Ex-London Underground Electric car L11, on display at the rear of Epping Station car park.
History
In the early years of London's Underground rolling stock overhaul was carried out at individual depots. However after the First World War it was decided to concentrate car overhaul at a single location. Opened in 1923 Acton Works occupied a 50 acre site just to the south of Acton Town station on the District and Piccadilly lines.
An electric shunting locomotive was built for the works by cutting two cars of Hampstead stock in half and joining the driving/motor ends back-to-back. The resulting double ended loco was numbered L10. This locomotive survived until 1978.
In 1964 a replacement locomotive was constructed by the same method, this time from 2 cars of Standard Stock, 3080 and 3109 and numbered L11. Air reservoirs and brake valves were removed from the underframe and placed in the former passenger compartment. The four traction motors were retained. The Acton end of the loco was fitted with couplers at both tube and surface stock height and a special window in the cab door for improved visibility when shunting. The loco was fitted with sanding gear for hauling stock up the steep gradient to Acton Town station and painted maroon. Like other stock in the engineer's fleet it was painted yellow in the early 1980s.
From 1974 shunting at Acton was also carried out by L13A/B, a pair of 1938 TS DMs.
In the late 1980s train overhaul once again became the responsibility of the depots. The declining workload at Acton meant that the locomotive was no longer required. We have been unable to establish the date that the locomotive was last used. However, L11 was transferred to Ruislip depot on 22 June 1989. It returned to Acton for storage in 1991 joining and was officially transferred to the LU Heritage Fleet in 1993.
Ex-London Underground Electric car L11, on display at the rear of Epping Station car park.
History
In the early years of London's Underground rolling stock overhaul was carried out at individual depots. However after the First World War it was decided to concentrate car overhaul at a single location. Opened in 1923 Acton Works occupied a 50 acre site just to the south of Acton Town station on the District and Piccadilly lines.
An electric shunting locomotive was built for the works by cutting two cars of Hampstead stock in half and joining the driving/motor ends back-to-back. The resulting double ended loco was numbered L10. This locomotive survived until 1978.
In 1964 a replacement locomotive was constructed by the same method, this time from 2 cars of Standard Stock, 3080 and 3109 and numbered L11. Air reservoirs and brake valves were removed from the underframe and placed in the former passenger compartment. The four traction motors were retained. The Acton end of the loco was fitted with couplers at both tube and surface stock height and a special window in the cab door for improved visibility when shunting. The loco was fitted with sanding gear for hauling stock up the steep gradient to Acton Town station and painted maroon. Like other stock in the engineer's fleet it was painted yellow in the early 1980s.
From 1974 shunting at Acton was also carried out by L13A/B, a pair of 1938 TS DMs.
In the late 1980s train overhaul once again became the responsibility of the depots. The declining workload at Acton meant that the locomotive was no longer required. We have been unable to establish the date that the locomotive was last used. However, L11 was transferred to Ruislip depot on 22 June 1989. It returned to Acton for storage in 1991 joining and was officially transferred to the LU Heritage Fleet in 1993.