SREmG
 

Please be aware of our copyright notice. If you have a good reaon for using a photo from this site ask permission from first - it is frequently given.

Waterloo & City Line

1940 stock (Class 487)

photograph by John Lewis

Waterloo & City N°56, a driving motor car in daylight at Waterloo. It is in BR blue livery with NSE markings. Unusually for the Southern Region,the W&C line did not use fixed formation trains, so although these motor cars were used either end of up to three trailers there were no set numbers.

The only Southern Railway designed underground stock was built by the English Electric Company and introduced in 1940 to replace the original stock which was bought by the LSWR. They were the first Southern EMUs with sliding doors. The twelve motor coaches and sixteen trailers were similar to contemporary London underground stock but were shorter to fit onto the hoist from the surface and their windows were smaller to reflect the fact that the route was entirely under ground and much shorter than most underground lines. Electrically the units were similar to 4-Sub stock, with one motor bogie on each motor coach. The motor cars had a cab at each end and could run singly or with another motor car sandwiching up to three trailers. From new until the late 1960s the cars were painted green with aluminium ends and doors. The green was then replaced by the all-pervading BR blue, and in turn was then replaced by Network SouthEast colours which also involved painting for the ends and doors. The units were replaced in 1994 by new stock produced as a run-on order of London Underground 1992 Central Line stock. The Waterloo and City line was sold to London Underground Limited in 1994 in preparation for the privatisation of the railways as it was not thought viable to be part of a Train Operating Company franchise.
Click on the thumbnails for a larger image.
  • At Bank
     
    The end of a four car formation is pictured during its latter days at Bank station - the northern terminus of the line.
    Photograph by David Smith.
  • Above
    Ground
    Normally W & C stock only appeared on the surface for classified heavy maintenance but a single motor car was exhibited in Waterloo's above ground platforms during the Network Day on 22nd November 1986.
    Photograph by Colin Duff.
  • Interior
     
    The interior of a 1940 car. Taken at Bank on 26th May 1993, the last day these units were in service.
    Photograph by John Lewis.
  • Interior
     
    Another interior view of a 1940 car taken at Bank on the last day these units were in service.
    Photograph by John Lewis.

1993 stock (Class 482)

To replace the life-expired Class 487 1940 units, BR ordered some London Underground Central Line-type tube stock from ABB, Derby. These were classified 482 by BR and entered service in May 1993. As part of the Rail Privatisation the Waterloo & City line has since been transferred to London Underground.
 
Click on the thumbnails for a larger image.
  • 482507
    Bank
    Class 482 unit N°482507 at Bank when new in 1993.
    Photograph by John Lewis.
  • NSE
    Livery
    Details of the NSE livery carried by the Class 482 units, in this case on car 67501 of unit N°482501.
    Photograph by John Lewis.
  • NSE
    Livery
    Somewhat surprisingly these photographs were taken at Waterloo in July 2001 although London Underground had taken the line over some years before.
    Photograph by John Lewis.

This page was last updated 3 December 2002

SR Target