'Confessions from the Underground' (TV program)

[LCC106]

Was annoyed within the first 3 minutes when one guy moaned about 03:15 wake ups disturbing his sleep pattern. Goes with the job! :roll: Get another one if it's that much of a pain in the neck for you!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also agree that the use of actors is suspicious. If C4 have been allowed to film on the underground, surely it's not a whistleblowing film. Anyway, rant over...

 

[SS4]

Also agree that the use of actors is suspicious. If C4 have been allowed to film on the underground, surely it's not a whistleblowing film. Anyway, rant over...

I was hoping for a documentary a la "The Tube" but evidently it's a whistleblower.

You can tell from the voices that are used; the narrator is warm, the staff are expressive but the official statements are cold and impersonal.

 

[yorksrob]

I want to know what caused the dust cloud at Charing Cross !

 

[LCC106]

There's a cheeky answer to that one yorksrob but I don't want to get lynched!

 

[SS4]

I want to know what caused the dust cloud at Charing Cross !

Same.

 

[giblets]

Poor drivers, apparently not allowed to read a paper or a book when driving the train!

 

[Minilad]

Poor drivers, apparently not allowed to read a paper or a book when driving the train!

Not surprised. Would be too dark in them tunnels

 

[LCC106]

Is it really illegal to run a station with understaffing? Genuine question here. What law governs this?

 

[SS4]

I don't believe it!

 

[LCC106]

I don't believe it!

 

[yorksrob]

I thought it was quite an interesting programme.

I doubt the LU are the only industry who have to think of somewhere to temporarily to hide a body though. Thinking of hotels for one.

 

[WestCoast]

I doubt the LU are the only industry who have to think of somewhere to temporarily to hide a body though. Thinking of hotels for one.

It also happens when people die on aircraft (which unfortunately is more common than you might imagine).

 

[kylemore]

Bit of a demolition job with a wee feel good bit at the end!
Mind you if even half of what they say about maintainance is true then you have to worry.

 

[giblets]

I doubt the LU are the only industry who have to think of somewhere to temporarily to hide a body though. Thinking of hotels for one.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I want to know what caused the dust cloud at Charing Cross !

And what on Earth could fall down with enough force to buckle the fire doors?

I don't think it's a coincidence that the second dust cloud was immediately after someone heard rumbling bangs and then these doors were distorted; sounds like something collapsed in a disused shaft or tunnel somewhere?

 

[First class]

Is it really illegal to run a station with understaffing? Genuine question here. What law governs this?

The Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations) (England) Regulations 2009

Specifically, 10(2).

However, local risk assessment (which the fire brigade check and approve) may specify that more than the legal minimum number of staff are required.

Failing to conduct a thorough and appropriate risk assessment is likely to breach the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. Additionally, if a risk assessment deems that 5 members of staff should be on duty, (which exceeds the legal minimum), and only 3 turn up, if something happens, LU may face HSE charges for failing to comply with their own Risk Assessment.

 

[Laryk]

I want to know what caused the dust cloud at Charing Cross !

The only mention of any dust clouds at charing cross that I could find was an incident in which a train runs over a bag of rubble.

 

[jon0844]

That's rubbish! Do you think, in that scenario I described with pax not even allowed onto the down escalors at Liv St, and Marble Arch closed to westbound pax, was all done and dusted 15 minutes later? Dream on! My eastwards diversion to Stratford was about half an hour, Liv st back to Liv st, and Liv St was unchanged from as it had been when I left eastbound as we passed through westbound! So yes, hours to clear that!

If the station is so congested they've got to close the entrance (which I didn't recall seeing you stating) then I'll concur that you will be waiting a lot longer. Some stations have to do this fairly regularly, others will be only when something really bad has gone wrong. If I see a station closed to regulate the flow down to the platform, I'll either seek another mode of transport or find a Starbucks/pub and wait.

I think you're picking out one or two extreme examples here. When there has been any delay, it's fair to say that letting a few trains go through will mean the ones behind get gradually more free of people. Holding up the first train to try and fill every single gap is self-defeating as it just holds up the trains behind, which bunch up and then get stuck in tunnels as they can't proceed into the station which is held by more people fighting to get on/off.

 

[tsr]

If the station is so congested they've got to close the entrance (which I didn't recall seeing you stating) then I'll concur that you will be waiting a lot longer. Some stations have to do this fairly regularly, others will be only when something really bad has gone wrong. If I see a station closed to regulate the flow down to the platform, I'll either seek another mode of transport or find a Starbucks/pub and wait.

I think you're picking out one or two extreme examples here. When there has been any delay, it's fair to say that letting a few trains go through will mean the ones behind get gradually more free of people. Holding up the first train to try and fill every single gap is self-defeating as it just holds up the trains behind, which bunch up and then get stuck in tunnels as they can't proceed into the station which is held by more people fighting to get on/off.

I completely agree... except I prefer to use coffee shops other than Starbucks. Personal coffee preferences...

One thing I have noticed about Oxford Circus tube station is that there is often a queue stretching onto the pavement, but the staff frequently don't appear to actually close the station entrances - I think they are trying to prevent a panic if the station closure signs are illuminated, which look quite... off-putting! Staff sometimes stand on the pavement and direct people to Bond Street (of course, Bond Street is often jammed as well :roll: ).

 

[jon0844]

Oxford Street is one of the stations that is regularly shut isn't it? Isn't Holborn another?

In fact, the Central line is one of the worst - and Crossrail can't come soon enough.

Has anyone ever considered running one or two queue buster trains? I know some people would initially be upset, but running a train empty through to, say, Chancery Lane, could perhaps allow a large number of people to be moved very quickly. The problem with Chancery Lane is that so few people get off there, while at Oxford Street or Bond Street, I assume a fair few people do which does at least create some room.

 

[tsr]

And what on Earth could fall down with enough force to buckle the fire doors?

I don't think it's a coincidence that the second dust cloud was immediately after someone heard rumbling bangs and then these doors were distorted; sounds like something collapsed in a disused shaft or tunnel somewhere?

Buckling fire doors? That's got to be a large rockfall forcing air out of the way, I should think. I have never experienced anything like this in many years travelling on LU. I'd be inclined to leave the station pretty sharpish if it did happen! I'd also seriously consider getting the LFB there ASAP.

Either that, or a number of old WWII bombs exploded near-simultaneously. Stranger things have definitely happened.

(I haven't watched the video yet - sorry if I'm stating the obvious, or making up things that have already been ruled out.)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Oxford Street is one of the stations that is regularly shut isn't it? Isn't Holborn another?

In fact, the Central line is one of the worst - and Crossrail can't come soon enough.

Has anyone ever considered running one or two queue buster trains? I know some people would initially be upset, but running a train empty through to, say, Chancery Lane, could perhaps allow a large number of people to be moved very quickly. The problem with Chancery Lane is that so few people get off there, while at Oxford Street or Bond Street, I assume a fair few people do which does at least create some room.

Holborn station... yes, I believe it is prone to getting closed, although I rarely use it. But it's more than a few times that I have noticed that Oxford Circus isn't shut when it's congested. I know it is also actually closed from time to time during congestion, too.

The Central Line can indeed be chronic...

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Buckling fire doors? That's got to be a large rockfall forcing air out of the way, I should think. I have never experienced anything like this in many years travelling on LU. I'd be inclined to leave the station pretty sharpish if it did happen! I'd also seriously consider getting the LFB there ASAP.

Either that, or a number of old WWII bombs exploded near-simultaneously. Stranger things have definitely happened.

(I haven't watched the video yet - sorry if I'm stating the obvious, or making up things that have already been ruled out.)

You're not quoting anything that's been ruled out; we never got the reason for the station twice filling up with dust; only an official statement claiming a train ran over a bag of cement powder...:roll:

 

[Firestarter]

I don't believe it!

i didn't believe it either.

 

[yorksrob]

It also happens when people die on aircraft (which unfortunately is more common than you might imagine).

I always find flying quite stressful myself and it wouldn't surprise me that this might exacerbate existing medical problems for some people.

 

[Daniel]

I was hoping for a documentary a la "The Tube" but evidently it's a whistleblower.

That's coming soon...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2011/10_october/21/bbctwo.shtml

Also agree that the use of actors is suspicious. If C4 have been allowed to film on the underground, surely it's not a whistleblowing film. Anyway, rant over...

Doesn't look to me like they were allowed to film. They filmed two actors walking around a tube station at random wearing an old uniform shirt, untucked with no tie, and jeans. If they had permission to dress as members of staff from LU I do imagine they'd be given full uniform. The person acting as a line controller was only wearing a tie, nothing else uniform wise...

 

[DavyCrocket]

That's coming soon...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2011/10_october/21/bbctwo.shtml





Doesn't look to me like they were allowed to film. They filmed two actors walking around a tube station at random wearing an old uniform shirt, untucked with no tie, and jeans. If they had permission to dress as members of staff from LU I do imagine they'd be given full uniform. The person acting as a line controller was only wearing a tie, nothing else uniform wise...[/I]

Im wondering if they got the uniforms from a tv costume supplier and were either too scared or contractually couldnt use them on LU. Or perhaps uniform security. Needs reviewing!

 

[Daniel]

Im wondering if they got the uniforms from a tv costume supplier and were either too scared or contractually couldnt use them on LU. Or perhaps uniform security. Needs reviewing!

What went through my mind is that whoever """blew the whistle""" gave them an old shirt and a tie to use.

 

[Mojo]

The Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations) (England) Regulations 2009

Specifically, 10(2).

However, local risk assessment (which the fire brigade check and approve) may specify that more than the legal minimum number of staff are required.

Failing to conduct a thorough and appropriate risk assessment is likely to breach the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. Additionally, if a risk assessment deems that 5 members of staff should be on duty, (which exceeds the legal minimum), and only 3 turn up, if something happens, LU may face HSE charges for failing to comply with their own Risk Assessment.

Slight amendment, as someone who used to work for LUL and worked specifically on minimum staffing levels.

Section 10(2) of The Fire Precautions (Sub-Surface Railway Stations) (England) Regulations 2009, only specifies that a minimum of two members of staff must be provided at all sub-surface stations and for a large number of stations this is sufficient. However Section 15(1) of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires “a sufficient number of competent persons to implement [procedures which] relate to the evacuation of relevant persons from the premises.” At the majority of stations this can be met with the legal minimum of two, but at particularly complex and/or large stations additional staff will be required.

Every station on the network has a Congestion Control and Emergency Plan (CCEP) which provides much of the information for the management of that station in the event of an emergency. Within each of these CCEPs the minimum staffing level is detailed.

 

[whhistle]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this but:

Program = Computer Program.
Programme = TV Programme.

 

[jon0844]

Surely program is US English and programme is British English, thus interchangeable?

Sent from my Commodore 64 using Tapatalk