Sarah Siddons on the Met

I ought to mention that the old lady got gapped on several occasions, once in Uxbridge sidings with a train of BR stock when I was one of a few "hangers on" who hitched a ride on her in the pretext of having something important to do on an excursion day. I ended up helping with the leads.

The photo appeared in Underground News!

Did you ever find out why there were detonators out?

Thanks all for the further info on ESLs and their workings - sounds like they were fascinating beasts!

Cheers,
Geoff

Putting the gap leads into operation sound pretty terrifying. 650V DC with the cable in your hands? How exactly were / are they deployed?

Best Wishes to all on this ever interesting forum.

Hugh

The leads are in pairs. One end plugs into the receptacle box provided on the side of each motor car, the other ends each have a metal plate which rests on top of the current rail, one +ve one -ve. The plates have wooden side protectors which help to keep them in place.

You have to deploy them so that the train gets power to move but in such a way that it won't run over them! Usually the train only has to move a short distance until it gets its shoes onto the current rails. You have to look first to where they are, particularly -ve, which is difficult to see under the train. Still, it's not difficult or frightening if you are careful. Since pre Electricity at Work Act, we were trained to work on the track with the juice on all the time, it was not an issue. We understood the risks. Points were clipped & scotched with the juice on and blokes used to clean section switches with the current on. They just stood on a rubber mat.

I don't know how you would manage gap leads now because, ISTR that the 95/96TS (92, others???) has a detector which stops the train if current goes through the receptacle box and the shoes at the same time. Can anyone confirm or update us on the process, please?

20227 is expected to arrive at Ruislip next Tuesday (29th May).

The earliest I would anticipate seeing the familiarisation runs taking place would be the Thursday of that week (31st May).

I imagine there will be a near full week of testing week commencing 4th June.

Thanks for the answers about gap leads. Very interesting.....but I still find the thought of working with those high DC voltages so close to hand somewhat awe inspiring. I've had a couple of bad dreams about walking near electrified track over the years. Out of interest how many properly trained underground workers have accidents with traction current?

I guess it's off topic, but one of the more disturbing jobs I've witnessed was some chaps making a 3 phase connection in a hole in the road. Rubber gloved hands, pouring lead and bitumen and only protected by a rubber matt and a little tent.

Best Wishes

Hugh

They're also really heavy and not easy to move around, as I found out as an apprentice when I was sent around the Bakerloo Line meggering them all!

Rough layout of the days events on June 10th - not being time specific, internal notice etc

ex NDT

HOH just after noon, to Amersham

hours recess

Amersham to Watford via NC (in and out of WF just after 14.00)

back to HOH, detrain around 14.30

to NDT, reverse then back to Rusilip Depot via HOH & RL

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned already on here, but SS finally turned out on the test run today (well yesterday now - Fri 1st), albeit a late start of around 80 mins!

I can't remember exactly what it did, but it certainly made it up to Amersham around 13.00 ish and may have gone to Watford at some point in the early afternoon.

Expect it to be out all next week

Sadly i am nights at the moment, but my a friend of mine sent this to me:



Seen at Amersham today.......

I hope that it's Connect2000 radio works!

I don't suppose any kind soul would happen to know if there's another test run on Tues 5th June? Sorry for asking but I'm on leave then and the opportunity would be too good to miss.

I would imagine so, however do not come chasing after me if it doesnt!