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When you’re waiting for your train in a busy station, you’re likely to hear all manner of things.
From cancellation announcements to upcoming arrivals, hearing the tannoy going off every five minutes is a regular occurrence in these travel hubs.
Some things are easy to understand. Departure times being called out, for instance, are obvious.
But other calls you might hear could have secret meanings.
Secret codes in the railway industry have hidden significance – and tell staff if something has gone wrong.
And reference to ‘Inspector Sands’ is something you never want to hear.
What’s the hidden meaning behind this code word? Fire.
This term is used in a tannoy announcement to alert staff of a fire, without causing panic among passengers or evacuating the entire station.
Railway stations often play announcements aloud on the tannoy system
The code is also used on the London Underground system.
It originates from the sand buckets that were historically used to put out fires.
While there’s no need to panic if you hear the call as there are systems in place if evacuation is required, it helps to be aware.
Secret codes are popular in the travel industry – and this isn’t the only train station code.
London commuters will often hear the ‘code’ announcements on their travels.
Transport for London uses a numbered code system for alerting cleaners and staff to areas that need attention to spare riders about any unpleasant details.
The numbers correspond to things such as vomit, urine, blood and faeces to broken glass, litter, overflowing bins and spills.
For instance, ‘Code One’ refers to blood, while ‘Code Two’ indicates urine or excrement.
But some announcements have hidden meanings – including ‘Inspector Sands’
Several years ago, a video surfaced showing commuters figuring out that ‘Inspector Sands’ is staff codeword for fire at train stations.
In the clip, they began fleeing when they heard the call.
Travellers within different London underground and train stations have been recording special ‘Inspector Sands’ announcements for years.
The special code has been used by staff members to warn of possible fire hazard without causing alarm.