I was open-mouthed watching the BBC News last night when they were given a tour of the Edgware Road signal box. It's 85 years old, and spares have to be hand-made. There's still valve-based technology there. In fact, the word 'technology' probably hadn't been invented when it was designed by some bloke wearing a doublet and hose. No wonder the trains are never on time.
Of course, this was all propaganda by TfL, trying to give spending cuts the body-swerve. But short of showing little boys cleaning out the chimneys, it's hard to imagine a stronger case being made for capital investment.
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To be fair to valves, they survive EMP effects of nuclear war better than microprocessors. So after any war with the USSR, the survivors would still be able to cross edgware road safely.
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