# London Underground engineering stock

Over the years, London Underground has acquired various types of engineering stock to help with the construction of new lines and maintenance of existing lines. Some of these wagons were inherited from its predecessors, many were built new and some were acquired second-hand from the main-line railways. Several types of specialist wagons have been used, which are described below.

## Overview

London Underground uses a numbering system comprising the wagon number prefixed with a letter which designates the wagon's type. These are summarised below.
| Prefix | Type | Description |
| B | Brake van | Manned wagon used for guard's accommodation and for braking purposes. No longer used. |
| BW | Ballast wagon | Open wagon, for transport of ballast |
| C | Crane | Powerful crane for track laying/lifting and/or recovering de-railed rolling stock |
| DEC | Diesel-electric crane | Powerful crane for track laying/lifting and/or recovering de-railed rolling stock |
| DHC | Diesel-hydraulic crane | Powerful crane for track laying/lifting and/or recovering de-railed rolling stock |
| CM | Cement mixer wagon | Specialist flat wagon, with a cement mixer. These wagons have been modified and now form part of Tubelines's DISAB ballast sucking machines. |
| CW | Cable drum wagon | A short wagon for transporting cable drums through deep level tunnels. For signal wiring |
| F | Flat wagon | Flat wagon, for transport of rails or sleepers Now only used in train formation with tampers 771, 772 and 773. |
| FB | Flat brake | Flat wagon, with brake van compartment. No longer used. |
| GP | General purpose wagon | General purpose wagon |
| HD | High deck wagon | to carry a stack of track panels no more than 4 panels high. |
| HW | Hopper wagon | Hopper, for transport of fresh ballast |
| J | Jib carrier | Specialist flat wagon, for carrying the jib of a crane; |
| JC | Jib carrier | Specialist flat wagon, for carrying the jib of a crane; |
| JLE | Jubilee Line Extension | The same as General Purpose wagons (GP), used in the construction of the Jubilee Line Extension. The only difference is that the JLE's wagons have larger handbrake wheels. |
| MW | Match wagon | Wagons paired with the cement mixer wagons. Now used as GP wagons semi-permanently coupled together. |
| RW | Rail wagon | Specialist flat wagon, for transport of rails |
| SB | "Turbot" ballast wagon | Specialist ballast wagon, that will deliver ballast to the trackbed. Can also be used to transfer plant, used ballast or scrap. |
| TMM | Tamping machine | Ballast tamper for packing ballast to make lines more durable. Numbered 771, 772, 773 and 774. 771, 772 and 773 can only be transported through deep-level tunnels in train formation. 774 is for sub-surface lines only. |
| WPW | Well wagon | Specialist flat wagon, with lowered central section to enable larger loads to be carried. All have prefix JLE. Commonly known as a 'Low Loader'. |
| LWRT | Long Welded Rail Train | Used for the transportation of pre welded strings of 90m rail. Consists of 4 specially modified Rail Wagons and GP wagon which is configured into the centre of the train. |

### Brake vans

The London Underground has used various designs of brake van. They were used for the guard's accommodation and for braking purposes (when wagons in the train were not fitted with automatic brakes).
Two brake vans of interest were numbers FB578 and FB579. These were 'flat' brake vans, converted from flat wagons. The conversion consisted of building a small guard's compartment on one end of the flat wagon. Therefore, these wagons could be used for carrying small items, such as sleepers, in addition to their role as a brake van.
Six brake vans numbered B580–5 were built for London Transport by British Railways (BR) at the latter's Ashford Works in the early 1960s. They were built to a design which had been produced for BR since 1950 (BR Diagram 1/506 and 1/507), totalling 3588 units, and were the final examples of that design to be constructed.

## Stock list

| Numbers | Built | Converted | Builder | Use | Notes |
| TLC1 | 1904 | 1948 | ?/London Transport | tunnel line cleaning wagon | converted from BW108 |
| TLC2 | 1893 | 1948 | ?/London Transport | tunnel line cleaning wagon | converted from BW248 |
| TCC1 | 1938 | 1972-77 | Metro-Cammell/London Transport | DM-A | converted from 10226 |
| TCC2 | 1938 | 1972-77 | London Transport | dust extractor car | |
| TCC3 | 1938 | 1972-77 | London Transport | heavy refuse car | |
| TCC4 | 1938 | 1972-77 | London Transport | dust extractor car | |
| TCC5 | 1938 | 1972-77 | Metro-Cammell/London Transport | DM-D | converted from 10087 |
| BW4 | 1897 | | | 10-ton ballast wagon | |
| BW12 | 1893 | | | 10-ton ballast wagon | converted to MW518 |
| BW21 | 1891 | | | 10-ton ballast wagon | |
| BW108 | 1904 | | | 10-ton ballast wagon | converted to TLC1 |
| BW123 | 1900 | | | 10-ton ballast wagon | converted to MW541 |
| BW182 | 1896 | | | 10-ton ballast wagon | converted to MW532 |
| BW193 | 1897 | | | 10-ton ballast wagon | converted to MW540 |
| BW203 | 1897 | | | 10-ton ballast wagon | converted to MW531 |
| BW214 | 1897 | | | 10-ton ballast wagon | |
| BW245 | 1897 | | | 10-ton ballast wagon | |
| BW248 | 1893 | | | 10-ton ballast wagon | converted to TLC2 |
| HW201-HW222 | 1981 | | WH Davis | 30-ton bogie hopper wagon | |
| SB231-SB290 | 1982-88 | 1995 | ?/ABB Group | turbot wagon | |
| F303 | 1907 | | | 15-ton bogie flat wagon | |
| F304-F306 | 1964 | | | 10-ton 4-wheel flat wagon | |
| F308-F309 | 1925 | | | flat wagon | converted to JC688/J689 |
| F310-F315 | 1931 | | | 30-ton bogie flat wagon | F310 converted to J691 |
| F316-F326 | 1935 | | | 30-ton bogie flat wagon | |
| F327 | 1935 | | | flat wagon | converted to B578 |
| F328-F329 | 1935 | | | 10-ton 4-wheel flat wagon | |
| F330 | 1935 | | | flat wagon | converted to B579 |
| F331-F340 | 1937 | | | 30-ton bogie flat wagon | |
| F341-F371 | 1951 | | Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company | 30-ton bogie flat wagon | F355 permanently coupled with F351 |
| F372-F375 | 1956 | | | 30-ton bogie flat wagon | |
| F376-F377 | 1959 | | | 30-ton bogie flat wagon | |
| F378-F383 | 1959 | | | 30-ton bogie flat wagon | |
| F384-F391 | 1965 | | | 30-ton bogie flat wagon | |
| F392-F398 | 1965-66 | | Ashford Works | 30-ton bogie flat wagon | |
| HW400-HW406 | 1935 | | | 20-ton hopper wagon | |
| HW407-HW411 | 1938 | | | 20-ton hopper wagon | |
| HW412-HW434 | 1951 | | | 20-ton hopper wagon | |
| HW435-HW437 | 1965 | | | 20-ton hopper wagon | |
| RW454-RW459 | 1931 | | | 20-ton rail wagon | |
| RW460-RW465 | 1935 | | | 20-ton rail wagon | |
| RW466-RW475 | 1937 | | | 20-ton rail wagon | |
| RW476-RW487 | 1950 | | | 20-ton rail wagon | |
| RW48-8RW489 | 1951 | | | 20-ton rail wagon | |
| RW490-RW494 | 1958 | | Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company | 20-ton rail wagon | |
| RW495-RW506 | 1965 | | Ashford Works | 20-ton rail wagon | |
| MW518 | 1893 | | | 10-ton tube match wagon | converted from BW12 |
| MW531 | 1897 | | | 10-ton tube match wagon | converted from BW203 |
| MW532 | 1896 | | | 10-ton tube match wagon | converted from BW182 |
| MW540 | 1897 | | | 10-ton surface match wagon | converted from BW193 |
| MW541 | 1900 | | | 10-ton surface match wagon | converted from BW123 |
| B555-B560 | 1935 | | Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company | 20-ton brake van | |
| B578-B579 | 1935 | | | 18-ton brake van | converted from F327/F330 |
| B580-B585 | 1962 | | Ashford Works | 20-ton brake van | |
| C605 | 1925 | | Grafton Engineering Company | steam crane | |
| C606 | 1931 | | Ransome & Rapier | steam crane | |
| C616 | 1939 | | Butler & Company | steam crane | |
| DEC617 | 1955 | | Taylor & Hubbard | diesel-electric crane | |
| DEC618 | 1956 | | Taylor & Hubbard | diesel-electric crane | |
| C620 | 1926 | | Thomas Smith & Sons | steam crane | |
| C621 | 1935 | | Thomas Smith & Sons | steam crane | |
| DEC622 | 1964 | | Taylor & Hubbard | diesel-electric crane | |
| C623 | 1982 | | Cowans Sheldon | 7.5-ton diesel crane | |
| C624-C626 | 1984 | | Cowans Sheldon | 7.5-ton diesel crane | |
| DHC627 | 1986 | | Cowans Sheldon | 10-ton twin-jib diesel crane | |
| DHC628 | 1993 | | Cowans Sheldon | 10-ton twin-jib diesel crane | |
| G662 | 1906 | 1934 | Metropolitan Amalgamated Railway Carriage & Wagon Company/London Transport | surface gauging car | |
| G663 | 1931 | 1963 | Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company/London Transport | tube gauging car | converted from pre-1938 trailer 7131 |
| TRC666 | 1973 | 1987 | Metro-Cammell/London Transport | track recording car | converted from 514 |
| J683 | 1937 | 1975 | ?/London Transport | jib carrier | converted from WPW1001 |
| J684 | 1931 | | | jib carrier | |
| JC688 | 1925 | | | jib carrier | converted from F308 |
| J689 | 1925 | | | jib carrier | converted from F309 |
| J691 | 1931 | | | jib carrier | converted from F312 |
| TW730 | 1932 | | | tank wagon | |
| PBT761-PBT763 | 1966 | | Plasser & Theurer | ballast tamping machine | |
| PTL764 | 1973 | | Plasser & Theurer | lining machine | |
| SC765 | 1975 | | Plasser & Theurer | ballast tamping machine | |
| TMM771-TMM773 | 1980 | | Plasser & Theurer | track maintenance machine | |
| TMM774 | 2007 | | Plasser & Theurer | track maintenance machine | |
| TMM775-TMM776 | 2016 | | Matisa | track maintenance machine | Type B45 UE |
| RG802 | 1923 | 1956 | Metro-Cammell/London Transport | tube gauging car | converted from pre-1938 trailer 75241; originally control trailer 5241 |
| RG803 | 1923 | 1956 | Metro-Cammell/London Transport | tube gauging car | converted from pre-1938 trailer 75245; originally control trailer 5245 |
| RW801-RW826 | 1986 | | Procor Engineering | 20-ton rail wagon | |
| PC850-PC851 | 1931 | 1965 | Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company/London Transport | personnel carrier | converted from pre-1938 trailer 7061/7063 |
| PC852 | 1931 | 1966 | Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company/London Transport | personnel carrier | converted from pre-1938 trailer 7080 |
| PC854 | 1931 | 1966 | Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company/London Transport | personnel carrier | converted from pre-1938 trailer 7158 |
| PC855 | 1931 | 1966 | Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company/London Transport | personnel carrier | converted from pre-1938 trailer 7071 |
| PC856 | 1927 | 1972 | Metro Cammell Weymann/London Transport | personnel carrier | converted from pre-1938 trailer 70518 |
| HD871-HD876 | | 1987 | Procor Engineering | 40-ton high-deck wagon | |
| GP901-GP941 | 1985 | | Procor Engineering | 30-ton general purpose wagon | |
| CM950-CM955 | 1985 | | Procor Engineering | cement mixer | |
| MW956-MW960 | 1985 | | Procor Engineering | match wagon | |
| 990 | | | | ballast hopper | Docklands Light Railway (DLR); originally numbered 100 |
| 992 | | | | CT30 crane | DLR; originally numbered 92 |
| 993 | | | | battery locomotive | DLR; originally numbered 93 |
| 994 | | | GEC-Alsthom | diesel locomotive | DLR; originally numbered 94 |
| 995 | | | Ruston | diesel locomotive | DLR; originally numbered 95 |
| 996 | | | | flat wagon | DLR; originally numbered 96 |
| 997 | | | Freightliner | flat wagon | DLR; originally numbered 97 |
| 998 | | | Freightliner | 3-plank wagon | DLR; originally numbered 98 |
| 999 | | | Freightliner | flat wagon | DLR; originally numbered 99 |
| WPW1000 | 1937 | | | diesel generator wagon | generator removed |
| CW1050-CW1052 | 1940 | | | cable drum wagon | |
| CW1053-CW1055 | 1996 | | Bombardier | cable well wagon | |
| 98401 | 1988 | | Permaquip | track maintenance machine | acquired from Network SouthEast (W&C), 1994 |
| JLE1-JLE15 | 1994 | | Bombardier | general purpose wagon | transferred from Jubilee Line Extension (JLE) |
| JLE16-JLE19 | 1994 | | Bombardier | bogie well wagon | transferred from JLE |
| JLE20-JLE23 | 1994 | | Bombardier | 4-wheel cable drum wagon | transferred from JLE |
All data from London Underground Rolling Stock, 1st through 15th editions.

### Preserved units

| Number | Built | Builder | Location |
| BW4 | 1897 | | Buckinghamshire Railway Centre |
| DT81 | | | London Underground Ltd. |
| DT82 | | | London Underground Ltd. |
| BW214 | 1897 | Metropolitan Railway | London Transport Museum - Acton depot |
| F362 | 1951 | Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company | London Underground Ltd. |
| F384 | 1965 | Ashford Works | London Underground Ltd. |
| HW402 | 1935 | | Swanage Railway |
| HW418 | 1951 | Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company | Buckinghamshire Railway Centre |
| HW421 | 1935 | Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company | Colne Valley Railway |
| HW426 | 1951 | Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company | North Norfolk Railway |
| HW429 | 1951 | Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company | North Norfolk Railway |
| HW433 | 1951 | | Lavender Line |
| HW435 | 1965 | Shildon Works | Isle of Wight Steam Railway |
| HW437 | 1965 | Shildon Works | Isle of Wight Steam Railway |
| RW479 | 1950 | Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company | London Underground Ltd. |
| B557 | 1935 | Hurst Nelson | Buckinghamshire Railway Centre |
| B558 | 1935 | Hurst Nelson | London Underground Ltd. |
| B560 | 1935 | Hurst Nelson | Spa Valley Railway |
| FB578 | 1950 | Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company | Buckinghamshire Railway Centre |
| B580 | 1965 | Ashford Works | London Underground Ltd. |
| B583 | 1965 | Ashford Works | London Underground Ltd. |
| B584 | 1965 | Ashford Works | London Underground Ltd. |
| B585 | 1965 | Ashford Works | London Underground Ltd. |
| B586 | 1965 | Ashford Works | Epping Ongar Railway |
| C619 | 1914 | Cowans Sheldon | Buckinghamshire Railway Centre |
| C621 | 1935 | Thomas Smith & Sons | Museum of London |
| DEC622 | 1964 | Taylor & Hubbard | Spa Valley Railway |
| JC689 | 1925/1952 | /London Transport | Spa Valley Railway |
| J690 | | | Buckinghamshire Railway Centre |
| TV751 | | | Rutland Railway Museum |
| PBT762 | 1966 | Plasser & Theurer | Southern Steam Trust |
| PTL764 | | | Severn Valley Railway |
| PC850 | 1931/1966 | Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company/London Transport | London Underground Ltd. |
| PC851 | 1931/1966 | Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company/London Transport | London Underground Ltd. |
| PC855 | 1931/1966 | Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company/London Transport | London Underground Ltd. |
| WPW1000 | 1938/1976 | /London Transport | London Underground Ltd. |

## Gallery

* An engineering train composed of 'SB' wagons passes through Ruislip tube station westbound on tracks shared by the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines in July 2011. The cargo appeared to be old ballast.
* Preserved 10-ton Air Braked four-wheel freight wagon F. 329.
* Brake Van B558 at Ruislip depot, modified for use as a brake test instrumentation van.
* A pair of 4xx-series 'RW' bolster wagons at Neasden, with some derelict A Stock behind.
* Rail wagon RW814, a bogie flat wagon for carrying rails.
* HW429, 1951 London Underground engineering 20T hopper wagon preserved at North Norfolk Railway