|
|
Post by 21146 on Jul 6, 2008 18:35:49 GMT
As built the Victoria Line had metal staff letter boxes at the forward end of platforms. These had traditionally been located at the rear to be accessible to Guards but obviously were placed at the other end on the Vic Line since these trains were staffed by a single ATO (Automatic Train Operator) from day 1. Nowadays all staff letter boxes on LU are sealed and disused or removed altogether, twin victims of OPO and the Company Plan, but were they *ever* used on the Vic Line? ATOs were not encouraged to leave the cab under normal circumstances and the 1967TS weren't even given driver's doors. Did ATO's originally leave the cab via the J-door at stations after shutting down the TBC in order to post letters in the mail boxes?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2008 21:24:19 GMT
I've always wondered that. Maybe there was a secret tube TPO, hauled by battery locos?  ;D |
|
|
|
Post by railtechnician on Jul 8, 2008 9:02:08 GMT
As built the Victoria Line had metal staff letter boxes at the forward end of platforms. These had traditionally been located at the rear to be accessible to Guards but obviously were placed at the other end on the Vic Line since these trains were staffed by a single ATO (Automatic Train Operator) from day 1. Nowadays all staff letter boxes on LU are sealed and disused or removed altogether, twin victims of OPO and the Company Plan, but were they *ever* used on the Vic Line? ATOs were not encouraged to leave the cab under normal circumstances and the 1967TS weren't even given driver's doors. Did ATO's originally leave the cab via the J-door at stations after shutting down the TBC in order to post letters in the mail boxes? Staff letter boxes were for all staff, not just train drivers! Train drivers were/are of course only a percentage of total staff. All stations were Post Offices for internal mail at one time. I can't recall what happened with regard to mail delivery on the Vic but on other lines the mail was sent in baskets which the train guard would drop at appropriate sites, Earls Court was common for seeing this early in the norning but the same would be true wherever mail needed to go. Also there were uniformed 'runners' in the operating departments and plain clothes 'runners' in other departments who carried the mail in little brown suitcases on a daily basis. Mostly these were staff on light duties for medical or other reasons or people who would otherwise be idle or indeed dismissed. Trains of course still carry mail, indeed on the Picc we used to use them not only to carry mail but also to deliver small parts for urgent maintenance too. It was simply a matter of requesting the driver to carry the item in the cab and to hand it over to a person awaiting delivery at the destination. We would simply take the train number and phone ahead with it to ensure the train was met, of course if the recipient was not waiting the item would travel to the end of the line! |
|
|
|
Post by 21146 on Jul 8, 2008 11:08:31 GMT
As a former Guard I remember the wicker ticket baskets destined for the TSO at Harrow, lost property bags for the LPO at Baker St, despatch bags for D&P DMO at Earl's Court and Revenue Dept despatch bags for Griffith House, plus sundry letters and bundles of Traffic Circulars for individual stations; but these were allways entrusted to the Guard, never the Motorman. I'm presuming therefore that the Victoria Line used specific Railman or Messenger staff for these tasks to avoid the ATO 'shutting down' and leaving the cab.
|
|
;D
