Christmas Tube Strike threatened

Just in case you thought there might be a Xmas with no threat of a London Underground strike, you'd be wrong. The RMT are going to ballot their members about a walk out in the run up to Christmas, as part of their lengthy pay dispute.


The RMT union had already rejected as "miserly" a two-year deal of 1.5 per cent this year and RPI plus 0.5 per cent in the second year. Bob Crow, the union's general secretary said "We are looking for a pay offer that matches up to deals elsewhere in our industry and which reflects the real costs of living and working in an expensive city like London.

"RMT remains available for further talks with a view to moving this issue on and reaching a negotiated settlement acceptable to our members."

Richard Parry, acting managing director of London Underground, said: "Londoners will find another RMT strike threat hard to take, especially when we are offering a two-year above inflation pay offer.

"Many Londoners have seen their pay frozen or have lost their jobs this year. In contrast, we are offering stability and security in one of the toughest economic climates in decades."

He added: "Another strike will achieve nothing except lose staff more pay and cause unnecessary frustration and disruption to Londoners."

So add a Tube strike to the ongoing postal strike and it looks like an un-merry Xmas for Londoners.

Update: 18th December 2009 - 100 power staff who work on the Tube will be going on strike over pay.

Who is Private Rod?

You've probably seen this sign on the Tube. Specially if you've been at Embankment station. Paul Clarke asked me to explain who or probably what Private Rod is. It's the sign on a door at the London Underground platform there.


Does anyone know? What I didn't know, is that he also has his own Facebook page (thanks Quartistice) and no one seems to be any the wiser there.

Someone please put us out of our misery and explain.

Tube passenger dragged along platform by bag

A cautionary tale really showing how you should be careful about getting things stuck in London Underground doors. Lee Roberts was trying to get onto some crowded Northern Line trains.

He said "When the fourth train arrived and the doors opened I squeezed on board and put my rucksack by my feet but I got pushed back again on to the platform. As I pulled my rucksack up to my shoulder the strap became caught in the door and as the train moved off I found myself being pulled along a few feet.

"It was terrifying, I thought I was going to get killed as there was only about 100 feet between me and the wall before the tunnel. The worst thing was that feeling that the train couldn't stop and the driver didn't know I was there.".


Fortunately the strap broke before something more serious could have happened. However, no station staff came to his help when he was trying to get assistance to retrieve the contents of his bag from the tracks. Also as Londonist point out the comments by some Evening Standard readers, seem to place the blame on Roberts - saying he bought things on himself.

DeanN from Londonist wrote "While compassion isn't London's strong suit, blaming the victim is a little extreme, and clouds the bigger issue - that neither the driver nor station staff seemed aware of what was happening."

This situation could have ended in a tragedy (if he'd had a stronger rucksack that didn't break) and it's worrying to think that people can be dragged along the platform like this. Hopefully, Transport for London will be able to think of a better statement than not wanting to disrupt Northern Line passengers in the rush hour to collect the guy's belongings. I'd be interested to hear from any staff as to how the train was even able to go along any distance with the door partially open and a man hanging from it!

Sleeping on the Circle Line

I wonder how many times someone has really gone round & round asleep on the Circle Line? I saw the ad below yesterday. It features a tired sleeper, falling on a surprisingly cheerful looking fellow commuter. I know that I never look happy on the odd occasion I've been the pillow of a London Underground sleeper.


My worst Tube sleeping episode was when I fell asleep on the Piccadilly line and ended up at one of the Heathrow Terminals. I then fell asleep on the way back, missed my stop by about four stops. Went back on the line and it was all I could do to keep myself awake to change lines at Turnham Green. I had visions of being on that Heathrow loop for the whole evening.

Perhaps the makers of these energy pills should sponsor the "Wake me up at" stickers & badges, I blogged about last week. It could be the perfect match. They could print "I wouldn't need these if I'd taken blah, blah, blah" on the bottom

Guerilla Rail Signs

Thanks to Matt Moore from The Telegraph who featured a couple of pictures from my blog for a article on Guerilla Rail & Road Signs. They're spoof signs from around the world which fight back against ones we face each day telling us what or what not to do.


He featured one of my favourites from Gatwick Express. Also the alternative Penalty Fares photo was selected:


Thanks again to Fimb & Peter F who sent both of those into me.

Although this one taken by James Whatley wasn't featured in the article, I think would have been a contender.


To me, great spoof signs, are ones that you hardly notice, but when you do, you start looking around the carriage wondering if other people have seen them too. You then start getting hopeful that some tourists might also see them & ask fellow passengers or staff what the deal is with them.

You kind of hope they will appear in blogs around the world or in letters back to friends & families. "You know in London the subway is so crowded people have sit on each other's laps. It's true I saw it. There was a sign and everything".

If you see any other spoof signs on your Tube or rail journey please let me know. In the meantime enjoy the signs in the Telegraph.