Auto Anouncments - Errors/funny sayings

[Jordy]

Slight over exaderation there Mr 156401

 

[P156KWJ]

Slight over exaderation there Mr 156401

I know I know, I'm like that a lot, she did sound like she had a cold though, but without sneezing.

 

[me123]

SPT ones were good when they were changing Annoying Annie to Fletcher what's-her-face.

"This is / EESTAHOOSE/ This train is for/ ERDRI./ The next stop is/ BLAWNTIEYAR. " (for some reason, she always called Blairhill Blantyre)

I don't know why they didn't record them all at once, but the station names were still as incomprehensible as ever for a few months.

 

[thefab444]

I don't like the way she says "Bvidche of Orchy", "Speen Bvidche" and the like.

 

[P156KWJ]

I don't like the way she says "Bvidche of Orchy", "Speen Bvidche" and the like.

she just generally sounds grumpy. She also says "Fort Will-yum" and "Mallaeg"

 

[robertclark125]

I've been on a first scotrail train which called in at Haymarket, and it said "the next station is change here for the bus link to edinburgh airport"

Or this one, same station, same voice, but the message went "the next station next station next station next station"

 

[P156KWJ]

the 'broken record' thing seems common - I've heard the announcer on the TPE 185s go "This train is for Cleethorpes, and-and the next-next station is Scunthorpe."

 

[me123]

FSR's are really good now. Ms. Mathers was updated recently so that should have sorted out some mispronouciations. She finally recorded "Blairhill" (which seemed to be forgotten in the original recordings) and correctly pronounced Bargeddie. (She used to call it "BarGAYdee". In general, they're short and sweet (just like me ) and they give good information at the same time.

 

[P156KWJ]

they should edit M.M. at sheffield, she still pronounces Hathersage as Hather-sayje. Should be pronounced as 'Hathersidge'

 

[class 313]

We have a new system here at St Albans City and its pretty poor. For example, a 222 flys through platform 3. A minute later, "Please stand back from the edge on platform 3, fast train approaching". Well it had already gone!

Also Phil keeps saying "please dont leave any luggae.... CCTV is recorded 24hrs by BTP... which gets annoying!

 

[dan_atki]

We have a new system here at St Albans City and its pretty poor. For example, a 222 flys through platform 3. A minute later, "Please stand back from the edge on platform 3, fast train approaching". Well it had already gone!

Also Phil keeps saying "please dont leave any luggae.... CCTV is recorded 24hrs by BTP... which gets annoying!

All the FCC Ditras between Bedford and Farringdon have been replaced by the new system, which I originally thought was a SEMA (the one with Sarah and Mike as at many stations) but voiced by Phil. This no longer appears to be true and the system is unique to FCC.

It's weird because Network Rail were replacing ALL FCC CIS systems yet Sarah remains at LTN :-?

Anyways yesterday my experience of this new system makes me think it is all completely automatic. FCC, for some very odd reason, didn't put any ZMG-BDM or BDM-ZMG train in the system and missed out half the BTN-BDMs as well.

These didn't show up on screens all day and it was left to staff to make manual announcements, however at STP (and I assume everywhere with the new system) the 08.03 BDM service pulled in (with the next departure on the screen as 08.08 ) and suddenly Phil pipes up: 'Please stand well back from the edge of platform B. A fast train is approaching'.

As much as I like the new system I think the only few places it is suited to is STP and ZFD where the speakers are suitable for the job and the announcement echoes everywhere so everyone can hear it. At open air stations the speakers are of the megaphone type and, to put bluntly, are rubbish. Unless you stand directly under one you have no chance of hearing anything...

Then again saying that I haven't heard the new system at SAC and I wonder if it echoes around there like the Ditra did...

 

[class 313]

Then again saying that I haven't heard the new system at SAC and I wonder if it echoes around there like the Ditra did...

Doesny echo around no, but is still fairly loud! Speaking with Train Dispatch at SAC, they say that its completely cack!

Every sunday its a mix between Phil and whoever is on duty!

 

[dan_atki]

Doesny echo around no, but is still fairly loud! Speaking with Train Dispatch at SAC, they say that its completely cack!

Every sunday its a mix between Phil and whoever is on duty!

same as that all day yesterday tbh!

Well I dunno what they've done with the system in Luton then because that was playing at about 10dB yesterday - barely audible!

I couldn't quite tell yesterday though whether the system at the northern end of the line now plays platform specific announcements (i.e. platform 1 announcements are only played on platform 1) rather than a global configuration (i.e. all platforms hear all announcements) like it used to be with Ditra.

 

[class 313]

same as that all day yesterday tbh!

Well I dunno what they've done with the system in Luton then because that was playing at about 10dB yesterday - barely audible!

I couldn't quite tell yesterday though whether the system at the northern end of the line now plays platform specific announcements (i.e. platform 1 announcements are only played on platform 1) rather than a global configuration (i.e. all platforms hear all announcements) like it used to be with Ditra.

SAC has it so all platforms hear all IIRC.

 

[Jim]

A few nights ago at WEstbury, the 19.01 to PGN (17.33 from Padd) was "The Torbay Express", night after it became "The Devonian"!

 

[Mojo]

Can Southern's & SWT's PIS cope with request stops? I was on the 1700 Brighton to Worcester yesterday and noticed at Barnham (where I got on) and Fareham the LED displays or annoucements treated Dilton Marsh and Avoncliff as normal stops whereas they are actually request stops.

 

[dan_atki]

Can Southern's & SWT's PIS cope with request stops? I was on the 1700 Brighton to Worcester yesterday and noticed at Barnham (where I got on) and Fareham the LED displays or annoucements treated Dilton Marsh and Avoncliff as normal stops whereas they are actually request stops.

I thought the Southern and SWTs Ditra were the most flexible of the lot of them (I've heard really obscure delays coming from both: 'due to awaiting a member of traincrew who's been delayed by the earlier disruption at London Blackfriars', 'due to awaiting a member of traincrew at Basingstoke', and 'due to a temporary speed restriction because of signalling equipment repairs').

Saying that, though, I think Southerns' are set up to make the use of more files, whereas SWT tend to keep their announcements as simple as possible (and they've had more files added to theirs such as 'stopping service to' (which I think is no longer used!), 'This train is formed of one coach only', and 'should join the front coach only' (for short platforms where this used to be 'should join the front two coaches').

Southerns' can also do attachments at stations such as Haywards Heath, but SWTs' can't (or, more likely, have not been set up so). When an attachment is required on a SWT it is announced as normal for the first portion to arrive, but the second results in a harsh 'Stand away from the train at platform x. This train is not in use' as it is approaching.

Never had I heard a Ditra talk about request stops until about a month ago when I was on FGW land and Celia piped up 'Customers may request a stop at Dilton Marsh by contacting the conductor on board the train'. Certainly SWT have never announced a request stop at Dilton Marsh before (I assume they expect the guard to announce such information on board).

Also of note was something else Phil could say at Taunton (despite a recorded manual announcement being played there too): 'Please make sure you close all doors firmly behind you when boarding trains that do not have automatic doors. Allow customers to alight before boarding. Please make sure you close all doors firmly behind you when boarding trains that do not have automatic doors. Allow customers to alight before boarding. Thank you.'

 

[Mojo]

Ah. I was waiting for your reply!

Last time I was at Chichester, at the thirty seconds before train departure the train used to clear from the LED display and be replaced with a message, followed by a special tannoy and some sort of "Please stand clear. Train about to depart" announcement; but that didn't seem to be happenning this time.

 

[thefab444]

I think I've heard Request Stops announced by Celia at Salisbury, as well as on the scrolling PIS is will say "Dilton Marsh (x)" then "(x) - Stops by request only, customers must ask the conductor on the train" or similar.

SWT can't do attachments as such, but if it is a simple splitting rather than two portions, you will get "PLEASE STAND CLEAR WHILE THE TRAIN IS BEING DETACHED" or "AN ATTACHMENT IS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE AND THE CARRIAGES WILL MOVE".

 

[dan_atki]

Last time I was at Chichester, at the thirty seconds before train departure the train used to clear from the LED display and be replaced with a message, followed by a special tannoy and some sort of "Please stand clear. Train about to depart" announcement; but that didn't seem to be happenning this time.

Don't I feel special... :razz:

Yes, Southern seem to play around with their Ditras quite a lot I've noticed and a lot of things there appear to be in announcements for a very short while indeed.

There is a stand away announcement for a train about to depart in the system although I cannot remember its exact wording I believe it is something like 'Stand away from the train at platform x, this train is ready to depart' or similar.

Two years ago at Sutton (I remember weird things from long ago times...), Celia announced connections to Bookham, Effingham Junction, and Guildford (to change at Leatherhead) and Phil to Waterloo no less: 'Customers for London Waterloo should change at Clapham Junction'! The next time I was there, these connections no longer played.

Whilst on the subject of weirdness... another delay heard at Barnham four months ago: 'due to coaches being detached from this train at Horsham'... erm Celia coaches are detached every day and it doesn't cause a delay....

 

[thefab444]

Have you heard stacked delay reasons e.g. "due to a staff shortage at Newcastle and a signalling fault at Wakefield Westgate". Probably more common on XC.

 

[dan_atki]

Have you heard stacked delay reasons e.g. "due to a staff shortage at Newcastle and a signalling fault at Wakefield Westgate". Probably more common on XC.

Yes, although there are guidelines that TRUST should be updated with the reason that has caused the most excessive delay to the service. SWT Ditras, from experience, are automatic and are linked to the departure boards (when I was at Fareham last month for the 1506, it flashed up 'CORRECTION' and 1506 and 1606 swapped! When it was time to announce it Phil announced the 1506 as the 1606... by the time I'd got to St Denys it was 1541 again.) I'm not sure exactly but are the departure boards linked to TRUST - that would mean that SWT Ditras are and as such will only ever give out one reason for the delay.

Saying that, Northern Ditras are a different story and regularly 'stack' reasons...

and it's 'due to a temporary fault with the signalling equipment (at xxx)'

 

[Mojo]

Yeah, the dispatcher on the platform radioed in the reason the 1649 left 49 seconds late yesterday.

One thing I always see at Temple Meads when waiting for the 1634 departure to Avonmouth (and the other xx34 trains which have a 2 min turnaround at Temple Meads). It will always display: -

1st   1632   TERMINATES                        1632
This is the 1554 from Severn Beach
2nd   1634   Avonmouth                         1634

Around 6 minutes before arrival it will flash up CORRECTION and swap the two around, so the departure is shown as 1st and the TERMINATES is 2nd. It will stay like this for about 20 seconds and go through the whole routine again, swapping the arrival and departure around again, showing for 20 seconds and then swapping; until the train arrives.

Two months ago, whilst waiting for the 2119 (which starts at Temple Meads). The train departs from platform 11 but was parked up in the other platform (is it number 10?) As the driver brought it forward to allow us to board the automatic announcer broadcast "The train now approaching platform 11 is the 2119 First Great Western service to Cardiff Central. This train is the service from Bristol Temple Meads."

On board was a right treat, as well as the usual pre-recorded "Welcome aboard, please listen to the following announcement for your safety..." we were treated to "Welcome to this Wessex Alphaline" and all sorts of garb repeated about 3 times about trolley services on the train and an announcment thanking us for travelling with Wessex Trains! (One of them was the same announcement, just took ages)

 

[dan_atki]

Exactly the same thing happens at Southampton Central for trains regularly terminating on platforms 2 and 3.

Phil will also announce that the next train terminates or to stand away because it's not in use then 'CORRECTION' flashes (along with the SWT 'Bing Bong' - a noise that actually comes out the departure board speaker!!! I now realise it simply means 'look at me' like the Southern fanfare noise) and the next train info comes up and Phil will normally immediately announce it (again as the two systems are linked).

 

[thefab444]

that would mean that SWT Ditras are and as such will only ever give out one reason for the delay.

Well, I recall hearing the 'stacking' at Brockenhurst. :???:

Talking about the pre-recorded junk on Wessex 158s, do FGW have any plans to fit automated announcements to their units or will they continue to rely on "DIS IS YER GUARD SPEEKIN' SUVVICE IS YER PORTSMUT HARBER". Will we be treated to Nagging Nora from the North... "First Great Western, welcums custtamas aboard this... GREAT MAL.... VERN... zervice" etc.

 

[Mojo]

Talking about the pre-recorded junk on Wessex 158s

The on-train announcements I quoted above were on a 150

 

[dan_atki]

Well, I recall hearing the 'stacking' at Brockenhurst. :???:

In fairness I did forget to say what I was going to say at the end of that post

There is also a manual control on SWT Ditras to allow operators to set up specific announcements - e.g. special services, after all a Ditra can also say 'Steam charter train service to', and presumably others...

If it was felt necessary to give two reasons for the delay (maybe it was *really* late) then the operator may have set up a manual one with two reasons in.

Calling patterns can also be changed as well (for use in times of disruption - hence the 'Please note this train will not call at xxx, yyy, and zzz'), and presumably that would mean facilities to put a new train in the system for one day only would exist too.

I have also read that connections announced on SWT Ditras are time based, (and after a certain time - even if delayed - the connections will not be announced as they won't exist). All trains on p2 at SOA will go to SOU and there is a 'clause' built in that says it must say 'Customers for Salisbury*, Bristol Temple Meads, Fareham, and Portsmouth Harbour should change at Southampton Central' and all BSK calling trains on p1 will be tagged with 'Customers for Andover and Reading* should change at Basingstoke'.
* = this station is missed out if the train calls there. (Yes, the BRI connection is odd for a SAL train...)

SWT Ditras will only announce connections for the next station in the train's calling pattern that a connections 'clause' exists for. E.g no clause is in the system for Winchester, but both Basingstoke and Woking have clauses. Dependent on whether the first stop after Winchester is Basingstoke or Woking will determine the appropriate connections information to be given. If the train calls at both, only Basingstoke's will be given - for simplicity.

However when I was at SOA at 2230 one night no connections were announced, so I think the cutoff would be around 2200 (obviously this would differ between stations).

Another odd observation is that for ROM services SOA will announce 'Customers for Salisbury and Bristol Temple Meads should change at Romsey', yet at Chandler's Ford this becomes 'Customers for Salisbury, Bath Spa, and Bristol Temple Meads should change at Romsey'.

Ok enough of my waffle about random observations...

 

[thefab444]

Ah yes, the old Steam Charter Train. I've heard that, including from Phil: "I am sorry to announce that the 12:26 Steam Charter Train service to Bath Spa is delayed by approximately 26 minutes due to an incident on a level crossing at Barnes." I've not heard "Diesel Charter Train" or similar though.

There should've been connections at Winchester, "for RailLink bus services to Hursley, Ampfield and Romsey" - or is that only announced on the trains. (obviously not announced at all now given the RailLink has been chopped)

 

[dan_atki]

There should've been connections at Winchester, "for RailLink bus services to Hursley, Ampfield and Romsey" - or is that only announced on the trains. (obviously not announced at all now given the RailLink has been chopped)

That is an on-train only connection announcement. Ditra does not announce bus links (except 'Customers for London Heathrow Airport should change at Woking' - and even that makes it sound like there is a train service).

With northbound services at SOA you'll only ever hear one of these:
'Customers for Andover and Reading should change at Basingstoke' (for xx03 and xx08 SWT)
'Customers for Andover should change at Basingstoke' (for xx22 XC)
'Customers for Aldershot, Guildford, Surbiton, and London Heathrow Airport should change at Woking' (for xx38 SWT)
'Customers for Salisbury and Bristol Temple Meads should change at Romsey' (for xx44 SWT)

Southbound your choice is more restricted:
'Customers for Salisbury, Bristol Temple Meads, Fareham, and Portsmouth Harbour should change at Southampton Central' (for xx08, xx15, xx42 SWT and xx34 XC)
'Customers for Bristol Temple Meads, Fareham, and Portsmouth Harbour should change at Southampton Central' (for xx23 SWT)

These connections are always the same and are always on each train automatically (within the specified timeframes they are given), except probably in the case of engineering work when they're stopped.

 

[The_Rail_WAy]

A personal favourite of mine (April 1st 2007) onboard an unamed morning service from Plymouth - London Paddington just after departure:

"Due to a signal failure this train will not stop at any designated stations and will instead be diverted via Aberdeen and arrive at London Paddington at half-past midnight!"

The look on everyones faces!! Brilliant.