Inspector Sands at Finsbury Park 19/12/23

[Railcar]

At 13.55 today (December 19th) "Inspector Sands to the Operations Room" was booming out all over Finsbury Park station. My train was about to leave so I never found out what the emergency was. Any ideas?

 

[andythebrave]

Code for fire alarm activated but evacuation not necessary. Usually because it's only one sensor.

 

[Horizon22]

Probably wasn't an emergency. "Inspector Sands" is the step before a full evacuation and gives time for the staff to investigate the fire alarm activation

 

[6Gman]

At 13.55 today (December 19th) "Inspector Sands to the Operations Room" was booming out all over Finsbury Park station. My train was about to leave so I never found out what the emergency was. Any ideas?

You should have said hello for me.

He used to work at Manchester Piccadilly.


And Lime Street.


And New Street.


And Crewe.


And ...

 

[Bevan Price]

He was still at Lime Street a few weeks ago !!!!

 

[sprunt]

Why is "Inspector Sands" still in use? It was presumably introduced as a way of communicating that there's a (potential) incident without alarming the public, but everyone knows what it means now so why bother?

 

[ExRes]

Why is "Inspector Sands" still in use? It was presumably introduced as a way of communicating that there's a (potential) incident without alarming the public, but everyone knows what it means now so why bother?

Why is he even working? he must be well past retirement age by now, either that or he was promoted Inspector at a very early age ......

 

[Somewhere]

Why is "Inspector Sands" still in use? It was presumably introduced as a way of communicating that there's a (potential) incident without alarming the public, but everyone knows what it means now so why bother?

Because how long would it take, and how difficult would it be, to brief all staff about the change of name? And the cost of upgrading systems.
So what if the public know what it means? Its hardly a state secret

 

[kaysha]

I suspect 99% of the general public dont read this forum and are not aware

 

[sprunt]

I suspect 99% of the general public dont read this forum and are not aware

You don't need to read this forum to know what Inspector Sands means, it's common knowledge.

And I'm not suggesting a new name, I'm suggesting doing away with the code altogether.

 

[londonbridge]

I think some people may work out it’s an emergency alert code based on several occasions where I’ve heard it playing every thirty seconds or so for about five minutes.

 

[Bletchleyite]

You don't need to read this forum to know what Inspector Sands means, it's common knowledge.

And I'm not suggesting a new name, I'm suggesting doing away with the code altogether.

Office buildings seem to announce a more descriptive thing these days, something like "We are presently investigating a fire alarm activation. You do not need to evacuate yet, but please be prepared to do so if necessary."

This might be more useful, I doubt it will cause panic but it may prevent someone for instance deciding it's a good time to go to the toilet or start ordering food.

I think some people may work out it’s an emergency alert code based on several occasions where I’ve heard it playing every thirty seconds or so for about five minutes.

Yes, it's normally played loud, repetitively and with an alarm like sound (two tones if I recall the last time I heard it) so it's obvious it isn't a code for someone to come and clear a spilt cup of coffee up or something.

 

[Horizon22]

You don't need to read this forum to know what Inspector Sands means, it's common knowledge.

And I'm not suggesting a new name, I'm suggesting doing away with the code altogether.

I think you may have a slightly different concept of “common”. Is the information easily publicly available? Yes. Do the majority of the British public know about the meaning if you asked them? No.

 

[sprunt]

Do the majority of the British public know about the meaning if you asked them? No.

I disagree. They may not know the exact meaning, but it's well known as a phrase meaning "Something's going on" - I certainly knew that long before I ever visited this forum. There's a play with it in the title. There's a band called Inspector Sands. There's a beer called Inspector Sands. It's everywhere.

 

[John Luxton]

Are there any other code words apart from Inspector Sands used on station PAs?

I know passenger ships often use code words though they can vary by operator.

 

[Efini92]

Why is he even working? he must be well past retirement age by now, either that or he was promoted Inspector at a very early age ......

He travels to other dimensions to recruit the next inspector sands, Red Dwarf parodied it with Ace Rimmer

 

[CharlieSpotted]

He travels to other dimensions to recruit the next inspector sands, Red Dwarf parodied it with Ace Rimmer

Maybe the alarm's gone off because someone's smoking a kipper?

 

[duffield]

Why is he even working? he must be well past retirement age by now, either that or he was promoted Inspector at a very early age ......

Inspector Sands is just undergoing a 16th regeneration, so their age/sex/ethnicity is currently unknown.

 

[StoneRoad]

Brings to mind the various "Staff Call xxx" : "Duty Supervisor call zzz" or "Will Mr 'Smith' ring extn 1234 "announcements that have been [and probably still are] used to alert and co-ordinate staff responses to a range of situations.

I was working, not quite in the full glare of a public facing role, during the mainland bombing campaign and several other periods of "heightened security" and remember training about a number of events involving such tannoy calls.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Office buildings seem to announce a more descriptive thing these days, something like "We are presently investigating a fire alarm activation. You do not need to evacuate yet, but please be prepared to do so if necessary."

I wouldn't advise using the word "fire" in any way in any announcement in a station. If it's the only clear word a number of people hear, that would guarantee a panic starts.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I wouldn't advise using the word "fire" in any way in any announcement in a station. If it's the only clear word a number of people hear, that would guarantee a panic starts.

"An alarm activation" then.

 

[Horizon22]

I disagree. They may not know the exact meaning, but it's well known as a phrase meaning "Something's going on" - I certainly knew that long before I ever visited this forum. There's a play with it in the title. There's a band called Inspector Sands. There's a beer called Inspector Sands. It's everywhere.

I think you are significantly overestimating general knowledge - the majority of the country doesn’t even travel by train at all.

 

[kaysha]

I think you are significantly overestimating general knowledge - the majority of the country doesn’t even travel by train at all.

Quite. If you asked 100 random people who or what is inspector sands I suspect a goodly number of people would take a stab at a character out of a touch of Frost, Dixon of Dock green or any other police drama past or present.

 

[Jimini]

"An alarm activation" then.

Aye, that’s what’s used in our building irrespective of the cause (fire / bomb alert etc.). Also does the “be prepared to move / please leave the building” bit when needed following on from the initial announcement. Keeps people calm(er).

 

[AM9]

Maybe the alarm's gone off because someone's smoking a kipper?

Well it was too late for breakfast yesterday.

 

[AdamWW]

Quite. If you asked 100 random people who or what is inspector sands I suspect a goodly number of people would take a stab at a character out of a touch of Frost, Dixon of Dock green or any other police drama past or present.

I'd certainly be surprised if the majority of people - even regular rail users - was aware of this. I shall have to ask people I know.

Yes, it's normally played loud, repetitively and with an alarm like sound (two tones if I recall the last time I heard it) so it's obvious it isn't a code for someone to come and clear a spilt cup of coffee up or something.

Also a bit of a giveaway when they announce they are going to test the fire alarms, followed by the poor inspector being summoned in turn to points all over the station.

 

[Mojo]

Why is "Inspector Sands" still in use? It was presumably introduced as a way of communicating that there's a (potential) incident without alarming the public, but everyone knows what it means now so why bother?

I’m sceptical that this is the real reason. It seems commonly stated that this is the reason but it doesn’t seem to be anything official. It sounds like one of those things that enough people have said so it has become true.

The purpose of Inspector Sands is a “pre alarm,” to alert staff that they need to investigate the fact the alarm has investigated but not evacuate the station.

Are there any other code words apart from Inspector Sands used on station PAs?

When I worked at Birmingham New Street station the announcement was “Staff Call One Hundred” instead of Inspector Sands. No idea why they used it there and I’ve not heard anywhere else. Not sure if this is still used since the station refurb.

 

[CharlieSpotted]

When I worked at Birmingham New Street station the announcement was “Staff Call One Hundred” instead of Inspector Sands. No idea why they used it there and I’ve not heard anywhere else. Not sure if this is still used since the station refurb.

Yep, it most certainly is, I've heard it. After that's repeated a good few times there was another one that was a bit more ominous that said something like "Please stand by for further instructions".

 

[AdamWW]

Why is "Inspector Sands" still in use? It was presumably introduced as a way of communicating that there's a (potential) incident without alarming the public, but everyone knows what it means now so why bother?

I’m sceptical that this is the real reason. It seems commonly stated that this is the reason but it doesn’t seem to be anything official. It sounds like one of those things that enough people have said so it has become true.

The purpose of Inspector Sands is a “pre alarm,” to alert staff that they need to investigate the fact the alarm has investigated but not evacuate the station.

Aren't you both saying essentially the same thing?

It's letting staff know that a fire alarm has been activated in a way that doesn't alarm people in the station.

I find it very hard to understand why they would have started to use the phrase "Inspector Sands" if not in an attempt to obscure the meaning.

 

[43096]

Aren't you both saying essentially the same thing?

It's letting staff know that a fire alarm has been activated in a way that doesn't alarm people in the station.

I find it very hard to understand why they would have started to use the phrase "Inspector Sands" if not in an attempt to obscure the meaning.

But it is pretty obvious that something is going on to the average passenger as the announcement sounds different, is normally accompanied by various beeping/klaxon noises and is repeated.

ISTR Cardiff Central’s version was something like “Would the Superintendent of the Line please go to the carriage sidings”.