View source for London Underground L Stock

{{Short description|British rolling stock}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2017}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2023}}

{{Infobox train
|background = #006400
|name         = L Stock
|image        = 
|caption      = 
|manufacturer = [[Union Construction Company|UCC]]
|service      = 1931–1971
|family       = 
|replaced     = 
|lines        = 
|carlength    = {{convert|49|ft|8|in|m|2|abbr=on}}
|trainlength  = 
|width        = {{convert|8|ft|11+5/16|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|height       = {{convert|12|ft|3+1/2|in|mm|abbr=on}}
|maxspeed     = 
|weight       = {{convert|34.08|LT|t ST}}
|seating      = 42
|stocktype    = 
|notes        = {{Portal-inline|size=tiny|London transport}}
}}

'''London Underground L Stock''' was a [[Clerestory#Transportation|clerestory]]-roofed rail stock built for the [[District line]] in 1932 and subsequently absorbed into the [[London Underground Q Stock]], being redesignated '''Q31 Stock'''.

== History ==
The L Stock trains were built to provide additional rolling stock for the eastward extension of the District Line from [[Barking railway station|Barking]] to [[Upminster station|Upminster]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Bruce |first=J Graeme |title=Steam to Silver |publisher=Capital Transport |year=1983 |isbn=0-904711-45-5 |edition=Fully revised |location=Harrow Weald, Middlesex |pages=88 |language=en}}</ref> Two new electrified tracks were added parallel to the existing steam-operated LMS lines, including several new stations such as [[Upminster Bridge tube station|Upminster Bridge]].

Forty-five cars were built by the Union Construction Company, eight were driving motor cars and the rest were trailers. An innovation for surface stock was the provision of a sliding door at the guard's position.<ref name=":0" /> The eight motor cars, numbered 700-714 (even numbers only), were initially owned by the [[London Midland and Scottish Railway]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bruce |first=J Graeme |title=Steam to Silver |publisher=Capital Transport |year=1983 |isbn=0-904711-45-5 |edition=Fully revised |location=Harrow Weald, Middlesex |pages=89 |language=en}}</ref>

The L Stock was based on the 1927 [[London Underground K Stock|K Stock]].

== Fate ==
The conversion from L Stock to Q31 Stock took place in the late 1930s, with the major modifications being the conversion of the hand-operated sliding doors to air operation and the provision of electro-pneumatic brakes.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bruce |first=J Graeme |title=Steam to Silver |publisher=Capital Transport |year=1983 |isbn=0-904711-45-5 |edition=Fully revised |location=Harrow Weald, Middlesex |pages=96 |language=en}}</ref> The last Q Stock trains were withdrawn in 1971.

{{London Underground Rolling Stock}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Metropolitan District Railway]]
[[Category:London Underground electric multiple units|L]]
[[Category:Train-related introductions in 1931]]


{{London-tube-stub}}