How Not To Make A PA.

The service today was a bit crap, ok very crap, what with congestion in the Edgware Road area (which means the train ops were piss balling about as usual) and the Metropolitan service having to be suspended to reduce congestion in the city.

Unfortunately I was getting a bit fed up with doing the PA's, this was because the service literally changed every five to ten minutes and after 15 PA's, I'd challenge anyone to stay sane.

I had a bit of a hiccup with this one.

But this one was a complete no no and I thought I had actually cancelled it after my bit of a rant.

Be careful with the last one as the language is a bit ripe.

None of these were broadcast live to the travelling public especially the second PA as I would definitely lose my job.

UPDATE: Now converted to an mp3

Help Needed.

I'm trying to post a couple of sound bites on my blog, but unfortunately I don't know how to.

Can any one who reads my blog please contact me and let me know how.

Zorro Buys A Round.

This is proof that one of my colleagues who has a bit of a reputation for being shall we say MISERLY, actually bought a round.

He gave the bar person a crisp, okay maybe not so crisp £5 note and then waited for change, he looked on aghast when the bar person came back and said he needed more as there were six of us drinking, it took lots of persuasion on our half to get him to actually buy a round in the first place.

The bar staff weren't to happy with the amount of dust, fluff and moths that flew up in the air from his wallet, but in the end, we can finally say he bought us a drink.

Permission has been given by my colleague to let me post his picture, as long as I don't forward the link to his wife, as she wont believe it either.

I Want One Of Those!!!

Please Mister Manager can I have one of these at my station, we are having a refurbishment so it wont take much.

Shed Head

I've struggled to stay awake today, my head feels like a big shed all empty and vapid, and what with an uncomfortable nights sleep, I think an early night will be called into action tonight.

Hopefully I can sleep right through until 4:30

What A Monday...

Problems, problems, problems.

The service was dire, I hadn't even been in work 40 minutes when problems occurred, the nice Circle Line threw a hissy fit and decided that the wouldn't speak to anybody and the new radio system promptly collapsed, hence service suspension number one.

This lasted about and hour, when it resumed to a severely delayed service.

Next time it collapsed the District decided so join in and play dead between Edgware Road and Earls Court. Only a 15 minutes collapse this time.

The finally part of the trilogy occurred around 2pm, but as I was about to bugger off home I neither know nor care what time it came back.

I travelled home and instead of going to my actual house, I went and helped a friend move some stuff from a lock up to her house, I finally arrived in doors about 7pm.

Finally doing my usual trick of sofa sleeping until getting up for work at 4:30 this morning.

Thursday Night Drink Up.

Myself and Barry are off out for a good beer or three on Thursday, and we thought to ask a few other people out for a beer as well.

However due to unforeseen holidaying Doobrie can't make it as he is currently in Cambodia, and we were going to ask Diamond Geezer, but for some unbeknown reason, he has been sent not to Coventry. But to Essex.

If you do feel like meeting up for a couple of drinks on Thursday, either leave a comment on here, or send me an email to stationsupervisor@gmail.com.

Already got one acceptance from Kate Yay and a provisional acceptence from Shiny Demon (this all depends on if his wife lets him out to play).

Application Time

When I arrived at work this morning, I filled in an application for another job on LUL.

I applied for a job as a Station Supervisor 1, which means more responsibilty, more staff to work with and working at a bigger station, I might try and go for Westminister, Holborn or Kings Cross.

Or I might even go back to my roots from when I first worked on this job, the Northern Line and Camden Town.

Fingers crossed I hear something soon and all goes well.

Question Time.

One thing about me working on this job, if you ask me a question, you normally a civil and sensible reply, however for some reason, today I was asked a few strange questions.
I must admit the temptation to give a couple of pissy replies was just to much for me, but that was because I wasn't asked politely, as manners are nice to have.

Q1, Whats the nearest station to NW8, how the feck am i supposed to know, give me a clue with a road name or something.

Q2, Is Bishopsgate nearer to Liverpool Street or Moorgate, luckily I knew this as I worked in Bishopsgate years ago.

Q3, A question from the SS at Paddington, Is Harley Street anywhere near your station, my first thoughts were, look in the helpful information book you get called The Knowledge and you will find the answer tada, but I simple answered "Yes".

Q4, Customer showing me the name of a road they are trying to find, Do you know where this road is, Me "Sorry but no I don't". Customer "Why not". Me "Because it's in Peterborough which is about 80 odd miles from this station.

Q5, Can I catch a plane from Paddington, er No.


Q6, From a contractor "Oh are you here today" "er no I just like to come in on my days off".

Q7, (this unexpected question is from a friend who I chat to on yahoo messenger, who writes book reviews) "Does this sentence sound ok"? Horrifying, and gruesome yet strangely gripping in a 'morbid fascination' kind of way, too.


So basically it was one of those days.

Old Pepper Head

I've decided to let my hair grow until July 14th 2007.

The reason; I'll be 40 on the 15th and seeing as I've been shaving my head since I was 35ish, I want to see what colour my hair is by then.

Looking at my stubbly growth at the moment, it's currently 4 different shades, grey, brown, white and bald.

God knows what it will look like by July 14th.

Life Is

Realising your still feeling tired, looking at your watch and seeing the time says five to five and noticing it's put on upside down and turning it up the right way.

Shit

It really is five to five.

Oh well only 10 minutes before the walk to the station.

Have A Nice Day.

Diamond Geezer has a very strange story to tell.

Pay Rise

I was chatting with a couple of colleagues the other day about the April 2006 pay rise.

Did you know we still haven't had it, station side have excepted and are more then willing to just get on with things, however the pissy bastards at RMT train side, Bobby (I'll be on holiday whilst you lot go on strike) Law and his cronies have other ideas.

TSSA (the association who last came out on strike in 1926) and ASLEF (an anagram of FALSE)

Holding a ballot to find out if the should work only two hours later in the course of a week, and that's spread over two days, Friday and Saturday.

Why LUL can't just implement the pay deal like they have done in the past I have no idea.
Why can't LUL change there duties by an hour without all this palaver from RMT.

The way things are going. we will get our pay rise in April 2007 and then get the April 2007 on top, and I can't see LUL or the Mayor allowing that amount of money to be paid to us.

If it comes to strike action, I don't care as I'll be in.

And Now For Something Completely Different.

Snow White & the Seven Dwarves.



Star Wars.

Day Off Again

I've basically done bugger all apart from watch the TV and read a book.

It's nice to relax at times, but not to the point of being comatose.

Oh well back to the dreaded 04:30 wake up calls, however I'm looking forward to next Thursday again as I should be out on the beer with him who works next door.

Hopefully should be a good night out again, Cocktails anyone, or we might even visit this place.

At least i wont have to listen to Marlons snoring this time.

Quiet Night

Yes, my late turn was very quiet, nothing happened apart from a few little things which meant me changing my PA announcements every 10 to 15 minutes.

The classic one of the night,.
15:35 Minor Delays are operating on the District line.
15:59 A good service is operating on all London Underground lines.
16:00 The Northern line is suspended between East Finchley and High Barnet and Mill Hill East, this is because of a signal failure at Finchley Central.

It can seriously change that quick.

One Late Turn Only.

That's what I'm doing today.

I'm on the odds and sods week of my six duties, so I have to get my body clock back to some sort of normality, however this week doesn't really help.

This week consist of working five different duty times all in the same week.

Sunday: 11:00 until 20:05 (which I took off as a days annual leave)
Monday: 11:00 until 19:05
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: 15:00 until 23:00
Thursday: Off
Friday: 07:30 until 14:45
Saturday: 07:30 until 15:00

The rest of my rota actual works to set hours, but this is the one week I really don't like.

Hopefully as I'm working at my colleagues station I can have a peaceful shift, and will be able to abuse the booking clerk as he is an Arse(hole)nal supporter.

My Favorite Shot Of The Night.

This was my last photo before my camera battery died.

Just A Few Pics.

Almost Forgotton.

After I fell asleep once again on the sofa last night, I was awoken at 5am by a beeping noise.

After slowly resuming brain function into the land of the living dead, I lay there thinking what has woken me up.

Beep, wtf is that.
Beep, there it is again.
Beep, where is it coming from.
Beep, I'm getting pissed off as I want to go back to sleep.
Beep, ok I'm up what are you.
Beep, I can hear you but can't see you.
Beep, ah it's the warning alarm from a fire alarm, the battary needs changing.
Beep, no it's not the one by the kitchen.
Beep, no it's not the one by the bottom of the stairs.
Beep, ah it's the one upstairs on the ceiling between the bedrooms, typical.


Beep, bugger I need to get out the ladder.
Beep, it's 5am now where is that ladder.
Beep, got the ladder, now time to shut the bloody alarm up.
Bee, done it, now bed again.

In bed, trying to slumber, and then beep beep, beep beep, beep beep.....

Now why has my bedroom phone started to beep.

YOu should be charged up, your in the cradle.

Oh, no power supply, easily resolved.

Hooray no beeps any more, slumber resumes.

Finally at 12:25 I resurface.

Back To Work.

Yes my leave has finally finished, and apart from a little glitch on Sunday, I feel fairly good about going back.

I had an extra days leave on Sunday and was surprised to get a text asking what time I'm due in. Considering it was text at 13:15 and I was meant to be an 11:00 hrs start, I think they missed me.

Monday was back to work properly, and apart from having a Performance & Development meeting with my DSM and picking up two huge boxes of new uniform, nothing really happened.

I got to see my colleague at the next station for the usual round of coffees and laughs before coming home.

I however missed out on some of the fun my colleague had later on in the evening, ie; chasing a fox (yes a fox) around the tracks between his station and the one next door, hopefully he blogs it instead.

Today is my day off (already) so time to relax and mess about with some photos that I took on Saturday night.

My Week Off

I have just had the week off, and believe it or not I actually relaxed properly, apart from the neighbours car alarm, I just watched TV, DVD's and read books and did a bit of ironing (now that was exciting).

I also tried to not to blog my usual nonsense whilst on leave.

The only real difference was on Saturday night, I spent a really pleasurable evening wandering around Londons West End, Trafalgar Square and the London Eye, taking photos.

I'm not really any good with a camera, but I did have fun.

A special thank you to a certain lady friend for that.

Just To Cheer Up A Mate

Waking Early

The time is 07:03 and as I lay in my bed absolutely dead to the world, it felt like all hell had broken loose.

The alarm on the car sat directly outside and underneath my open bedroom window decided to start screeching, the same high pitched sound that you get from those personal attack alarms.

So I shoot 3 feet out of my bed landing in a crumpled heap on the floor thinking WTF is happening, I look out the window to see whats going on and next thing I see is my slightly rotund neighbour, OK he's a fat bastard and that's what he was called this morning, waddles sorry arrives to silence the alarm.

He presses the button, alarm still screeches.
He unlocks the car door, alarm still screeches.
He locks the car door, alarm still screeches.
He presses the button again, alarm still screeches.

He scrathes his head, the alarm stops.

Now there is a confused and perplexed look on "ol" Pork Chops face.

He coughs, he clears his throat, he gargles his phlegm and spits it out, then top prize he lets rip a huge fart, and all this before 07:10 this morning.

I'm impressed, so very much impressed.

Nice Pussy.

Now take your minds out of the gutter...

I was sat by my pc when I thought about getting a drink.

As I got up and walked to the kitchen, there sat by my back door was the huge face of a black and white cat.

I jumped, the cat jumped, we both jumped, however only the cat fled.

It's nice having a garden where I get cats visiting and staring in through my back door.

Annual Leave Again

I've finally reached week 10 of my 2006 annual leave (rubs it in), so I am away from my working life and I'm going to relax.

This weekend It's kids time again, but I only have two of my kids this time.

So time to relax and let life go by, and wonder what to do with my next set of leave in March.

Training The Train Way

I was shadowing the DMT at Neasden yesterday, and most of the stuff is pretty similar to what I already do.

I was actually lucky because the DMT that I was shadowing, was an old instructor from the White City training days, unlike the pampered lot you get now, different stories were swapped about different practicies, how certain depots are run by train crews and not the managers (not giving away details but it's somewhere on the westend of the Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines).

The DMT actually wondered what DSM's do, I think that works both ways, DSM's wonder what DMT's do.


But generally,
They book on train staff and contractors, I book on station staff and contractors.
They fill in paperwork, I fill in paperwork.
They sit around drinking coffee, i sit around drinking coffee (mind you that has just recently changed to Options Wicked White Chocolate).
They have just had a refurb and are still having bits done, I have just had a refurb and I'm still having bits done.
It's pretty much the same as working in my own office.

There's only two real differences between my side of working with LUL and there side.

The first difference:
The lovely colour of there mess room, and believe me it's this colour on every wall. I'm lucky my messroom is a classic cream colour.

The Second difference.

The DMT's (Incident) get to go mobile out and about on the Met Line, which I think I'll ask my manager if I can do that one next time I'm spare.

So all in all a good day out.

Playing With Trains

Today I'm working elsewhere on the combine.

Neasden train depot to be exact, I'm seeing how the other side of LUL play, so I'm working with a DMT (Duty Manager Train).

I'll let you know how things go when I get home about 12:30 tonight, then it's more leave and relaxation away from work.

Another Little Vid I Like.

And the songs good too.

Tonights Shift

It was a relatively pain free night with only a couple of glitches.

The H&C and Circles were running with minor delays, that's it, that's all that happened work wise.

Oh well more tomorrow.

Isn't London Amazing

Not even 100 meters from my station and I come across these trees, all lit up and looking lovely.

Another Day In Paridise.

What with being held up by cattle on the track in the Loughborough area, my train arrived 30 minutes late at Wellingborough.

No problems that only makes me 30 mins late for work, oh how wrong i was.

Midland Mainline in the infinite wisdom decided that the train I was going to catch would terminte at Bedford (shudder).

This was announced over the PA just after a non stop service hurtled through the station at 80 MPH, next stop for that train, Bedford (shudder).

It's 14:18 and I arrive at Bedford (shudder) where we are all promptly turfed off the train to await the next train to London.

In the mean time, another Midland Mainline fast train going to London hurtles by.

I'm stuck on platform 1 waiting the next train and the Midland Mainline service is now sat in the same platform ready to go back north and into the sidings.
They finally move the train out of the platorm at 14:45 and because of the hold up the 14:40 to London arrives at 14:47 and departs at 14:50, strange how FCC take only three minutes to reverse a train yet Midland Mainline take 27 minutes.

As we make our way to London, only 10 minutes late we arrive at Luton, over the tannoy it's announced because the train I'm sitting on is 10 minutes late the next stop will be Kings Cross Thameslink. Thank you FCC.

I finally arrive for work an hour and 15 late, and I'm straight into a problem.

The H&C is suspended between Edgware Road and Hammersmith, because of a gas leak at Hammersmith. Oh great the start of the peak and a service suspension.

PA going out every five minutes and I still get people knocking on the office door asking for the next train to Hammersmith. It's times like that I feel like saying "sorry can't you hear the PA's going out constantly"? (That's for Barry as he hates that I don't use question marks).

A little later on the station became overcrowded on Platform 1 and for the first time ever since I've worked at my station, I had to put in crowd control, that's once in almost seven years. Wow.

And finally, whilst sitting in the office chatting with a friend and fellow blogger, i heard over the Line Controllers radio about a Met train stalled out side my station, checking up where abouts it was I watched on the CCTV as it limped slowly into my station, and stopped, not where it's supposed to stop but half way along the platform. Bollox I've now got a problem and a possible shut down.

Over I roam and speak to a slightly panicking driver, who doesn't seem to have a grip on things.
After a few curses and other such words from the drive he finally gets the train fully berthed into the platform, doors are then opened an relieved passengers are let off whilst others board.

The driver then rambles away to himself telling me things that I have absolutely no idea about.

After about a minute of this we decided to tip out (detrain) so in a loud voice "ALL CHANGE".
Much gloom and dispair from passengers as they get off but no compliants.

Unfortunately for me one passenger is dawdling along like he has all day, now when I need to get things done and done in a rush I'm not the most polite of people.

So at the top of my voice "Any time today mate, we only have about another 1oo trains through here".

Not very polite but it got him moving.

Then you get the silly question
"Why is it going out of service"? "because it's broken" comes my reply, "but it will still move wont it"? comes his reply.
"Yes it will" I said, "so why can't we get back on it".
"Two reason firstly it's defective and not to be used by the public, and secondly would you like to stop in a tunnel and then be forced to leave a broken down train"?.
A nervous look from the man "No I didn't think so".
I think he took the hint.

Train detrained and on the move within 4 minutes not bad I'd say.

When I got back to the office, my friend said judging by my body language I looked pissed off at that one person. Maybe that was why he decided not to talk again.

Then it was time for a nice white hot chocolate, mmmmm.

Not Much For A £1

That's how much this bread roll with Beef and Horseradish in it costs.

No Bull

I arrived at Wellingborough station with plenty of time to spare, only to be told the service is running 30 minutes late.

Reason: An angry bull on the line the Loughborough area so the service was suspended.

I finally reached work over an hour late.

One Unders

I was chatting on messenger today with one of my friends when she asked me if I'd ever witnessed a one under.

The truth is I've been involved or seen four one unders and these stories stretch over 19 years.

One Under One:
I had been working for LUL for only six week and I was stepped up form my rail person grade and was in charge of Chalk Farm station.

The phone rang so I answered it, Foreman Chalk Farm, the Line Controller was on the other end.

L/Con: You have a one under northbound platform 1, train driver needs assistance, emergency services on the way.

My first thoughts were "Oh F**K"

After I put the phone down and rang the L/Con back as there was a foreman know to ring up and tell stories to get you going.

It was confirmed.

I made my way to the platform, and this is where I had a spot of luck, because the young woman who had jumped, had actually changed her mind and was climbing out of the pit when the train clipped her legs throwing her fully onto the platform.

She received only cuts and bruising to her shins.

A very lucky woman.

One Under Two:
I was doing my normal rail persons duty at Camden Town, it was just coming up to the evening peak, all of a sudden the radio sprang into life.

ONE UNDER PLATFORM THREE, ALL STAFF NEEDED.

Off we set all of the late and middle turn staff to platform three, it didn't matter if you hadn't booked on yet or were on your meal relief, when I worked at Camden it was all hands to the pumps.

On arrival at the platform, we found the train halted half way into the platform and the SM (Station Manager in the days prior to 1993) already on the track and crawling under the train, (that's one thing present day supervisor realise they may have to do this themselves).

The woman was alive and well and had completely missed the train, after carrying out various checks and reversing the train out of the way (not arranged by me but by the SM) the woman was safely removed and on her way to hospital. Three days later she tried again at Kentish Town, two days later another attempt at Tufnell Park, she was finally committed after that one.

All during this I was at the rear end of Camden Town Platform Three, dealing with customers in the cross passage, it's the only time if really lost my rag at a passenger and yes I did swear.

Customer through a big metal grill pulled closed "I want to get on that train"
Me "You can't as it's not going anywhere as there's someone underneath"
Customer still through the big metal grill "But I need to get that train"
Me "You wont be getting this train because of the person under it"
Customer again "But I must get on that train
Me "Watch My Lips (customer faces me) Fuck off and get the bus OK"
A different customer said to me "Well said young man".

And some people wonder why we get upset.

One Under Three:
This was the first and so far only fatal one under I've been involved in.
A young man through himself under an arriving train at Camden Town Platform 4, this wasn't the recent one that occur ed before Christmas but some time in 1993.

Basically he stood at the end where the train arrives and threw himself just before the train entered the platform.

His body was stretched from the tunnel mouth and was four carriages long.

Nothing we can do but let the emergency services tidy up.

One Under Four.

I was on the way home and had just missed the 06:35 out of St Pancras, there's nothing more infuriating then seeing the red lights on the back of the train as it departs St Pancras station.

I jump on the 07:00 and as we start off it comes over the tannoy about a fatality at Cricklewood, and that we will be stopping to collect the passengers from the 06:35 which has had the fatality.

The train stops at Cricklewood but the other train is no wher to be seen. However as you look out the window and down on to the tracks my seat is level with the torso of a 68 year old man who had just sat on the track at the start of Cricklewood platform and waited for his death.

I'm looking at his torso when I notice coming into focus other parts of his body.

A shoe with a foot in it, part of a thigh,lumps of flesh still in clothing which not 25 minutes earlier had been alive.

I find it strange whilst typing this I can still remember all these incidents in all there clarity.

I Can't Get This Out Of My Head.

Competence Assurance

I had my manager down with me for well over three hours yeterday.

The reason, no I'm not in trouble and no not to see the CSA mentioned in an earlier post, but to give me comp assurance.

Basically it's a little examination of the members of staff, whilst they are about there daily tasks, IE; Staff to Staff interface, Staff to Customer/Contractor interface, whether I actually know what I'm doing, and lets be honest there are some staff out there who do scare me, they might know all the right paperwork questions but they don't know the actual practical stuff.

I'm the opposite I absolutely hate paperwork exercises, give me practical any day.

Also I have a bit of a different day planned on Thursday, I have a spare duty, which normally means helping out at my own station, however thanks to my Bald DSM (duty station manager, I have a day off the stations working with a DMT (duty manager trains) at Neasden, so I will get first hand action of what a different manager does.

I might even try for a new job if I like it.

Aww Nice.

Isn't it nice to hanging flower basket at your local station (might ask my managers if we can do the same at my station).

But isn't it nice when you walk into your local railway station and seeing contractors putting up hanging flower baskets.

The fact that it was done during normal train running hours (Traffic Hours to staff) and with in a meter of the track, was a bit shocking, as the contractor was up a large stepladder and his colleague holding it but staring around in all directions and paying no attention, made me shudder with what ifs.... one high speed train pass and the fella up the ladder would be gone.

Sometimes I'm really about LUL procedures, and staff protection.

When Not To Fall Asleep...

When travelling home on the very last train, you've drunk to much and the doorway feels like home.

Also when you happen to be on the same train as me, who just happens to take your picture.

Cretins

First of all I have a member of the public who thinks it was funny to push a help point and just carry on walking like he didn't do it.

Why do certain idiots spoil things for others.

Secondly, I had a run in with another CSA who is now in for a bit of short shrift from me, lesson times again.

What The Feck Am I Drinking This Time!!!

COCKTAILS That's what.
A special thank you to Kate, who happened to be out with us drinking the night away and introducing us to the cocktail bar.

First Beers Of The Night!!!

This was Barry's idea to start of on something normal. So here is a picture of two pints of beer.

1) Normal Lager
2) Strawberry Lager (shudder)

Normal Service Will Resume Shortly.

As I started writing more and more, I realised my personal and private life was being displayed more and more often on this blog.

Yes I have said some harsh things about my ex on here, some things which I really shouldn't have.

On the advice of my sisters, any frustrations I feel about situations with my Ex and my kids will now be written elsewhere and not published on here (hopefully).

So hopefully I can keep myself on an even keel, and just have more fun in life, and carry on doing this job to the best of my ability.

Accident.

One of my colleagues at the station next door was involved in an accident, whilst he was turning to get into Milton Keynes station he was involved in a low speed collision, which is very lucky as he was on a mot0r bike (he should have used his Land Rover).

After speaking with him today he seems happy enough, but there has been some ligament damage caused to one of his knees, so he is splintted up and not very mobile.

Sofa sleeping for him for a little while.

Happy Birthday Short Stop

It's my friends birthday today, she has finally reached 40th so Happy Birthday to you.

I only have to wait until July for my own demise into that era.