Steve Dulieu:
A "pipe" is once through the tunnel (the main one, the Southgate tunnel
doesn't count), so a typical 4 pipe turn would be one that does pick up
Arnos east and do CK HR123 CK AGw, get off and have grub then
pick up Arnos west and do UX CK AGw, get off and finish. ...

Interesting usage! Do staff on other lines use "pipe" this way?
The Piccadilly isn't the only one with a central tunnel and open-air
sections at both ends (okay, near both ends), but not all are like that --
does this affect the usage?

Is "pipe" also used for the main tunnel itself -- would you say something
like "I was driving east and it failed 15 seconds after I drove into
the pipe" and expect people to know exactly where you were?
--
Mark Brader, Toronto "Information! ... We want information!"
-- The Prisoner

My text in this article is in the public domain.

"Mark Brader" wrote in message
...
Steve Dulieu:
A "pipe" is once through the tunnel (the main one, the Southgate tunnel
doesn't count), so a typical 4 pipe turn would be one that does pick up
Arnos east and do CK HR123 CK AGw, get off and have grub then
pick up Arnos west and do UX CK AGw, get off and finish. ...

Interesting usage! Do staff on other lines use "pipe" this way?
The Piccadilly isn't the only one with a central tunnel and open-air
sections at both ends (okay, near both ends), but not all are like that --
does this affect the usage?

Is "pipe" also used for the main tunnel itself -- would you say something
like "I was driving east and it failed 15 seconds after I drove into
the pipe" and expect people to know exactly where you were?
--
Mark Brader, Toronto "Information! ... We want information!"
-- The Prisoner

My text in this article is in the public domain.

Wow sounds complicated.

In message , Mark Brader
writes

A "pipe" is once through the tunnel (the main one, the Southgate tunnel
doesn't count), so a typical 4 pipe turn would be one that does pick up
Arnos east and do CK HR123 CK AGw, get off and have grub then
pick up Arnos west and do UX CK AGw, get off and finish. ...

Interesting usage! Do staff on other lines use "pipe" this way?
The Piccadilly isn't the only one with a central tunnel and open-air
sections at both ends (okay, near both ends), but not all are like that --
does this affect the usage?

Dunno, never been on other lines, but I'll ask the question.

Is "pipe" also used for the main tunnel itself -- would you say something
like "I was driving east and it failed 15 seconds after I drove into
the pipe" and expect people to know exactly where you were?

Generally, yes. On the Picc., a pipe is about 40 mins and we do talk in
pipes - sad but true. 'The pipe' for us is the main Arnos - Barons
Court section - other bits don't count.
--
Steve Fitzgerald has now left the building.
You will find him in London's Docklands, E16, UK
(please use the reply to address for email)

Steve Fitzgerald wrote:

On the Picc., a pipe is about 40 mins and we do talk
in pipes - sad but true.

Could you give some examples? Might you say "When Only Fools And Horses
started, the episodes were only three quarters of a pipe long"?

In message , John Rowland
writes
Steve Fitzgerald wrote:

On the Picc., a pipe is about 40 mins and we do talk
in pipes - sad but true.

Could you give some examples? Might you say "When Only Fools And Horses
started, the episodes were only three quarters of a pipe long"?

No, Picc duties are generally referred to as to the number of end to end
journeys (pipes) one travels in a 'half' (two halves being a full duty).
I have been known to comment about only having to do half a pipe after a
Down Street or Kings Cross reverse but the perceived wisdom is that once
you go into 'the pipe' it's still a full pipe even if you're turned
short.

So, a fair turn would be two pipes on both halves (CFS - HRC - CFS for
example, lets ignore the Arnos - CFS bits for this).

Many drivers will complain about duties that do 3 pipes on one half, so
they end up at Acton for their meal break. This usually involves going
right up to the limit of your driving parameters (which is a maximum of
4.25 hours of driving without a break).

My personal hate is a single pipe on the first half; meal break and then
3 pipes on the second half - at last if you do the 3 pipes first you
have most of your work out of the way when you return from your meal
break.

Last Friday was a good example of what I consider to be a bad duty.

CFS - Rayners - Acton (2h 2 mins driving)
Meal Break
Acton - CFS - Heathrow - Arnos (4h 13 mins driving)

As we had a number of signal failures after the weekend's enforced
drought reduction scheme, I finally ended up 30 mins late at Arnos Grove
- having now driven constantly for 4 hours 45 mins without a break.

As you might imagine, I was rather glad to get home!
--
Steve Fitzgerald has now left the building.
You will find him in London's Docklands, E16, UK
(please use the reply to address for email)

On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 12:00:24 +0100, Steve Fitzgerald wrote:

Last Friday was a good example of what I consider to be a bad duty.

CFS - Rayners - Acton (2h 2 mins driving)
Meal Break
Acton - CFS - Heathrow - Arnos (4h 13 mins driving)

As we had a number of signal failures after the weekend's enforced
drought reduction scheme, I finally ended up 30 mins late at Arnos Grove
- having now driven constantly for 4 hours 45 mins without a break.

Is there a certain time limit after which you *have* to stop driving
(even if it means disruption)?

In message , asdf
writes

As we had a number of signal failures after the weekend's enforced
drought reduction scheme, I finally ended up 30 mins late at Arnos Grove
- having now driven constantly for 4 hours 45 mins without a break.

Is there a certain time limit after which you *have* to stop driving
(even if it means disruption)?

After 4 hours 15 mins driving you have to take the train to the nearest
sidings or depot. It can't be just left on the main line. As it
happened, I only realised as I was leaving Wood Green, so the nearest
sidings or depot would have been Arnos Grove; and I was due to get off
there anyway.
--
Steve Fitzgerald has now left the building.
You will find him in London's Docklands, E16, UK
(please use the reply to address for email)

On Sun, 22 Jul 2007, Steve Fitzgerald wrote:

In message , John Rowland
writes
Steve Fitzgerald wrote:

On the Picc., a pipe is about 40 mins and we do talk in pipes - sad
but true.

Could you give some examples? Might you say "When Only Fools And Horses
started, the episodes were only three quarters of a pipe long"?

I have been known to comment about only having to do half a pipe after a
Down Street or Kings Cross reverse

Half-pipes, eh? You should get on to the skateboarding crowd, might entice
some new recruits!

As we had a number of signal failures after the weekend's enforced
drought reduction scheme,

Wassat?

tom

--
Only the bagel has the correct aspect ratio.

In message , Tom
Anderson writes
On Sun, 22 Jul 2007, Steve Fitzgerald wrote:

I have been known to comment about only having to do half a pipe
after a Down Street or Kings Cross reverse

Half-pipes, eh? You should get on to the skateboarding crowd, might
entice some new recruits!

There doesn't seem to be any shortage of applicants when the jobs get
advertised - Funny that!

As we had a number of signal failures after the weekend's enforced
drought reduction scheme,

Wassat?

The rain
--
Steve Fitzgerald has now left the building.
You will find him in London's Docklands, E16, UK
(please use the reply to address for email)

On Mon, 23 Jul 2007, Steve Fitzgerald wrote:

In message , Tom Anderson
writes
On Sun, 22 Jul 2007, Steve Fitzgerald wrote:

As we had a number of signal failures after the weekend's enforced drought
reduction scheme,

Wassat?

The rain

*headroll*

Note to self: engage brain before newsreader!

tom

--
The exact mechanics are unknown, but a recent sound file revealed the
process to go something like this: WONKA WONKA WONKA WONKA DEOO DEOO
DEOO DEOO WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW WONKA WONKA WONKA...