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Post by hellocontrol on Dec 7, 2014 15:50:53 GMT
Doing a count excluding the Rayners Lane branch, the number of X signals South Harrow/Heathrow to Cockfosters is 42. I know a useless piece of information.
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Post by Nortube on Dec 7, 2014 16:13:00 GMT
And there was me thinking Metal Mickey was just a redundant VIC20 Given the current technology, I don't know why it took them so long to get programme rolls onto PCs (well, USB sticks on a Pc interface).
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drico
Station Inspector
Thank you driver, off clips.
Posts: 202
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Post by drico on Dec 7, 2014 16:49:20 GMT
And there was me thinking Metal Mickey was just a redundant VIC20 Given the current technology, I don't know why it took them so long to get programme rolls onto PCs (well, USB sticks on a Pc interface). Well you may recall Gorden Browns PPP, Tubelines said that Jubilee, Northern Lines would get new signalling, look what a very long time that has taken, another promise was that the Picadilly Line would get new signalling and new trains. The Piccadilly is still waiting for its upgrade, how long will the 1973 stock have to keep going for ?
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Post by railtechnician on Dec 7, 2014 18:51:52 GMT
Yep I get that, but the east end of the Picc created some unique signalling issues as the first computer controlled area on the combine. Although I was around and based at Arnos Grove signal new works temporary depot during stage 1 resignalling in 1979 I missed the stage 2 final resignalling after transferring to Earls Court telephone section. The nearest I got in the following years was Kings Cross 'L' IMR where I provided the combined Ericsson & stick phone panel and its repeater panel. I did not work on Picc signal maintenance until 1996 and although I covered the whole Picc I was not as familiar with the east end as I mainly worked from Acton to Heathrow, Ealing Bdy and Rayners Lane. The local AETs/TOs each had their own IMR at the east end and seldom ventured outside the east end except for failures, emergencies and the occasional need for more staff on catch up maintenance so each knew the ins and outs of their own IMR. I cannot now recall just how far out from Wood Green the auto circuitry was cabled into Wood Green IMR but it was a fair way as I recall although not as far as X855. The point is really that regardless of the when, why and so on that A855? became X855 matters not, the purpose was AFAIK exactly the same. My recollection is that TD was a big problem initially and having too many trains in the area could overwhelm the computer although it is something that I heard rather than anything that I know. A former new works colleague, a fellow wireman, earned his spurs at the east end as a young lineman before rising to become the District Line Signal Manager. He had many a tale of the problems he encountered in the early days of computer control of signalling. The name of that lineman was it Steve A I won't put his full name? Not Steve, Andy G. However, I believe I know who you are referring to although I never worked with him. In the early days of east end computer working linemen were pretty much stuck in the IMRs round the clock because there were so many problems, quite a few linemen learnt their trade there before moving to other jobs. Andy moved through the grades from AET to installation Inspector, Computer Inspector before becoming District Line signal manager and after that he moved to Canary Wharf South Colonade in Jubilee senior management. He retired around the same time as I did AFAIR.
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Post by railtechnician on Dec 7, 2014 19:02:09 GMT
Doing a count excluding the Rayners Lane branch, the number of X signals South Harrow/Heathrow to Cockfosters is 42. I know a useless piece of information. Some of those are of course Floodgate signals, my recollection would be about nine altogether at Russell Square and Green Park. When I last worked at those sites they were pretty much standard homes and starters as the floodgates were locked open.
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Post by railtechnician on Dec 7, 2014 19:08:40 GMT
And there was me thinking Metal Mickey was just a redundant VIC20 Given the current technology, I don't know why it took them so long to get programme rolls onto PCs (well, USB sticks on a Pc interface). Well you may recall Gorden Browns PPP, Tubelines said that Jubilee, Northern Lines would get new signalling, look what a very long time that has taken, another promise was that the Picadilly Line would get new signalling and new trains. The Piccadilly is still waiting for its upgrade, how long will the 1973 stock have to keep going for ? Former colleagues have told me that they are expected to keep current technology going until 2020 at Earls Court, who knows when the upgrades will happen. The PPP was a non-starter, I have always maintained that from the very beginning of 'shadow running'. In my opinion it set the Underground back years. If the same amount of money spent to invoke the PPP had been injected directly into the system it would have achieved far more than what was delivered by the PPP given proper management of the investment.
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Post by railtechnician on Dec 7, 2014 19:17:08 GMT
And there was me thinking Metal Mickey was just a redundant VIC20 Given the current technology, I don't know why it took them so long to get programme rolls onto PCs (well, USB sticks on a Pc interface). I don't know but I am guessing that each electronic P/Mc is a standalone computer and I/O interface arranged to drive the non-safety relays. Such technology is relatively recent, Arduino, Raspberry Pi etc and of course anything designed for LUL has to be robust and designed to last for at least 20 years so it's not as straightforward as you might think.
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Post by hellocontrol on Dec 8, 2014 10:48:07 GMT
The name of that lineman was it Steve A I won't put his full name? Not Steve, Andy G. However, I believe I know who you are referring to although I never worked with him. In the early days of east end computer working linemen were pretty much stuck in the IMRs round the clock because there were so many problems, quite a few linemen learnt their trade there before moving to other jobs. Andy moved through the grades from AET to installation Inspector, Computer Inspector before becoming District Line signal manager and after that he moved to Canary Wharf South Colonade in Jubilee senior management. He retired around the same time as I did AFAIR. I remember Andy a nice guy and like you say went on to higher things. I think like a lot of ex signals he went into consultancy when he left.
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Post by hellocontrol on Dec 8, 2014 10:50:46 GMT
Well you may recall Gorden Browns PPP, Tubelines said that Jubilee, Northern Lines would get new signalling, look what a very long time that has taken, another promise was that the Picadilly Line would get new signalling and new trains. The Piccadilly is still waiting for its upgrade, how long will the 1973 stock have to keep going for ? Former colleagues have told me that they are expected to keep current technology going until 2020 at Earls Court, who knows when the upgrades will happen. The PPP was a non-starter, I have always maintained that from the very beginning of 'shadow running'. In my opinion it set the Underground back years. If the same amount of money spent to invoke the PPP had been injected directly into the system it would have achieved far more than what was delivered by the PPP given proper management of the investment. I don't know the amount of money that was spent on shadow running and the PPP but most of it was wasted every time we changed offices and it was quite a few we had a complete change of equipment from phones to computers and there was more.
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Post by hellocontrol on Dec 8, 2014 10:51:51 GMT
And there was me thinking Metal Mickey was just a redundant VIC20 Given the current technology, I don't know why it took them so long to get programme rolls onto PCs (well, USB sticks on a Pc interface). I don't know but I am guessing that each electronic P/Mc is a standalone computer and I/O interface arranged to drive the non-safety relays. Such technology is relatively recent, Arduino, Raspberry Pi etc and of course anything designed for LUL has to be robust and designed to last for at least 20 years so it's not as straightforward as you might think. Have you a login for the technical society if so they have some material on there about the Picc line.
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Post by railtechnician on Dec 8, 2014 16:02:29 GMT
I don't know but I am guessing that each electronic P/Mc is a standalone computer and I/O interface arranged to drive the non-safety relays. Such technology is relatively recent, Arduino, Raspberry Pi etc and of course anything designed for LUL has to be robust and designed to last for at least 20 years so it's not as straightforward as you might think. Have you a login for the technical society if so they have some material on there about the Picc line. Unfortunately not
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Post by hellocontrol on Dec 8, 2014 16:13:42 GMT
Have you a login for the technical society if so they have some material on there about the Picc line. Unfortunately not Here is a link to the website and make contact with them they will then give you a login. Tech Society
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