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2 months ago
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If you've hopped on the latest models of London Underground trains, you might have spotted not just the walk-through carriages, sleek seating and nifty passenger information screens, but also buttons on the doors.
While it may seem a bit pointless given that nearly all Tube trains automatically stop at every station, there's a reason for these buttons.
You'll spot these door buttons on the 'S' stock trains zipping along the Circle, District, Hammersmith and City and Metropolitan lines, as well as the 1992 Tube stock trains on the Central line.
They're also set to feature on the upcoming 'New Tube for London' trains due to hit the Piccadilly line later this decade.
Apart from the 1992 stock Central line trains, all these trains are air-conditioned, meaning the carriage air is usually cooler than the outside temperature. To prevent this cool air from escaping and overworking the air-con, which would generate more heat, the train doors are programmed to close 45 seconds after opening.
These door buttons ensure that if the train remains at the platform beyond 45 seconds, passengers can still get on. Without them, the doors would have to stay open, letting the cool air out and wasting energy.
Despite being relatively new, the 2009 stock Victoria line trains lack door buttons. This is due to the fact that while they boast advanced ventilation technology, they do not have full air-conditioning.
Door buttons were once a common sight on the sister 1995 and 1996 stock trains that run on the Northern and Jubilee lines, but these were phased out by TfL during fleet upgrades.
However, for those yearning for a bit of nostalgia, you can still snag one of these old door buttons from the London Transport Museum website.
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