In message , John Rowland
writes
Steve Fitzgerald wrote:

On the Picc., a pipe is about 40 mins and we do talk
in pipes - sad but true.

Could you give some examples? Might you say "When Only Fools And Horses
started, the episodes were only three quarters of a pipe long"?

No, Picc duties are generally referred to as to the number of end to end
journeys (pipes) one travels in a 'half' (two halves being a full duty).
I have been known to comment about only having to do half a pipe after a
Down Street or Kings Cross reverse but the perceived wisdom is that once
you go into 'the pipe' it's still a full pipe even if you're turned
short.

So, a fair turn would be two pipes on both halves (CFS - HRC - CFS for
example, lets ignore the Arnos - CFS bits for this).

Many drivers will complain about duties that do 3 pipes on one half, so
they end up at Acton for their meal break. This usually involves going
right up to the limit of your driving parameters (which is a maximum of
4.25 hours of driving without a break).

My personal hate is a single pipe on the first half; meal break and then
3 pipes on the second half - at last if you do the 3 pipes first you
have most of your work out of the way when you return from your meal
break.

Last Friday was a good example of what I consider to be a bad duty.

CFS - Rayners - Acton (2h 2 mins driving)
Meal Break
Acton - CFS - Heathrow - Arnos (4h 13 mins driving)

As we had a number of signal failures after the weekend's enforced
drought reduction scheme, I finally ended up 30 mins late at Arnos Grove
- having now driven constantly for 4 hours 45 mins without a break.

As you might imagine, I was rather glad to get home!
--
Steve Fitzgerald has now left the building.
You will find him in London's Docklands, E16, UK
(please use the reply to address for email)