The auditing of TfL is something I have thought about doing ever since TfL’s purple uniformed bods hunted me down and treated me with what can only be shocking attitude. That occurred just before the launch of the Elizabeth line in 2022 (we’re now on the third anniversary of that opening). Because I have communication problems, learning disabilities, etc, I would no doubt find it very difficult to audit TfL. And besides, I have had regular counselling ever since that episode, thus there’s little chance of my gaining any confidence at any time soon – and that especially with my disabilities and how others view me.
As I often say, speech and hearing are important in such matters and if one hasn’t these, well one is considerably well down the integrity ladder and is often seen as one who has no rights of any sort. Quelle surprise too that I often find myself right down in the dregs in terms of integrity as railway blogger too – and that because those who are abled simply think, ‘we can’t have those who don’t bloody well communicate!’
Just to mention, the absolutely horrific incident I had where TfL’s utterly abject staff had set upon me and because of my limited communication skills – they absolutely though I was up to no good – and that even though I had merely tweeted pictures that showed the progress of the Elizabeth Line in terms of the trial runs it was undertaking – which was public enough anyway – and even though I tried to explain (very difficult because of my non-verbal) what I was doing – which was I had dutifully been following the Elizabeth line’s progress for months – and yet the staff were not accepting that in any way or form. Their attitude became nasty and horrific and its something I cannot forget.
All it was is that I discovered a table in preparedness for the first of the Elizabeth line’s trial days at Paddington. Nothing secret about that at all since it could be seen from the public areas above – and that was the first time I had seen the Elizabeth Line booklet in existence. I wouldn’t be getting one of those however because I was not even on TfL’s lists for participation in the trial running. I did get one of those booklets in due course via other events.
Close up of the new Elizabeth line booklet (which TfL had been advertising as being on the way soon – and it had shown via social media a picture of the cover so we knew what it looked like beforehand).
I have not published the above pictures since they were briefly featured in the tweet I sent that day. They were sent with a message that this was an exciting time being the first day the trial runs involving the public were to be undertaken at Paddington – plus it would also be the first time people would get a hard copy of the new book. It was barely a few minutes after I had sent that tweet that those TfL staff with such utterly retrograde attitudes had spoilt every inch of my confidence and any remaining semblance of credibility I had – by way of their believing I had taken pictures with an intent to cause harm (or whatever it was that was running through their distorted minds).
No amount of my trying to explain because I had communication problems was not in any way or form going to convince TfL that I seriously was a blogger. I mean, a deaf, autistic, non-verbal transport blogger? Such types don’t exist evidently – at least not in the minds of those who harbour a totally distorted thinking. No doubt its a case of – ‘if you can speak we’re happy for you to be here.’
When I tried to explain I was indeed a transport blogger it clearly had no impression upon these TfL guys. The very incident in which TfL’s apparently highly trained (at least in in terms of disability awareness) staff had taken a massive dislike to my disability – thus their huge display of hatred for my presence at what was no doubt a public place is WHY you do not see any of the numerous reports I wrote in depth on the Elizabeth line between 2017 (in anticipation of its 2018 opening) and in the run up to its eventually opening in 2022. Its because these were on my older blog – and many others were linking to these well researched posts in other blogs or on social media accounts because in spite of having absolutely no networking or rail contacts – at least I had tried to do my homework – and people were showing signs of being impressed.
Having changed the blog’s name to London Transit in the hope I might possibly get some more credence as a transport blog writer, immediately after this incident which affected me badly, London Transit was scrapped and just a small part of the content was carried over to a new and immediately acquired replacement domain which was London Rail. I decided it would never feature all those hard worked posts which I had spent countless hours writing – because no matter what, I was always going to be seen by TfL staff as some sort of threat. If one speaks, evidently its not to be a problem. If one does not speak, well that is always going to constitute a threat.
The awful attitude that TfL dispensed prompted me to scrap the new domain name after a mere three weeks of use. I simply could not bear to continue London Transit. Evidently TfL do not want non-verbal deaf disabled bloggers to be doing any reports on its tube or trains. Yet the surprise perhaps is speech can often be a violent medium. And these TfL staff were of a violent medium.
TfL is meant to be the best transport authority in the UK but on close examination – even with visits to Palestra concerning abject cases of discrimination plus email correspondence re its bullying staff, it seems TfL is perhaps best known for virtual signalling its competence and awareness when experiences show the opposite to be more likely.
The very reason I watched these auditing videos is because I wanted to understand how others with communicability manage. To garner an understanding of what hearing people do, and how communication (speech and hearing) forms part of a crucial skill set in terms of such challenges. I though I might learn something from these videos. The only thing I learnt was that TfL staff are often unprofessional and inconsistent. And the attitudes are simply horrid.
One thing I certainly get from these auditing videos is when it comes to being challenged, the auditors are able to establish the law and facts – and show that no wrong doing nor malicious intent has been proven. Sadly that is not how it has been for me, thus these auditors are very lucky they have the skills to put TfL staff in the correct position of great understanding and cognisance. Invariably its due to the ability to have speech, hearing, plus considerable debating skills and a good knowledge of the law.
The LT Museum (Acton) – a place I have never been to! Its simply because many including TfL staff scare me so much with their attitudes. Maybe one day I’ll try visiting it…
The next two are Stonebridge Park depot and LUL’s Acton depot (this is the other Acton premises on the south side of the Piccadilly and District lines – and where train overhauls are undertaken). The remainder are given as links to the relevant Youtube videos.
The attitude of the staff here were inconsistent. Yes I have every agreement the cyber attack had meant staff should have rightly been suspicious of those who wanted to fly drones, but at the same time the inconsistency the staff had was most interesting because they are meant to be professionals. By way of watching the other audit videos – well its clear ‘professionalism’ leaves something to be desired.
Older videos from Absolute Audits, Auditing Britain, DJMedia, DJAudits, Scorpion Audits, The Gwent Auditor & The Laughing Auditor.
Therapia Lane depot. April 2025.
London Overground Silwood sidings. March 2025.
Northumberland Park depot. February 2025.
Acton Depot. February 2025.
TfL Endeavour Square. January 2025.
Islington Uniform Services and Satander base. October 2024.
Palestra Part one. June 2024.
Palestra Part two. June 2024.
Beckton DLR depot. January 2024.
Old Oak Elizabeth Line depot. December 2023.
(The Urban Outsider has regular lengthy drone videos covering progress at HS2 Old Oak and these invariably show the TfL depot too and yet no security panic!)
There are no doubt a few more related to TfL that I have missed. Besides I think I have seen a good cross-section of videos that show the attitudes of TfL staff. Tik Tok has some videos however there’s no subtitles offered on that platform so that is a no-go for me. As some will realise, I’m limited in both information and knowledge thus what I know is merely passive.