Man on the Ground
The photo you mention of the two nines nose to nose, was taken from the old apron tower [SMC(A)] and was under glass in the apron tower as a reminder to the SMC(A) controllers of how not to do it!
Of course the apron tower got the blame as they had jurisdiction out to taxyway Tango from the apron but I suspect there may have been a lack of coordination between the two towers that was the basic cause.
Blackburn