Inspector Sands

[HH]

Rather sweeping generalisation there...And also one that wouldn't apply at most commuter terminals I suspect, due to the very nature of the way the diagrams are worked meaning that the trains aren't generally "ready to depart" much more than five minutes before booked time.

Each station should have an evacuation plan detailing what to do in the event of needing to detrain passengers during an evacuation.

And if the controlling signalbox is co-located with the station, such as at Marylebone, Liverpool Street and Kings Cross, I'd expect the 'box to be evacuated along with everyone else, so you'd get no more train movements in the controlled area until such time as the signallers were back in place.

Actually it is the case at Liverpool Street last I knew; in the peak trains are generally only available around 10 minutes before departure, and in most cases the driver is already on board at that time - most trains come off the depot and the driver is not due a break.

But yes, it is a sweeping generalisation.

 

[A-driver]

Sorry but you can't evacuate a station by train in a fire! Would be chaos-by foot is the safest way.

Where do you send all the trains for a start? There is a time table for a reason-it means that trains have a path time to run to where ever they are going. To try sending loads of trains out if a terminal as quickly as possible just wouldn't work. In a fire you need people out ASAP and the fastest method is by foot.

 

[londonbridge]

I think quite a lot of business with customer-facing parts have code words, don't they? In the two retail shops I've worked in (both for the same company) we have universal code words issued by the company, which IME are ignored and replaced with other ones, as I'm sure the hardened criminals would know the code words by now if they hear them too much!

I volunteer in a charity shop, when on the till and/or shop floor we have a code word to use for a security problem or shoplifter alert but with volunteers coming and going not everyone knows what it is. Was on the till and a bloke who is known to have stolen from local shops came in, got on the intercom to the sort room and used the code word but the volunteer who answered didn't know what I meant, by the time I'd managed to get them to send the manager down the bloke had picked up several items and gone straight out the door.

 

[dvboy]

A fire alarm calling for evacuation went off in Wolverhampton Bus Station yesterday. No mass panic, people just stood around bewilderered (I'd be surprised if any significant fire requiring full evacuation could break out in a big cold airy building built of steel and glass).

 

[jon0844]

Most stations do seem pretty fire proof. I guess that you're probably more likely to have a fire that involves a train (especially a diesel one) than other parts of the station.

 

[island]

The inspector was paged at Euston LU around 2005 this evening, and shortly afterwards the gateline was closed.

 

[HH]

Sorry but you can't evacuate a station by train in a fire!

Wasn't suggesting that you did. You'd better re-read what I wrote.

 

[Welshman]

Mrs Welshman and I travelled on Eurostar from St Pancras last week, and whilst wating in the departure lounge about 11am, there was a warning that the fire-alarm was about to be tested and we should pay no attention.

I couldn't help but smile when even there, the presence of the ubiquitous Inspector Sands was requested.

That was then followed by another announcement, saying the test had been successful, and any further fire-alarm should indeed be heeded.......

Incidentally, my late Mother used to work as an usherette in a local cinema, and learned their equivalent of "Inspector Sands" was the playing of the "Dambuster's March"

So, on hearing Eric Coates' famous music, the message was "get the people out of there asap!"

 

[WelshZ]

Has there ever been a case where there has been a person called inspector sands being caught out by the announcement, say a police officer called joe sands (no offense if there is actually a person by this name!). Just a thought I had?

 

[causton]

I volunteer in a charity shop, when on the till and/or shop floor we have a code word to use for a security problem or shoplifter alert but with volunteers coming and going not everyone knows what it is. Was on the till and a bloke who is known to have stolen from local shops came in, got on the intercom to the sort room and used the code word but the volunteer who answered didn't know what I meant, by the time I'd managed to get them to send the manager down the bloke had picked up several items and gone straight out the door.

Indeed, that is always a risk, which reminds me, a few new people started today. Will have to make sure they understand it as well!

 

[londonbridge]

The inspector was paged at Euston LU around 2005 this evening, and shortly afterwards the gateline was closed.

Good job I came through Euston LU at 1805 then!

 

[Charlie2555]

I heard it repeated at Angel Tube Station (I think), just an automated repeating sound but I always wondered what it was for!