A large part of my 25 year career at London Underground was spent at Edgware Road. I was a Train Driver there, a Signalman there, and a Duty Manager there.
15 years ago today I was based at Head Office but diverted from my intended journey that morning when I received reports from the Network Operations Centre of a derailed train at Edgware Road. As luck would have it I wasn’t too far away and got there quite quickly. I was well trained in post incident management and control so didn’t expect to come across anything too difficult to manage.
I spoke to the Duty Manager on the phone, and I could tell from her voice that it might be a serious incident. On arrival (just after 09:00) what I found was something I could never be prepared for and can never forget. What I saw was friends and colleagues dealing with the absolute worst situation imaginable in the most professional manner possible. Whilst the Emergency Services are amazing, and this isn’t a criticism, there was only one ambulance there when I arrived and LU staff dealt with the incident for a long time (a lifetime) before external assistance arrived in greater numbers.
I went in the tunnel and helped as many passengers as I could but, if I’m honest, I was trying to find the Train Driver. In my mind, If I was driving that train I would want someone to come and get me. I did find the Driver and I had to force him to leave his train so that I could get him assistance. I was a Driver with him previously and I was glad to be able to find him.
Like my colleagues, I lost count of the times I went into the tunnel that day. I saw some truly heroic things too. Colleagues dealing with horrifically injured passengers with no medical training whatsoever, station cleaners walking over debris in the tunnel to help others, Engineers doing their job so professionally while surrounded by utter horror, and staff who were clearly traumatised but pushing through because they just wanted to help.
In the aftermath I spent three weeks at Edgware Road dealing with the recovery operation. It was awful to see our passengers coming out in body bags, I still feel guilty about that today. However, I also saw some amazing Railwaymen/women doing some amazing things despite their obvious trauma. I saw people working together for a common purpose and putting everything else to one side.
I’m not going to a memorial today, I’m not brave enough if I’m honest about it. I sat opposite Jennifer Nicholson’s mum, on a train, a few years ago. My heart stopped and I couldn’t speak (what could I possibly have said anyway?) so I know I couldn’t handle seeing so much hurt and upset. I got through that day and the many days after because My family held me up, many of us leant heavily on our loved ones after that day and I certainly haven’t forgotten that.
15 years on and the memories of that day haven’t faded, but the prominent memories are ones of brave people doing brave things in a situation no one should have to face. The memories are of people showing compassion, love, and real kindness to complete strangers. Deep down that’s what people are really like, and that’s the truth that I hold on to.