I've just watched the latest Video 125 drivers eye view, of the Victoria
line. Included as a bonus was some archive film covering the construction
and opening of the line. It appears that, from the outset, there were CCTV
screens at platform end, giving operators a view of the platform. However,
no mention was made of the purpose served by this facility.

So, was the Victoria line one person operated from the outset, or did the
screens serve some other purpose, and if so, what?

Whilst not, on the face of it, the most interesting DEV subject, this made
surprisingly good viewing. Notably, the crossover just outside Brixton
station being taken at full line speed by the 'auto pilot', which apparently
leads trainee operators, transferring from other lines, to grab for the
brake in panic!

Chris

On Wed, 1 Apr 2009 19:51:49 +0100, "Chris Read"
wrote:

I've just watched the latest Video 125 drivers eye view, of the Victoria
line. Included as a bonus was some archive film covering the construction
and opening of the line. It appears that, from the outset, there were CCTV
screens at platform end, giving operators a view of the platform. However,
no mention was made of the purpose served by this facility.

So, was the Victoria line one person operated from the outset, or did the
screens serve some other purpose, and if so, what?

Whilst not, on the face of it, the most interesting DEV subject, this made
surprisingly good viewing. Notably, the crossover just outside Brixton
station being taken at full line speed by the 'auto pilot', which apparently
leads trainee operators, transferring from other lines, to grab for the
brake in panic!

Chris

I think the first train was driven by HM the Queen, if I recall I am
sure there were plenty of guards on board.

On Wed, 1 Apr 2009, Scott wrote:

On Wed, 1 Apr 2009 19:51:49 +0100, "Chris Read"
wrote:

I've just watched the latest Video 125 drivers eye view, of the Victoria
line. Included as a bonus was some archive film covering the construction
and opening of the line. It appears that, from the outset, there were CCTV
screens at platform end, giving operators a view of the platform. However,
no mention was made of the purpose served by this facility.

So, was the Victoria line one person operated from the outset, or did the
screens serve some other purpose, and if so, what?

I think the first train was driven by HM the Queen, if I recall I am
sure there were plenty of guards on board.

Well yes, the rules for Monarch Only Operation weren't brought it until
1987.

tom

--
DO NOT WANT!

"Scott" wrote in message
...
I think the first train was driven by HM the Queen, if I recall I am
sure there were plenty of guards on board.

Didn't the Queen also drive a train in Glasgow?

In message
"Chris Read" wrote:

I've just watched the latest Video 125 drivers eye view, of the Victoria
line. Included as a bonus was some archive film covering the construction
and opening of the line. It appears that, from the outset, there were CCTV
screens at platform end, giving operators a view of the platform. However,
no mention was made of the purpose served by this facility.

So, was the Victoria line one person operated from the outset, or did the
screens serve some other purpose, and if so, what?

Yes it was. Train operation was completely automatic so the 'driver'
operated the doors and pressed a button to start the train and let it get on
with it.


--
Graeme Wall

This address not read, substitute trains for rail
Transport Miscellany at www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail

I was a teenager in London when the Victoria line opened, and I can
remember how disconcerting it was to see a train enter the station
with the "driver" sitting back and not touching any of the controls
(or turning and talking to his mate) - yes, they were all men then and
by memory there were often two of them in the drivers cab.

Peter

peter wrote:
I was a teenager in London when the Victoria line opened, and I can
remember how disconcerting it was to see a train enter the station
with the "driver" sitting back and not touching any of the controls
(or turning and talking to his mate) - yes, they were all men then and
by memory there were often two of them in the drivers cab.

Peter

I remember, on one occasion, seeing the "driver" reading a newspaper as
the train entered the platform.

--
John Ray

On Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:14:37 +0100
rail wrote:


In message
"Chris Read" wrote:

I've just watched the latest Video 125 drivers eye view, of the Victoria
line. Included as a bonus was some archive film covering the construction
and opening of the line. It appears that, from the outset, there were CCTV
screens at platform end, giving operators a view of the platform. However,
no mention was made of the purpose served by this facility.

So, was the Victoria line one person operated from the outset, or did the
screens serve some other purpose, and if so, what?

Yes it was. Train operation was completely automatic so the 'driver'
operated the doors and pressed a button to start the train and let it get on
with it.

Well not completely if the doors are manual. Examples of 100% ATO would be
the VAL systems in france and line 14 in paris, where there is no driver or
any staff whatsoever on board the train and everything is 100% automatic.
Not so bad not having staff on those systems because the tunnels are usually
double track so not so much of a sense of being trapped, but in single bore
tube tunnels it wouldn't be pleasent if the train broke down and no one was
on board to sort it out.

B2003

rail wrote:
In message
"Chris Read" wrote:

So, was the Victoria line one person operated from the outset, or did the
screens serve some other purpose, and if so, what?

Yes it was. Train operation was completely automatic so the 'driver'
operated the doors and pressed a button to start the train and let it get on
with it.

I visited the Victoria line depot in the early 80s when I was a student,
and I remember the details of the train starting sequence.

Because the driver often leans out of the cab window to see when the
doors can be closed, and because of the danger of head injury if he* was
still leaning out when the train went into the tunnel, the driver's cab
windows were interlocked with the train start buttons.

* Drivers were all "he" in those days.

The sequence was thus:
1. Driver closes passenger doors
2. Driver closes cab window
3. Driver presses two buttons simultaneously to start the train
--
Jeremy Double {real address, include nospam}
Rail and transport photos at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmdoubl...7603834894248/

"Jeremy Double" wrote in message
...
rail wrote:
In message
"Chris Read" wrote:

So, was the Victoria line one person operated from the outset, or did
the screens serve some other purpose, and if so, what?

Yes it was. Train operation was completely automatic so the 'driver'
operated the doors and pressed a button to start the train and let it get
on
with it.

I visited the Victoria line depot in the early 80s when I was a student,
and I remember the details of the train starting sequence.

Because the driver often leans out of the cab window to see when the
doors can be closed, and because of the danger of head injury if he* was
still leaning out when the train went into the tunnel, the driver's cab
windows were interlocked with the train start buttons.

* Drivers were all "he" in those days.

The sequence was thus:
1. Driver closes passenger doors
2. Driver closes cab window
3. Driver presses two buttons simultaneously to start the train
--
So the cab side windows were on a circuit? Interesting. Is that still the
case?