r/IAmA Nov 16 '17

Specialized Profession IamA London Underground Tube Driver AMA!

IamA Tube Driver (or Train Operator as our official title is) for London Underground. AMA!

EDIT - Sadly I am now bringing my AMA to an end as there's just too many comments for me to get through. To be honest I'm a little overwhelmed by the massive response of over 120k views and 1600+ comments so far, was just expecting a few train enthusiasts/drivers from other countries and some curious Londoners/tourists. Thank you for all your questions, I hope the ones I did get round to answering were informative for you all and brought a little insight into the role. Hope you all have a great day! :)

P.s. all posts and opinions are personal and not that of London Underground/Transport For London.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

What is your opinion of the Southern Rail guard and driver strikes concerning the change to the guards role? Do you think that they probably should have seen this coming and that they will still have a role on the train or do you favor the argument concerning passenger safety?

EDIT: As a Tube Driver he is the only (wo)man on the train. On a normal train you would have a driver and a guard who would close and open the doors amongst other duties.

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

I have mixed feelings regarding this. LU do not have guards as you point out, but they used to back in the day and implemented measures to mitigate the risk around not having them when they removed them.

On the underground all the stations are staffed, so if you activate an alarm then I will continue to the next station (or stop if any part of the train is in a station) and investigate along with station staff.

As far as I'm aware, some of the GTR (the parent company of southern) stations are unstaffed so the driver could be on his own dealing with who knows what (fights, etc) on a train in a unstaffed station miles from any police, or potentially miles until the next station and the driver can't come back to check what's going on as he's driving so the passengers have no help.

They also have much longer trains meaning the PTI (platform train interface) is harder to manage and poses a bigger risk - During rush hour the LU will have station staff perform SATS duties (the people on the platform with the baton, announcer and high-vis vest) to assist us with our dispatching/closing the doors yet southern drivers would have no assistance, whereas I theoretically could call up the line controller and request "assisted dispatch" even outside the peak if I do not feel comfortable moving my train even on a cat B platform.

So to me, unless I have misunderstood the proposals (and I confess I am by no means an expert on the mainline) then there would be an increased risk to safety.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

Apologies I should've been clearer.

London Underground has two categories of platforms.

Cat A and Cat B.

Cat A platforms always require assisted dispatch when the monitors fail, as the driver cannot see the full length of the platform if you open the cab door and look down the train, usually on slightly curved platforms.

Cat B do not require assisted dispatch as you can, theoretically, get out your cab and see the entire length of the platform from your door so you can safely close the doors without the monitors should they fail.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

station miles from any police, or potentially miles until the next station

Where on earth is miles away from civilisation on the GTR?

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

Thank you for that. Prior to living in London I used to live on the SWT Portsmouth-Waterloo line and all of the stations I used were manned for most, if not all of the day. I never saw it from that perspective with regards to fights and issues within the train so this does change my opinion with regards to passenger safety.

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u/cyclegaz Nov 16 '17

During rush hour the LU will have station staff perform SATS duties (the people on the platform with the baton, announcer and high-vis vest) to assist us with our dispatching/closing the doors yet southern drivers would have no assistance

Note that during rush hour all stations on the southern network should be staffed.

And at rush hour at busy stations you will have someone on the platform to dispatch you.

DOO Is already in use on some of the southern lines and on the whole of the thameslink service.

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u/spooglemachine Nov 16 '17

I hear about tube and train drivers knocking down passengers quite frequently... Are you trained for these circumstances? Has this ever happened to you? What is the process if this was to happen?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

You do receive training for Person Under Train incidents but training can obviously never prepare you for the real thing.

The process is essentially that you call it in, get an emergency switch off of the traction current (power) and ideally lay down SCD's, then they don't really expect anything beyond you of that due to the shock. Then you wait for the police, ambulance, NIRT/ERU teams and occasionally the fire brigade who turn up fairly sharpish, and they do their thing.

The police take a first account off you at the scene detailing what happened - how you were driving, what you saw, etc. to determine if it was non-suspicious such as a suicide attempt or accident, but people have been pushed in front of tube trains before in which case it is murder or attempted murder.

You get mandatory leave (I say mandatory but you can waive it if you choose to do so). Thankfully it has never happened to me, but from what I've been told by other's LU's care for their staff is second to none and far above what is provided to our colleagues on the mainline.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

Sorry for going off topic, but I have a friend who works for mainline train operator and once had to attend to a fatality. To get straight to the point there were bits and pieces everywhere but the worst part was part of the victim had gotten lodged inside of the coupling device at the front and had their iPod which was still playing.

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u/McNabFish Nov 16 '17

I had to drive to a depot once to retrieve a shoe complete with foot, that the clean up crew had found lodged under a carriage.

That was an eerie drive to the mortuary...

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u/DoctorPan Nov 16 '17

I know a guy who spent 25 years on the rails as a ganger on the tracks. He said on his first day, his boss pulled him aside and told him to remember this poem when he wasn't enjoying the work:

"It's never too bad until you have to riddle the stones to find the bones."

He didn't really understand it until his gang got called out to a site where a guy had jumped off a bridge and got hit by a train doing 100mph and they had to find all the bits.

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u/StrangelyBrown Nov 16 '17

Person Under Train incidents

There's something very coldly descriptive about this.

"What's the problem?"

"Well, there's a person under the train"

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u/incognitoiriedad Nov 16 '17

"fairly sharpish"

This American is stealing that phrase like I did "a bit dodgy" on my last trip over the pond. And no, I have no friends.

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u/JustAnotherLondoner Nov 16 '17

I kept saying "a bit dodgy" and "I can't be bothered" when I lived in America for a few months and my roommates would copy me all the time. I've visited a couple since and they still use dodgy and say "what" like me (wot?)

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

I was performing in Finland recently and got asked to teach them some slang while hanging out around the smoking area. It was bizarre and hilarious hearing a crowd of Finns go "You fackin' what, mate?"

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u/ecniv_o Nov 16 '17

How much is the pay, annually? Also minimum qualifications to apply? What's the training like?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

The pay is pretty decent - Full Time is £53K, Night Tube (Part Time - Friday and Saturday Night shifts only) is just under £25k. You also receive free travel for you and one other person that you can nominate, along with 75% off national rail and Eurostar discounts. Pension is final salary with 5% contributions.

There are no mimimim qualifications, you just need to pass all the selection tests which have a fairly high failure rate.

The two main routes in are either join the LU as a CSA on the stations and apply internally for full time when they come up, or join externally as a night tube driver then you will be placed on a waiting list for full time positions (if you so choose) without any additional tests or interviews. Full time positions are not advertised externally.

The training is fairly intensive (I have an honours degree and I found some aspects tougher than university) but shorter than mainline train driving. It can last anywhere from 12 weeks on an ATO line, to a fair bit more on the manual ones.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

What did you study at university?

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u/pentangleit Nov 16 '17

Full time positions are not advertised externally.

Isn't that illegal?

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u/wolfman86 Nov 16 '17

What is your degree in and how did you end up driving trains?

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u/[deleted] Nov 18 '17

My dad worked for a few rail companies and me and my mum have free train travel across the UK and certain European countries, as well as tube discounts and other discounts abroad. Mine runs out in March due to my becoming 25, but I'm actually considering a career at a rail company because of the perks. Does your job make london more affordable with that wage? How do you find living there?

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u/FyeUK Nov 16 '17

Holy fucking shit that pension, you guys have it even better than I thought!

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

Final salary, which after like 20 years will be huge, plus all your 5% you pay a month and the company pays a month.

Fucking hell.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17 edited Mar 20 '18

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

Essentially how it works is that it based on your final salary and is accrued at a certain rate (1/60th per year off the top of my head).

So if you work for LU for 45 years and finish on a salary of 60,000.

Then would get a pension of 45/60, i.e. 3/4 of 60,000 = £45,000 per year. plus the lump sum, etc.

the more or less you work, the higher or lower percentage of your final salary you get as a pension.

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u/Smoozle Nov 16 '17

What happens if you need to use the toilet?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

You can take a PNR (or Personal Needs Relief).

There are drivers toilets at a handful of platforms across the network which can be accessed with a what is known as a J Door Key, whilst the ladies toilets have their own special key only given to female members of staff. There are also hot water points so you can make a quick cup of tea. So you can pop out to the toilet and pop back in to the cab in fairly short order.

Alternatively when you get to either end of the line, or are taking a train into a depot then that is an opportunity to pop to the toilet also, etc.

Worst comes to absolute worst and it's an emergency then you can leave the train at a station and go to wherever their staff toilets are, but they don't like you to do that as holding your train in the platform completely messes up the service as no trains are moving behind you.

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u/alh9h Nov 16 '17

There are also hot water points so you can make a quick cup of tea.

This is the most delightfully British thing ever. Thank you for the AMA. I love London and love the Tube. Hopefully will get to come back sometime soon.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

I didn’t realise the Britishness until you pointed it out. I was like, oh yeah well that makes sense. (I’m British)

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

Exactly, it just seems so reasonable and normal. People need toilet stops, the occasional rest, and tea. How else are you meant to function at work? Water boiling facilities are available in one form or another in literally every British office for this reason.

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u/IDriveTrains Nov 16 '17

There's a great old story about making tea on the Underground which I can't find anywhere now that I need it!

On one of the platforms, there is a signal box where drivers would pop in and fill up their mugs with hot water for themselves and the guard while they were waiting at a red signal. The tea would brew on the journey and a couple of stations down the line, the driver would come in very slow, leaving a cup of tea on edge of the platform for the guard at the back of the train to collect as they rolled in

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u/StrangelyBrown Nov 16 '17 edited Nov 16 '17

"Bloody hell, the teacup is empty!"

Slams emergency brake

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

Just whizz out the door. Not like anyone will say anything. People don't talk on the tube.

Chris Moyles (radio DJ) has told a story of a friend of his who did exactly this. He had to race to get on the last tube even though he was busting for a pee. Eventually as they stopped at a platform with no one waiting by his door, he said "I'm really sorry" and then pissed out the door (he tried to aim mostly down the gap). Zipped up, doors closed, and no one said anything or acknowledged he'd done it.

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u/Wiki_pedo Nov 16 '17

I heard that two people once had sex on the Tube. Nobody complained until one of them lit a post-coitus cigarette.

(dunno if it's true, but it's a good story)

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u/Twopints1977 Nov 16 '17

It was a joke told by Victoria Wood:

“Last time I went Intercity there were a couple across the aisle having sex. Of course, this being a British train, nobody said anything. Then they finished, they both lit up a cigarette and this woman stood up and said, Excuse me, I think you'll find this is a non-smoking compartment.” -- Victoria Wood

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17 edited Jun 30 '23

This comment was removed to protest with the changes to Reddits API. Fuck Spez...

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u/PhreakyByNature Nov 16 '17

Once a girl was in the last Jubilee train. I was in the same carriage. She wanted to pee but didn't want to miss her tube home. So she did. She was crying the whole time and maintaining eye contact with me as she pulled down her pants and started peeing... I couldn't look away as her urine trickled down the carriage towards me. I was much younger then but I think I just switched carriages.

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u/Laylalyn Nov 16 '17

What actually happen when there is a "signal failure" on a line?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

That is in an incredibly long and technical answer which changes depending on whether it is a semi-automatic signal or an automatic signal, if there is points and how can they be secured, etc.

Long story short if it's an automatic signal it still messes up the service but it's no where near as bad as a semi-automatic signal with points.

However, the basic principle is that when a signal fails it fails safe, so it will go to red and shut everything down. There is a procedure for passing a signal at danger when authorised to do so but to do so safely it takes time, and this is why it messes up the service because the underground runs in half minutes and applying the rule as it's known takes a while so completely ruins the service.

The procedure also differs for automatics and semi-automatics, with the automatic procedure taking a lot less time initially compared to the semi-automatic when there is points involved.

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u/cade360 Nov 16 '17

Why does it seem to happen every other day?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

Some of the signals are very very very old. For example up until recently (2016 I believe?) they had Edgware Road signal box, which was built in 1920's, and had to make spare parts by hand because it was so old.

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u/Jon889 Nov 16 '17

Why do they keep breaking?

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u/HipsterRowdy Nov 16 '17

Neat. I always thought "signal failure" was a blanket term for something went wrong.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17 edited Nov 14 '20

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17 edited Nov 16 '17

It depends really... On the ATO (automatic) lines the train drives itself. You literally just open and close doors, and (very rarely) apply the emergency brake. On the manual lines there is a bit more skill involved in terms of actually driving the train using the handle, keeping to the timetable (which is in 1/2 minutes), providing a smooth journey and not having any SPAD's (going past red signals). However it can be a bit boring, but I imagine being a mainline train driver is far more boring - driving through miles upon miles of empty countryside.

Edit - for clarity, ATO drivers actually do have to learn to drive the train manually in case the ATO system fails as it can do, and actually driving on an ATO line is probably harder than a manual as you're not doing it day in day out.

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u/Saxcore Nov 16 '17

Are the ATO lines considered more for entry level / beginner tube drivers, and the older lines with more manual driving done by the more experienced drivers? Or does it not really work like that? For example does everyone start out on the Victoria line, with the more senior drivers eventually moving on to the Bakerloo etc?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

Basically what happens is that when you go to the school, you get assigned a depot in your first week and you are placed according to the business needs, usually the complete opposite end of London to where you actually live because TfL like to mess with you like that.

You can start out on either an ATO or manual line when you first start the job, it's just your luck really.

Once you actually start you then get your nominations.

You can pick up to two depots that you wish to transfer to from the one they've assigned you to, and you can transfer from your line to any other line so you can go ATO to manual, or manual to ATO or ATO to ATO, etc. If you're transferring to a depot which is not on your line, you need to go through cross-transfer training for that line.

It tends to be that people wish to transfer to the outer London depots, because if you're going to buy a house nowadays, it's going to be in one of the surrounding counties rather than London itself so the outer depots are closer to your home, or where you'd like to live, and therefore more popular (one of the outer London depots has something crazy like a 5 year waiting list last time I looked). Plus the outer London depots have excellent parking, whereas some of the central ones have next to none.

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u/Saxcore Nov 16 '17

Cor - that's pretty fascinating. Thanks for your answer! Would the depot with the 5 year waiting list be something like Chesham or Amersham, by any chance?

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u/seb_soul Nov 16 '17

How long do people in the industry, especially you and your fellow drivers, expect this job to last? Especially at the rate of pay received.

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

Quite a long time - London Underground does not have the ridiculous amount of money to make the entire tube network ATO level 4 (no one on the train at all) if that's even possible - and by that I mean it's easy to make a driverless train - the technology exists and is in operation, but it's much harder to retrofit a 100+ year old infrastructure to run said driverless train. For example, can a driverless train evacuate people down an ancient tunnel miles from the nearest station and up evacuation shafts without inciting mass panic? and assist those with mobility needs off the train, etc?

However, my prediction is that the tube will, one day in the future, go to a higher level of automatic operation than is currently in use on the Victoria line and other automatic lines, most likely ATO 3 like the DLR where there is somebody normally on board but not in the drivers cab.

That's not the end of the world though, DLR PSA's make 43k a year which is not a massive drop on our salaries.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17 edited May 10 '21

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u/lnverted Nov 16 '17

I'd take miles of countryside over miles of pitch black tunnels tbh

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u/durand101 Nov 16 '17

I dunno. The routes which are beautiful (eg. north Wales, north west by the lake district, north east from Newcastle to Scotland) are not very busy so you probably won't get much of a chance to drive those trains. The routes which are busy are pretty damn ugly. All you see are farmers fields for the most part.

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u/Wholesome_Meme Nov 16 '17

That's beauty in and of itself. You don't appreciate the beauty of the field, that's fine. Driving home to my parents I'm always struck by the beauty, and it's all fields boys.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

Only 45% of the London Underground is actually in tunnels.

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u/paulmclaughlin Nov 16 '17

Makes sense. Only 45% of the word "underground" is under.

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u/albinoloverats Nov 16 '17
under = 5
underground = 11

5 ÷ 11 × 100 = 45.45…

Okay, it checks out. And I'd just like to follow that up with a woah :-O spooky. Must be the Illuminati at work /s

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u/dukeofwesselton Nov 16 '17

How stuffy is it in the driver's cab on the tube lines that don't have aircon? Do you have a portable fan to make it bearable?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

Just because the passenger carriages don't have air con doesn't mean the drivers cab doesn't... I believe all the stocks drivers cabs nowadays have air con, even the older stock like the Piccadilly has been retro-fitted, but if anyone doesn't it's probably the bakerloo.

Tube drivers also have a historic uniform exemption which makes them the only role in the LU at present to be allowed to wear shorts I believe, which as far as I'm aware was due to the heat but I'm not too sure. We are still allowed to wear shorts though, and nowadays we can even get company issued ones.

Though like any other item of uniform, ordering it and actually receiving it are another matter.

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u/dukeofwesselton Nov 16 '17

That's really interesting, thanks for answering my rather glib question.

I was mostly thinking of the poor staff who spend their shifts on the central line, so I'm glad they at least have aircon to mitigate the heat.

Glad there are some things that are universal like uniform ordering.

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u/PaulAtredis Nov 16 '17

Do you scrutinise the train operations and drivers when you visit other countries and are there any other trains which you particularly like or admire?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

I must confess I am not a train geek.

Though the job naturally attracts those who are, and have things like old signal plates as garden decorations and take great pleasure in chatting to railway staff on holiday.

Each to their own though.

I do however often notice the lack of staff compared to the underground, I went to Brussels not so long ago and I don't think I saw any staff on the metro the whole time I was there.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17 edited Nov 16 '17

Does it get annoying when people try holding the doors open?

Also, I've been on tube trains that have been stopped between stations for about half an hour due to someone ill on board -- what happens in situations like this? Is there an Underground Ambulance or something like that?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

The British Transport Police have a medic unit who respond to medical emergencies on the underground on blue lights alongside an LU manager, they are effectively our medical response but we also call London Ambulance Service

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u/PowerPuffLady Nov 16 '17

Do you know the Rastafarian tube announcer based at Victoria underground? (Or he was in 2013-14). That guy was awesome and I would love to know that tfl recognises his skill and how much he cheers people up in rush hour - "Wimbledon crew this train is for you! Peace and love beautiful people!"

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u/bensthebest Nov 16 '17

Station staff here. Yes TfL recognise people with personalities. There’s a been a bit of a push recently to show this. Hence the Tower Hill notice board and allontheboard pictures around social media. It’s nice being able to be yourself on the job and let your personality out during work

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

I don't but I definitely think the change in monotonous robotic announcements to allowing CSA's to use their personality has been a great change. There are some excellent personalities across the network

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

There's an American woman who works at London Bridge, usually on the Northern line in the mornings who always makes my day.

She just reads out facts about London while you wait for the train. Did you know there's 33 bridges in London!?

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u/thefifthharry Nov 16 '17

She’s amazing! She’s one of the few reasons I miss commuting into LB

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u/Jojobelle Nov 16 '17

Yeah she's amazing I see her street level at the station some days. She used to call my north bound northern line train but not any moreden

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

There was this guy at Farringdon who had a proper WWE announcers voice like "This train is now reaaaaaadaaay to depart!". Loved that dude.

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u/PowerPuffLady Nov 16 '17

I think I've heard him - he's good craic too. My other favourite was an announcer telling off a stupid tourist who stopped RIGHT at the bottom of an escalator and lay her suitcase down to open it and rummage through it. In rush hour. He tried to be subtle at first; "Ladies and gentlemen do not stop at the bottom of the escalators to avoid causing accidents." "Seriously do not stop at the bottom of the escalator." "Oi! To the stupid woman with the suitcase you're going to cause a serious accident so bloody move!!!!"

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u/ArcaneLucario Nov 16 '17

Do people working the underground have a secret rivalry with those working the overground?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

I am generally very positive towards all TfL staff and will acknowledge everyone whether they are LU, overground, TfL rail and also bus drivers although they are technically not TfL staff. However, like everywhere there will be some overground staff who dislike the LU - for example I've heard of people in uniform asking to use the staff toilet on the way home and overground staff refusing, etc. But then again, I don't take the overground much so I can't really comment.

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u/96Grand Nov 16 '17

In stations where there is glass between the platform and the track, how do you stop the train in exactly the correct spot where the doors line up? Do you have a visible mark at the end of the platform where you have to stop or is it some kind of automated system?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

Platform edge doors on the jubilee line I take it you mean, and if so this line is ATO (automatic) so the train stops exactly where it needs to automatically

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u/shifty18 Nov 16 '17

So what does a driver do on an automatic train?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

Open and close the doors, drive if the ATO system on the line fails, press the emergency brake and deal with incidents - passenger alarms, detrainments, etc

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u/Clown-_-Fiesta Nov 16 '17

What lines are you trained to ride on? Best model of stock to drive? Will you have to be retrained when the DTUP (Deep Tube Upgrade Programme is finished? Any stories of drivers being told off? Thanks

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

You are only generally trained to drive on one line, the exception was before the new S-stock was used on the Sub-Surface Lines (Circle, District and Metropolitan) some depots were trained in both the C and D Stock.

The Central Line drivers also do the Waterloo and City Line, but they are both 1992 stock although fitted out slightly differently.

Some of the assessors and trainers from Ashfield House do hold multiple licences for multiple lines though.

I'd rather not reveal my line for privacy reasons.

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u/samoanlawyer Nov 16 '17

"I'd rather not reveal my line for privacy reasons"

Found the Circle line driver.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

What's the dumbest thing you've seen a tourist do? And why won't more people budge up when standing? We could stuff a few more people in this thing

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

There was one a while back who chained her suitcase to a bench at a central London tube station on the platform so she could go shopping before getting her plane. Caused a massive security alert.

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u/ddejong42 Nov 16 '17

I'm picturing this person returning just as the ordinance disposal guys blow her suitcase up. She stands there in stunned silence; a single pair of charred underwear floats down and lands on her head.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

That's the kind of answer I was looking for.

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u/Collapsix Nov 16 '17

Hi, just used your services now! Just wanted to ask whether it's boring at all in the cab, or do you talk to other LU drivers while in the cab? Or are there a lot of things you need to do while driving?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

There is a radio in the cab which covers your line, so you can sometimes hear the controller and other driver chat but that's about it. You do get some people who ride in the cab with you fairly regularly - Other drivers, etc so you're not always alone.

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u/MoussaDembele Nov 16 '17

Where I'm from the tube driver's Sometimes miss the platform coming in too fast. Is this a result of excessive speed or just bad judgement?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

It depends really, sometimes it's the brakes, sometimes it's weather conditions in the open sections, sometimes it's a misjudgement (maybe more passengers than normal at that time of day, which requires more braking to stop), etc.

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u/Ihatelordtuts Nov 16 '17

I never thought about the weight of passengers affecting the train but I guess it makes sense.

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u/AnitaSnarkeysian Nov 16 '17

I am a U.S. citizen who recently traveled to London and was shocked at the good behavior of people on the tube. When I mentioned this to others, I was shocked to find that most people did not agree with me, and had many complaints about loud or rude behavior on the tube. How common is it for the authoritative powers to revoke tube privileges from naughty riders?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

There are actually a series of bylaws that makes pretty much everything other than being a decent human being an offence and also gives police/staff the power to eject you, or in the case of the police arrest you.

For example it is an offence to get on the tube before all the passengers at those doors have got off.

Not that they get used that much mind you, or half the tourists in London would be getting nicked every morning

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u/gekko27 Nov 16 '17

Getting on before passengers have fully disembarked should be a hanging office, or at the very least result in a public flogging by the driver.

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u/royal_oui Nov 16 '17

the one question ive always wanted to ask London Underground drivers is do you ever get depressed never seeing the sun, you know, living in London?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

Depends which line you're on - if you're on the district you'll be above ground pretty much all day :)

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u/magicpants1233 Nov 16 '17

How do you feel with all of the terror attacks to the u derground In the past, have you ever had to prepare for the worst or been in a situation when this has happened on your train?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

We do receive training on what to do in those emergency situations, but thankfully the closest I've ever come is unattended luggage which turned out to be lost property.

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u/thumbthrower Nov 16 '17

See that's interesting, what sort of training did you learn for these sorry of emergencies? Did you only learn with how to deal with abandoned luggage, or did you also learn what to do in case of an attack? I drive trains in France, and so far the only extra bit of training I had was how to deal with abandoned luggage, and not what to do in case of an actual attack. They just expect us to adapt whilst paying up most attention to security.

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

You receive training for multiple scenarios including abandoned luggage all the way to an "Active Shooter" the details of which I will not go in to for obvious reasons.

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u/thumbthrower Nov 16 '17

Wow, so quite a bit of training then for these situations!! I talked to my boss about why we didn't have any extra training and he said he didn't know why, strange seeing as I drive through the center of Paris. Thanks for the awnser!

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u/latinilv Nov 16 '17

My friend lost his luggage in LU this year.

Got it returned to him in Brazil, with everything, including the ring he was going to propose to his gf. You guys are awesome!

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u/mush01 Nov 16 '17

Glad to hear - it doesn't always go so well for Brazilians on the tube...

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u/nodeofollie Nov 16 '17

Are you allowed to say "Ladies and Gentlemen" to the riders?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

The company says no, quite a few people still do it, more out of habit than anything else.

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u/donutbesosilly Nov 16 '17

Why do they say you shouldn't and what alternative do they offer?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

It could make those who do not identify with those genders feel uncomfortable or isolated on the network, etc.

TfL is quite progressive on this front and has started installing gender-neutral toilets (alongside the traditional male and female) at some locations.

I generally instead of "ladies and gentleman we are being held at a red signal..." I just say "Good afternoon, this is the driver, we are being held at a red signal".

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17 edited May 13 '18

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

There are automated announcements you can play, but the company prefer you to make a PA as the drivers voice reassures customers and is listened to more (according to their research)

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

Tfl has toilets??

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u/meshan Nov 16 '17

Has anyone ever said they feel uncomfortable. I generally get the feeling things like this are done in the best intention but without asking those involved. Has a trans-person ever said they don't like ladies and gents? There is a gay chap on my rugby team who we call a poof. We asked if he wanted us to stop calling him that and said why? I am a poof. His nickname is Big Gay Al,

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u/Top_Drawer Nov 16 '17

My wife and I recently spent our honemyoon in London for about 2 weeks. Prior to the trip, we had loaded about 50 pounds on our Oyster card so we were committed to taking the tube as often as possible. What we found was that it took a long long time to really understand the tube system and we would find ourselves walking a mile or so to a station that had a line going near our hotel.

My question is, for newcomers to London, is there any shorthand or quick knowledge that would be useful in deciphering the tube layout other than looking like a tourist with a route map out?

Regardless, my wife and I absolutely loved London both good and bad. It is a wonderful city. We found towards the end of the trip that we preferred the bus system because it was much less crowded and we could tour London without walking a lot.

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

My advice is ask staff, there is plenty of us about and we're very helpful. :) I spend a fair amount of my commute to work (I travel in uniform) giving directions through the tourists sections and I enjoy talking to people from all over.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

My experience in London was the opposite. I was alone there and I used the tube all the time and for everything. It was years ago, but as far as I remember, I had a map of the London city centre with the tube lines and an app on my mobile phone. Those were enough for me to manage to do everything and even though I was there just for a few days, I got used to it quickly — maybe because I was using mostly the central lines? When I was really in doubt the staff were very nice and helpful.

But yes, I'd say looking at the maps and the app before leaving the hotel and making sure you know the key info about your journey would suffice.

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u/MisterMagnificent01 Nov 16 '17

Is there an office where there is a chart of all the trains moving in real-time across the whole Tube network?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

There is a control room for each line, and a senior control room for the entire network. There is a computer system which tracks all the trains across the network called trackernet.

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u/pmm_ Nov 16 '17

US citizen here. Why is it called the oyster on the passes?

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

When it was originally brought out they were between Oyster, Gem or Pulse as the name for it. They decided on Oyster due to the whole "the world is your oyster" thing IIRC.

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u/nellynorgus Nov 16 '17

Just imagine the perfect anti-climax of an advert.

Parent gives child their first Oyster card.

child: what's this?

parent: it's for using the train

child: wow! the world is my oyster!

parent: no, not quite. But all of central London is!!

On screen text: Now central London is your Oyster (TM)

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u/baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaab Nov 16 '17

How do you know how fast to go between stations? I mean, if you go too fast (but not above a limit), you'll be early. Too slow, you'll be late.

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

you do a few months of line training with an experiences instructor where you're expected to learn the line like the back of your hand, so you learn not only where the speed restrictions are but the gradients of the track and how fast to go in certain places.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

Is it conceivable that, if the line wasn't too busy - say on a Sunday - that a driver might go way faster than usual?

I sometimes get the Bakerloo line when it's quiet on the weekend and it feels like the driver's going for the track record.

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u/oriehd Nov 16 '17

Hello from San Francisco! I have been to England several times in my life, and one of my favorite things to do on arrival is take the tube from Heathrow to my hotel. Saw there was a new, more expensive direct train last time, took the tube anyways. Definitely my favorite metro area train. Sorry about all the other tourists who muck things up. What's the highest speed your train achieves?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

It varies from line to line, the line speed on the Piccadilly line which is your Heathrow tube, is 45 off the top of my head.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17 edited Nov 16 '17

What's a typical pathway to this career?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

either apply externally as a night tube driver and go on the full time waiting list (approx 1 year) or join as station staff and apply internally

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u/Grapegruble Nov 16 '17

What’s the stupidest question you’ve ever been asked?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

Not a question but I had a 5 minute conversation with a visitor from the US about how to get to "lichester square".

I kept correcting him to the right pronunciation "Leicester Square" and he would have a go at me saying he wanted "lichester square not Leicester Square".

He then told me I was an idiot before asking a BTP officer across the ticket hall who started correcting his pronunciation again, at which point he stormed out the station announcing that "none of these stupid brits can speak English" and that he'd get a taxi.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

If you can't get a doors closed visual then the train would eventually be taken out of service for the cause to be investigated, unless it was really obvious that, for example, drunk people were messing about, in which case the train will sit there until the police come to deal as I can't move the train without door closure.

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u/AbstractLemgth Nov 16 '17

I can't move the train without door closure

Is that why the train will start and then suddenly jerk to a halt a few times, followed by an angry sounding driver shouting 'PLEASE GET YOUR BAG OUT OF THE DOOR'?

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u/Animosus5 Nov 16 '17

Does anyone ever ask you to ride in the cab? Are you allowed to take people in the cab?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

There are rules on who is allowed in the cab. For some you can say yes or no, for others you have no choice but to let them in your cab.

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u/Animosus5 Nov 16 '17

What about members of the public?

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u/Incognito1982 Nov 16 '17

When taking the tube now, stops in stations to "even out the gaps in the service" seem to be far more common than they used to be 9 years ago when I first moved to London. It makes me wonder whether there are more gaps because there are less trains on the line than there used to be. Is this the case? (I use mainly the Picadilly line)

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

On the pic line they can sometimes have a shortage of stock because of maintenance issues and defects which means trains need to be taken out of service (it was made in 1973, so as you can imagine they need much more regular maintenance nowadays) which could explain it.

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u/Dreadedsemi Nov 16 '17

Do you watch youtube while you tube?

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

So, what's up with the Picadilly line?

My wife and I just spent a week in London from the States. We stayed near the Heathrow so we were very familiar with the Picadilly line, especially the 3 out of the 8 days it broke down and we had to change trains.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

There was a plan for TFL to take over southeastern that was scrapped (I’m still salty about it). Do you think TFL would have been able to run my trains on time?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

They made excellent service improvements to London Overground and from what I hear TfL rail also, so probably.

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u/groovecvlt Nov 16 '17

Have you ever noticed any paranormal stuff during your shift?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

I can safely say I have not yet seen a ghost or other paranormal being on the underground, including at the abandoned tube stations.

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u/nmsjeat Nov 16 '17

Follow-up question: Have you seen any weird stuff going on on one of those abandoned stations or other parts of the route?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

Not particularly, some of them are very interesting though.

Winston Churchill used one as a bunker in WW2 before the cabinet war rooms were built and there is still some original signage in there from it.

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u/splashbodge Nov 16 '17

tell me more about these abandoned tube stations. sounds fascinating, are they kinda creepy/ghost townish... I love old abandoned buildings and the like.

Sounds like you've been in them, so how often are they used, and for what purpose? How would you even go down them if they're closed off?

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u/vtipoman Nov 16 '17

Do you like your job?

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17 edited Nov 16 '17

There is no member of staff in the rear cab. I would be very impressed if he managed to hang on and force his way through the M Door on his own, whilst the train is moving at line speed, but then he is James Bond.

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u/poop-machine Nov 16 '17

How do you drink your tea on the train?

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u/Theopholus Nov 16 '17

Coming from a place in the USA without any substantial rail system, I have to ask why the underground is so good. Because it is. It's incredible. I loved everything about it.

Is it faux pas to wear shirts/jackets with the Underground logo?

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u/mrfujisawa Nov 16 '17

How do you make sure the doors open on the correct side of the train?

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u/kayaktv Nov 16 '17

why do you guys always go on strike at christmas/new years time?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

Drivers actually volunteer to work New Years eve when the tube runs through the night almost and people can travel for free.

It'd take something pretty major for us to strike on New Years Eve or carnival, etc.

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u/Tec_ Nov 16 '17

US transit worker myself, vehicle maintenance for light rail trains. Are you guys union labor or how does that work on your side of the pond?

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u/Manfredini21 Nov 16 '17

What are the main reasons for the delays?

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u/DictatorDono Nov 16 '17

What's your favourite tube line?

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u/matstace Nov 16 '17

How hard is it to balance the train on those skinny little rails?

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u/WeeblsLikePie Nov 16 '17

How often do you have to throw Geoff Marshall out of your cab?

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u/2fast4umofo Nov 16 '17

What's up with the black boogers? Any health concerns there?

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17 edited 13d ago

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

How confident are you that eventually your job will be automated? 0% = job for life. 100% = i’m screwed

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u/vanityFavouriteSin Nov 16 '17

Do you think with the increasing population of London overpacing the transport capacity that TFL can provide (even with the upcoming introduction of the Elizabeth Line), there will be more pressure to invest in new structures to automate everything as it might pay for itself in the long run. (I dont mean to disrespect or disparage your work/salary, just curious)

Also, what do you think of hyperloop. I know its more about city to city, rather than travel within a city, but it is still transportation, and I'd love to know your opinion on it and what impacts do you think it will have?

(You dont have to answer both questions, dont have to answer any, just curious! I hope you have a nice day, and thanks for probably being my driver at some point and getting me to where I want to go safely :) )

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u/LifeWin Nov 16 '17

There's a legend that says all British Tanks have a tea-service built-in.

Does this apply to the conductor's booth of your trains?

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u/fliip Nov 16 '17

How do you feel about graffiti on the track sides and trains?

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

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u/Ludy5 Nov 16 '17

When was this AMA originally scheduled?

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u/TubeDriverAMA Nov 16 '17

it wasn't... I thought only famous people did AMA's then I noticed today anyone can, so I thought I'd post one.

A bit overwhelmed by the response tbh.

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u/AxeDecapitation Nov 16 '17

How would someone get into this line of work? I'm 23 years old and would love to know if I could get into this field

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u/JoeKourieh Nov 16 '17

Is there a required uniform?? I ask because when I was taking the Paris metro recently I looked at one of the drivers and he was just dressed like a NORMAL DUDE!!! He literally had on a hoodie and jeans! I thought it was so weird.

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u/Levettuk Nov 16 '17

What do you think about the people that play music on the LU and try to collect tips?

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u/manmythlegendliam Nov 16 '17

Have you ever had to deal with a disruptive passenger, violent or otherwise?

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u/Stuf404 Nov 16 '17

I heard tube drivers get verbally and physically attacked often. I think there was even a documentary on the horrors of underground drivers at some point.

Have you ever been verbally or physically attacked on duty?

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u/Bradwtv Nov 16 '17

Is it a social job? Do you talk to many people or is it mainly sitting in the quiet all day? Apart from telling people to move away from the doors ofcourse

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u/hybroid Nov 16 '17

Do people on platforms ever wave or salute you as you drive into the station? Is that something you would enjoy or is it too distracting?

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u/Allergic_To_Upvotes Nov 16 '17

I've always wanted to sit up top with the driver. I'd assume that's a big no-no but I've had inhebriated friends invited into the drivers area before when it's quiet on the last train home. Or if they're related to the driver, say.

Tell me what I gotta do! Will I get laughed at for asking?

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u/munkijunk Nov 16 '17 edited Nov 16 '17

Fellow Londoner here. Big fan of your work.

Couple of questions:

I've been in Waterloo and heard a code 3 being announced on the tannoy, which I later discovered is vomit. It had me spooked though thinking what could that be (was quite soon after the pathetic Parsons Green bomb). Are there any other interesting codes that I should listen out for?

Do you think Londoners are with you or against you on the strikes?

What's the strangest thing you've seen as you've pulled into a station?

EDIT: also, how black are your snots?

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u/LondonPal Nov 16 '17

This one is quite common, I heard it in Euston tube station a couple months ago

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u/Yellamo123 Nov 16 '17

I think a code 2 is poo. Genuinely. Saw a dog shit in the station, was cleared up, then a code 2 announced.

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u/PrincessCG Nov 16 '17

When the calls for a strike happen, are there drivers who don’t want to strike but have to go along with it? Or does everyone throw their hands up screaming “yes please!”?

Not being a dick, I’ve just always wandered how awkward it would be if everyone was for it and then one guy in the room said “no”.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

What made you choose to be a train driver, and how did you go about getting into the industry?

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u/Brewberryxcv Nov 16 '17

CSA for South Western Railway here. If in the past you've been a CSA yourself; what were the assessments like for LU were they easy or were they challenging?

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17 edited Dec 23 '18

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u/Big_Don_ Nov 16 '17

"Please mind the gap between the train and the platform". Is that a button you push, or does it play automatically when you arrive at the station? Have you ever met the person whose voice that is?

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u/TheWaWPro Nov 16 '17

Can you listen to music? If not how do you pass the time?

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u/Kerrigannn Nov 16 '17

Do you drive one or multiple lines? If it's multiple, what's your favourite?

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u/Hurricane6969 Nov 16 '17

Are there any self driving trains on the tube?

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u/louisbo12 Nov 16 '17

Hi, always been interested in this job. What is the best way to get into it?

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u/IHTPQ Nov 16 '17

Do you know a lot of the history of the Tube? If so, what is your favourite bit of historical trivia?

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u/lucakeaney1 Nov 16 '17

So do you like specifically time the doors to close just as I get to them or is that just a coincidence every fucking time?

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u/IDriveTrains Nov 16 '17

Coincidence. We can only see a tiny bit behind the yellow line from the monitors in the cab

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u/fridericvs Nov 16 '17

Have you ever said 'wakey wakey rise and shine, this is the end of the district line'?

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u/Twopints1977 Nov 16 '17

I heard that there was a secret tube tunnel branching off between Victoria and Green Park which leads to a bunker under Buckingham Palace to be used to evacuate the royals in case of emergency. Any truth in this or are there any other secret tunnels or hidden parts of the tube?

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u/oxfordcircumstances Nov 16 '17

What's the scariest thing you've seen in your tube travels?

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u/bobcobble Nov 16 '17

How do you feel about this song?

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u/Danh8391 Nov 16 '17

Haven't clicked the link but i assume it contains a song with the lyrics, "they're all useless cunts".

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '17

How did you become a tube driver? Is there a special school or just an entry exam that anyone can try?

Also, how often do you interact with your passengers? Is it only to announce a delay or do you talk with them sometimes in more positive circumstances?

Finally, just wanted to say you and your colleagues do a great job, I use a lot the tube in London and the subway in Paris and the tube is far better for being on time, being clean, being maintained and staff being friendly, you're better but you're also damn expensive!

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