Connect Radio

The current status is that it should have been delivered in 2000, but is running a little late.

The East London line has it - with the Circle, District and H&C next to get it........................*possibly* by the end of this year.

Once those 3 lines recieve it, the others are *supposed* to follow in quick succession

Connect has also been discussed in THIS THREAD.

The cables have already been laid throughout the entire network - AFAIK it won't be 'leaky feeder' as that would defeat the object of Connect being a secure system. Whilst I haven't actually read through it, THIS WEBSITE may be of use.

As for the Waterloo & City, it would appear to make sense to have connect up & running on it's return - but don't forget it's drivers are supplied by the Central line. I would imagine that the W&C would therefore coincide with introduction on the Central.

If you look at the site COLIN mentioned (thanks for that!) you see the system uses AES block cipher for encryption, no need to worry about the encryption then, when it is implemented right. Which I trust it will, it's an international standard tried, tested and used around the world, even for critical stuff like law enforcement.

Apart from encryption I expect there will be some form of authentication so a device that says it is device 'X' is indeed device 'X'. You'd want that if you want the radio to replace the current 'passing a signal at danger after authorisation through conventional phone line' practice.

That is the latest date for Connect 2000

I went for a wander round the other day and there are quite a few despatcher terminals installed, but nothing where I am, where we will have both systems for a "number" of months.

We have all got dates to re-do our connect training, as the six months validity has long gone

I'm starting to deliver connect again from Monday. It looks like its going to be earlier than November now. Whips are a cracking. ;)I've seen trackside workers working like bees on connect in many locations over the last few days.

Re-do That implies you have seen the kit and been through some kind of familiarisation before

We are meant to be going live in October - if you read the other thread you will see that I am not as optimistic. A large chunk of the issue(s) that would have delayed Connect further have been, shall we say, worked around. Space has been found for Connect and for a renewal of our equipment.

Getting even less cynical, the first few of our people to do the training have been pretty impressed at what they have seen (and they sent the most cynical ones first - my training is next week ;D )

I wouldn't be surprised if in five years most wonder how they ever managed without.

Techno what... 90's As for terminals, haven't seen any yet ;D

I take it that the C stock will continue using the old system until connect is live on the Met/C&H, or will they use both...

No I didn't. I don't work for LU or any of it's contractors, although it may very well be possible somewhere in the future.

In fact I do specialise in getting complex technical operations going and getting people 'on board' so I think I can understand the issues and fears a bit. Changes like this to an existing system and organisation are part technical and part plain human.

I think there are a few things I can say for sure now. The system will fail, a couple of times, just like any other scheme involving wires and more than three people will do occasionally. Some people (cynics?) will say that it would never have happened with the old system, they may be right for the typical problem at the time but tend to forget the things the old system lacked and forget the breakdowns the old system had. There will be people who didn't like it at first, started to like it over time but will never admit it. There will be people who couldn't wait for it to be introduced, started to see minor flaws over time but will never admit it.

If you try to look at the current system from a distance, you can see some things are a bit odd and in need of improvement, to say the least. Try to explain to someone who's never been in London before that apart from the BTP no police, ambulance service or firefighters can communicate on a system that transports millions of people a day and has been the object of terrorism before. From a line controller point of view, imagine alerting four trains at the same time that there's a train in front of them that's a bit slow and that bunching can be prevented if they all kept speed just a tiny bit down. That's a whole lot better than having to throw a signal at danger for minutes while the T/Op is wondering why he is held. Imagine alerting all trains and stations on a specific line that a lady has forgotten a specific brand blue and white bag on the Circle 15 minutes ago and that there is no reason for a security alert if it is discovered.

Now, I don't have any operational experience on LU but these are just a few things that come to mind, anyone working on the operational side can probably think of dozens of situations where he or she wanted to be able to just contact a specific train/station/driver/engineer/control room/etc. etc. instantly.

By the way, I read your concerns about drivers using the thing as a convenient way to chat. That's is something that's not desirable, I agree, but I'm sure that can be resolved by explaining why it is not desired and being strict about it. From what I read, everyone involved in railways has some obsession with safety. Most people weren't born that way but learn the reasons and procedures by understanding the need for it, I'm quite sure that will work here as well.

Hhhmmm... seems I wrote a bit more than I originally intended. ;D

I'm just delivering the west end of the District line. Mr. Solidbond seems to be my east end counterpart. Glad we've both got the same information. I've just worked out i'm on a weeks leave on switch on day too.

ADW, have you had your training yet?

No.

I was at Ricky when the connect team came round to see where all the kit could go as we will be able to talk to drivers in our area, and they pointed out that the monitor would not be flat screen, as all the kit was purchased in the 90s when such things we take for granted now were not really about.

If they had something like the MEL uses, that would be good.

Well Wayne, it's the end of the week and I don't feel trained! ;D