From A to S - Documentary
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- Опубликовано: 8 фев 2025
- Originally released as a 30 minute DVD, this is the 14 minute version of the 2012 Documentary 'A to S' in which we accompany driver Richard Griffin in the spring of 2012 - the time when A-Stock trains were being phased out and replaced by newer S-Stock trains on the Metropolitan Line.
All old A-Stock trains were gone by September 2012.
The full-length documentary is no longer available to buy on DVD, only this edited down version will be published here.
Went to a chaps house in Poole the other day to fix his oven and on the way out of his house I noticed a poster about the last journey of the A stock train and he told me he is an instructor for new train drivers. He also has a luggage rack from an A stock that came from Eastleigh where they were broken up. Small world 😊 Nice video and thanks for sharing it.
I love these mini underground documentaries - it's clear a lot of hard work has gone into it so well done because this is brilliant!
Great doco! One of my biggest failings in life was that I was in London in July 2012, but didn’t know much about sub-surface stock at the time so didnt seek out the A stock.
Thanks for uploading this Geoff. Wonderful video. I miss the A Stock they had so much character and agree with the opinions of fans interviewed in the video. The old world feel and the great British Engineering as they stood the test of time for over 50 years. Richard is a great guy too
😊
Agreed 👍👍
Finally, I've been waiting for years for this to be on RUclips! Thanks Geoff!!
just lovely those A stocks, the way the driver enters around 4:50, all the noises and physicality of it. Gorgeous.
Funny. People were sorry when the A stock replaced the locomotive hauled trains and T-stock fifty years ago. Among the trains replaced were the Ashbury stock of 1898, which had been used on the Chesham branch. Four coaches went to the Bluebell Railway and are now restored.
Great enthusiasm from the young guys near the end.
The Big Met. The A stock. GOAT design on LT, never to be bettered. Easily Hall of Fame Queens. Rest easy old girls, you were magnificent.
Thanks Geoff, enjoyed watching. Been a metline commuter for many years, and was on the final A Class back in the day. Think it left Liverpool Street around 5.45pm. All I can remember was that my usual carriage was very crowded!
Another great video , am amazed you guys are not on mainstream television such a professional job as always 👍
I brought one of ur new books must say I’m very impressed with the amount of work you done
Brilliant! I greatly enjoyed every second of it. And I learned quite a lot. The engineer did a great job of staying alert to his driving while also speaking very well. So cool that he demonstrated the Westinghouse brake.
Congratulations Geoff! I'm brazilian enthusiast of the subway and other railway systems, and see this documentary is amazing and also really emotional. I've discovered your channel yesterday, so thank you very much for your content, and be safe for these days!
I was really enjoyed watching this! Thanks for posting this Geoff! I wish I could watch the whole documentary 😭
What an erudite chap Richard is.
Indeed
Bet he's a scream at parties!
What does erudite mean?
@@braydonquek9340 it means good at talking and narrating
@@braydonquek9340 Ever heard of a dictionary?
A lovely video. Very skilfully shot and edited. I used the Met for over 20 years, to get me from home in Uxbridge to work in Farringdon.
The same thing is happening down here in Sydney. Our 40 year old S-Sets are being replaced by brand new B-Sets. They have been such an essential but unsung part of Sydney since the late 1970s. It’s like an old friend is moving away.
This a really good documentary covering many interesting aspects not only of A stock but of railway procedure. I grew up with A stock trains on the Rickmansworth to Amersham stretch and have a special affection for them.
A fitting end shot with Geoffs piece to the camera a the "A" stock coming into frame "Perfect"
john salsbury It was a fluke :)
Have you caught up again with Richard since filming? Some long term portraits of the interesting people you meet on your journeys would be fascinating!
Tyler Dickey Richard was in the video of the new Jubilee Line Interior Design by Geoff and also Least Used Longcross (I think)
I wonder if he would be quite as cynical!
@@Josh_Funnell You bet!
The New York equivalent are the St. LOUIS CAR Redbirds,both IRT and BMT versions! Thankfully they were preserved,by the MTA,and are now,in the Transit Museum! Great Video,well produced and definitely gives the feel of the rolling stock,and the people's reaction to the termination of the series! Thank you 😇 😊!
I'm watching this in Metroland, on a train, ticking off my last few stations of the year. Good timing Geoff!
Wow it’s finally being released! Remember having to purchase this on DVD
Wait you have the DVD version of it ?
Richard was an excellent presenter.
Man i remember riding these trains when i used to go to London with my parents. I rlly didn’t think I would regret taking those moments for granted.
Thank You Geoff! This was needed!
(I love the tube stock and had Questions)
I just realised that the driver here is the person with Geoff in the Longcross video
Isn't this the intro which reminded Geoff in the Fanatics show about the numbers of stations on Metropolitan Line?
yup!
Yes it is
Such a professional production 👏🏻
Richard should be a broadcaster, please have him on more of your videos. Can we see the full version one day?
Geoff, just a thought. . .
With the S-Stock now in full service on the Met, would its Walk-Thru carriages now mean you could position yourself better within the train for a quicker run at the All Tube Stations record?
I would presume so. All you have to do is get on a train, *before* the doors close, an then you can move to the part of the train closest to the exit or the bridge or tunnel that leads to another line you need to change onto.
@Raymond Cai Really? Is that on RUclips anywhere?
At 11:59 there is this guy shouting 'three cheers for the A-Stock'. Isn't that the same guy as the one in the video about the last old train on the Victoria line?
yes it is
he's ruined a lot of videos with his mouth
Overheard him when I filmed both C Stock tours and the D stock one.
Lol he also says (we love you A stock)
Superb commentary by Richard the driver - very interesting video👍
I always feel a bit sorry for the S stock in these situations. They're perfectly good too, even if they don't have the same character as the old trains. I'm sure in a few years everyone will find the charm in them too, and when it's their turn to retire people will be just as affectionate towards them. I love both varieties of train quite a lot, honestly.
That's how it goes lol, some people are just long :D, it takes them time to clock
I remember being allowed in the front cab on a very quiet trip from Amersham to Chalfont once. Loved those bumpy old cars.
A really well produced bit of TV. That driver is a natural... Needs his own series...
I wish that you could still get the DVD
William Nayak RUclips to mp4 burn it onto a dvd
@@AndrewSmith-ks9xi The original version is 30 minutes, this one is just 12 minutes. That's what William Nayak was referring to. And I have to agree with him there, I'd love to be able to get my hands on the original 30 minutes version as well.
What dvd
the best Alan - see the video details (click the drop-down arrow to see the full video description)
@@tanithrosenbaum I think Geoff said tht they do not sell the dvds anymore.
Hello There, a great Documentary, very informative, Richard is very knowledgeable. Cheers Peter :)
Brilliant video which brings back happy memories! Such a shame they didn't preserve an A Stock train for doing heritage runs on the London Underground.
I love the fact I got this on dvd after waiting for so long!
I know that I am about 4 years late as it popped into my recommendations, but I do miss the A stock for sure and I don't mind the S stock too. I never realised there was a guard that operates the opening the doors along with a slide seating and the luggage racks above too
Loved the documentary too!
A nice trip down memory lane. I remember the A - stock replacing the P - stock on the Aldgate/Baker Street to Uxbridge run, and not being very impressed. "Nothing wrong with the old ones, just a waste of money" (austere days). My favourite at the time was the T - stock which ran to Watford; slam doors and lots of swaying about. Now they were PROPER trains !
Wait so your telling me each branch of the met had different trains?
They have certainly earned their keep. I'd be surprised if the new ones last 50 years but they have done 6 years so only 44 to go.
It all depends on investment. Nothing is built with a 60 year service in mind, but if they can keep them limping on, no-one has to cough up the cash for new stock.
I work on 1960s aircraft, they were not built to be going this long, we should be living on the moon and have flying cars by now.
No-one wanted to replace them so we put incredible effort into keeping them going.
'It's a testament to 1960s British Engineering' said a guy in the video, well it's also a testiment to 2000's maintenance and engineers.
I expect the body shells and bogies will last 50 years but the electronics will not. They will probably have a major rebuild with new electronics and control systems half way through their lives. The ex District Line trains turned into diesel multiple units are already 40 years old and will probably be in service for another 20.
My lasting memories of the A Stock would be on my local line: the East London!
They were very hot in summer! Had to open car divider doors just to let in some cool air, almost got roasted on the way back to Baker St
Nicely done! Very enjoyable video!
Hi, as a little boy in the 60s I loved the A stock giant comfortable seats and privacy new trains the exact opposite. I miss the 60s London like Syria or worse. Regards JH
Thank you for this video really informative and interesting love to see more of this type
4:49 Just seeing Richard turn on the train is so fascinating
First time I changed ends at Watford (my second day after passing out as a driver) I got no audible warning when opening up the train and found the EP was cut out and the handle sawn off so the cover could be refitted. Out of service and met by the Police at Wembley Park. They had to satisfy themselves I wasn't responsible.
I miss the A stock - it had such character 😭
5:01 you can see the east London line destinations incl SHORDITCH rip
Great video. Miss the beloved A Stock
For me London Underground rolling stocks are much interesting than disused stations
Thanks for uploading, Geoff!
I love the old rickety trains. They're simple and made for the purpose of transporting people on rail. Everything is purely mechanical controlled by physical switches, contacts, relays and linkages. Simple and pure mechanical engineering. No computers or indeed a single silicon chip is was used to control these trains, unlike trains built nowadays, where the driver if they were manually driving, is only moving a glorified computer joystick to send inputs to a computer telling it how to drive the train. Why can't we go by using simple technology nowadays?
I took "a class" to rickmansworth for school and they bounced so much at speed .
A stock built by Cravens, Darnall, Sheffield, site near the railway station is now a new housing site.
I wish our train drivers were as eloquent and efficient as Richard
Just watching this in 2022 and thinking about the fact that New York's contemporaries to the A stock (the Budd R32, introduced in 1964) only left the rails for the last time a few months ago. I spent 5 months in London in 2005 and the A stock seemed so old, yet back home I regularly rode trains of the same vintage and thought nothing of it.
Wow! I do miss A stocks and I actually saw Richard today on the metropolitan line from Wembley park to Harrow then he went to the workers place.
I saw me there today too.
Been waiting for this a longggg time
Les A Stock : de très belles voitures !
I used to travel on these A stock trains when l commuted from Liverpool St to the west end, l always found them more comfortable to ride on than the newer stock that ran on the circle line, just more solid & well built.
:( miss them
Used to go to school every day on the old A stock love to see the plate that read Metro Cammell 1962 the year I was born
Thanks Geoff. Loved the Westinghouse explanation. Just sent you a msg about them. 🌲😀
S Stock > A Stock. You ask why? I answer AC.
I love your videos about the Tube!
It's sad that only a single car of this old stock survives.
I use to change at Amersham from Aylesbury to get on these trains. Some time in the nighties Chiltern railways started running a lot more services straight through to Marylebone with sprinters. Not going to lie, when they came in it seemed like luxury.
Simon Smiler? They did this documentary with citytransportinfo?
Talk about quality!!
Anyone else thought this video is about a,b,c, all the way to s
Yep. I did. I thought it might be a two part documentary about all the strange terms on the Underground (including "S is for 'Special' ".
Me
Re the Westinghouse brake. I assume this is what would apply when - in days of old - a passenger would operate the old style alarm handles. This leads me to two questions:
* At Highgate on the Northern Line, the driver of a 1959 stock train would usually discharge the Westinghouse brake, before recharging the air reservoir. Why?
* On the 1959 stock, the old style alarm handles were usually retained above the guard's control panel. In the 1990's, someone was going round with a marker pen and writing the word "JOBS" on the handle. Was this a protest or some kind of in-joke?
I will forever miss this sound though: else.fluteboy.co.uk/Clips/Westinghouse%20DHC%205A%20Compressor.mp3
Yes, pulling the old (pre-1990s) emergency handles would physically exhaust the Train Line to atmosphere, applying the automatic (Westinghouse) brake. This arrangement was modified after the King's Cross fire so that the driver could still move the train if required after an alarm was operated, e.g. to get to the next station. To answer your questions:
1) It was an unofficial custom to brake using the Westinghouse at Highgate, perhaps because of the long platform giving plenty of leeway for error. On the 1959 tube stock the triple valve was of a less user-friendly design which was somewhat prone to failing to release brakes fully; to avoid dragging brakes after using the Westinghouse, some drivers would fully discharge the train line before recharging it.
2) No idea.
Wow Richard knew his A stock 😳 they would be like our Tait trains in Melbourne
More in line with the Harris trains actually!
Proper old train. Not much of the SMEE equipment left in the NYC Subway that we operated. The New Technology Train has become the mainstay in the system. I was lucky to be able to operate them from my first day to just before thier retirement and then it was my turn to go.
In my opinion the best London underground sub-surface train is the C Stock, but also D and A stock are really good!
I beg to differ.
nah.
Let me correct: The best sub-surface London underground train is the C stock. Then there are the deep-level tube trains and in my opinion the most beautiful of them are the 1972/1973 stock
@@trainspottingfs5381 I agree with your deep tube and respect your ss choice but I think A stock was better
@@jonah6404 yeah I like a stock and d stock too... It is subjective😉
I'm watching this in December 27th 2018.
So is everyone
I would love to see an update with Richard. I would certainly like to know his thoughts on the change after all these years and if the trains still feel soulless. It might actually make for a fun video!! ;)
Richard still misses the old trains, but ultimately you get used to what you use every day. Whoops! Spoiler alert. :)
@@squarewheelsorguk is over here dropping spoilers! I always wonder what happens to folks after the camera stops rolling in a documentary. I really do appreciate that update. Thanks :)
@@squarewheelsorguk We love you Richard!
9:30 The moment when you're In mid conversation and you forgot your point
The intro music is Sweet by Tamanie
I heard Geoff’s Christmas announcement at Temple Meads today 👍👍👍👍
Very good video.
The cabin could be bigger. Richard seems to love his work.
I wish I could've been born in the 70s, so that I could've seen these kinds of legendary trains instead of the modern computers.
As someone who used to do the Amersham-Aldgate commute, the old trains definitely had better seating arrangement. Find the S-stock seats are too firm too. However air conditioning is a godsend.
Agreed on all counts. Also, the walk-through nature of the S-stock is better when the train is crowded.
Thank you. Victoria thanks Geoff and the Londonist. Fb page really fascinating love it so much
I remember the first time going on the jubilee line, almost fell over from the acceleration leaving Stratford so now I always stand near a wall on them trains
But not all A stocks are gone??
It’s a mystery
Very nice video, really enjoyed it
Nice video Geoff, can you do one of from C to S documentary please, I really miss the c stock
He has done one which was a separate DVD (Now you C me), I imagine that will be released eventually soon
The London Transport Enthusiast Boy you forgot the d stock
Brayan DePaula4 he's already did a d stock documentary
You can put this out on Blu-ray, if you would like to.
Last Day of the A Stock
'Help Us Destroy It'
I agree with Richard it is sad to see them go
I like the A stock because it has luggage rack
I didn’t ride the A-stock because i was born in october 2012
The last segment is made to sound like its post A stock
then an A stock turns up
Now That I Have Watched This I Am Mad I Am Never Going On The Underground Ever Again
I miss these trains
Who used to love sitting in the guard seat? I did
Nice video I liked and subbed to your channel 👍