Inspector Sands at Reading

[fgwrich]

Even if they're performing "An inspector calls"?

I'd have thought this is far too well known now to be effective at preventing panic.

Blimey, I remember when we had to do that for GCSE English. Funny how many books had edits written on the front pages to An Inspectors @lls.

I must admit I've not heard it at Reading yet, but rather obviously on the Underground, where unfortunately the repeated message is made louder due to the tunnel environment.

 

[Michael.Y]

"Would the Superintendent of the line please report to the carriage depot?"

 

[455driver]

Even if they're performing "An inspector calls"?

I'd have thought this is far too well known now to be effective at preventing panic.

It would be much better if the message was-

"Oh f$$k there is a fire, run"

Um actually, maybe not!

 

[transmanche]

I'd have thought this is far too well known now to be effective at preventing panic.

I think that most people who are aware of it know that it's just a 'pre-alarm' - and not an immediate evacuation situation.

I used to work in a place which was six buildings arranged around a central atrium. If a fire alarm was activated in building one; in that building you'd hear a siren, an 'evacuate the building' message and red flashing lights. In the other buildings, you'd see yellow flashing lights and an 'be prepared,it may necessary to evacuate the building' message. Without intervention; after a set period, the other building would get the full evacuation message. So it worked a bit like the 'Inspector Sands' message, only being all employees we'd know the difference between the two messages. In a public environment, you wouldn't have that luxury - hence the use of a 'coded' message.

 

[Bedpan]

So, the, it seems that Inspector Sands is a Father Christmas like character who flies around with a bucket of sand, putting out fires at railway stations.

But I do wish that he wasn't called to so many stations all at the same time - this week he seems to have flown over my house and spilt a load of sand on my car and patio table.

 

[rebmcr]

I always thought the Inspector Sands messages don't work as automated announcements – because if you stop to think about it, which train operating company would ever go to the bother of pre-recording the name of every ‘inspector’ who works for them and every possible place for reporting to them?

Someone smart enough to 'stop and think about it', as you say, is unlikely to cause a panic. It's only the unthinking morons that have to be dealt with, so a weak measure of security such as this is actually perfectly fine.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

"Would the Superintendent of the line please report to the carriage depot?"

That's the one they use at Cardiff Central Station.

Funnily enough, though, I don't remember hearing it or any other similar announcement anywhere else in Wales.

 

[GatwickDepress]

Or on London Overground: "Would Mr. Neptune please go to the town centre immediately."

 

[jon0844]

So, the, it seems that Inspector Sands is a Father Christmas like character who flies around with a bucket of sand, putting out fires at railway stations.

But I do wish that he wasn't called to so many stations all at the same time - this week he seems to have flown over my house and spilt a load of sand on my car and patio table.

Yeah, mine too. And the car was only given a valet (first wash in nearly a year!) last week. Damn that Inspector Sands.. I rather fancy setting him on fire now!

 

[Michael.Y]

That's the one they use at Cardiff Central Station.

Funnily enough, though, I don't remember hearing it or any other similar announcement anywhere else in Wales.

Probably to do with station size and ease of evacuation - Cardiff is above ground level and only able to be evacuated safely through concourses and tunnels whereas at pretty much every other major station in Wales I can think of (and I've been to most of them!) you have the ability to move people about away from infrastructure to safe areas - Newport for example has exit gates on the outermost platforms and an evacuation tunnel/subway for 2/3.