the fluffers.

any idea what lamp the fluffers on the london underground in 1949 are using ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4yT_PyZH14&index=10&list=PL3kG3TM8jFKhjxalohdz2850J4pnEzOXt



thanks for looking.

 

They look like carbide lamps IMHO.

 

Yes, HD is correct. Those are carbide/acetylene lamps.

 

They don't seem to produce light though.
What type of safety shoes do they wear ? ;-))

 

Current was switched off for such maintenance.

 

At any platform end is a collection of 3 neon bulbs mounted in a triangle on a white plate. They were still there last time I looked but that is a while.

Better be sure none is illuminated before you climb down there. Triple redundancy because

 

Published in 1984 by Jonathan Cape, 'A day in the life of London' (still available through Amazon)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Day-Life-London-Red-Saunders/dp/0224029754

100 photographers were assigned the task of taking images throughout one day in September 1983 of London and its occupants from midnight to midnight, resulting in 280 pages of remarkable images.

Two (partial) shots showing London Transport maintenance men using Tilleys:



Back then all 250 miles of Underground network were walked every night to clear obstacles and litter from the tracks.

 

wow nice pics.