quokka
Station Foreman
Trying to be good however not always managing it......................................
Posts: 82 
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Post by quokka on May 31, 2013 2:20:41 GMT
Hope this is the best place to post this thread, when i worked at 55 Broadway there used to be these clocks (?) in the main ticket hall that (i presumed) would make a mark on a circular bit of paper when trains passed a certain point back then there was only a few train lines, my question what exactly were they and are they still there? or has no one any idea what i am talking about? thank you for any help
Q
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Post by railtechnician on May 31, 2013 4:28:36 GMT
Hope this is the best place to post this thread, when i worked at 55 Broadway there used to be these clocks (?) in the main ticket hall that (i presumed) would make a mark on a circular bit of paper when trains passed a certain point back then there was only a few train lines, my question what exactly were they and are they still there? or has no one any idea what i am talking about? thank you for any help Q These were/are the 'headway' clocks which record(ed) the time every time a train passed a particular point. Headway is the technical term for the time in minutes between a train passing a particular timing point and the next train passing the same point. The service performance on a line in trains per hour can be ascertained by recording the headway which should equate with the published timetable. When the service is intermittent the headway can be 'adjusted' manually by a signal operator holding trains at signals to even the gaps between trains and improve the service following incidents. The Piccadilly line had/has an automatic headway control at Down Street that could/can be switched in and out by the signal operator such that the signalling automatically regulates the time between trains at the Hyde Park Corner eastbound timing point. There is a westbound timing point at Finsbury Park, the timing points being used to regulate the service. |
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Post by hellocontrol on May 31, 2013 7:00:32 GMT
Hope this is the best place to post this thread, when i worked at 55 Broadway there used to be these clocks (?) in the main ticket hall that (i presumed) would make a mark on a circular bit of paper when trains passed a certain point back then there was only a few train lines, my question what exactly were they and are they still there? or has no one any idea what i am talking about? thank you for any help Q These were/are the 'headway' clocks which record(ed) the time every time a train passed a particular point. Headway is the technical term for the time in minutes between a train passing a particular timing point and the next train passing the same point. The service performance on a line in trains per hour can be ascertained by recording the headway which should equate with the published timetable. When the service is intermittent the headway can be 'adjusted' manually by a signal operator holding trains at signals to even the gaps between trains and improve the service following incidents. The Piccadilly line had/has an automatic headway control at Down Street that could/can be switched in and out by the signal operator such that the signalling automatically regulates the time between trains at the Hyde Park Corner eastbound timing point. There is a westbound timing point at Finsbury Park, the timing points being used to regulate the service. They were the public repeaters as in room 222 on the second floor they had headway clocks I have a photo somewhere will see if I can find. |
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quokka
Station Foreman
Trying to be good however not always managing it......................................
Posts: 82
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Post by quokka on May 31, 2013 7:27:40 GMT
Thanks Honey, will look forward to seeing the photo..
Q x
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Post by Nortube on May 31, 2013 11:07:40 GMT
Hope this is the best place to post this thread, when i worked at 55 Broadway there used to be these clocks (?) in the main ticket hall that (i presumed) would make a mark on a circular bit of paper when trains passed a certain point back then there was only a few train lines, my question what exactly were they and are they still there? or has no one any idea what i am talking about? thank you for any help Q I don't think they were in the ticket hall as such (although they may have been and were later moved), but were in the circulating area where the Broadway lifts etc. are. The public rarely get to see these now since they blocked the area off and prevented normal public access. There were / are another set of the clocks in the ticket hall of one of the stations (Piccadilly Circus?). Mind you, to marry them up with the "Good Service" messages they keep putting out when the job's up the wall, they'd have to have somebody come along with a felt pen and make a few marks on the paper so the gaps in the "Good Service" didn't show  |
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quokka
Station Foreman
Trying to be good however not always managing it......................................
Posts: 82
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Post by quokka on May 31, 2013 11:38:22 GMT
Hope this is the best place to post this thread, when i worked at 55 Broadway there used to be these clocks (?) in the main ticket hall that (i presumed) would make a mark on a circular bit of paper when trains passed a certain point back then there was only a few train lines, my question what exactly were they and are they still there? or has no one any idea what i am talking about? thank you for any help Q I don't think they were in the ticket hall as such (although they may have been and were later moved), but were in the circulating area where the Broadway lifts etc. are. The public rarely get to see these now since they blocked the area off and prevented normal public access. There were / are another set of the clocks in the ticket hall of one of the stations (Piccadilly Circus?). Mind you, to marry them up with the "Good Service" messages they keep putting out when the job's up the wall, they'd have to have somebody come along with a felt pen and make a few marks on the paper so the gaps in the "Good Service" didn't show Yep think you were right re the clocks being in the area where the elevators were...... Q |
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Post by hellocontrol on May 31, 2013 13:10:09 GMT
The lifts were to the right or left depending which way you came in of where they were.
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Post by railtechnician on May 31, 2013 17:58:28 GMT
I don't think they were in the ticket hall as such (although they may have been and were later moved), but were in the circulating area where the Broadway lifts etc. are. The public rarely get to see these now since they blocked the area off and prevented normal public access. There were / are another set of the clocks in the ticket hall of one of the stations (Piccadilly Circus?). Mind you, to marry them up with the "Good Service" messages they keep putting out when the job's up the wall, they'd have to have somebody come along with a felt pen and make a few marks on the paper so the gaps in the "Good Service" didn't show Yep think you were right re the clocks being in the area where the elevators were...... Q My recollection is that the clocks were visible from the ticket hall through the double doors into the reception area on the left hand wall just before the entrance to the ground floor staff library where I used to spend my lunch time studying technical publications if I was near enough to justify the travelling time from my work location. Of course the library is long gone, the last time I worked in 55 fitting out some of the comms in the then under construction NCC (WOS replacement for room 222 HQ Control) the old library area was IIRC the security office where I used to sign in with my 'Permit to Work' each night. I don't know but I would guess that when 55 was first built the modern reception area may well have been a public lobby and as such allowed access from the street to the ticket hall thereby advertising the 'service' to the public who happened to notice the clocks as they passed them. The very last time I was in 55, for some training, up on the eighth (IIRC) floor was about 10 to 12 years ago so the memories are fading now. |
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Post by cstock on May 31, 2013 18:31:11 GMT
Here's a couple connected to a panel that once controlled the tunnel telephone system on the Central line now in Acton museum depot. Odd where these things turn up. Attachments:
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Post by WLX568 on May 31, 2013 21:50:11 GMT
The 'see how they run' recording clocks are still there as you walk in from St. James's Park ticket hall. They're not true headway clocks; which were mounted on platform headwalls.
I don't see the recording clocks moving or recording any more however, though the triggers for them are I guess still out there? The Bakerloo line ones certainly were when I worked on the line eight years ago; the trigger tracks were the platform track circuits at Piccadilly Circus.
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quokka
Station Foreman
Trying to be good however not always managing it......................................
Posts: 82
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Post by quokka on Jun 1, 2013 4:03:48 GMT
Thanks for that info you guys.....
Q
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Post by Admin on Jun 4, 2013 11:17:04 GMT
Arent they still in the main reception room thingy. I am there mid June but theres bound to be someone else there before then.
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quokka
Station Foreman
Trying to be good however not always managing it......................................
Posts: 82
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Post by quokka on Jun 4, 2013 11:23:03 GMT
If you are there Will you do me a big favor? go out to the home office side and walk along the road ..see if on one of the street level windows there is something etched in one of the windows (before you get to the doorway) ............that used to be where i worked... unless you are an important person and have no time to look.
Q
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Post by 21146 on Jun 9, 2013 19:45:49 GMT
They are still there but don't work anymore (I think they gradually fell into disuse dial-by-dial, you used to hear the 'clunk' as they rotated one step at a time). I hope they are removed from the building before sale unless they form part of the "family silver" that Mike Brown is happy to sell off.
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quokka
Station Foreman
Trying to be good however not always managing it......................................
Posts: 82
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Post by quokka on Jun 10, 2013 1:24:59 GMT
They are selling 55 Broadway..................how sad.  Q |
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