J.T.R.O. Apprentice Whatever !

[TMBA]

Was you an Apprentice or a J.T.R.O.? J.T.R.O. for those of you not in the know is Junior Trainee Railway Operating.
Any stories from the Signal Boxes or the Training Centre IE White City or Lambeth would be good.

Thanks

[TMBA]

Griffin teabags - remember them ;D

[solidbond]

TMBA said:

Griffin teabags - remember them ;D

ahh yes - only ten bags to make some flavour in the cup ;D ;D

[q8]

ahh yes - only ten bags to make some flavour in the cup ;D
----------------------------------------------------------
Yeah but the Griffin loose leaf tea in packets wasn't too bad

[Deleted]

I was / am a Modern Apprentice, the new version of the JTRO! I believe you drove Dave and myself down to ECT last week?

[citysig]

I was both a J.T.R.O. and a P.S.T. (when they changed the title to Passenger Services Trainee halfway through my apprenticeship - and yes I've heard what PST sounds like, I've heard we were all p****d, heard them all 1000 times!)

My "home" was Edgware Road, so basically it was work the frame for a few hours, make the tea and then, at a suitable time no later than halfway through the shift, sweep, mop and shoot off (except with a couple of signalmen who thought it was fun to keep you to time - but then they never had the frame worked for them and never had any tea made.)

Most satisfying part was when I was tipped off by the Station Inspector that a course was booked for me (6 weeks of a Booking Office course or some such hell.) I couldn't stand going to White City. Much rather be in the cabin. So when Monday of the first week arrived, I used to stroll in on late turn.
"You're meant to be up the school," says the Inspector.
"Am I?" says I in fake surprise.
"Do you want me to ring them," says the Inspector.
"Oh no don't worry now. missed the first day now, so no point going. I'm sure they'll call me up again for it in a month or two," says I as I grab my bag and head up the cabin - safe in the knowledge that the school probably won't be looking for me for a few weeks as they will think I'm on the course.

[TMBA1]

Did you have a favorite signal box? did you enjoy all the training courses? come on there must be something !

[citysig]

Guest-TMBA1 said:

Did you have a favorite signal box? did you enjoy all the training courses? come on there must be something !

Was that question directed at me ? If so I think I kind of covered it in my post. Edgware Road was my favourite cabin. No I hated all of the training courses, as we weren't treated like adults. Too much like being back at school, and considering I had not long left there, the last thing I wanted was to attend something similar.

[TMBA1]

No sorry thats for everybody

[Dstock7080]

Well, I was an R.O.A. Railway Operating Apprentice. I worked at Rayners Lane cabin for several (about 8) months, with a few short trips down to Harrow, but always returned to 'home' at Rayners.

Harrow was vast compared to the relative quiet of RL. Harrow has it's power frame with levers flying at the opposite end to where the signalman is standing!

RL was a 'push-pull' frame with signals & points being operated with a single 'route' lever. So, lever 31 could be pushed to clear the WB route (points & starter) for the Picc, and pulled to clear the route for the Met etc. The respective signal plates stated P31H, P31L.
RL controlled, at the time, South/West Harrow to Ickenham.

[Deleted]

DStock7080 said:

Harrow was vast compared to the relative quiet of RL. Harrow has it's power frame with levers flying at the opposite end to where the signalman is standing!

Having worked all the met cabins, i can confirm that Harrow is big, but i do like a go on the frame there as it certainly keeps you busy!

However i do prefer to be on the trains though...

[Admin Team]

Met said:

However i do prefer to be on the trains though...

Really? I'd never have known!

[Admin Team]

Come on guys - there must be more stories than this - I think this has got the potential for a fascinating thread and I, for one, want to hear more!

On a more general point, at the time those of you who did enter via this route (under whichever name it may have been at the time) what proportion of staff were recruited in this way? I realise that you won't have accurate figures, but a few 'guesstimates' would be interesting.

[Deleted]

District said:

Really? I'd never have known!

Well lol Its a hard guess to make! The comment was aimed at those who were not aware of the fact!

It makes me laugh, as i use an old guards bag, (black canvas with the stamped on roundal). My manager says that i am very ;old school'! He also remarked that it brought back memories from when he was on the northern!

I must admit the bag does turn heads, particually when about the met! ;D

[citysig]

Met said:

However i do prefer to be on the trains though...

Turncoat ;D

I agree, there must be many many stories - especially if you joined in the same decade as me. I know for a fact there are some real legends to be told (maybe not all of them on a public/family forum!). I cannot be the only one who witnessed such an introduction to the railway

[Deleted]

citysig said:

Turncoat ;D

* says nice thing about the signalling of Minories Jct, to try to make up for changing teams* ;D

Right from the start ive wanted to be on the trains, almost a school boy dream to be a train driver, howeve ri didnt think it would happen as quick as it will / might.....

[citysig]

More or less the same for me. Came on here with the intention of being a driver, but when I saw the fat wads of money the other signalmen were taking home and the cushy lifestyle they had in the cabins how interesting the cabins were, I decided to stay in the grade ;D

[Deleted]

citysig said:

More or less the same for me. Came on here with the intention of being a driver, but when I saw the fat wads of money the other signalmen were taking home and the cushy lifestyle they had in the cabins how interesting the cabins were, I decided to stay in the grade ;D

I like a challenge, and for me now, there isnt much of a challengee working a signal cabin. I know people say its boring on the front, however at least you have to stop the thing at every station which takes a bit of thinking!

Thats just my feeling anyway!

[piccadillypilot]

Met said:

however at least you have to stop the thing at every station which takes a bit of thinking!

When you get the hang of it there are far more interesting things to look at on a platform than the monitors, especially when the weather is bright and sunny. ;D

[Deleted]

Piccadilly said:

When you get the hang of it there are far more interesting things to look at on a platform than the monitors, especially when the weather is bright and sunny. ;D

Yes platform observation is an important part of the job! I know an ECT Instructor that will tell you that! ;D ;D

[TMBA1]

Does anybody still keep in contact with their Signalmen/Women ?
Does anybody work with ex Apprentices/ JTRO's
I still see a few JTRO's from my year and you know who you are dont you ! I still see the Signalmen from time to time, sometimes I ring up for a chat to catch up on old times.
Do you do that anybody?
Does anybody remember ( can of worms time ) Gus from Liverpool Street?

[citysig]

I work with a couple of ex JTROs - albeit not from exactly the same batch as me, but we were all "boxboys" around the same time.

I also work with a couple of the signalmen who I was boxboy for! To begin with it was a nice feeling when they said they were going to get something to eat, and would I like some bringing back, or they offered to make me a cup of tea ;D

As for Gus, no don't remember him (I was purely a Met man and never strayed onto the red railway). However, if you open that can of worms a little wider, it may bring back something - the rumour mill was and still is, very well-oiled.

[solidbond]

I still see a few of the JTROs from my year. At least one of them was involved in the infamous incident at Aldgate cabin, involving armed police and a supposed IRA attack

[igelkotten]

solidbond said:

I still see a few of the JTROs from my year. At least one of them was involved in the infamous incident at Aldgate cabin, involving armed police and a supposed IRA attack

That sounds like a story that needs retelling!

[TMBA1]

I still remember one of my J.T.R.O. friends that nearly had a major incident involving a '72' Stock at Camden Town the day after his swop day after passing out as a Motorman.
Sadly he is no longer with us.

[TMBA1]

Should have said 'SWOT' day - sorry

[TMBA]

So did anybody work in a Regulating room as an apprentice or JTRO? Places like Farringdon, Earls Court, Cobourg Street or maybe Baker Street central control?

[citysig]

I had an "attachment" for 6 weeks in Earl's Court. Never stayed for the whole time (used excuse explained above) mainly because of their attitude.

I would do my fair share of making the tea for them all (and there were loads of them). But the attitude they gave you should you place the wrong cup in front of them. Like a bunch of old women. Actually that's a very nasty slur on old women.

I spent a week sat with the Information Assistant. The way he acted you would have thought the job was much more than speaking into a PA. He even had his "own" chair which nobody else was allowed to sit in. Got the right hump when he arrived one day and found me sat in it. Ignored me for most of the shift despite the fact I swapped seats soon after he arrived.

Did a day or two with the Picc controller, but after I queried a couple of his service reformations, he also got the hump and I had to go and sit back with the IA. And don't think you could cut away if they all had the hump. Tried that one day (slipped quietly away, but told one of the signalmen I was going) and returned the next day to find I had been booked. Nice ;D

[TMBA1]

I worked in a few interesting places as a JTRO mainly signal boxes places like Aldgate, Liverpool Street, Canal Junction, Wembley Park, & went to Earls Court on a couple of occasions.
There were certain Sagnalmen that liked collecting platform Tickets, I was sent to cllect many of these tickets from other signalmen whilst on shift - places like Epping, Loughton, Rickmansworth, Amersham, Lambeth North and Earls Court Barking & Whitechapel and a few more but the thing that I remember more than anything else is GUSS ( excuse spelling ) at Liverpool Street, he either had me working the frame whilst he sang the destination of the next train out on the packed platfrom or I had to announce it, I always worked the frame! an experience indeed.