Waterloo & City Railway electric units

Waterloo & City Railway electric units
Illustration of W&CR train at Waterloo in 1898
In service	1898-1940
Manufacturer	Jackson and Sharp Company
Built at	Eastleigh Works (assembly from kits)
Family name
Constructed	1897-1898 1899 1921
Scrapped	1940
Number built	31 vehicles (16 Driving Motor, 15 Trailer)
Number scrapped	31 vehicles
Formation	4/5-car (DM-T-T-DM/DM-T-T-T-DM) (Peak) 1-car (DM) (Off-Peak)
Capacity	DM 46 seats T 56 seats
Operator(s)	Waterloo & City Railway LSWR Southern Railway
Depot(s)	Waterloo (Waterloo & City line)
Line(s) served	Waterloo & City line
Specifications
Car length	47 ft 1 in (14.35 m) (DM) 46 ft 3 1⁄2 in (14.11 m) (T)
Width	8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Height	9 ft 8 in (2.95 m)
Traction system	Two Siemens 60 hp (45 kW) traction motors per DM
Power output	DM: 120 hp (89 kW)
Electric system(s)	530-600 V DC
Current collection method	Third rail
Track gauge	Standard

The Waterloo & City Railway began operating services on 11 July 1898 with newly built 4-car electric multiple units, each consisting of two Driving Motor vehicles sandwiching a pair of unpowered Trailer vehicles, the first EMU design to be used in a deep-level tube railway.

The Waterloo & City Railway was built as a means of connecting the main London terminus of the London & South Western Railway (LSWR) at Waterloo with the City of London. Owing to restrictions placed on the construction of main-line railways through the centre of London, it was necessary to build this as an underground railway. Despite attempts to have the new link constructed to accommodate main-line trains, the decision was taken to build a deep-level tube railway using the tunnelling shield method perfected by James Henry Greathead. The depth of the tunnels meant that electric traction would be required for the trains that would run on the new route.

Following a tendering process, the contract to build the trains for the W&CR was awarded to the Jackson and Sharp Company of Wilmington, Delaware in the United States. Rather than constructing the vehicles that would form the trains themselves, the manufacturer constructed the components, which were then shipped to the LSWR's Eastleigh Works in kit form. There, the new trains would be assembled for use. The first complete unit was delivered to Waterloo in March 1898. However, the line itself had no direct connection to the rest of the railway network; the only way for trains to access the tunnels was via a hydraulic lift, which was only completed in April 1898. The first successful test run along the line was undertaken on 4 June 1898, and the line was formally opened on 11 July, with the public service starting on 8 August 1898.

As constructed, the trains were formed as 4-car units. A total of 22 vehicles were initially built under the order with Jackson and Sharp, consisting of 11 Driving Motor vehicles and 11 Trailer vehicles, allowing for a total of four 4-car trains plus a number of spare vehicles. Unlike the City & South London Railway, which was London's only other deep-tube railway at the time, and which used electric locomotives and hauled coaches, these trains were electric multiple units, with the traction equipment and driving position located on the passenger carrying vehicles. Each Driving Motor vehicle was fitted with a 60 hp series-wound gearless motor per axle, with the current collected via third rail at 530v DC. The trains were fitted with Westinghouse compressed air brakes, although they did not have their own compressors; instead the air reservoirs had to be recharged using static compressors at Waterloo, which was done once the air pressure fell to 70 psi (480 kPa). The crew for each train numbered six; the driver, a driver's assistant, a guard and three gatemen. These final crewmen manned the gated entrances that were located at the end of each car. There were no side doors, and the interiors were built in an open saloon rather than compartmented style.