The story behind Embankment Station Mind the Cape

Margaret McCollum et son mari
By Lily Ariadne | 11/02/2021 at 10:55 pm | Updated on 02/11/2021 at 22:55

When her husband died in 2007, Margaret McCallum often went to the embankment station and heard her lover’s voice announcing “Mind the Cape” to passengers.

The voice of actor Oswald Lawrence has been used since the 1970s at the Embankment Station in London Tube. When he died in 2007, the woman who had been with him for more than 15 years wanted to come and listen as often as possible. “He was never far from my head and heart. It was wonderful to know that I could go and hear his voice. It was a great comfort. (…) (I) sometimes miss some trains to hear it. He told the Daily Mail.” If I could go through, I would always do it. “

One bad morning in 2012 was a bad surprise

One morning in November 2012, while walking once again underground in a London pipeline, Margaret felt her heart pound when she heard a voice other than her husband’s usual announcement. Instead of his daily comfort, digital announcement, the voice of a robot rather than a human.

Oswald Lawrence’s voice was gradually lowered on the north lane and disappeared from the embankment station, only to be in use. “I inquired and was told that there was a new digital system in which your voice could no longer be heard. Margaret explains.

Merry Christmas from TfL Network

“Shocked”, “shocked”, “devastated”, Margaret decided to write a letter to the TfL network to restore her husband’s voice. London Underground director Nigel Holnes said, “We were fascinated by the story. Not only did the staff at the embankment station find the record and reactivate it, but a few days before Christmas 2013, the CD of the ad was sent to London by Transport.

TfL confirmed that Mr Lawrence’s ad was still running at the embankment station, but staff testified sadly that they had not seen Dr. Margaret McCullum land at the station for several years. We imagine that she always has her CD in her hand and wants to hear her husband’s voice from her living room.

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