Jul 9, 2010 There lurks on the London Underground network a tube station that wont appear on any tube map, past, present or indeed future. In use on most days, yet no trains ever call there and no passengers ever use it. Fully fitted out with Oyster card readers, signalling and display boards, it isn’t an old abandoned station.
Welcome to West Ashfield Tube Station.
This is in fact a fully fitted out fake tube station built by London Underground on the 3rd floor of an office block in West Kensington and is used to teach new employees what goes where and when.
It is slightly surreal to go into a fairly generic office building, then on the third floor, find the entrance to a tube station – complete with fake newspaper stall and wire mesh grills.
The whole floor is used for training staff, and I was able to attend a tour of the facilities thanks to the The Institution of Engineering and Technology – The IET.
Despite the presence of the mocked up tube station, the rest of the floor is made up of conventional office rooms, although in a nice touch, each room is also named after a former tube train stock number.
Our group was broken up into four groups for convenience, and the tour covered the tube station, the new S-Stock simulator and a fully functioning model railway. We also got to play with some of the “big boys” toys.
The tube station is probably the highlight for any visitor and in addition to looking like a tube station, it also behaves a bit like one. When a train is due to arrive, although no physical train appears, the platform rumbles, speakers drown out conversations and there is even a fan in the corner blowing to simulate the wind blast that heralds the arrival of the train.
Not a sensible place to stand if this was a real train station
We were given a quite in-depth introduction to how the signalling systems work based on the “moving block” system the tube uses at the moment, with a brief overview of the system being introduced on the Jubilee Line at the moment.
Authentic tube station decoration
Most pertinent was how the tube network deals with faults – and what causes them. For example, there is a small break in the running rails which acts as a signal isolator, but over time that gap gets filled in with metal filing from trains, and the signal breaks. Sometimes, simply scuffing the surface with your shoe is what it takes to fix a signal.
Which is why sometimes signal failures last just a few minutes before magically vanishing.
The white line in the rail is the signal isolator
However, as we were to later learn, sometimes a signal failure in the wrong place can be a nightmare and totally screw up the network for several hours.
The decoration is printed onto office privacy blinds
Incidentally, West Ashfield station is indeed in the western wing of the office block. Maybe there’ll be an East Ashfield station sometime in the future?
One floor down is the BIG BOYS TOY writ large, as there is a fully functioning training simulator for the forthcoming S-Stock trains that will be appearing on the Metropolitan Line next year (and Circle/District later on)
Instructors control desk for the S Stock simulator
After a quick overview of the trainers own operations desk, it was time to play with the train itself. Several members of the group got to play at being train driver – driving through Red Lights at Danger (SPADS) with alarming regularity.
I didn’t actually get to drive the train, but (in my opinion) probably got the better part of the deal by standing outside and chatting to the instructor and getting much more background information.
A dream come true for tube geek, LondonStuff
Quite interestingly, although a SPAD is not a good thing, in of itself it isn’t mission critical. Due to the nature of the tube network signalling systems, SPADS are almost guaranteed, and the tube network only takes action if someone is rather incompetent and keeps passing red signals. As a SPAD could be a signalling failure and not the drivers fault, the driver seeks permission to drive carefully after each incident and after 3 minutes, returns to driving at normal speed. The new S Stock automatically limits the speed for three minutes, then releases the driver to go at full speed again.
The new trains also have some interesting improvements, such as if someone has got a bag jammed in a door because they jumped on when the doors are closing, then the train will only open that one door rather than all the doors on the train – which usually results in more people leaping on (and getting stuck between closing doors).
Incidentally, standing outside the simulator as the train starts moving forward is a very unsettling experience as you see the scenery moving, but don’t feel the usual sensation of a train accelerating. Takes a bit of getting used to as your brain gets confused by the illusion of moving without moving.
A brief talk about how they use a static model railway to set up possible scenarios and teach tube staff how to handle situations.
Then on to the ultimate model railway.
This is a fully functioning model railway that was only recently built to replace an older model based in White City many years ago. That older model used signalling systems that were so close to the live kit, that sometimes an engineer would run in and nick a component to fix a broken signal at White City!
That’s not going to happen with the new model train set.
In addition to being configured with a selection of more modern signalling systems as used on the London Underground, they also have a lovingly recreated old lever based signal network which is used to show staff how things worked in the past.
Even comes with authentic graffiti
We were then let loose on the system and told to basically run the the network, getting trains into platforms, slidings etc without causing traffic jams and the like.
The true purpose of the model train set though is to train staff on dealing with problems, and a simple flick of a switch can simulate any sort of network failure you care to imagine. It was here that we leant why it can sometimes take ages to get trains out of tunnels when things go wrong.
For example, a train is stuck at a platform – maybe someone decided that 5pm was the best time to kill themselves – and there is a train behind it in the tunnel. Not only does that train now have to reverse back down the tunnel – but do so safely.
In ye olde days (aka, 2008) the station staff at the previous station would have to manually check any points junctions were safe, but then walk down to the stranded train and hand over a paper form granting authority for the driver to drive backwards down a tunnel.
Today they can grant authority over a secure radio link, but that only became possible 18 months ago. Indeed it does seem that the Evening Standard headlines of people being stuck in tunnels for an hour or more have dried up since this was introduced.
So, a change that many people wont have even known has happened has already had a positive impact on reducing delays on the network.
Oh, and I slightly squealed when I noticed one of the stations is called Hobbs End. Sci-Fi film geeks may get the reference.
Hobbs End Tube Station
Overall, a fascinating visit and I am deeply grateful to both the staff at London Underground for taking us around (and letting us take photos!), and also to the IET for organising another excellent event.
More of my photos from the visit here.
London Reconnection were also there – you can read their reports here.
More of my blog posts you might also like:
29 Comments 
london underground, tfl
Jul 2, 2010 There you are, a quiet little tube station slumbering quietly on the corner of a road, little used save for tube staff on training or the occasional disturbance by people wearing interesting clothing and saying luvvie a lot – then all of a sudden, a load of large signs are lined up around your walls, a few video screens start playing something and a couple of scale models of other tube stations appear.
The side doors open and suddenly the general public are back and wandering around the place.
What’s going on you wonder.
Aldwych, a tube station that was closed in 1994 due to a lack of justification for modernisation was now itself, slightly ironically being used to trumpet the glories of the ongoing modernisation programme as part of an exhibition called “Transforming the Tube“.
This is a welcome part of the resurgent desire by the tube management to explain why the weekly email of tube disruptions can often be summarised as “don’t bother trying to go out”. A clutch of bloggers were invited to a meeting at TfL just over a year ago, and while we can hardly take the credit for the idea of using a disused tube station for an exhibition – I do distinctly recall a discussion about the possibility of public exhibitions.
You may thank us later.
The exhibition is basically a lot of large boards with large font text explaining a lot of what is going on right now, and in another section of the station, an indication of just how old some of the working parts of the railway are.
Click on the image for a larger version
In addition to the above time-map, there was also a slightly scary display board about how some of the signalling actually works.
The Programme Machine is an electromechanical device which contains a roll of plastic in which holes have been punched that encode timetable information. As the holes for a particular train come into position, feels pass through them, closing all the necessary contacts to set the route for that train.
Yes, they really do still use a plastic sheet with holes in it to control the signalling on some lines! Your train home is being controlled by a glorified Fisher Price record player.
The exhibition frankly could have been set up anywhere, and indeed, I hope it does go on some sort of travelling show as it is actually quite interesting. However, the genius has to be putting it inside Aldwych tube station as that is bound to pull in even those who are only vaguely interested – just to have a look around.
Model of the future Tottenham Court Rd Station
For those who go to be educated – you will learn what has been going on for the past decade during all the tube closures – and what to look forward to over the next decade. As a long suffering Jubilee Line passenger, I am looking forward to the oft-delayed completion and a one-third increase in capacity on the line.
Scanned from the free brochure handed out
Sadly you don’t get to see too much of the building, but you do get to walk through the iconic 1907 lifts that are now locked in place at the ticket hall level, and apparently sometimes the staff let you walk through the joining corridor that links two lifts in case of emergency.
However, you do get to see something quite rare, and you wont even notice how rare it is unless I explain it to you.
As you go in, via the side street entrance, there is an Entrance and an Exit – the idea being that the lifts had two doors, one letting people in, and a dedicated exit to let people out. However, the exit side was only used for a very short period of time before being abandoned and everyone used the same door.
So, as you go through the lift and into the Exit corridor to see more of the exhibition, you are now standing a very rarely seen part of the tube network. It just wont have that dank abandoned aesthetic you were hoping for.
Overall, it is a good worthy exhibition, and although 90% of the material is replicated in the take-away brochure, it is worth visiting, even if only to get to peer inside a disused tube station.
Incidentally, that brochure has a note on the back that it is printed on 100% recycled stock. In train-language, stock is the name given to the tube trains, so my brochure is made from the pulverised remnants of an old tube train?
You have until next Friday to make a visit yourself, and the opening times are:
Other people to have visited:
My previous Blog Post about the Aldwych Station
May 19, 2010 This coming Sunday, the second phase of the East London Line conversion to being part of the London Overground will be completed as trains will cease to stop at New Cross Gate and will instead run down to West Croydon.
TfL are extremely excited and will be offering 10,000 free tickets to early travellers as an incentive to try out the sexy new trains on old train tracks. The boss will also be around at West Croydon at 10am to smile for the media.
Thinking this is the marking of the beginning of a new era of London Overground travel, I received the weekly weekend disruptions email this morning and the list of cancellations to the London Overground is surprisingly rich for such an auspicious date.
Indeed, it looked at first glance, as if most of the Overground was being closed down – maybe they need the staff to cover the opening weekend down to Croydon?
A few mock-up maps of the network – all based on TfL maps, which obviously are their copyright (blah,blah,blah).
Despite my slight whinge, I will be on an early train this coming Sunday, although thanks to the aforementioned engineering works, I doubt I will make it all the way up to Dalston Junction and will probably hop on at Canada Water. Such laziness!
What the network will look like on SATURDAY
Just missing the bit between Gospel Oak and Stratford
What you would THINK the network will look like on Sunday
Ohh! There’s a shiny new bit at the bottom of the map.
What the network ACTUALLY looks like on Sunday
OK, new bit at the bottom is still there, but what happened to the rest?
Oh, before you get too depressed – this is the network in its full glory from next month
Jul 15, 2009 How about this – a chance to take the tube to the closed Charing Cross tube station – and not just any tube train, but the heritage 1938 stock.
Just had an email from TfL letting me know that there will be another excursion of the heritage train in a few weeks time, but this time along the Jubilee Line – and the trip will include a stop at the disused Charing Cross platforms on the old part of the Jubilee Line.
They say it is likely to be the last time a heritage train can run along the Jubilee Line, as the new signalling system being installed will make future trips impossible. As that new signalling is itself shutting the Jubilee Line most weekends (DiamondGeezer passim), this heritage trip will take place on a Wednesday, not at the weekends as would be normally expected. Specifically, Wednesday 5th August. Still, I’d expect a fair number of tube fans will jump at the chance, especially for the chance to get to the closed tube station (we tube geeks like things like that).
This is part of the Jubilee line’s 30th/10th anniversary celebrations, and likely to be the last opportunity to ride on 38 stock on the Jubilee line before their new signalling is commissioned.
There are two trips:
Trip a) Stratford to West Hampstead, down to Charing Cross and then back to West Hampstead: costs £25 per person
Trip b) West Hampstead to Stratford: costs £10 per person
The train arrives at Stratford, platform 14 at 11:00 and leaves at 11:22 (plenty of time for photo opportunities), there’s also 20 minutes scheduled at Charing Cross disused Jubilee line platforms for more photo opportunities. The train arrives at the end of trip a) at West Hampstead at 13:18.
Trip b) from West Hampstead at 13:48 and arrive back at Stratford at 14:28.
Tickets for both trips are being sold from next week by the London Transport Museum via their website www.ltmuseum.co.uk or their ticket line 020 7565 7298.
Huge cheers to TfL for letting me know about this – and while I have done the heritage run a few times, the sight of the train inside the disused Charing Cross station might make it worth another go. Not to mention the look on the faces of the bankers and financial whizzes when travelling through Canary Wharf station in an ancient tube train 
Update:
Tickets now on sale at the London Transport Museum website.
Apr 7, 2009 Had a press release come through from TfL gushing about their improved service for film makers and the setting up of a dedicated film office.
Great if you want to make films, but what about the remaining 99.99% of people who want to take still image photos?
Do we get a look in?
Nope.
As usual, the amateur photographer is left in a weird limbo land where there isn’t a clear rule. As DiamondGeezer noted the other day, a photography competition being run by TfL stated that photography on the tube network is FORBIDDEN.
However, chat over on District Dave notes that general photography is not explicitly banned and that a memo was added to the tube staff’s internal newsletter last year which says that general photography is permitted.
Add to that the many signs dotted around the tube network stating that “flash photography” is forbidden – but rarely commenting on other forms of photography. Indeed, by inference, non-flash photography seems to be permitted.
Now, I could buy a £30 monthly photography permit, but that seems to be aimed at student groups or professionals, and regardless of my pretensions, I am most certainly not a professional. You also have to seek permission from the station every time you visit, which is a bit much if you are standing on a platform and see something you want to take a quick snap of.
Regular readers may recall a nasty incident last year at Clapham Common station with photographers.
I understand the problem with flash on the underground, and support the ban on that – but a total ban on photography in general just seems daft. No one at TfL has ever come up with a defensible reason for the ban, and with the contradictory statements on the issue, isn’t it time they put some effort in to liaising with photographers to come up with sensible and usable rules?
I will accept the ban on tripods, although I would be interested to know why TfL thinks a small tripod at the far end of the platform causes more problems than a tourist with two large suitcases blockading the middle of the platform.
So come on TfL – do the same as you did last year with the Bloggers Briefing and pull in some photographers to discuss the problems and come up with a sensible set of rules for us amateur hobbyists.
Contact
Subscribe