rail wrote:
In message
"Chris Read" wrote:

So, was the Victoria line one person operated from the outset, or did the
screens serve some other purpose, and if so, what?

Yes it was. Train operation was completely automatic so the 'driver'
operated the doors and pressed a button to start the train and let it get on
with it.

I visited the Victoria line depot in the early 80s when I was a student,
and I remember the details of the train starting sequence.

Because the driver often leans out of the cab window to see when the
doors can be closed, and because of the danger of head injury if he* was
still leaning out when the train went into the tunnel, the driver's cab
windows were interlocked with the train start buttons.

* Drivers were all "he" in those days.

The sequence was thus:
1. Driver closes passenger doors
2. Driver closes cab window
3. Driver presses two buttons simultaneously to start the train
--
Jeremy Double {real address, include nospam}
Rail and transport photos at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmdoubl...7603834894248/