1972 Stock Tread Plate

This tread plate is understood to have been removed from a car of 1972 Mk II stock, although the reason for the removal is not known. Although the 1972 Stock is of an almost identical appearance to the 1967 Stock that used to run on the Victoria line, as we shall see in the pictures below, there are minor, subtle differences between the design of the tread plates on the two stocks - and not just the differing manufacturing years between the two stocks!

The most noticeable difference with this tread plate in comparison to the 1967 Tube Stock plate also in the collection are the two lugs at either end for providing a better fit to adjacent door pillars. Including these lugs, the plate measures 1584 mm ( 5.19 ft) in length, and 95 mm ( 3.74 in ) in width; making it both marginally longer and wider than the earlier plate.

Another minor alteration is the change from square-based tactile treads, to rhombus-based treads here.

The slightly wider width has allowed the letters in the Metro-Cammell logo to be increased in height (again, not by a significant amount). The dots above "Metro" and below "Cammell" in the 1967 Stock plate are omitted here.

The plate entered the collection in September 2012 - making it around forty years old by then.

The only sign of noticeable corrosion on this side of the plate is at the ends. I believe these sections would be hidden by the door pillars when fitted; hence, they would not be subjected to the regular footfall of boarding and alighting passengers as the rest of the plate would.

The cut-off line is more prominent at the other end of the plate.

A seldom-seen sight; the reverse side of the plate shows considerable corrosion. The six fixing holes can be seen here.

Despite the corrosion, what presumably is the part code for the tread plate is still visible in the centre. This is 10076 635 A.

A hand-written code exists further along the plate; this appears to be NI / 4507. "4507" could relate to the car number that the plate came from; in this case, this would be a trailer car in a three-car unit made up of former Mk I Stock 3507 (DM), 4507 (T) and 3407 (UNDM); since re-numbered to become Mk II cars 3565, 4565 and 3465 respectively. Since the Mk 1 Stock started life on the Northern line, the "NI" lettering could be "NL".

Further refurbishment occurred on Sunday, 18th November 2012. This time, the surface was treated with a mildly acidic aluminium cleaning solution, before being scrubbed with a "Brillo" pad and polished with "Brasso", to further improve the natural shine of the material.

Particular attention was paid to the lettering. Attempts to remove accumulated dirt from between the characters proved reasonably successful.