Any truth?

[Deleted]

aetearlscourt said:

you did but the imr is not the corrugated shack as you put it its the newer brick building

So who put the enamel plate on the corrugated shack then?

[Deleted]

your guess is as good as mine it was done well before my time

[Deleted]

Citysig wrote:

At the end of the day, as has been found when a few quiet words were had between me and someone else a week or two ago...

LU will only change the method of control of an area if it would save them money (i.e. staff wages etc.) However, to do this, they will have to stump up the original cash to pay for the work - because it's a project that "LU want."

Metronet will only change the method of control of an area if it would save money (i.e. more reliable system = less failures.) But again, they would have to pay for it as it would be a project that "Metronet want." As already mentioned, Metronet do not intend to spend any money unless they really have to.

So you see, thanks to privatisation, there is no longer the "teamwork" needed to put areas under centralised control.

LU simply would not save enough money to justify such a project on it's own. Don't forget that although you may close one signal box, you may need additional staff to cover the site in the new signalling centre.

This is why there are currently no solid plans for further centralised control on the Sub-Surface Lines.
IP:

- Actually that's the case ahead of a Line Upgrade (coming real soon now). I'd imagine that you'd get centralised control at that point. Trouble is the Sub-surface is some time away. Quite a few project floating around tend to be non-PPP where some bright spark is trying to do a short-term fix before the line upgrade comes in.


I'd be amazed to see masses of signal cabins still operating along the District to Upminster in 15 years time.... Even the Pic and District should have moved out of Earls Court <shudder> by then...

[q8]

If they don't do a big control upgrade they could at least close Whitechapel and Upminster boxes and centralise the east end of the District at Barking. Especialy as half the building is now empty with the NR signal cabin gone.

[citysig]

seniorplanner said:

- Actually that's the case ahead of a Line Upgrade (coming real soon now). I'd imagine that you'd get centralised control at that point. Trouble is the Sub-surface is some time away. Quite a few project floating around tend to be non-PPP where some bright spark is trying to do a short-term fix before the line upgrade comes in.


I'd be amazed to see masses of signal cabins still operating along the District to Upminster in 15 years time.... Even the Pic and District should have moved out of Earls Court <shudder> by then...

You're speaking to someone who joined the job and was told not to become a signalman as all cabins would be gone by the year 2000. That of course was the same year that the last Met Line site - Amersham - was due to be put onto Baker Street.

As your also speaking to someone who has seen many plans many times before, and has, shall we say, watched this merry-go-round of ours go round a few times, I would urge you not to bet your wages on anything.

Things are slowly beginning to happen (as I'm sure you are aware), but judging by the brick wall I have now hit (just getting our room up to a decent standard) no one is willing to spend that much money with so little return at the end of it. To renew our desk equipment isn't going to cost a fortune, but it looks set to not happen. Limp the room through until the new room arrives.

The latest excuse I heard for the delay for the SSL control room is lack of suitable building. I won't make public why they have rejected Baker Street, but what a waste.

[q8]

Lack of a suitable building? Well seduce my ancient footwear! I suppose the money men would rather spend oodles of cash on providing a new structure somewhere in the back-of-beyond than spend less on refurbishing an already existing and suitable one.

Oh the mind boogles dunnit!

[Deleted]

Quite often it can be cheaper to go to a new building. You don't have the problem of trying to fit new kit into an operational room - you can build the new place and flick the switch across - or phase the new place in panel by panel.

[Deleted]

I still think that the new SCC (or IECC, or NCC, or whatever the suit&tie mob come up with) ought to be built at South Kensington. It's a stone's throw from 55 Broadway, it's centrally located for routing signalling cables all over the SSL and there's lots and lots of potential space.

[q8]

theonekea said:

I still think that the new SCC (or IECC, or NCC, or whatever the suit&tie mob come up with) ought to be built at South Kensington. It's a stone's throw from 55 Broadway, it's centrally located for routing signalling cables all over the SSL and there's lots and lots of potential space.

I'd disagree with you there TOK. South Kens is the ideal place for a new LT museum on a raft over the station. The best place for a new SSL control Centre would be a new raft over Whitechapel station

[citysig]

theonekea said:

I still think that the new SCC (or IECC, or NCC, or whatever the suit&tie mob come up with) ought to be built at South Kensington. It's a stone's throw from 55 Broadway, it's centrally located for routing signalling cables all over the SSL and there's lots and lots of potential space.

Just like those in the offices - looking only at where looks good, rather than how easy it is for your staff to get in. And before you say it, I know the Picc and District serve there and no doubt a plethora of buses, but in terms of travelling time, it's nasty.

Tottenham Court Road was also rumoured. Another nasty journey.

Add then the comment you make on being close to 55 Broadway and you hit another nail on the head. Too many top brass popping in most days (as it's handy) showing all kinds of people around and quite honestly getting in our way.

It's not quite a problem at Baker Street, but it does tend to annoy us when visits tend to take priority over us doing our job. If I'm working hard and under pressure, yet providing a service, which passenger out there will care if I'm wearing my tie.

Baker Street as it stands has suitable rooms for controlling a service from. It also has plenty of room to house new equipment. New equipment could also be brought online alongside the exisiting kit - so if it fails in the early stages, we can swap straight back without needing to ferry our staff back to there.

Sorry... went off on a common sense tangent then...

[q8]

citysig said:

theonekea said:

I still think that the new SCC (or IECC, or NCC, or whatever the suit&tie mob come up with) ought to be built at South Kensington. It's a stone's throw from 55 Broadway, it's centrally located for routing signalling cables all over the SSL and there's lots and lots of potential space.

Just like those in the offices - looking only at where looks good, rather than how easy it is for your staff to get in. And before you say it, I know the Picc and District serve there and no doubt a plethora of buses, but in terms of travelling time, it's nasty.

Tottenham Court Road was also rumoured. Another nasty journey.

Add then the comment you make on being close to 55 Broadway and you hit another nail on the head. Too many top brass popping in most days (as it's handy) showing all kinds of people around and quite honestly getting in our way.

It's not quite a problem at Baker Street, but it does tend to annoy us when visits tend to take priority over us doing our job. If I'm working hard and under pressure, yet providing a service, which passenger out there will care if I'm wearing my tie.

Baker Street as it stands has suitable rooms for controlling a service from. It also has plenty of room to house new equipment. New equipment could also be brought online alongside the exisiting kit - so if it fails in the early stages, we can swap straight back without needing to ferry our staff back to there.

Sorry... went off on a common sense tangent then...

Yes Citysig your points are valid but if the new 'Nerve centre' is to be a combination of all the present set-ups then it's staff will be coming from all over the shop and to find somewhere that they can all get to easily is gonna be near impossible.

[citysig]

Agreed, but then take a closer look and spend more than the couple of minutes the management do, and work out there are many many more suitable locations.

If you cannot then see them, ask the staff who may work there where it should be (and don't listen to their first answer as it's bound to be where they live - predictably funny as we are ;D )

[Deleted]

what about somewhere near Aldgate?

[citysig]

Central London is expensive and poses additional security concerns. Away from the centre gives increased journey times.

Look, for example, where they stuck the Jubilee control room. Neasden. Nice. Served by just one line - their own.

[Deleted]

Well, the Northern line control centre is going to be at Highgate and its quite likely the Vic will be at Northumberland Park...