Oral history; interview with Dave Bacon, 2023
Main details
| Reference number | 2023/237 |
|---|---|
| Description | Dave Bacon talks about his experience of working for London Underground and reflects on being a LGBT+ staff member. |
| Interviewee | Dave Bacon |
| Dates | 17/02/2023 |
| Collection | |
| Object type |
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| Topics | |
| Completeness | 61% |
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Physical description
Item content Attribute Value Object title Oral history interview with Dave Bacon, 2023 -
Interview summary
Track 1 of 1 [01:11:57] David (Dave) Bacon was born in 1965 in Germany. Father worked in the army. Returned to UK in 1972. Attended British military school in Germany then moved to Fulham and then Croydon. Grandfather worked for London, Tilbury and Southend Railway. Father worked as a guard. Talks about school, apprenticeship. Left school at age 16. Got a job with Co-Op in a warehouse in Beddington Lane, Croydon [00:05:00]. Joined London Transport age 19. Talks about family friend who was a bus conductor suggesting that Dave apply to work for LT. Describes recruitment process at Griffiths House. Explains guard role being the main job option. Long wait but then got offer to start in January 1984. Describes how staff would get a bonus for recommending people for jobs. Talks about bus staff being paid more than Underground staff. Retaining staff was difficult. Describes training and how methods have changed [00:10:00]. Assigned to Morden as station guard but had disagreement with station master in first week. Colin Hickman, area manager, reassigned Dave to Elephant and Castle. Describes it as a social depot. Talks about shift work, happy in role. Explains guards being assigned to driver, or motorman. Describes drinking culture in 1980s. Mess rooms in poor condition [00:15:00]. Talks about working with female driver Beryl Wheadon. Poor facilities, no staff toilet for women. Explains PNR, physical needs relief. Speaks fondly of Beryl. Talks through career progression. Station guard at Elephant and Castle then moved to Neasden. Explains difficulty of getting to work from south London for first train. Moved back to Elephant and Castle. Became a guard trainer [00:20:00]. Then took driver training exam. Became guard motorman, then a motorman, then train operator, instructor operator. Mentions involvement with trade union. Moved to Parsons Green after 10 years at Elephant and Castle. Worked 15 years on District Line. Mentions trauma support work. Took career break in 2008, planned to run a pub in the West Country. Returned to London Transport as duty manager. Mentions help from Joe Brown. Got role as duty manager at Golders Green in 2008, still in role in 2023. Talks about working culture at Parsons Green. Liberal depot [00:25:00]. High number of gay staff. Explains nicknames of staff such as colleagues Jim and Dave being called 'Janice' and 'Big Diane'. Straight staff given names too. Talks about HIV/Aids epidemic in 1980s and negative reaction from colleagues. Homophobia and ignorance. Support networks formed at various depots. Talks about older station master at Elephant and Castle defending gay colleagues [00:30:00]. Mentions government messaging creating paranoia. Reflects on TfL challenging negative behaviours now. Talks about social events at Parsons Green including Christmas parties, sports days, cricket matches. Talks about decommissioned black uniform with yellow piping. Gay staff would get hold of uniform. Describes uniform, yellow piping and griffin on collar. Talks about uniform rules being lax [00:35:00]. Tells story of colleague coming to work in jeans due to assigned trousers being too long. Talks about people getting hold of old uniform in charity shops. Mentions LGBT+ lanyards and rainbow badges that are issued by union. Reflects on past colleagues changing culture including Julian Hows. Talks about involvement with ASLEF, trade union [00:40:00]. Worked on consultative committee for gay and lesbian rights. Talks about TfL LGBT+ conversations being more focussed on office staff rather than operational staff. Further describes work with ASLEF. Confrontation with another member. Reflects on shift in culture. More diversity. Importance of knowing colleagues, avoiding isolation. Lack of structure for support when Dave first joined [00:45:00]. Talks about smaller depots and concern over lack of support or points of conflict. Describes Golders Green as liberal and diverse depot. Talks about Parsons Green as pink depot, proximity to Earls Court. Describes term 'royal cruise' referring to a LGBT+ guard and driver working together [00:50:00]. Staff drawn to Golders Green. Mentions John Krole. Talks about staff network groups needing to reach out to depots more. Reflects on TfL involvement with Pride. Important part of organisation's history [00:55:00]. Clarifies OPO - one person operation (mentioned a couple of times in interview). Talks about trauma support for staff. Vince Dardis introduced emotional first aid, care for driver and other staff following suicides or accidents. Describes current role. Training, sickness, promotions. Understanding needs of staff [01:00:00]. Considering their emotional needs. Reflects on achievements. Proud to be there for staff, help them when needed. Tells story of helping colleague apply for new role. Talks about colleague in Newcastle who transitioned. Very negative response from community and colleagues. Intervention from ASLEF. Importance of having tools to support [01:05:00]. Reflects on what else Dave wants to achieve. Hope that his approach to supporting staff is adopted by others. Ends with reflection of loss of life of colleagues from HIV/Aids. Tells story of colleague who is HIV positive and their fear of telling the company, Dave supported them to understand what drugs test might occur. Clarifies spellings of names from earlier in interview. [End of recording 01:11:57] Please note: this is a summary of the full original recording rather than the edited web version -
People involved
Role Person(s) involved Interviewer Jen Kavanagh, 17/02/2023Interviewee Dave Bacon -
Associated companies, people and places
Places Place Parsons Green,Golders Green,Interview location Palestra, 17/02/2023People Attribute Value People Joe Brown -Julian Hows -John Krole -Vince Dardis -