It’s the quiz show express! Train driver transforms dreary commute
IT’S not easy to lift commuters’ spirits on a dreary morning.
But train driver Steve Copley has managed it – by running a quiz show for passengers over his PA system.
The former nightclub DJ invites them to guess which year he is thinking of through a series of clues – some of them sung – which range from memorable events to film and song releases.
Mr Copley announces a clue between every stop and has gained a loyal following of commuters travelling in the mornings on Southern trains from Surrey and Sussex into London Bridge or Victoria.
Recent clues have seen him singing the themes to EastEnders and the Dirty Dancing film, as well as hits by A-ha and Don McLean.
His tongue-in-cheek remarks on the state of the railways and the stations where he stops have also made commuters smile.
In one clue, he referred to the year Britney Spears had a hit with
‘Trying to cheer up this miserable bunch’
Oops!... I Did It Again – which he said was ‘a bit like train cancellations’. Mr Copley invites passengers to submit their answers on Twitter by tagging them #timemedia tunneltrain and jokes that the prize is a free beep at the ticket barrier – barriers beep when travellers touch out with their Oyster or contactless bank card.
Commuters have taken to social to praise his witticisms which include, ‘This train has no class. There are no fines, just friends,’ and ‘Due to underinvestment, you may only alight from the front seven carriages’.
One traveller writing online said it was ‘ the best commute I ever had’. Another said: ‘ Oh god love the fab @SouthernRailUK driver trying to cheer this miserable bunch of sods up with #timetunneltrain quiz this morning.’
Dan Schreiber tweeted: ‘On a train to London Bridge and the driver is hosting a quiz over the Tannoy. So awesome. He even has a hashtag: #timetunneltrain.’ Twitter user Olivia Cook wrote: ‘@SouthernRailUK please can you tell us this driver’s shifts so we can always make sure we’re on his train?’
Mr Copley first decided to give passengers a pop quiz when he was held for a long time at a red signal late last year and has since received waves of positive feedback from passengers. He said: ‘I give one clue per stop in the run-up to the terminus station.
‘ The clues could be local or national events, TV, sport, films or music but they all lead to one particular year. I even sing some of the clues although my singing voice is terrible.
‘The earlier you’re on the train, the more clues you get and if passengers have missed any then they ask their fellow commuters.’
A Southern spokesman said: ‘We are delighted that Steve has been keeping his passengers entertained. We encourage all our conductors and drivers to make announcements and keep passengers informed during their journeys when it is safe to do so.’