Totenham Court Road tube station, London. What's going on down there?

One for the bloodhounds here, those on the ground.

Current- March 2012. London, UK.

On the Central Line platform at Totenham Court Road tube station, you can observe many optical retroflectors on the walls at levels ranging from 6" above the ground to 10ft, and then even higher onto the roof.

These are spaced at perhaps 10ft intervals.
They run the length of the platform (tunnel).

When changing to the Northern Line, you take an escalator, on the roof of which are further optical retroflectors.

At the top of the escaltor is what appears to be an exposed CCTV cam, which moves.
On closer observation, it is most probably an infra-red laser projector, which switches between beaming directions in a controlled manner.
It moves during the day, but not verifiable if it is projecting.

The only ID is "Sola Data" on the housing.

A basic search reveals nothing on the web about this, or even "Sola Data" as a survey system.

The retroflectors appear to be passive, with no associated wires. Just fixed to the tunnel walls and ceiling using bolts.

That's my information.

Simple task - go there, take images and perhaps video of the projector, ask staff questions about what is going on here.

I cannot find anything on the web with basic searches.

Completely inspectable.

Someone in London, UK, go down to the Central line platform at Totenham Court Rd station and gather the facts and inform ATS of what is going on by questioning the staff.

Nice little weekend project :-)

Ommadawn.

Is the big anti congestion project there finished yet?
The panels could have LED'S and be triggered with something that would be transmitted by the train as it goes by, and could be ornamental or imformation bearing or whatever

Is this what you mean?



Well done for recognizing it as a laser, I certainly wouldn't have. Apparently this and the reflectors are being used to measure long term subsidence

Turns out that they are reflectors

But (and how cool is this?) they are to reflect laser beams and are being used to detect if works above ground are shifting the shape of the tunnels (that scares me just a bit).

linky

Not sure how reliable that site is, maybe I will be able to dig something more up

Probably installed in conjunction with the coming London Olympics. Some kind of CCTV system to ID terrorists hanging around underground tube stations. Most people going to London at that time will use the tube with all the traffic congestions and parking issue so Scotland Yard has to be prepared. Hosting the Olympic Games is no longer a lucrative undertaking. Besides upgrading and building venues for the different game disciplines you have to put in a lot of money and manpower into organising it. Who's next after London?

Originally posted by davespanners
Is this what you mean?



That's one of the reflectors near ground level. The others are on a simple (short) rod and bolted to the wall.
There must be a total of dozens of them.

Your link claims these are "relector generators", which is nonsense. They are either lasers (generators) or reflectors.

This one appears to have no visible power supply, and is perhaps built like this as it is within reach of passengers.

This image shows the low level reflectors and the high level ones.

edit on 31-3-2012 by ommadawn because: Additional comments.