"We regret to inform customers..."

[webofevil]

London Underground in a bloody nutshell, from drummygirl:

At Bank, on the Northern line platform, there was smoke everywhere. Everyone was standing around. First the train driver announced that it was a track fire at London Bridge and there was nothing to worry about. Then the Station Announcer gave an update over the PA: All Underground lines were running with a good service. We all smiled and waited to board the train. Then a recorded message: A fire has been reported - evacuate the station immediately.

Bank station was indeed on fire. To be fair, on past form it’s a miracle they weren’t also told that the smoke was due to a signal failure at Camden, or a passenger smoking on a train at Kennington four hours earlier, or the unavailability of staff, or a broken train at Euston, or any more of the hundred different excuses they seem to be programmed to come up with at random rather than establishing what’s actually going on. “There are minor delays on the Northern Line due to earlier equipment failure at London Bridge. There is a good service on all other lines,” the announcer would still be burbling as a tower of flame blasted its way up the escalators and engulfed the ticket hall.

Comments

[drummygirl.livejournal.com]

emphasis, yours. I don't do all that bold!

It was a fire in Bank? I'm glad I got out ok!

[webofevil.livejournal.com]

I'm delighted you got out okay. Northern Line services were still knocked out on the Bank branch late yesterday afternoon while the fire was being investigated.


> I don't do all that bold!

Ironically, a technique I originally lifted from yo' man, though at first I thought it was a general LJ thing rather than his own individual style.