GLOSSARY OF TERMS
(or... 'What the hell is he talking about?)
Beware!! May contain spoilers!
For many years I have been writing the series
and along the way various things, people and places have been referred to simply
as they are in common usage. However some of these terms may be confusing,
especially for readers outside the UK so here I try and explain just what the
hell I am going on about!!!
| 1 - OYSTER CARD | |
| This is an electronic travel card used
across central London on all Underground, bus, tram and Docklands Light Rail
services. In the novels the usage of an Oyster Card occurs regularly and even I have one on the 'Pay as you Go' basis. The ability to trace individual journeys mentioned in the novels does exist and can be used by the security authorities. If you would like one, visit www.tfl.gov.uk/oyster |
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| 2 - BENDY-BUS or ARTIC | |
| Introduced from 2001 onwards, the
articulated bendy bus (mostly of the Mercedes Benz Citaro model) have become
a familiar if at times controversial addition to London Bus services across
the capital. The weekday only Red Arrow routes 507 (Victoria Station to Waterloo Station) and 521 (London Bridge Station to Waterloo Station) were the first routes to receive them and this batch of vehicles has featured a couple of times in the series. London General's MAL1 and MAL2 (the latter illustrated here) are mentioned specifically by fleet number in 'Westminster'. |
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| 3 - MOTORBIKES |
| One feature in the series of the character
Tracy Caverner is that she is issued with a marked high speed patrol
motorbike. Initially it was a Harley Davidson like
this one used by the Northumbria Police.
Later it changed to a more familiar Honda Pan-European identical to this as used by both the Metropolitan Police and the British Transport Police. An excellent website on emergency service vehicles in the UK is www.ukemergency.co.uk |
| 4 - MODEL RAILWAYS!! | |
| In the novels the Commander shares the
author's passion for model railways and usually the latest Southern Region
model released by either
Hornby or Bachmann
can be found on his desk at New Scotland Yard. In the most recent novel 'Epping' it was a Hornby 'King Arthur' class, the author's own model being illustrated here. |
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| 5 - TICKET BARRIERS | |
| Sometimes also referred to as 'UTS Gates',
these are the exit and entry barriers to be found at almost all Underground
and many main line stations across Greater London. Passing through them is achieved either by inserting a card ticket or placing the Oyster Card on the round yellow reader. If an error occurs, the quaint 'Seek Assistance' message is illuminated resulting in the usual confused looking tourists! |
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More to come.....