pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Oct 19, 2012 10:58:40 GMT
As I have stated I have not worked on LUL for a number of years but I fully endorse what aslefshrugged and Stig have said. I doesn't appear to have changed much re staffing levels and numbers available it seems to have got worse. Perhaps my tabletop exercise was a nearer reality than what I thought all those years ago.
Best of luck to all LUL current staff let's hope that things that have been discussed on this thread never occur.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Oct 19, 2012 7:55:05 GMT
Graham, which Northamptonshire village is that. I live in a Central Bedfordshire village apart from having a similar device in Toddington all we have in our village is a Bus Stop. Our village gets a bus every two hours from 0800 approx until 1800 approx.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Oct 18, 2012 16:36:06 GMT
In response to railtechnician I don't think I ever walked a tunnel during training, wasn't really needed on the north end of the Met. However I did get the chance when I took part in a training exercise on the W&C one sunday morning. It wasn't until I went to Goodge St did I actually get the chance to go in a tunnel. Then that was because I asked some P/Way guys if I could come with them
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Oct 18, 2012 11:54:13 GMT
Can someone put me and Mrs Pitdiver out of our misery and give us some hint for the four remaining stations that we can't find. Bale of Straw/Hay Skyline at Back of Picture Rat/Mouse with Cheese Man Shooting Gun on top of Building.
Thanks all Rob H
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Oct 18, 2012 11:44:49 GMT
Guys, the idea of the exercise was to show how difficult things could get. All these thing were talked about. We just wanted staff to think about what can happen in difficult situations. This exercise was designed in about 98/99 so things will have changed by now. Natural evolution and as a result of 7/7. I left he Northern line in 99 so I don't know what happened but I expect a lot of talking took place, This was the whole idea to get people to think. This was on top of the blank Tube Map quiz which I designed, That caused a few scratched heads I can tell you together with the other quiz I devised.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Oct 18, 2012 5:37:52 GMT
Bloomin' flip. That's getting close to worst case scenario alright! Multiple detrains at peak on idiot Friday in the Euston area with medical alerts and gridlock thrown in? Was there an "official" best solution? IIRC there was not any best option put forward. The idea of the exercise was give staff an insight to what could happen and how how incidents can escalate to engulf a considerable part of the Network. I on the other hand was involved in detraining a a Met train one night due to a heavy snowfall in the Croxley area. It was pitch black with about 6 inches of snow on the ground. There were only two of us taking part in the detrainment. Myself and the T/Op. Fortunately the train was lightly loaded but it was still a difficult operation in testing circumstances. In those days stations on the north end of The Met were single manned and there was no chance of getting help from adjacent stations due to the weather
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Oct 12, 2012 4:08:30 GMT
The only one I can identify I can identify is D. Don't where the sign is from but the picture was taken in the sign gallery at the LT Museum Depot at Acton.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Oct 10, 2012 14:41:08 GMT
For what it's worth I worked at Watford Met for about 2 years. Quite honestly apart from commuter traffic ie the people that live close no one else uses it. Let them walk a bit to Ascot Rd? After 1900hrs we never saw anybody only late workers and on Sundays the only passengers were those renewing their period tickets. I once did a late shift there and took about £10 on the window. Amazingly there was a waiting list to get to work there. It was known as a "Dead Man's Shoes Job" which is self explanatory.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Oct 7, 2012 8:52:43 GMT
I thought LU had engaged with groups at the far north of the Met. Isn't that the reason the Chesham Branch is still open.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Oct 6, 2012 8:00:10 GMT
Slightly off topic. When I worked on the Met one morning the following message came over the internal PA system. ( cant quite remember the proper name) " The Chesham branch has been suspended due to a number of cattle on the track" I often wondered what those working in Zone 1 stations thought of that.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Oct 5, 2012 12:24:03 GMT
Many years ago I was seconded to the staff development dept of the Northern Line. This was to develop a Table Top exercise where a number of trains needed to be detrained in Tunnels. The brief was based at Camden Town Stn on a HOT summer's Friday evening around about 1800hrs. Additional information that was given to the candidates included the fact there were two women going into labour on two of the trains, and due to a major incident on the Euston Rd traffic was gridlocked. Each train was loaded to capacity. As you can imagine this certainly gave the participants in the exercise something to think about. I think one of the results was that most stns in Central London were closed so staff could be utilised for the detraining. Let's hope this situation never arises as I would hate to be involved in such an incident. This doesn't diminish the efforts of staff of 7/7 who as far I am concerned did a magnificent job.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Oct 2, 2012 16:38:07 GMT
As a former Northern Line staff member can anybody tell me what the situation is regarding the reconstruction of Camden Town Station.
I have lost touch with such details as I only get the retired person's version of "OTM"
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Sept 28, 2012 15:33:01 GMT
Let me assure you that there were a number of Focus groups from various parts of London involved with what went into the new Museum. But I do accept that you can't please everybody. However it's not a state secret that TfL were involved in the content understandably so as they were the paymasters. Therefore the content had to reflect TfL's remit. If the Museum went through the process again no doubt their would be some London Overground content. Plus anything else that TfL are responsible for.
As was pointed out to us staff when we made aware that there would be job losses change wasn't an option but a necessity. It was getting stale and lots of the infrastructure was coming apart. Everybody must realise the Museum was aimed at all types of visitors not only transport enthusiasts. Hence the "Thomas The Tank Engine and Bob the Builder events.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Sept 28, 2012 4:42:15 GMT
As I have already stated on this thread I was a former employee of the Museum and take exception to some of comments regarding staff and "Old Compton St". I would also like to point out that not only was the displays refreshed/renewed but also heating/ventilation etc replaced etc. The working conditions were extremely demanding. 110 degrees upstairs in the summer just like a green house (Which if you remember it was in a previous life. What I can say is a lot of thought went into the refurbishment and what should be displayed and as most of the people on this forum weren't involved in the planning can we all be a little circumspect about the commenting on the Museum.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Sept 27, 2012 4:27:51 GMT
I can see another heated discussion coming on regarding operating at Christmas. Let's not go down that avenue again. I can still remember last year's "discussion."
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Sept 23, 2012 19:01:06 GMT
As the last Front Of House Supervisor at the Museum before it closed the news of it's troubles saddens me a great deal. I spent six and half years working there. During that time I worked with a great bunch of people. Many of which accepted VS when I did and left in October 2005. I and many others hope that the Museum sees it's way through these difficult times.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Aug 14, 2012 16:37:59 GMT
Satnav not working
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Aug 14, 2012 3:51:53 GMT
Is "B" Watford Junction. Don't recognise any of the others.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Aug 9, 2012 4:47:21 GMT
Dovey Junction Snowdon Summit There is a car park at Cyffordd Dyfi - just that you need to walk a bit across the marsh. I used to change trains there daily! However - I think Berney Arms or Falls of Cruachan ought to go onto the list. You can walk from Berney Arms 3 miles I think on the footpath or stroll down to the Pub and pick up a boat. That is what I'll be doing in a couple of weeks time.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Jul 31, 2012 4:25:31 GMT
It has not changed much. Do the passengers still stand on the tracks then LOL.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Jul 30, 2012 13:43:39 GMT
Beach Volleyball isn't a sport. it's designed to get men in raincoats out in the fresh air. Woohooo.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Jul 26, 2012 10:40:11 GMT
Just to confirm partly what Dstock7080 has reported. In the latest addition of the pensioners version of "On the Move" and I quote. "There will be a final A stock railtour around the end of of September which will be publicised in the usual way through the LT Museum and website. The date is still to be confirmed." end of quote. I don't think it will need much publicity
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Jul 26, 2012 10:33:48 GMT
A wild guess Goodge Street!
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Jul 9, 2012 20:46:04 GMT
Talking of throwing money at the MET. Many years ago when I was a station supervisor at Croxley I remember a VERY senior LUL manager came down to see the state of the signal system himself as he had been told that unless some money was spent very quickly the MET north of Northwood would just not work. I think a decision was made to try "sticking plaster" as there was no money in the kitty. I expect the same "sticking plaster" is still in use. BTW the year was 1990
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Jun 23, 2012 10:48:41 GMT
As someone who worked on the " Steam on The Met" for a number of years I quite agree with "Metman" I think it looks cheap and fake. I think the set should be the same colour as "Sarah"
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Jun 21, 2012 10:41:36 GMT
Stig, I certainly haven't been in a booking office for the time you stated. I certainly accept that there have been changes in BO working practises. That occurred as far back as 93 and prior to that with as you say the inception of UTS I am not advocating the return of"Open All Hrs" But one must realistic is it a viable proposition to have someone sitting at a window for 7.5 hrs or whatever selling as I did 10 tkts during a whole shift. I think this is a subject that may run and run. But I am going to sit back and see what others say. I am a bit of a dinosaur as far as LUL goes.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Jun 21, 2012 8:40:25 GMT
... when I could purchase a ticket from a friendly and helpful ticket man (or lady) at 5AM in the morning at Goldhawk Road. It is several years since that became impossible. What year were the very first ticket office reductions implemented? Charley, I often worked at Westbourne Park in the B/O, on early turn. We would be open for the first train at about 0450 I think and believe it or not there would sometimes be a queue for the booking office window. So I agree on some LUl lines there is a need for early open of BO windows but not keeping someone sat there until end of traffic particularly in the outer zones.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Jun 21, 2012 8:36:09 GMT
TfL/LUL tell us that no one wants ticket offices these days, “customers” can go online, go to the nearest newsagent or work the POMs themselves. RMT and TSSA went on strike in a futile attempt to stop or reduce ticket office closures but from the level of support they got I would conclude that the public were happy with LUL’s decision. The only place where plans for ticket office closure were scrapped was at Cheshunt where locals organised a campaign, got the story into the local press, hounded the council and local MP and got a reprieve from LUL. If anyone wanted to save their local ticket office then they should have done something back in 2010 when the closures were announced. Aslefshrugged, do you mean CHESHAM. Don't think LUL control Cheshunt Booking Office yet Anyway Chesham is example of people power (or senior LUL managers' living there). It seem s to not worked with the new Met TT as well discussed else where. As a matter of interest in the old days we had Line Chief Clerks and the grade of Relief Clerk. This was a person who had operational and booking office experience.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Jun 21, 2012 6:35:50 GMT
1993 with the "company plan" and the creation of multifunctional staff when stations became one man and that man worked the ticket office, to the platform if required, or down the track if required. If no staff the station would be left unmanned. If the station had points the station would be staffed by demanning an adjoining station. I do wish members wouldn't use the two words "Company Plan". Those two words gave me sleepless nights for weeks. I never thought I would master R&R applicable to a SS. After qualifying as a BC2 in 1989 which involved a written exam lasting nigh on 4hrs I don't think I could manage another. I was right it was I nightmare as I recall, however I passed (but didn't everybody). Don't think LUL could afford to loose many staff. But they did make the mistake of doing away with Chief Clerks. I still wonder how much that cost them. Anyway there was nothing like sitting in a booking office on a late turn on Christmas eve for 7.5 hrs and taking £12 hrs. Hardly surprising that LUL reduced the manning levels of Booking Offices.
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pitdiver
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Post by pitdiver on Jun 8, 2012 21:05:58 GMT
Although I left LUL a few years ago I would say that any station with lifts are the one's to try and steer clear of. I know there aren't many but lifts were a pain in the bottom
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