Inspector Sands at Man Picc

[Merseysider]

11.10 am and on the tannoy comes a repeated request "Will Inspector Sands please go to the main office".

However nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary - no fights, no smoke, not even an angry baby.

What sort of things can require the attention of 'Inspector Sands' that may not be immediately obvious to the general public?

And if anyone knows the cause of today's alert, I'd be intrigued!

 

[Trothy]

"Inspector Sands" is a message to let those on the ground know there has been a stage 1 fire alarm activation. That could be a break glass or a heat/smoke detector. The person in the control room has to identify the activation point and acknowledge it for the message to stop repeating. If they don't acknowledge within approx 2 mins the system automatically jumps into full evacuation mode.

 

[Merseysider]

"Inspector Sands" is a message to let those on the ground know there has been a stage 1 fire alarm activation. That could be a break glass or a heat/smoke detector. The person in the control room has to identify the activation point and acknowledge it for the message to stop repeating. If they don't acknowledge within approx 2 mins the system automatically jumps into full evacuation mode.

Thanks for such a thorough answer. We didn't get full evacuation mode (that would have been fun!) so I can only assume it was a false alarm or a minor incident that was dealt with by ground staff.

 

[tsr]

There are other reasons why the Inspector Sands message can be played, too, in some stations - usually as a precursor to evacuation for other reasons - but I don't know if Manchester Piccadilly is one of them.

 

[Thomas6187]

The system at Piccadilly is tested every Monday between 11-12

 

[Merseysider]

There are other reasons why the Inspector Sands message can be played, too, in some stations - usually as a precursor to evacuation for other reasons - but I don't know if Manchester Piccadilly is one of them.

So is Inspector Sands only summoned at stations, or do depots / trains with onboard staff etc also play the message?

It's quite clever really, avoiding the public panicking due to a fire alarm.

 

[Bertie the bus]

It's not that clever and is also fairly well known, in London anyway.

Several years ago, before it was free, Friday's Evening Standard used to come with a magazine which each week contained an article on the Tube and one of the articles went into detail regarding Inspector Sands.

It's really quite disconcerting when you hear that message on the Underground. They might as well play a recording of the bloke from Dad's Army shouting 'Don't panic! Don't Panic!'

 

[tsr]

So is Inspector Sands only summoned at stations, or do depots / trains with onboard staff etc also play the message?

It's quite clever really, avoiding the public panicking due to a fire alarm.

As far as I know, it's only at stations, given depots shouldn't usually have members of the public present, and trains would probably have other pre-set messages. I may be wrong though.

 

[91103eastcoast]

When an Inspector Sands announcement is triggered, does it silence other announcements?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

When an Inspector Sands announcement is triggered, does it silence other announcements?

Should Inspector Sands have a hologram (an hologram?) to accompany the message? - see related thread about hologram nuisance.

 

[6Gman]

What if Inspector Brian Sands joins the staff?

Does he have to change his name by deed poll?



"Hello, I'm Brian Dontpanicbutthefirealarmhasjustgoneoff."

 

[RailAleFan]

"Mr Sands" is used in theatres in some way or another to subtly alert cast / crew to initiate emergency procedures.

I presumed (as is also mentioned on WikiPedia) that it is some kind of throwback to when sand buckets were used before modern fire extinguishers.

 

[EM2]

It was Mr Burns when I worked in a cinema. Although when I once said to the manager, 'I think Mr Burns is in tonight', he looked at me blankly and just said 'Who?'

 

[Mojo]

Is it actually to stop people panicking, or is that just one of those statements that people say it must be true because it's repeated so often? Because as far as I'm concerned it's the only way for staff to tell that, for example, a call point or detector has been activated, unless they are stood by the fire control panel.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Is it actually to stop people panicking, or is that just one of those statements that people say it must be true because it's repeated so often? Because as far as I'm concerned it's the only way for staff to tell that, for example, a call point or detector has been activated, unless they are stood by the fire control panel.

If it wasn't an attempt to try and stop people panicking there would be no point obfuscating the message and it would just be "fire call point activated".

 

[GatwickDepress]

"Would Mr. Neptune please go to the town centre immediately."

 

[Merseysider]

"Would Mr. Neptune please go to the town centre immediately."

Neptune = god of water = presumably same purpose as Inspector Sands?

 

[Mojo]

If it wasn't an attempt to try and stop people panicking there would be no point obfuscating the message and it would just be "fire call point activated".

It isn't necessarily a fire call point that has been activated though; more a generic message that something has been activated that needs someone to go and investigate, and either make a decision to reset, or evacuate.

 

[Chris Wallis]

Inspector Sands got a 'shout' at St. Pancras on Thursday (21/08). I was already half way down the platform when the call to evacuate was announced.

By the time I got to the gates it had been cancelled. I was a bit suspicious as they were still allowing trains into the station!

I have been on the Underground when 'He' (I presume he's male?) got a call and I agree, it is disconcerting...especially when you have your children with you!

 

[edwin_m]

When I was at St Pancras last week they were just announcing they were about to test the system and all evacuation announcements should be ignored.

 

[Chris Wallis]

When I was at St Pancras last week they were just announcing they were about to test the system and all evacuation announcements should be ignored.

Yeah, they said something similar after Thursdays announcement. But said it was a fault with the system.

 

[PHILIPE]

This has cropped up on the Forum in the past. At Cardiff Central you sometimes hear - "Will the Superintendent of the Line report to the Carriage Depot". I once complained about this repeating and repeating to the point of being annoying and the reply said that it was a safety announcement.

 

[kevconnor]

Yeah, they said something similar after Thursdays announcement. But said it was a fault with the system.

Some of them can be quite blunt, as a student I worked at a department store and it use to have the call 'would a Mr Big please report to ...." whenever there was an incident at a particular location. Not really the most subtle of descriptions.

 

[jon0844]

It's not that clever and is also fairly well known, in London anyway.

Especially when you're told of an upcoming fire alarm test, and to ignore the instructions - which is then followed by the Inspector Sands call (thus telling everyone what it is) and then a final 'test over - now don't ignore any more messages' broadcast.

Of course, only people at the station around 11am on whatever day(s) of the week the testing is done would know!

 

[Essexman]

Inspector Sands was called to 'The country end of Platform 8' at Paddington this morning. There was an alarm sounding briefly too. I suspect it was because a lady was ill on the platform.

 

[Hebden Bridger]

This has cropped up on the Forum in the past. At Cardiff Central you sometimes hear - "Will the Superintendent of the Line report to the Carriage Depot". I once complained about this repeating and repeating to the point of being annoying and the reply said that it was a safety announcement.

Is this repeated in Welsh?

 

[Lockwood]

I've been at venues where Mr Sands was a package, and Mr Fox was a fire.
A venue I was recently at had Mr Sands for a fire and Mr Ahmed :roll: for a package. They have since changed that for another codeword.

 

[mirodo]

Is this repeated in Welsh?

Can't answer that, but I have heard the Inspector Sands message being repeated in French at St Pancras.

 

[6Gman]

Is this repeated in Welsh?

Arolygydd Tywod?

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Since the use of a code name is recognised in public as far back as the movie Airport (1970) (and maybe its book), I wonder how far back these code names actually go?

Warrington Bank Quay is a good place for announcements because they drift over all day from the plant opposite, had several announcements for people to visit the security office immediately. I guess when you see locals start to run away then you get worried!