mrfs42
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Post by mrfs42 on Jan 20, 2008 13:56:56 GMT
If anyone on the forum is feeling generous and has
1. a bit of spare time
2. a measuring tape
Could someone please measure the width of one of the platforms at Arnos Grove, and the height from the top of the platform surface to the bottom of the canopy horizontal supports (the height of the column in other words).
I'd be ever so grateful! ;D
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Chris M
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Post by Chris M on Jan 20, 2008 14:56:45 GMT
Why?
I am sure that if I did this that I would be asked this very question by whichever of station staff/T/op/BTP happened to spot me first!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2008 15:03:26 GMT
Would Stanmore do?
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Post by Tubeboy on Jan 20, 2008 16:36:01 GMT
Just in case any non staff take up mrfs offer, please advise staff first, otherwise staff will wonder what the hell your up to!
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Post by Chris M on Jan 20, 2008 18:23:23 GMT
Just in case any non staff take up mrfs offer, please advise staff first, otherwise staff will wonder what the hell your up to! Which is exactly why I asked! me: Excuse me, but would you mind if I measured the width of the platform and the height of the canopy? SS: Well, that's not something I get asked every day! Why do you want to do it? me: erm, I don't actually know! SS: You don't know? me: Well, you see it's like this. I'm a member of an internet forum about the tube, called District Dave's London Underground Forum, you might have heard of it? SS: District Dave you say, I think I've heard mention of it, but that still doesn't explain why you want to measure my station! me: Sorry, I'm getting there! SS: Go on me: One of the other people on their posted a request for someone to measure the platform and canopy here. SS: Why? me: Dunno, he didn't say. SS: And he couldn't do it himself? me: No, he lives in west Wales - works on the Talyllyn railway. SS: What's that got to do with Arnos Grove? me: erm, you've got me there SS: Sounds a bit dodgy. What's the fellow's name then? me: MRFS. SS: That his username? me: most of it. SS: What do you mean by that? me: Well, his username is MRFS42 SS: 42? As in the meaning of life? me: Indeed so - you a fan? SS: That I am, but what has that got to do with how wide my platform is? me: He might be writing an entry for the guide, but I really don't know. SS: So let me get this straight, some bloke called MRFS wrote a message on the internet asking someone to measure a London Underground station, and you trek halfway across London with a tape measure to do it without knowing why? me: err, yes. SS: Sorry, but I'm going to have to say no I'm afraid. Health & Safety and all that. me: Oh well, thanks for your time. SS: You're welcome - just think yourself lucky I'm not the BTP, you'd have been answering their questions at Paddington Green if you weren't careful. me: Oh. *SS = Station Supervisior |
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Colin
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Post by Colin on Jan 20, 2008 18:45:37 GMT
Apart from anything else, a given platform is categorised in relation to distance from the running rail - I can't remember the distances off hand, but the important part is the very edge where trains appear (the yellow line is probably a fair gauge). It's classed as category is 'A' and no work is allowed to take place there during traffic hours - there is one dispensation; the cleaners are allowed to litter pick 'subject to extra training'.
Basically, that area is out of bounds unless you are boarding/alighting a train.
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Chris M
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Post by Chris M on Jan 20, 2008 20:23:53 GMT
assuming the yellow lines are a fixed distance from the edge of the platform, and that only the area between the yellow line and the platform edge is out of bounds (I think this is what your post is saying but I'm not completely sure), then you can just measure the bits that are not out of bounds and do some simple addition to find the full width.
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Post by Tomcakes on Jan 20, 2008 20:36:18 GMT
Extra training?!
"You move the litter picker to the litter, you pull the handle, you move it above the bin bag, you release the handle".
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Chris M
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Post by Chris M on Jan 20, 2008 21:03:07 GMT
I think its more a case of knowing the risks of working near trains. i.e. in any collision between a train and a human, the human is not going to come of best.
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mrfs42
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Post by mrfs42 on Jan 21, 2008 1:02:43 GMT
Perhaps I'd better do it myself - both operations would take less than a minute. My apologies - I come from an <ahem> 'industry' when 'if you've got the tape measure you use it'. I wouldn't bother any member of staff with my request - just do it (as long as you don't hurt/maim/fry yourself in the process) - in my humble opinion if you do ask a member of staff you are asking for potential trouble. Perhaps I have a different attitude as all sorts of peeps have measuring tapes out when I'm at work. My sincere and abject apologies for asking the question.  Like the dialogue though!  |
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Post by Chris M on Jan 21, 2008 1:38:51 GMT
I wouldn't bother any member of staff with my request - just do it (as long as you don't hurt/maim/fry yourself in the process) - in my humble opinion if you do ask a member of staff you are asking for potential trouble. If there is no staff on the platform, you could quite possibly do it before they had time to react. If they were on the platform then you can bet your bottom dollar they'd ask you what you were doing (an easy question to answer) and why (less easy as I don't know!). Off peak, a friendly member of staff would quite possibly let you do it. A jobsworth and I wouldn't be surprised if you were thrown off the station I've never been to Arnos so I have no idea what the staff are like there. Perhaps I have a different attitude as all sorts of peeps have measuring tapes out when I'm at work. Its not typical behaviour for a commuter though - and sadly London is a lot less tollerant of odd behaviour thanks to terrorism (and the government's response to it). My sincere and abject apologies for asking the question. No need to apologise as far as I'm concerned. There was nothing wrong with the request. Like the dialogue though! Thanks, its been a long while since I've written one of those! |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2008 11:02:22 GMT
Chris you should write more!
You had me laughing at it! (in a good way tho) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Post by railtechnician on Jan 21, 2008 12:11:46 GMT
Apart from anything else, a given platform is categorised in relation to distance from the running rail - I can't remember the distances off hand, but the important part is the very edge where trains appear (the yellow line is probably a fair gauge). It's classed as category is 'A' and no work is allowed to take place there during traffic hours - there is one dispensation; the cleaners are allowed to litter pick 'subject to extra training'. Basically, that area is out of bounds unless you are boarding/alighting a train. The first 600mm is designated as part of the line clear/line safe area i.e. technically it is no different from being on the track! Now a smart person would measure the sole of his shoe and just take a few paces heel to toe to gain a platform measurement, height is trickier but similar techniques can give reasonable results. When asked what you are doing pacing the platform or standing tall against a wall with your hand over your head you are simply relieving the boredom of waiting for a train! This shouldn't be a problem at Arnos Grove!!!!! ;D |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2008 19:46:27 GMT
how abt a freedom of information act request if l don't know maybe they get the info from chubelines?
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mrfs42
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Post by mrfs42 on Jan 22, 2008 0:39:48 GMT
TBH [1] a FOI [2] request crossed my mind - but the timescales involved are horrendous.
[1] to be honest.
[2] freedom of information
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Post by Tubeboy on Jan 22, 2008 0:45:49 GMT
mrfs, get Underground Gal to do it [if she doesnt object] as she works at Arnos. Why do you need the dimensions anyway? Pub quiz?  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2008 1:18:58 GMT
Yes, in all this talk of how strange Arnos Grove staff are ( ), the reason as to why MRFS would like this task to be undertaken, has yet to be revealed! |
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Post by Chris M on Jan 22, 2008 1:40:44 GMT
It has been revealed to me in a PM.
If this were my request I wouldn't hesitate to put the reason on here, but I presume MRFS has his reasons for not doing so. I don't know what they are, but I'm sure they're very good ones!
Now if the member of staff I spoke to was Underground Gal I'm sure the conversation would have been very different to the dialogue above! As I have never met her, I'll not be putting words into her mouth in another dialogue - for a start I don't know if she understands the significance of "42" or not...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2008 2:38:37 GMT
Actually, I've been hmm'ing and haa'ing back and forth on commenting on this one. I am at Arnos Grove this week, but getting away with measuring the platforms is not something I'm likely to manage. If you can let me in on the reason I can keep an eye out, or try for an estimation based on footsteps for the platform width at least.
As to 42, the only one I know of particularly is the Answer to the Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2008 3:01:12 GMT
 I thought that's what 42 meant, but I thought it was me being a bit strange... ;D Thinking about it, I can have a go when I'm there next, possibly today or tomorrow, otherwise definitely Thursday. If you don't mind me using my shoes/steps as the width, and then using my height as a basis to guess the column height, its pretty do-able!? Besides, the staff at Arnos already know what a nutter I am! ;D  |
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mrfs42
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Post by mrfs42 on Jan 22, 2008 3:11:58 GMT
Err. <deep breath.> ;D Well, do you remember that angelislington confessed that we'd got some 'little baby trains'? It has got to the stage of the model railway where I have the track, sketches of the bookwiring for the suggested layout [1], lots of notes but what I don't have is an appropriate platform width or canopy height. I'd just like to get 'Hobbs Lane' looking 'right' and as angelislington spent 3 hours at a model railway exhibition (on her own) buying ballast and brickpaper - I need to get the track laid before she next heads westwards! [1] oh yes , and the timetable - it will be based on a mix of the Northern City post Finsbury Park closing and South Harrow in July 1932 (for my sins I've spent this evening reading WTTs and plotting) - think of the District shuttle service to Uxbridge and the services running when Arsenal played at home from either side of an island platform. (I've said too much  ) |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2008 3:30:59 GMT
Wow! I hope we're going to get to see a few photos of this "bad boy". Maybe it could even be shown at a exhibition or two! |
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Post by william on Jan 22, 2008 14:38:33 GMT
I'd just like to get 'Hobbs Lane' looking 'right' (I've said too much ) Hobbs Lane!! You little devil. ;D |
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mrfs42
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Post by mrfs42 on Jan 22, 2008 19:27:05 GMT
I'd just like to get 'Hobbs Lane' looking 'right' (I've said too much ) Hobbs Lane!! You little devil. ;D Yeah, there'll be a Thora Hird in the scenery moaning about 'gin goblins'. |
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Post by railtechnician on Jan 25, 2008 2:00:48 GMT
I'd just like to get 'Hobbs Lane' looking 'right' (I've said too much ) Hobbs Lane!! You little devil. ;D Indeed! Might this be a Central line layout? Wasn't the station in 'Quatermass and the Pit' called Hobbs End? I think that was supposed to be on the Central line. Between Shepherd's Bush Met station and Wood Lane is a little road called Hopgood Road but I'd swear the old black and white name plate on the front of the last house in the street at first floor level displays Hob Rd or similar! That's the road everyone used to cut through en route from Shepherd's Bush to RTC Wood Lane. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2008 9:35:12 GMT
Wasn't the station in 'Quatermass and the Pit' called Hobbs End? That frightened the life out of me when I was 5  |
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Post by railtechnician on Jan 25, 2008 12:22:24 GMT
Wasn't the station in 'Quatermass and the Pit' called Hobbs End? That frightened the life out of me when I was 5 Believe me, there are far more frigthening things to be found on the network. |
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Post by angelislington on Jan 25, 2008 22:55:53 GMT
I must say, the whole of this thread has had me in *stitches*, you guys are all completely fab - but rather mad! We are disputing the period this little layout should be based in. Me, I prefer the 30s (hence Arnos Groove [1]) but M prefers the idea of 50s/60s. The name was suggested by Grumpy Uncle Ray [2], who works at the Tallyho railway with M. I think it's absolutely great, as I was brought up by a massive sci-fi fan & I find all that kind of thing well cool. As for the scale of the project, well I think we're /both/ a little OCD, so you can bet it's going to be pretty cool! (Although I had no idea that the attention to detail would go /this/ far...) [1] typo - but I like it, so it's staying! [2] Signature quote: "It's being so bloody miserable what keeps me going." |
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mrfs42
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Post by mrfs42 on Jan 26, 2008 4:02:43 GMT
<puts hand up> Please, Miss (guilty look) I only want the late 50's/early 60's 'cos I want 59/62TS and you said I shouldn't go for the 'standard' look. </phu> |
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Post by railtechnician on Jan 26, 2008 5:01:26 GMT
I must say, the whole of this thread has had me in *stitches*, you guys are all completely fab - but rather mad! We are disputing the period this little layout should be based in. Me, I prefer the 30s (hence Arnos Groove [1]) but M prefers the idea of 50s/60s. The name was suggested by Grumpy Uncle Ray [2], who works at the Tallyho railway with M. I think it's absolutely great, as I was brought up by a massive sci-fi fan & I find all that kind of thing well cool. As for the scale of the project, well I think we're /both/ a little OCD, so you can bet it's going to be pretty cool! (Although I had no idea that the attention to detail would go /this/ far...) [1] typo - but I like it, so it's staying! [2] Signature quote: "It's being so bloody miserable what keeps me going." With regard to [1] it has been known as Amos Glove due to a typo in the original Piccadilly Line filofax issued to PL staff following devolution. Arnos Grove is a good pick for a layout, one of the best station buildings on the combine and plenty of interesting features to detail. |
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I thought that's what 42 meant, but I thought it was me being a bit strange... ;D
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