- It is Friday, the 21st of April, 2017.
And we are here at Richmond Station
waiting for the very last D-Stock train
to travel along the District line.
The 1978 D-Stock trains have been in service
for thirty-seven years since 1980.
And today is the last time that one will run
in passenger service, as they have now been replaced
by the newer S-Stock trains.
The last train is scheduled to make trips back and forth
between Upminster and Richmond all day.
And then one final trip to Ealing,
where it will go to the depot.
And, as is the norm for the last day
in service of a classic tube train,
enthusiasts have come out in force
to ride it one last time.
It's pretty busy.
I mean, I'm not really sure what it's like normally
at Richmond at quarter to three, probably not that busy.
It's got a final-day plaque on the front,
along with an old-style direction board,
reminiscent of the Stock that used to run
on the district line before the D-Stock.
And some of the D-Stock fans
have taken the opportunity to dress up.
So, it's D-Stock scarf day.
The official, historical day.
- Or the weirdest football match ever.
- Go team. (all laughing)
Or for the ultimate nostalgia, how about recreating
a publicity photo from when the trains
were first introduced?
- This was taken on the very first day.
This was taken-- - So, sorry, what, 1980?
- 1980. - The first day.
- London transport staff posing
in Ealing Common depot on the first day.
- That's brilliant.
- And then that's on the last day.
- And this is today.
We're on the train,
we need to move so this gentlemen can get on.
- [Conductor] This is the D-Stock service from Richmond
after 37 years. - Amongst the enthusiasts,
we did actually manage to find a regular passenger.
Someone who wasn't out for the special occasion.
This is a real-life, actual passenger trying to,
where are you trying to get to today, sir?
- I'm gonna go to Earl's Court.
- You're going to Earl's Court.
- Yeah, not very far.
- Do you normally get the train this time of day, roughly?
- Every day, exactly the same time.
I rush to jump on this one.
- At Gunnersbury, the staff played an old
Gracie Fields classic over the PA system
as the train came through for the last time.
♪ Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye ♪
♪ Cheerio, here I go, on my way ♪
♪ Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye ♪
♪ Not a tear, but a cheer, make it gay ♪
- [Vicki] Gone are the days at Earl's Court
where you could tell from single-door D-Stock,
or double-door C stock, the destination of a train.
Something which we will miss.
The driver though was getting into
the spirit of the occasion.
- [Conductor] This is the final day of operation
of the last remaining train.
And we're on our way up to Upminster now.
And then the train will go back to Ealing Broadway
for the last time.
So, welcome aboard.
(train whistling)
- [Vicki] The train headed east, still very full with people
at almost every stop along the way, waiting to take photos.
And upon arrival at Upminster, we asked some people
why they love these trains so much.
- The last of the subsurface generations ago.
- [Geoff] Are you genuinely a little bit sad?
- I am, I'm all coordinated in green, as you can see.
- The motors, the smell, the seats, everything.
That's all I can give you.
- [Vicki] What we'll miss most about it though,
are the flip-up seats and the gorgeous moquette.
The moquette, the old District Line moquette
will be no more.
You will see no more of the wonderful green and blue.
I am obviously sporting the original D-Stock moquette,
the orange, black, yellow, and brown.
But the S-Stock has its own very brand new moquette,
which you would have seen.
- [Conductor] Welcome aboard the final District Line
D-Stock trip to Ealing Broadway.
The train will now depart.
Stand clear of the doors, please, mind the doors.
- And then it was time to depart Upminster
for the last time on the last ever trip.
On the way back into town, we met a gentleman
who had something to rival my scarf,
his amazing shoes.
Look at that, amazing.
When did you get those?
- Oh, probably a couple of years ago now.
- Really? - Yeah, it was for the 150.
- Okay. - So they released them 2012?
2013? - 2013 was--
- 2013, that was it. - Yeah, yeah.
They're extraordinarily clean.
- My girlfriend, we both clicked rare traders as well.
So we ended up buying about five pairs.
- Fantastic.
- I've only got these out twice.
So, obviously-- - What was the other occasion?
The other occasion was for something
to do with (indistinct)-- - Really?
- Yeah, yeah. - Brilliant.
- So you know, love a bit of (indistinct).
- [Vicki] Through the centre of town,
to the western end of the district,
and the penultimate stop.
- [Announcer] Clear the doors please.
- Ealing Common, so one more stop, that's it.
And then that's it, no more passenger services
on the D-Stock.
I'm just gonna quietly reflect upon that
as we go into Ealing Broadway.
Will there be a tea?
- [Conductor] Well done, thank you for being with us.
Hope you enjoyed your day.
We'll be approaching Ealing Broadway shortly,
but it's been a pleasure to have you all aboard.
- That's it, we're at Ealing Broadway.
The final passenger service.
Friday, the 21st of April, 2017.
I'm gonna get to the buffers.
(train whistling)
This is Vicki Pipe on the last ever D-Stock
on the District Line.
(train whistling)
♪ Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye ♪
♪ Cheerio, here I go, on my way ♪