London Underground 2009 Stock

The London Underground 2009 Stock is a type of deep-level Tube train built by Bombardier as part of its Movia family at its Derby Litchurch Lane Works. A total of 47 eight-car trains were built for the Victoria Line, entering service between July 2009 and June 2011. The type replaced the 1967 Tube Stock and is the first new deep level tube stock on the Underground network since the 1996 Stock entered service on the Jubilee Line in 1997.

 

 

Background

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The Victoria line is the most intensively used line on the Underground in terms of average journeys per kilometre. In the early 2000s, service reliability was decreasing due to the aging 1960s-era Automatic Train Operation (ATO) system and the 1967 Stock used on the line.

After the implementation of the London Underground Public Private Partnership in 2003, the Metronet consortium, responsible for the Victoria line's infrastructure, began substantial upgrades. Bombardier Transportation, part of the consortium, was tasked with designing, building, and maintaining the new rolling stock.

 

 

In the 1990s, London Underground designed an open gangway "Space Train" with walk-through carriages to increase capacity in the deep-level tube. However, due to technical and financial risks, Metronet ordered conventional trains from Bombardier in 2003. These trains were initially planned to enter service in 2006 at a cost of £750 million.

Pre-production

The train design was finalized in September 2004, and the manufacture of two pre-production trains began in early 2005, with the first expected to be completed by mid-2006. In February 2006, Metronet announced that the first pre-production car had been completed for static testing. A mock-up of the train was displayed at Euston Square Gardens from 21 July to 4 August 2006 for a customer acceptance test and public display.

Starting in September 2006, the first pre-production train underwent testing at Bombardier's Derby Litchurch Lane Works. However, delays postponed the delivery of this train to London until May 2007. Testing, training, and familiarisation activities commenced, and the installation and testing of the new "Distance to Go" signalling system were ongoing throughout the late 2000s.

 

 

Metronet faced financial difficulties and collapsed in July 2007. Following negotiations with Bombardier, Transport for London took ownership of Metronet in May 2008, allowing the upgrade to continue.

Production and introduction

The second pre-production train was expected to start trial runs in full passenger service by July 2008, but this was delayed first to January 2009 and then to July 2009. The train entered service on 21 July 2009, starting from Northumberland Park depot and forming the 23:55 service between Seven Sisters and Brixton.

Main production at Derby Litchurch Lane Works began at the end of 2009, with one train entering passenger service every two weeks from February 2010. By mid-2011, enough trains were in service to retire the remaining 1967 Stock trains, with the last one running on 30 June 2011. By July 2011, the full fleet of 2009 Stock trains was operational.

Issues during introduction

Various issues with the new trains caused disruptions during their introduction. On 21 July 2010, a train broke down at Pimlico during the morning rush hour, necessitating ambulance rescues for nearly 3,000 passengers. Another breakdown occurred at Oxford Circus on 26 July 2010, temporarily suspending all Victoria line services. Transport for London attributed these problems to software failures and over-sensitive door sensors. The large number of early issues with the trains has been compared to the bathtub curve phenomenon.

Most frequent service in the UK

By the mid-2010s, the trains and signalling system demonstrated exceptional reliability, with the 2009 Stock travelling around six times further between failures than the 1967 Stock. Upgrades to the signalling system and track work allowed service frequency to increase to up to 36 trains per hour, making it the most frequent service in the UK and one of the most frequent in Europe. This increased frequency was facilitated by Metronet ordering a larger train fleet than initially required.

Design

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Built as part of the Victoria line upgrade along with new signalling, the trains were designed to reduce journey times, improve reliability to minimize long-term maintenance costs, and increase passenger capacity per train.

Compared to the 1967 Stock they replaced, the train has enhanced acceleration and a higher top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). Braking performance is improved through the use of regenerative brakes, which save energy. Originally intended to have all-motored axles to achieve targeted running times (as in the 1992 Stock), it was later decided that 75% of motored axles would be sufficient to achieve the targeted improved acceleration and higher top speed.

 

 

This reduction saved weight and reduced project costs by around £10 million, about 3.5% of the overall cost. Overall, the new train allows for an 8% decrease in journey times between stations and a 16% reduction in overall journey times. At peak times, 43 trains should be in service, an increase of six over the 1967 Stock.

The trains are 40 mm (1.57 in) wider than the 1967 Stock to take advantage of the Victoria line's loading gauge, which is slightly larger than those of other deep-level tube lines. This, however, prevents them from leaving the Victoria line, except by road. The trains were the longest deep-level tube trains on the system when introduced, at 133.275 m (437 ft 3 in), 3 m (9 ft 10 in) longer than the 1967 Stock.

The trains were built using Bombardier's FICAS technology, giving a thinner bodyshell and more internal space for passengers. Overall, the train has a 19% increase in capacity over the 1967 Stock, seating 252 and with standing space for an estimated 1,196 passengers. The electrically powered train doors are wider for easier and faster boarding and alighting of passengers to reduce dwell times in stations.

They are the first London Underground trains to be designed since the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations were introduced, so they have more facilities for people with impaired mobility, including multi-purpose areas with tip-up seats and space for wheelchairs and pushchairs, and offset center door poles for wheelchair access. They have CCTV cameras and dot-matrix displays to show real-time service information. The train maintains a fixed height above the rail for ease of access, regardless of the loading of the train and extent of wheel wear.

 

 

Unlike most other London Underground trains, they have their Combined Traction/Brake Controller, driver's manual controls, often called "dead man's handle" on the right-hand side of the cab, as most of the platforms on the Victoria line are on the right. Access to the cab for driver changes is easier than on the 1967 Stock: an external side door is fitted, whereas the cab in the 1967 Stock had to be accessed through the passenger compartment, which could be difficult at rush hour. The cab is fitted with dedicated air-conditioning.

Each train is made up of two 4-car units of the configuration Driving Motor–Trailer–Non Driving Motor–Uncoupling (Shunting) Non Driving Motor, which are coupled back-to-back. They have mechanical-only Scharfenberg couplers. The trains are maintained at the Victoria line's Northumberland Park Depot, with Bombardier staff on site for warranty parts replacement.

Technical details

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The 2009 Stock features advanced construction techniques, utilizing aluminium extrusions that are welded and huckbolted together using FICAS technology. The bogies are of the BTUK flexible frame type, which enhances the train's operational flexibility and stability. The coupling system includes Wedgelock couplers with pneumatic connections on the A and A1 cars, swing bolt bar couplers between the D and D1 cars, and bolted bar coupler flanges at all other positions.

The traction system is a Bombardier 3-phase AC system, with 75% of the train being motored. It includes 24 motors, each rated at 75 kW, and features both regenerative and rheostatic braking capabilities. The compressors are Knorr-Bremse VV120T oil-free reciprocating compressors, powered by a 3-phase AC motor. The braking system is also supplied by Knorr-Bremse, featuring the EP2002 with PEC7 actuators.

 

 

Automatic Train Operation (ATO) is managed by the Westinghouse DTG-R (Distance to Go - radio) system, while the Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system is a radio transmission-based system also provided by Westinghouse, using the DTG-R.

The auxiliary power supplies are provided by a Bombardier static converter, with one unit per four-car configuration, located on the B cars. The control system operates on 110V DC, supported by a 102V 200Ah DC battery on the B cars. Saloon lighting comprises 19 T5 fluorescent tubes in the A cars and 22 in the B, C, and D cars, all powered by individual inverters per car. Emergency lighting is integrated into the main saloon lighting system, with 7 tubes in the A cars and 9 in the B, C, and D cars, fed by batteries.

Ventilation is maintained through a saloon forced ventilation system, which consists of six side-mounted ducting systems that channel exterior air to air grilles mounted at head height. The cabs are equipped with dedicated air conditioning systems for enhanced comfort.

 

 

Passenger information is conveyed through an LED external facing front destination display, accompanied by a separate train number display at the front. Each vehicle side features an external platform-facing destination LED display. Internally, each car is equipped with six side-facing saloon LED displays. The train also includes a CCTV system, with OPO TTCCTV footage displayed on two monitors in the cab via UHF leaky feeder technology. The saloon CCTV system can be viewed in the cab when stationary and is recorded digitally.

Doors on the 2009 Stock are electrically operated sliding doors, with six per side. They are externally hung and configured as two double doorways and two single doorways. These doors are equipped with obstacle detection, sensitive edge technology, and threshold lighting that activates when the doors are open.