Yesterday as I was changing ends at EAB I was approached by a softly spoken young man who asked me if I was an Instructor Operator which would seem a strange question but was perfectly unsurprising to me as it was followed by a predictable request to ride in the cab.  Only IOps are allowed to have unauthorised people in the cab but they have to arrange it with their TOM or from 55 Broadway beforehand, you can’t just take people on board without prior permission.  Earlier this year a notice went up on the boards clearly stating who we could allow in the cabs so obviously this is something they’re tightening up on and I’ve no desire to earn a P45 or get shunted back down to stations.

He asked me if I knew if there was an IOp on the next train in but I hadn’t got the slightest idea, we have no idea who is in front or behind us unless we actually meet up while changing ends, and repeated that even if there was they weren’t allowed to take members of the public in the cab without permission.  He then told me that he’d just been on a Piccadilly Line train with an IOp, which I pointed out was a great way for that IOp to get the sack and then he claimed he had a video permit from 55 but while that allows people to film on LUL property it still isn’t a cab permit.

Finally he asked if he could have a look inside the cab before I set off and once again I refused; no cab permit, no entry.  Denied he wandered off, undoubtedly to try his luck with the next train.   And I thought train spotters were bad……..