The Making of London Transport.

[countryman]

As many of us have time on our hands, I thought I would post this link as it shows some fascinating shots of the Underground in the 30s. I know they are not discussed on this site, but some of the shots of buses and trams are also very interesting. Hope you enjoy it. 

[littlejohn]

Well worth reading is The Man Who Built London Transport: a Biography of Frank Pick. Used copies available online (and possibly in second-hand bookshops when we can go out again).

[class411]

Thanks for that, Countryman. A very informative 25 minutes.

It's amazing that no matter how many documentaries you watch about LT (and its antecedents and successors) you always learn something new and interesting that you haven't come across before. (
Well, there may be a few here who don't, the depth of knowledge of some is staggering.)

[countryman]

Here is another one. The middle section shows overhaul of a 1938 stock at Chiswick in 1951. The lack of Health and Safety is amazing, especially the upholsterers who appear to store the tacks in their mouths. In the early part there is a 4 car train crossing a viaduct. I don't recognise the location. Anyone got any idea?

[John Tuthill]

Mar 30, 2020 18:26:08 GMT countryman said:

Here is another one. The middle section shows overhaul of a 1938 stock at Chiswick in 1951. The lack of Health and Safety is amazing, especially the upholsterers who appear to store the tacks in their mouths. In the early part there is a 4 car train crossing a viaduct. I don't recognise the location. Anyone got any idea?

With a 38, and the height, I'd suggest the Dollis Brook viaduct?

[countryman]

No wonder I didn't recognise it. I have only ever been to Mill Hill East once!

[tjw]

Mar 30, 2020 18:26:08 GMT countryman said:

 The lack of Health and Safety is amazing, especially the upholsterers who appear to store the tacks in their mouths. 

I had the privilege to work with two trimmers that started work for the Southern Railway in the 1930's...

They are not storing the tacks in their mouth, how it works is this,
1. Take a handful of tacks and place in mouth.
2. Use your tongue to move one tack so it is head first between the lips
3. Raise hammer and spit tack onto the head of hammer
4. Hammer tack in with one blow,
5. And repeat.

Yes they could put in tacks as fast a staple or nail gun...

You could say it is safer as they won't be hitting their hands with the hammer!  Oh and the tacks will be steel, so the same as cutlery! the Mineral oil residue on them is very unlikely to be poisonous... The tacks would unlikely have been handled, going straight from machine to box.

The Trimmers were in their 70's when I worked with them, so it did not seem to have shortened their lives.

[class411]

My worry would be if they sneezed.

[billbedford]

Mar 31, 2020 18:11:54 GMT tjw said:

Mar 30, 2020 18:26:08 GMT countryman said:

 The lack of Health and Safety is amazing, especially the upholsterers who appear to store the tacks in their mouths. 

You could say it is safer as they won't be hitting their hands with the hammer!  Oh and the tacks will be steel, so the same as cutlery! the Mineral oil residue on them is very unlikely to be poisonous... The tacks would unlikely have been handled, going straight from machine to box.

The Trimmers were in their 70's when I worked with them, so it did not seem to have shortened their lives.

The practice was eventually banned because it was found to be a good way of spreading TB. This was less of a problem with railway work, but in some situation workers sat together around a bench and tack not used at the end of a job were spat out into a common pool.

[superteacher]

Finally watched this yesterday. I remember The Making of Modern London was a great series.
Loved seeing the old lifts at Hampstead!