On Thu, 14 Oct 2004 22:31:50 +0100, "redtube"
wrote:

Did any of our older members on this ng ever, and I mean ever, travel "in
service" on a "standard stock" Pre'38?

Many, many times. Why, particularly, do you ask?

I recall as a 11 year old in 1959 a weekend holiday from Liverpool up north
(where I was brought up) to London and my first ride on the London
Underground at Queensway Station using Tube Rover Tickets.

ITYM "Twin Rover Tickets" - of which I bought a great many between
1958, when they were first introduced and 31st December 1969 when
they were withdrawn.

At the lift a grim male voice used to announce "Stand Clear Of The Gates!"
Yes Queensway had some very modern lifts in those days Then the wind and
the incredible noise as the 8 car pre38 sets with two motor switchgear
compartments in the middle hurtled in to the platform. Then if you ever made
the terminus, such as Epping as I did on my Tube Rover ticket (not allowed
past Debden)

I don't know where you get that from. If you search the archives of
both this group and uk.railway, you will find posts from me
detailing the many oddities of these tickets. The only part of the
Underground they weren't allowed on was from Rickmansworth to
Aylesbury / Chesham. I travelled to Ongar (the stronghold of the
1935 experimental stock) many, many times.


there were the top notch Motormen! who wore dark blue overalls
and string vests who said you can fry eggs on the resistance housing plating
behind the drivers seat perch. Of course no chance of a ride in the cab -

Poor you (although I never got a cab ride in standard stock). The
East London Line was particularly friendly to a young lad like me,
and I had many happy rides in the Tanks (F stock).

Makes you wonder how ppl used to pack in the door entrances on Pre'38's as
the motor cars only had one set of double doors and a single leaf (which, if
at the end, was used by the Guard) Due to the configuration an 8car set had
a considerable distance of door access between the two middle motors.
Incredible days!

It could certainly be slow, which is why the motor compartment was
eliminated in the 1935 stock and later.

Did you ever get to ride on the TBWTKB (Acton Town to South Acton,
aka the Acton Ginny), or had that already closed?

--
Bill Hayles

http://billnot.com