London Underground 2009 Stock facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 2009 Stock
2009 tube stock
Stock type	Deep-level tube
Line served	Victoria line  (2009 – present)
Manufacturer	Bombardier Transportation (UK)
Family name	Movia
Operator	London Underground
Specifications
Train length	133.275 m (437 ft 3 in)
Car length	DM 16.345 m (53 ft 7.5 in) T 16.595 m (54 ft 5.3 in)
Width	2.616 m (8 ft 7.0 in)
Height	2.883 m (9 ft 5.5 in)
Maximum speed	80 km/h (50 mph)

The London Underground 2009 Stock is a special type of London Underground train. It was built by a company called Bombardier Transportation in Derby, England. These trains are part of Bombardier's Movia train family.

Forty-seven trains, each with 8 cars, were made for the Victoria line. These new trains took the place of the older 1967 tube stock. The first 2009 stock train started carrying passengers on 21 July 2009. By 2012, all the old 1967 trains were replaced.

About the 2009 Stock Trains

These trains were part of a huge deal worth 3.4 billion pounds. This deal was given to Bombardier by a company called Metronet. The plan was to get new trains with Automatic Train Operation and better signalling for the Victoria line.

This upgrade was meant to make the trains and lines more reliable. It also aimed to make journeys faster. Travel times between stations were expected to drop by 8%. Overall journey times were predicted to be 16% quicker. This is because the new trains perform better than the old ones.

Speed and Performance

The new trains can go faster than the old ones. Their top speed is 80 km/h (49.710 mph). They can also speed up very quickly, reaching 1.3 metres per second squared. When they need to slow down, they can do so at 1.14 metres per second squared. For an emergency stop, they can slow down at 1.4 metres per second squared. This is similar to the 1992 tube stock trains.

Passenger Capacity

During the busiest times of the day, called "peaks," 43 trains are usually running. This is 6 more trains than the old 1967 stock. The new trains have seats for 252 people. They also have standing room for about 1196 passengers. This means 19% more people can fit on each train.

The new trains also have wider doors. This makes it easier for people to get on and off. This helps trains spend less time waiting at stations.

Train Size and Features

The new trains are 40 millimetres (1.575 in) wider than the old 1967 tube stock. The Victoria line has a special, wider loading gauge compared to other deep level tube lines. Because they are so wide, these new trains cannot travel on other London Underground deep level lines.

This means that if a 2009 stock train needs to leave the Victoria line, it has to be taken apart. Each car is then loaded onto a lorry and moved by road. Then, the cars are put back together at their new location. The trains were built using Bombardier's FICAS technology. This makes their outer shell thinner. This, along with the wider size, creates more space inside for passengers.

These trains are the first to be designed since new rules about train accessibility came in. This means they have more features for people with mobility issues. They have special areas with seats that can fold up. These areas provide space for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The poles in the middle of the doors are also placed to make it easier for wheelchairs to pass through.

How the 2009 Stock Was Introduced

The final design for these trains was ready in September 2004. Building of the first two test trains began in January 2005. The first train was shown to the public from 21 July to 4 August 2006. It was displayed near Euston Square tube station.

From September 2006, the first test train was checked at Bombardier's site in Derby. It was supposed to be delivered to London Underground by the end of 2006. This was for testing on the Victoria line during engineering hours. These are times when the line is closed to passengers for maintenance and testing. However, the train did not arrive until May 2007.

This first train was also used to train drivers and maintenance staff. The first train was expected to start carrying passengers for testing in July 2008. The rest of the trains were planned to arrive in 2009. But by October 2007, the start date for the first train was moved to January 2009.

The very first train officially started service on 21 July 2009. It left Northumberland Park depot at 11:00 PM. It then formed train 277, leaving Seven Sisters at 11:55 PM to Brixton.

Images for kids

• 

  2009 Tube Stock trains at the Northumberland Park Depot