onthedistrict

Oops

2006-05-10T04:52:00.000-07:00

OWING TO A MONUMENTAL COCK UP,

I'VE MANAGED TO DELETE MY ENTIRE BLOG.

SO, TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE, I HAVE MOVED TO -

The Bardic Lamp

Please drop by

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

2006-05-09T06:31:00.000-07:00

Over the last few weeks I have felt really buoyant and happy. Not any more. Today I am ready to rip some one head off and spit down the whole.

Last night I had a row with a parent of one of the lads form the Scout Troop I run, like all parent myself included, I don’t suppose he wanted to hear that his son was or is a complete little shit – well I told him. He then told me I don’t know what I was talking about, and I was wrong. Sorry, you don’t see your son away from your care! to cut along story short after 22 years of running a Scout Troop I have quit. I am no longer interested in trying to help the youth of today or tomorrow.

I also found out last night that my boss at work has blocked the Overtime I was supposed to be doing both today and tomorrow, because I was off after my accident at work.

Knowing my boss it wouldn’t surprise me if he thought I deliberately dropped scaffold on my head, arm and shoulder. Anyway I have now lost just under £400 worth of extra money. I am not a happy bunny.

I have also had a blazing row with the Missus, she woke up late and it was my fault that she misses her train and was late from work, it was my fault that I had to drive her to the next town to get abetter train, although I had to answer a call of nature before we left. It was my fault that little Legs also had the ranging hump.

Maybe it’s just as well I’m not working today as I would have no doubt said or done something that I would have regretted later.

Can the day get any worse? Probably. I’ll tell you tomorrow.

Thanks...

2006-05-08T05:52:00.000-07:00

... for your notes of sympathy concerning my bruised shoulder and arm, they’re both on the mend now and I have phoned in to the office to tell them that I’ll be returning to my rest day tomorrow.

Isn’t it funny?

What stated out as an accident at work, has turned into o a full-scale assault on duty with total hospitalisation. I had my big boss on the phone, although I have no idea how he got my number ‘cos I haven’t given it in, asking my wife how I was, and was there anything either I or she needed, and also which Hospital I was in and to cap it all, how long did I think I was going to be off work for, to which I replied “months... gov...”.

It’s a joke. If anything it just shows how concerned they really aren’t.

Anyhow, I’m back to my normal duties, but, and this made my manager almost have a heart attack, I’m going to do a days overtime tomorrow and another day on Wednesday.

My manager did ask me if I was OK, and if I had had a bump on the head or anything, “ ‘cos it’s not like you to offer to do overtime.” Maybe I should show him my credit card bill!

So, I’m playing trains at a different station for the next 2 days, after which I’m back to my own gaff. Talking of which, I am delighted to see that at last the work is starting to come together, and the improvements and re-furb efforts at starting to show, it looks really good. I broke my camera phone by sitting on it yesterdsay, but as soon as I get it mended I'll take some more picutes so you can see the changes.

We also have some new members of staff at my station, so my workload has halved which is also great news.

On a down side, there was no service on the District up my end over last weekend, and there won’t be any this weekend or next either, so blame Metronet. The line has been suspended this time so the builders can finish the outside works to both the stations that are undergoing refit at present. There is a special bus service, so please allow extra time for any journey you might make around my part of the Underground, alternately check the “Real Time Travel Updates” link to the side.

I know it’s only Monday, but best be prepared.

It also appears to me that all my other staff blogging colleagues have on off on leave, so it’s going top be down to me to keep you up to date with the gossip from the Underground.

Sunny Days

2006-05-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

Don’t you just love it when the sun finally shines?

Not if you work for London Underground.

It seems that in an effort to improve the smoothness of the track and stop the clickerty clack of the train wheels Metronet have welded all the rails together, making one long smooth rail. Great thanks, I hear you shout.

Now, what happens to metal when it gets warm, it expands, correct?
So if you’ve got a long length of metal rail and you warm it up with sunshine, the rail will get longer? Correct again – aren’t we doing well. So buy taking out the expansion gaps in the rails and joining them together, we now have longer rails getting even longer, and thus with no where for this extra metal to go, the rails buckle.

This happens every year and has for the last 4 years, come on Metro net get your shit sorted, or get of the gravy train and get some real maintainers in.

LU has announced that the District Line and other will be suspended all over the place this weekend for emergency engineering works

As a member of staff, all I suggest you do, is check here before you travel.

My only other bit of advise is to take some water with you, or just go down the pub and stay there for the weekend

Here is the last crime fighting equipment from he BTP. The

2006-05-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

Here is the last crime fighting equipment from he BTP. The idea is that the stone throwing youth , who think that it is fair sport to stone passenger trains, don't hear the bike coming and get caught - and it works too.

This bike come complete with yellow coated lycra clad Police Officer, and also has it's own set of "blues and twos" mind you, when he left it at my station a few weeks ago, to go and deal with a "job", some one stole the brake from the bike.

If this is the officers transport, you should see the transportation available for the offender! Rikshaw anyone?

Pole Dances

2006-05-05T00:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I’m back at my home station and have been for a few nights now, however because of the on going station refit I have not been in my office.

The refit is coming along and you can really see the changes happening now, which after all this time is really nice and the station looks so clean. It’s a real shame to think that come this time on Monday the locals would have been along and “tagged” everything and made it look shity again.

I had a bit of a run in with some of the contractors last night. As I closed the station some of the not to bright workers had stacked their scaffold tower against the gates at the station entrance. As I closed the gates so the scaffold fell on to me. Not impressed – more so, when the contactor told me that I should look out for his scaffold, and then asked if I do pole dancing often – a short but fair “Fuck off Bastard” was the reply.

I’ve got some bruising and a strange numbness to my arm. My manager wants me to go to the hospital, I shall go see my own medical centres Nurse later.

Anyhow, it’s the weekend again, and it looks like I’m going to be stuck at work – mind you that beats sitting at home with more crap TV.

Play Trains

2006-05-01T22:02:00.000-07:00

Oh yes i ment to say earlier, Little Legs has his first train set. That's not strictly true - he has a Hornby set that is out of harms way until he is old enough to play with it, but he now has a good lenght of track and 4 trains, a bridge and a station. They're all from Tesco's but are the same as the Brio.

He totally loves it and together with Daddy he has spent many happy hours playing trains. He's got his own Supervisors hat (strange how it's the same as the one LUL give us to wear!) and a whistle, which is driving his Mum mad - hahahahaha. Maybe she should get with it, and run the Tea Rooms?

Blow by blow account of my shift

2006-05-01T18:43:00.000-07:00

I'm here, back in the office, well in a station office, even if it's not my own station, it's just one either side of my "home" station.

Being as, and by some weird fluke of fate, I can now blog form work. So, to prove to all you doubters that I do actually do some work over night it is going to be my intention to blog my shift trough the night.

I endeavor to update the post every hour unless something of great interest happens (which I doubt very much.) This way I can share with you, dear reader, a very boring night shift on London Underground.

So here goes

22.30

In the Office to find the other guy dashing out the door. I have been to my home station and collected my post and coffee.

The kettle's on and I am now reading the station log book - no not the Station Master's Blog, but the station record of the day.

My Station Assistant is sitting watching the snooker! an avid fan.

23.35

The first of tonight's orange coated workers have turned up to start their nights work. I have no idea why they come so early, they cant start work until he last trains gone 01.25

The kettle's back on and I'm soon going to be on to my 2nd coffee.

00.35

All my trains for London and beyond have all gone, all tht I'm left with is a few Eastbound trains to Upminster.

and still the army of contractors grows.

I've completed the station accounts - yes we do the book keeping too, sadly they don't balance and are out by a lot, in a good way this is best, 'cos it'll be easier to sort out.

01.35

All my trains have now gone and the station is now officially closed. I've done the first of 3 station checks and all is well, apart from the contractors' lookout was a sleep in the waiting room. Having woken him up I explained to him that he was there to keep a look out for trains, even though there aren't supposed to be any. I'll have a walk around again in a little while anhim I find hiom a sleep again, then the whole gang is off the station.

The damn station account's still don't balance - that's it, I'm leaving it for the day time supervisors to sort out.

Going to finish my paper work and watch a DVD - not sure which one, I'll tell you later.

02.35

I know I should have put money on it, but I didn't. I've just been for a walk around the station and found the look out fast asleep again. definitely deffinately taking the piss.

A report has been sent in to my boss, for what good it'll do.

As for the tiredness stuff, I dont feel to bad, normally I'm starting to "flag" a little by now, but I feel quite awake.

Coffee time.

Uh Oh, here come the strange idea times. This happens to mewhen my mind realises it's awake and at work rather than in bed cuddled up to Mrs Tube Dude. Anyhow, who's up for anoLondon Underground Staff Blogger meet ups?? I'm going to pester the hell out the Station Master and get him on the ball on this one - being as he did such a good job before.

03.35

It's going to be James Bond. I've left all the other films at home anyhow, I'll watch bit of Bond and then start the next lot of work. I''ve got to do a check of the station before I can open it to the public, and I need to service the Passenger ticket machines - deep joy.

Never mind, another 3 hours and I'll be on my way home.

04.35

train. My relief should be in, in about another hour great.

That's it, all the contractors have now gone and I have the station to myself again. I have serviced the passenger ticket machines and taken a grand total of £130.70p out the machines - hardly worth the effort.

I had the final walk about of the station for my shift, and everythng is fine except for the wet cement where the contractors put a new manhole cover in last night. I didn't get to watch any more than about 25 minutes of Bond - tonight I have Saving Private Ryan or Schindlers List, both excellent movies.

Anyhow the station is fine and I have opened up to customers, already at

04.55 I have 8 or 9 people waiting for the first

Think I might take the hound out for a walk along the river when I get in. I found the river quite by accident the other day. Although I knew it ran through my town I had no idea how close to my house it is - thank god I live up a steepish hill, anyhow the hound and I really enjoy the walk. Maybe after this I might feel like going to bed.

Nights again tonight - if you have enjoyed this thing - leave a comment and I'll do it again another night.

05.35

The wall has finally arrived, or at least if I was going the London Marathon it would have. I'm starting to feel a little tired now, but when you consider that I haven't had any sleep for over 22 hours I dont think I'm doing to bad.

Looks like my staff are going to be late today. The first station assistant was due in 10 minutes ago, so I'll be wanting to know why they're late.

Incase I forget to add it on later, I'm finished this shift at 06.30 and expect to be well on my way home shortly after.

No doubt see you tonight.

I left the office at 0639, and was home by 0725. Now it's dog walking and bed.

Blank Horror-days

2006-05-01T06:18:00.000-07:00

The Sun is out, the sky is blue, it’s a public holiday and I’m going in to work to night on overtime!!!!!

I must need my head seen to.

There goes 2 weeks leave, I admit that I have achieved a fair amount, including consuming a fair amount of alcohol. I didn’t get to meet up with the SM as he’s not been well, so I hope he’s either getting better or has rung in sick, got a Doctors note and claimed back his leave.

Tonight I am working an extra shift, partly for the money and partly ‘cos I’ve had enough being at home watching crap TV

Anyhow, my managers almost fell of their seats when I said I wanted to do an extra night turn, I wonder what to night has install for me, I’m taking my DVD player and a pile of films which means that I wont get a chance to watch any of them!

I owe, I owe so it’s back to work I go…