London Underground 1983 Stock

The London Underground 1983 Stock was a class of electric multiple unit designed for the Jubilee Line.

The 1983 Tube Stock could be considered the last train to be designed by London Underground; it was the last conventional Tube train in the long line of evolving design since the 1938 Tube Stock.

The stock was built by Metro Cammell to replace the 1972 Mark II Tube Stock operating on the Jubilee Line; in turn this was intended to enable those trains to replace the ageing 1938 Tube Stock on the Bakerloo Line.

Design of the 1983 Tube Stock was finalised in 1980; originally 30 trains were planned, but declining traffic meant that only 15 trains were ordered in 1982, entering service in 1984. A surge in passenger numbers meant that another 15 trains were built (called Batch Two) and these were delivered in 1989.

The 1983 Tube stock owed much to the sub-surface D Stock in design. Like D Stock, the 1983 Tube Stock had single leaf doors, a similar orange interior and cab design.

Unlike the D Stock, the 1983 Tube Stock proved to be unreliable. Electrical generators for lighting the carriages failed often, as did the motors. Boarding of passengers slowed down because of the single doors.

With the Jubilee Line Extension in mind, it was planned the 1983 Tube Stock would be refurbished to run with the newer 1996 Stock that entered Jubilee Line service in 1998. The 1983 Tube stock was to be given similar interiors. This was abandoned in favour of re-equipping the line entirely with the 1996 Stock. Then it was proposed for the 1983 Stock to be added to the refurbished 1973 Tube Stock on the Piccadilly Line; the plans included replacing the single leaf doors on the 1983 Tube Stock with double doors to speed up passenger boarding. This was abandoned on the grounds of cost. The last 1983 Tube Stock train ran on the Jubilee Line on 9 July 1998.

Despite their newness and attempts to sell the trains abroad, the trains are unlikely to see service again. Several have been taken to Rotherham for scrapping by C F Booth Ltd, with the remainder stored at various places around the network. One heavily vandalised example can still be seen on sidings south of South Harrow tube station on eastbound Piccadilly Line trains, through windows looking east.

One carriage of the stock has been preserved by the London Transport Museum and another is used as a studio by Radio Lollipop at Great Ormond Street Hospital. A few more have been placed on the disused Broad Street viaduct in Shoreditch for use as artists studios.