single class of stock across all deep level lines has been a long time coming. Of course they have it now on the sub surface lines.

[@trumptontally3383]

Purely aesthetics I guess but the central line trains always feel like the newer stock compare to other lines.

[@SamLowryDZ-015]

It maybe insufferable and sweaty and smelly during the summer, but the far end of the eastbound platform of TCR during winter gave you a great blast of warming air after a cold night out.

[@christopherbrown3695]

“Strongest bolts to my loose traction motor” genius

[@TheColum78]

“Victoria Secret line” was superb. I’m here just as much for your hilarious quips, as I am about the informative content about the tube network. Keep up the good work, Sir.

[@huggleton]

'Victoria's Secret Line' made me cackle, thanks Jago

[@timelordgeek16]

Excellent video Unfortunately for me the 92 stock is my least favourite and avoid the Central line whenever I’m in London But I will try them out if they are refurbished….

[@SuperLisona]

Excellent vid, as always! Thank you Jago ;)

[@TheEarlofK]

I can remember when this rolling stock was first introduced on the Central Line, the doors could be opened independently and they were much faster than the previous generation; it didn't take long for all that to change, the doors were soon only operated by the driver, no doubt insisted upon by the Unions for 'safety reasons', (the same people who told us that removing the guards from trains would result in terrible accidents), but in reality to give the drivers something to do as the trains are fully automated. The trains were then slowed on various sections, particularly from Bank, presumably because the track couldn't cope with the increased speeds. As to the heat issues, I think the rolling stock was never designed to carry the number of passengers it now does, at all times of the day and night; it is simply unbearable during the Summer, when I avoid using it whenever possible.

[@jcarter3562]

The reason the door operation was changed from passenger open/close (once the doors were activated by the driver) to operator open/close was because of either intentional or accidental misuse of the doors by members of the public. There were a number of injuries caused by this, so quite rightly so on the grounds of health and safety, full door operation was handed over to the driver. This was for all lines and not just the Central Line, unless the policy has changed since my retirement as a Central line driver in 2021. Also the 92 stock is NOT fully automatic, they have full manual speed operation, (under ATP), restricted manual speed operation (no ATP protection), and of course Automatic Train Operation. ATO is the preferred operating mode. The requirement is to drive the trains on Sundays and bank holidays on certain sections of the line, or if there is a problem with the train or the signaling system. The trains maximum acceleration from standstill (on the whole of the line) was governed down a numbered of years ago now, again on the grounds of health and safety. Their maximum speed was also reduced from 100kph to 80kph where parts of the line permits those speeds.

[@TMCNJ]

Us London bus drivers call our announcements voice “Sonya” as well 😅

[@pleappleappleap]

Thanks Jago, for another great video.

[@DanHinchliffe]

I remember how tired they looked prior to their 2012 revamp. If I recall, they were suffering from rust around the windows which were wholesale replaced, hence the white frames they now have. They also seem relatively dark inside compared with other tube trains, possibly because they're partially lit with recessed lighting, which can look lovely but tends not to shower the carriage with brightness.

[@daveoftheclanburgess]

I do wonder if their initial lack of reliability was in part due to being stored in the open air for a lengthy period before entering service. The Central line upgrades took longer than expected and there were delays in commissioning the new signals. The programmed phased delivery from Washwood Heath was on time but they had nowhere to store them at Ruislip or any other depot, so the spent at least 9 months sitting in almost every spare space in the ammunition depot at MoD Kineton - a sight chosen for an ammo depot in WW2 as having the densest and most continuous cloud cover, and being poorly drained. A good recipe for damp getting into new and untried electronic components. They were delivered by being hauled down to Ruislip as complete trains, top and tailed by a Class 20 and barrier wagons using the former Met GC Joint lines, south through Banbury, Aynho Junc, Biscester, Aylesbury, towards Marylebone, etc to Ruislip where they crossed the link junction into the depot from BR metals.

[@crstudios4457]

A term I've heard referring to the DVA voice is Ann (as in Ann-ouncement)

[@2H80vids]

Great video Mr.H. - that's a whole lot of info in nine minutes.💪👍

[@bjmorley]

Brilliant Harry sorry I mean Jago! ;)

[@johnm2012]

When I first moved to London from the East Midlands the D stock was in the process of being introduced. Travelling to work via the District line I would occasionally find myself stepping onto one of the older trains that were being phased out.

[@darylcheshire1618]

In around 1986, the Victorian Railways reluctantly ceased running the wooden Tait trains that were built in the VR workshops in the 1920s. At around sixty years were claimed to be the oldest rolling stock in current revenue service in the world. At the time I was envious of other cities which replace rolling stock after 30 years. Now the space-age Comeng trains are approaching 40 years old.

[@richardvoogd3012]

I've seen some video clips of restored sets. Awesome!

[@sedwarg]

God, how I wish the Central line ran 2009 stock.

[@bugsby4663]

When I was working on the Underground, there was a joke going around following the motor dropping out from under the train at Chancery Lane. What do you do if you see a Central line coming? Make a bolt for it.

[@JagoHazzard]

Nice!

[@armchairbard4272]

@@JagoHazzard Seconded. I remember all that very well - in fact daily - because our end of the Central Line was the last stretch to come back into service and the ?>£300 refund I got on my annual season ticket paid for a very nice new dishwasher thank you. And that’s never mind that I mostly went in on the mainline from Manor Park anyway so it was in fact pure bunce, deep joy.

[@armchairbard4272]

I remember all that very well - in fact daily - because our end of the Central Line was the last stretch to come back into service and the ?>£300 refund I got on my annual season ticket paid for a very nice new dishwasher thank you. And that’s never mind that I often went in on the mainline from Manor Park anyway; so it was mostly bunce, deep joy.

[@richardbrayshaw570]

Always great, as usual. Please do a video about the earth-shatteringly loud Northern line southbound into Euston, and what they're going to do about it.

[@Jimyjames73]

Hiya Jago @ 0:52 - Of course the Blue was bult by B. R. - The give-away is 'The Blue' -cos they always painted their stock 'Blue' - 'Dirty Blue' or 'Boring Blue' or something like or words to that affect!!! 😉🚂🚂🚂