Mock tube station gives London Underground staff real-life training (original) (raw)

The simulation suite – a fake station called West Ashfield – is being used to train new London Underground (LU) drivers, gate operators and apprentices, and to retrain staff moving between operational fields. Opened in October at a cost of £800,000, it is anticipated that 20,000 people will use the facility in its first five years.

The suite will also be used by police, fire and ambulance services to train alongside LU staff in emergency scenarios, such as mass evacuations and people falling ill or under trains.

“Normally we would have to close a tube line on a Sunday for an evacuation exercise, but there is no impact on the front-line railway when training in this way,” said Jim Sitch, LU’s development manager, operational learning. “We have replicated an arena that does everything we do on the front line, and makes staff much more confident about dealing with a live situation.”

The centre, in Kensington, includes a station platform with a PA system, a tube carriage complete with a driver’s cab and a station entrance with an Oyster card reader. A signal training room equipped with a sophisticated model railway and signalling system operates in conjunction with a control room next door. The different room components at the suite are all interactive in order to create authentic scenarios.

Kevin Hafter, head of operational learning at LU, told PM that the centre allowed a move away from traditional classroom teaching to practical training that did not have to either take place out of office hours or involve a disruption to the tube service.

“Hands-on experience is an integral part of training to equip staff with the skills and confidence they need. With simulations we can replicate the pressure of a real workplace and the need to respond quickly, safely and confidently to a situation. We can really test and refine skills,” Hafter said.

He added that feedback on the simulated environments and “staff-to-staff” training offered at West Ashfield had been hugely positive, especially from those enrolled in the operational graduate programme.

“Our operating model is very much about people,” said Hafter. “One of the challenges for LU is knowledge retention. As we lose some of our incredibly experienced people [through retirement] we need them to pass on their skills and knowledge to the next generation.”