Inspector Sands at London Bridge Tuesday 16th November

[Railcar]

There was an announcement for Inspector Sands at London Bridge Station at 14.50 today (Tuesday 16th November)
"Will Inspector Sands please report to 'Bockan'? House West North"
('Bockan' is the best that I can make of the word that was spoken)
The announcement was repeated continuously for a minute or so.

What was the emergency? Where and what is that location?

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Fire alarm, probably an alarm test

 

[800001]

Most large stations have a pre-alarm, which gives a couple of minutes from fire alarm activating to the alarms actually sounding.

Inspector Sands plays out to advise staff that an alarm has activated.(also plays in tests).
This gives the relevant staff a few minutes to verify of the alarm is genuine or false, and can cancel the fire alarm if it is a false activation.

 

[Efini92]

He gets everywhere bit like that bloke Gideon that’s always leaving his bible in hotel rooms

 

[weepingwillowb]

The A&E department I used to work in would put out an announcement most early mornings, "Mrs Brown to cubicle xx" [whichever cubicle there was tea and toast for the staff who'd worked through the night].

 

[alf]

When

 

[adamello]

When

I imagine

at 14.50 today (Tuesday 16th November)

 

[AlastairFraser]

Standard coded announcement at large buildings or events. The Mad Stad in Reading has a Mr "Green Space" (let's say that) has left the building as a warning.

 

[D365]

Several station alarms were going off yesterday too. Related to Tuesday at all?

 

[asw22]

I first heard about Inspector Sands at Leeds Rail Station
Makes sense if it is a fire alarm alert

 

[Lockwood]

Standard coded announcement at large buildings or events. The Mad Stad in Reading has a Mr "Green Space" (let's say that) has left the building as a warning.

I've been at a sporting venue where the codeword was not really that subtle - it may as well have been Mr Codeword. I will say that it is Mr Codeword for this post.
I was there as they were doing a game after a reasonable amount of time not playing, and they were testing all the safety systems. A rather tinny voice played out over the speakers - clearly a recording and not a live voice... "Would Mr Codeword please report to reception. Mr Codeword report to reception. This is not a drill. Would Mr Codeword report to reception. This is not a drill."

There are so many things wrong with that announcement, it's hard to know where to begin!

 

[AlastairFraser]

I've been at a sporting venue where the codeword was not really that subtle - it may as well have been Mr Codeword. I will say that it is Mr Codeword for this post.
I was there as they were doing a game after a reasonable amount of time not playing, and they were testing all the safety systems. A rather tinny voice played out over the speakers - clearly a recording and not a live voice... "Would Mr Codeword please report to reception. Mr Codeword report to reception. This is not a drill. Would Mr Codeword report to reception. This is not a drill."

There are so many things wrong with that announcement, it's hard to know where to begin!

Indeed, some are not so good at it, especially the smaller venues, but it depends how well policed the match in terms of crowd control and the size of the crowd. It should be a standard part of emergency procedures and well-rehearsed, but I think a lot of ground staff are too busy containing half the people that pass for fans nowadays.

 

[mtmikethom]

There was an announcement for Inspector Sands at London Bridge Station at 14.50 today (Tuesday 16th November)
"Will Inspector Sands please report to 'Bockan'? House West North"
('Bockan' is the best that I can make of the word that was spoken)
The announcement was repeated continuously for a minute or so.

What was the emergency? Where and what is that location?

The "will Inspector Sands report to the operations room" message has been used on the London Underground (for example) for around 30 years, it indicates an alarm has been activated whether it be a pushable call point or a smoke alarm etc. (including tests), it would usually give staff a couple minutes to acknowledge it before an evacuation message blasts out if not acknowledged, I believe on many large Mainline Stations the approximite location of the relevant alarm is given in the message as well. In my time working on the Underground apart from tests 99% of the alarms & Inspector Sands messages were faults, people either pressing the call points for fun or accidentally along with the odd food left under the grill too long. Its highly likely what you heard was a test or accidental or malicious call point activation

 

[contrex]

The A&E department I used to work in would put out an announcement most early mornings, "Mrs Brown to cubicle xx" [whichever cubicle there was tea and toast for the staff who'd worked through the night].

My wife worked in a hospital where the cleaning staff were summoned to incontinence incidents by being told of a 'brown alert' or a 'yellow alert'. Also if a patient had passed away the place where they were taken to (the mortuary) was referred to as 'Rose Cottage'.

 

[tomwills98]

I think Cardiff Central's is "will the inspector of the line please come to the carriage depot"

 

[Kingston Flyer]

I think Cardiff Central's is "will the inspector of the line please come to the carriage depot"

Thanks tomwills98, I was trying to work out what was amiss with the announcement quoted in OP

 

[weepingwillowb]

My wife worked in a hospital where the cleaning staff were summoned to incontinence incidents by being told of a 'brown alert' or a 'yellow alert'. Also if a patient had passed away the place where they were taken to (the mortuary) was referred to as 'Rose Cottage'.

If a patient passed away in A&E where I worked, the porters would eventually be called over the tannoy to take said ex-patient to "Ward 13" [the mortuary].

 

[contrex]

"Ward 13" [the mortuary].

Unlucky for some. . .

If a patient passed away in A&E where I worked

Incidentally, when did we stop 'dying' and start 'passing away'? I say it myself, must be a modern thing.

 

[43096]

I think Cardiff Central's is "will the inspector of the line please come to the carriage depot"

It certainly used to be something like that. Might have been “superintendent of the line”.

Given all the klaxon type noises that invariably accompany these announcements it seems a bit pointless using code names!

 

[londonbridge]

In one of my old supermarket jobs, when we had a shoplifter or a security alert, depending on who was on the customer service desk, you would get either “code (number), code (number)” in a slow and calm voice, or “code (number) customer service”!, shouted in a fast, panicky voice

 

[ComUtoR]

Given all the klaxon type noises that invariably accompany these announcements it seems a bit pointless using code names!

Just having an alarm sounding may have little value as not everyone would be able to recognise a local fire alarm. A fire alarm going off in a building may cause panic because after the initial hesitation some may decide its real so get the hell out of there.

Having an audible cue along with the klaxon gives it context. Having these coded messages gives those responsible the ability to act without causing panic. If it was a false alarm then everyone goes about their day none the wiser. If something is discovered then they can act accordingly and control any situation that may be happening.

 

[Horizon22]

The "will Inspector Sands report to the operations room" message has been used on the London Underground (for example) for around 30 years, it indicates an alarm has been activated whether it be a pushable call point or a smoke alarm etc. (including tests), it would usually give staff a couple minutes to acknowledge it before an evacuation message blasts out if not acknowledged, I believe on many large Mainline Stations the approximite location of the relevant alarm is given in the message as well. In my time working on the Underground apart from tests 99% of the alarms & Inspector Sands messages were faults, people either pressing the call points for fun or accidentally along with the odd food left under the grill too long. Its highly likely what you heard was a test or accidental or malicious call point activation

Its exactly that - "Will Inspector Sands please report to [general incident location]". It allows staff to investigate the fault or activation of a device in a set time before the evacuation process is started. Control room teams will have the exact details of the fault and direct people there. There are normally thousands of call points or detectors at a multi-platform station or London terminus, many integrated with nearby or adjacent buildings. As you say most are a fault or someone in a retail unit being a bit eager with the grill!

 

[Tractor86]

Funny you should post this. There was an “inspector sands to the mangers office” or something similar in Manchester Victoria last Wednesday afternoon

 

[AlterEgo]

Strange anachronism really - as if there would be a policeman of inspector rank on most stations now (!)

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Strange anachronism really - as if there would be a policeman of inspector rank on most stations now (!)

Plenty of railway inspectors about, though...?

 

[the sniper]

Strange anachronism really - as if there would be a policeman of inspector rank on most stations now (!)

I don't think it's that unusual at major stations with a BTP base? Pretty sure a previous version of the BTP website used to list each base with the name of the Inspector or Sergeant (at small stations) in charge.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

I thought Inspector Sands was only a London Underground thing and that on the Overground the coded message was "Would Mr Neptune please go to the town centre immediately"?

I hope Inspector Sands isn't putting Mr Neptune out of work; surely there's room on the railways for them both?

 

[ExRes]

When I joined the railway at the beginning of the 90s I was told that Inspector Sands was a secret codeword known only to railway staff and was used so that passengers wouldn't be panicked by the announcement, I actually wonder now how many rail users are not aware of its use, the only surprising thing for me is that the aged Inspector hasn't been pensioned off and replaced by a much lower and cheaper rank

 

[Parallel]

I’ve heard Inspector Sands at both Chester and London Euston, but those are the only stations. I must be good at avoiding testing/false alarms/fires!

 

[vlad]

I've heard it once - at Old Street station.

The Inspector can't have made himself known as the fire alarm went off whilst I was standing on the platform. Technically I did leave the station as requested, albeit on the Northern Line.