黑洞社区

鈥淚 thought 黑洞社区 was meant to buy the drinks,鈥� says Steve. 鈥淲e鈥檙e on our second pints already.鈥�

But even tunnelling experts are not immune to London鈥檚 public transport troubles and, with a new round of drinks in, conversation turns to the inconveniences and idiosyncrasies of the capital鈥檚 underground network. 鈥淚 was in Oxford Street station the other day and a voice on the loudspeaker kept saying 鈥楥an Captain Sanderson please come to the control room鈥� ,鈥� says Hannah. 鈥淓ventually someone came running out to ask if there were any medics around 鈥� it turns out that鈥檚 their emergency code!鈥�

I seems it鈥檚 a dangerous move to ask for a doctor when there鈥檚 a bunch of engineers nearby. 鈥淚鈥檝e got a doctorate,鈥� says Alistair. 鈥淚f they鈥檙e not careful, I could step forward.鈥�

I鈥檝e got a doctorate. If they鈥檙e not careful, I could step forward

鈥淛ust imagine 鈥� 鈥楽tay calm while I bore a hole in you鈥� ,鈥� laughs Steve.

Kate thinks clear professional distinctions are lacking. 鈥淟ike when the people who fix your photocopier say they鈥檙e engineers 鈥� I don鈥檛 like it!鈥�

Engineering was always Kate鈥檚 calling, since she grew up surrounded by scientists and mathematicians. But, as a pupil at an all girls鈥� school, it wasn鈥檛 until much later that she realised the profession鈥檚 major plus point 鈥� it鈥檚 surplus of men. 鈥淚 went to an open day at Bristol university with a friend and they told us the ratio of men to women was 9:1. We just looked at each other and went 鈥榊es! This is going to be brilliant!鈥�

They told us the ratio of men to women in engineering was 9:1. We just looked at each other and went 鈥榊es! This is going to be brilliant!

鈥淢y friends who are teachers or nurses are all really jealous. When they have parties they make sure I bring my engineering mates along.鈥�

But it seems male-dominated environments can lead to some quite unruly behaviour. Former navy man Steve regales us with details of the elaborate pranks he played on fellow servicemen during his time. In one particularly well-planned hoax, he tricked a junior colleague into thinking he was going to receive a medal for bravery. He set up a fake ceremony, with a photographer and all the works, before presenting him with his prize 鈥� a chocolate coin. 鈥淗is face when he realised what he was holding was priceless.鈥�

The table erupts in giggles 鈥� and some rather shocked gasps 鈥� but Mark has a tale to beat it. 鈥淲e were playing with a lighter in school assembly once and my friend set the hair of the boy in front of us alight. It just went up 鈥� whoosh 鈥� before we managed to put it out.

鈥淭hat boy is now Sir Jonathan Band 鈥� the First Sea Lord. Every time I see his name, I think 鈥業 set your hair on fire鈥�. Well actually, it was my friend. He works at Arup.鈥� Engineers, eh? What a wild bunch.