One of the more unusual trains running in the UK at the moment is the delivery of new S-Stock for London Underground. The trains which will ultimately replace all A, C and D stock on the Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City and District lines represent the largest ever order for the underground. The stock is being built at Bombadier's Litchurch Lane works in Derby, and following testing at the Ashfordby test track it is then transfered to Neasden Depot in London by rail.
Due to a weight restriction entering the LUL network, ageing class 20's are used for the delivery trains adding even more interest to the working. In the early hours of 12th January 2012 I travelled to Aylesbury to witness the train, worked on this occasion by 20142, 20227, 20901 and 20905 reversing for the final leg of it's journey to London. The nocturnal nature of the train in London is due to pathing constraints which dictate that it just wait untill the final service trains have finished before proceeding on to the LUL network.
