BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Interesting thought........

Had the "Aitch & Em" been financially sound enough after the War to purchase new rolling stock (pre-1950), it would have been interesting to see if the new cars at all echoed the "R-12/14".

Easily, I could picture the new "Aitch & Em" cars looking much like the "R-12/R-14", but with single-panel doors (I'm also guessing they would have continued with incandescent lighting, as the 1958 "joint service" cars also had incandescent lights, a decade after the new "Bee-oh-Tee" cars entered service, lit by florescent tubes).........

"NYO"

["ACF"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

One would certainly not associate a "rapid transit" line which, at one time, used both steam and electric locomotives here at home, but, for many years in London, such an operation was indeed commonplace..........

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground_electric_locomotives

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Railway_electric_locomotives

["METROPOLITAN RAILWAY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

London Transport's unique "plug ugly" work locomotives have changed little through the years; they are indeed homely, and yet, they DO have an offbeat "charm" to them (AND they are BRUTES who work HARD for a living!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground_battery-electric_locomotives

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

And here you thought that "mixed trains" of rolling stock only operated during the "smorgasbord" era in "Noo Yawk"..............

https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/625648573205027055/

(note the end profile of the lead "Q" unit; hints of the "D"-Type Triplex!)

["UndergrounD"]

["L35"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

With their railroad-type roofs, the "DISTRICT" line's (sub-surface) original "B" stock more closely resembled American rapid transit rolling stock than any other that once operated in London.........

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground_B_Stock

["DISTRICT RAILWAY"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Take notice that only the "Eye-Are-Tee" operated subway rolling stock with "railroad" roofs; the "Bee-Are-Tee" indeed went "modern" with their "Empire" roofs in 1914/15, when the "Steels" debuted.

Too, kind of a mystery why the "Eye-Are-Tee" decided to use deck roofs on the small group of ACF-built cars (aka "Toonervilles") in 1907, before reverting back to "railroad" roofs.

Recall, also, the "Eye-En-Dee"-era BSS cars in Philly also had railroad roofs..........

"NYO"

["ACF"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Talk about "LARGE and LEGIBLE" roller sign boxes(!!); check out these massive "camel back" monsters that once hauled trains beneath London's teeming streets, early in the previous century.............

https://topstastic.blogspot.com/2020/09/metropolitan-railway-camel-back.html

["BAKER STREET"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Here is a fascinating page I think you will find quite interesting; the top photo indeed dramatizes the tremendous size difference between a "sub-surface" train and a "deep-level" tube train (like having an "N" scale model alongside an LGB piece!!)

https://www.squarewheels.org.uk/rly/stock/

["WEMBLEY PARK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Looking like an image straight from a classic Sherlock Holmes story, we see here the Marble Arch tube station, as it appeared in the 1900s.

Note, too, the wooden platform and the interesting method of displaying of advertisements on the tubular station wall (note: groups of advertisements, both above and below ground) were known through the decades as "hoardings"; these were also commonplace at many bus terminus points throughout London, through at least the 1960s).............

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:London_Underground_circa_1900.jpg

["MARBLE ARCH"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The first electrified tube "tube" in the world, the "City & South London Railway, opened in 1890.

The "padded cell" carriages were hauled by compact electric locomotives (one of which is preserved today)

It was from this humble electric underground railway that London's vast and complex tube network was born..............

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_and_South_London_Railway

["STOCKWELL"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's another interesting page; note the cross-section of the "tube", and the extremely tight dimensions; interesting cross-section of one of the early locomotives as well.

Interesting technical info here as well, regarding construction and power distribution.......

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/City_and_South_London_Railway

["KENNINGTON"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"Tube stock" measurements.......

Between 1923 and 1983, car measurements (length) ran the gamut from 51 feet and 58 feet; between 1938 and 1972, all rolling stock was 52 feet in length.

Widths ranged between 8' 6" and 8" 8'.

Indeed, nothing at all close to our "Steels" and "R44/46" (or R-68 "Hippos!)........

"NYO"

["HAMPSTEAD"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The "WATERLOO & CITY Ry" was the first Underground: line in London to utilize MU equipment (pre-1900).

In 1940, new, modern trains* came into use; when new, these sleek,silvery trains were silver, making them, in a sense, London's answer to the "Brightliners".

Interesting and detailed construction illustrations/text here as well............

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterloo_%26_City_line

*See also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_487

Interestingly, the W&C Ry was once operated as part of BR's Southern Division, somewhat atkin a London version of the PRR/H&M "joint service", if you will.......

["ALDGATE"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]