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Description
Twice in the history of the Metropolitan Line, the designation A Stock has been used. As far back as 1903 the Metropolitan and District Railway used the A Stock designation for their fleet of fourteen wooden bodied carriages used between Acton Town and South Harrow, and South Acton and Hounslow to Uxbridge services. All of these cars were withdrawn in 1925, and none were passed to London Transport/London Underground, and none were preserved.

In 1960 however, London Underground took the decision to upgrade the rolling stock in service on the Metropolitan Line, which consisted of locomotive hauled carriages, an EMUs such as the R Stock, P Stock, F Stock and T Stock. Cravens of Sheffield were chosen as preferred bidders to build the new stock, and presented a new direction for the company after producing the successful Cravens DMU's for heavy rail services with British Rail.

The trains were ordered in conjunction with the completion of electrification work to Amersham in the late 50s, after the project first appeared as part of the infamous "New Works Programme" of 1935 - 1940, of which most was abandoned due to the outbreak of WW2. The first batch arrived in 1960, and the tradition of designating letters rather than build date for the sub surface stock was continued, with A for Amersham being chosen due to the fact that from the outset most of the heavy maintenance and testing work was carried out at Amersham depot, and the class was to work the first electric services on the newly electrified stretch of line from Amersham/Chesham towards London City Centre. In 1962, the second batch was added to replace stock on services to Uxbridge, the later stock designated as A62 Stock and being externally identical to the A60 cars, but with a different air compressor (Westinghouse DHC 5A type fitted to the A60, Reavell TBC 38Z fitted to the A62). The stock was also used on the East London branch of the Metropolitan Line, before the line was rebranded as the East London Line, however even after rebranding the ELL continued to use A Stock until closure for conversion to heavy rail as part of the London Overground expansion plans, after which the A Stock was returned to the Metropolitan Line.

When first delivered, the regulations for access for handicapped people to nationwide transportation were very relaxed compared to today, and being a totally separate light rail system from the national rail network (despite sharing trackage with BR at various points) LU had no mandatory regulation to paint the ends of it's rolling stock a certain bright colour to aid visibility. And indeed LU had no specified livery, so the stock operated the first large portion of it's life in unpainted steel condition, with added "London Transport" and red roundel logotypes on the bodysides. However in later years, LU adopted a livery of white with blue solebar along with red doors and red cab ends, and with the refurbishment of the units between 1993 and 1998 they received the new livery, along with a minor interior refresh. This would be the only refurbishment they would receive in their lifetime.

With the awarding of the 2012 Olympic Games to London, a huge investment in transport was launched, including upgrading and expanding the rail systems around Greater London, and with the stock approaching it's 50th year in service, a replacement was sought after the extensive expansion of the London Overground network. This came in the form of Bombardiers S Stock, which was introduced in 2010 as a direct replacement to the A Stock, which entered final withdrawal stage in October 2011. The withdrawals are expected to keep a steady pace, with 2 units being withdrawn for every 1 eight car S Stock unit launched into service. At the time of press (2nd May 2012) 9 out of 54 A62 units are in service, and 27 out of 64 A60 units are in service alongside them. Withdrawal is expected to be complete in summer 2012, when the S Stock will take over full operation on the Metropolitan Line. Following this the S Stock will also displace C and D Stock on the Circle and District Lines respectively.

Here Driving Motor number 5040 is seen approaching Northwick Park working a short service to Rickmansworth due to bank holiday engineering works on the line to Amersham. This unit has since been withdrawn and scrapped.

Description
Twice in the history of the Metropolitan Line, the designation A Stock has been used. As far back as 1903 the Metropolitan and District Railway used the A Stock designation for their fleet of fourteen wooden bodied carriages used between Acton Town and South Harrow, and South Acton and Hounslow to Uxbridge services. All of these cars were withdrawn in 1925, and none were passed to London Transport/London Underground, and none were preserved.

In 1960 however, London Underground took the decision to upgrade the rolling stock in service on the Metropolitan Line, which consisted of locomotive hauled carriages, an EMUs such as the R Stock, P Stock, F Stock and T Stock. Cravens of Sheffield were chosen as preferred bidders to build the new stock, and presented a new direction for the company after producing the successful Cravens DMU's for heavy rail services with British Rail.

The trains were ordered in conjunction with the completion of electrification work to Amersham in the late 50s, after the project first appeared as part of the infamous "New Works Programme" of 1935 - 1940, of which most was abandoned due to the outbreak of WW2. The first batch arrived in 1960, and the tradition of designating letters rather than build date for the sub surface stock was continued, with A for Amersham being chosen due to the fact that from the outset most of the heavy maintenance and testing work was carried out at Amersham depot, and the class was to work the first electric services on the newly electrified stretch of line from Amersham/Chesham towards London City Centre. In 1962, the second batch was added to replace stock on services to Uxbridge, the later stock designated as A62 Stock and being externally identical to the A60 cars, but with a different air compressor (Westinghouse DHC 5A type fitted to the A60, Reavell TBC 38Z fitted to the A62). The stock was also used on the East London branch of the Metropolitan Line, before the line was rebranded as the East London Line, however even after rebranding the ELL continued to use A Stock until closure for conversion to heavy rail as part of the London Overground expansion plans, after which the A Stock was returned to the Metropolitan Line.

When first delivered, the regulations for access for handicapped people to nationwide transportation were very relaxed compared to today, and being a totally separate light rail system from the national rail network (despite sharing trackage with BR at various points) LU had no mandatory regulation to paint the ends of it's rolling stock a certain bright colour to aid visibility. And indeed LU had no specified livery, so the stock operated the first large portion of it's life in unpainted steel condition, with added "London Transport" and red roundel logotypes on the bodysides. However in later years, LU adopted a livery of white with blue solebar along with red doors and red cab ends, and with the refurbishment of the units between 1993 and 1998 they received the new livery, along with a minor interior refresh. This would be the only refurbishment they would receive in their lifetime.

With the awarding of the 2012 Olympic Games to London, a huge investment in transport was launched, including upgrading and expanding the rail systems around Greater London, and with the stock approaching it's 50th year in service, a replacement was sought after the extensive expansion of the London Overground network. This came in the form of Bombardiers S Stock, which was introduced in 2010 as a direct replacement to the A Stock, which entered final withdrawal stage in October 2011. The withdrawals are expected to keep a steady pace, with 2 units being withdrawn for every 1 eight car S Stock unit launched into service. At the time of press (2nd May 2012) 9 out of 54 A62 units are in service, and 27 out of 64 A60 units are in service alongside them. Withdrawal is expected to be complete in summer 2012, when the S Stock will take over full operation on the Metropolitan Line. Following this the S Stock will also displace C and D Stock on the Circle and District Lines respectively.

Here Driving Motor number 5040 is seen approaching Northwick Park working a short service to Rickmansworth due to bank holiday engineering works on the line to Amersham. This unit has since been withdrawn and scrapped.