Manual or Automated Recorded Announcements

[ooo]

Which do you prefer?
I think there are advantages and disadvantages to both. Automatic Recorded announcements can often be quite lengthy and sometimes uncesssary. While with manual announcements it can depend on the person with some going on and on while others are very brief and to the point. The quality of recorded announcements also tends to be better as well as being more reliable. You can normally rely on the automated announcements more as they don't forget or are busy like those making manual announcements.

 

[SEClass375]

For me, it depends where it is:

• On stations, i genrally dont mind/care
• On SWT/SWR trains I find the automated announcements quite horrid and clunky and prefer the manual ones
• On southeastern I find the automated ones clear and concise when they work and the manual ones can be hard to hear
• On a GWR HST I quite like the manual announcements however I would like some basic automated announcements of what the next station is.

 

[SaveECRewards]

I agree with GNER on this - they seemed not to like automated announcements hence all the VTEC managed stations don’t seem to have them and although apparently the mk4’s have the capability it’s not used.

It adds a bit of personality as long as the person making the announcements is clear. It’s not bad having an automated fallback though. Automated announcements are good in stations that can’t justify an announcer (most of them!) and on local services with many stops.

 

[rustbucket]

As a regular traveller I prefer the manual announcements as it gives an opportunity for some personality on an otherwise dull journey

I can see however that less frequent travellers might prefer the added structure and clarity of automated announcements

 

[Nean]

For me it heavily depends on a number of factors, but primarily:

• Concision - No waffle (looking at you VTWC).
• Clarity - Does it sound like the announcement's coming through a speaker made out of a wet sock (looking at you, pretty much all of Northerns DMU fleet).

Over the network as a whole I lean more towards the personal touch, however on some TOCs the auto-announcer has it nailed (Merseyrail and TPE I rate pretty highly, though TPE seems to have got slightly more bloated recently).

 

[PR1Berske]

Manual announcements, if only because I have faith in a human slamming down a piece of paper to exclaim, "I'm not reading out that bit again, I only did it two minutes ago, we're not a CCTV monitoring centre and nobody is standing over the yellow line!!!"

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'd probably say automated for the clarity and accuracy they provide, though I do miss the character of manual ones. What I would say is that a computer apologising is meaningless and that they should just state fact and leave it to a person to apologise if this is considered necessary.

Exception: the TPE Class 185 voice is horrible.

Favourite one is probably the Scottish version of "Atos Annie", or the "Sathern" on board one. Atos Annie herself sounds a bit dreary and dystopian (but very clear), Phil Sayer is sadly missed

 

[SaveECRewards]

Phil Sayer is sadly missed

I've only been on the SWR network once since the new franchise, but I'm sure I've heard Phil say South Western Railway so they must have chopped that together. So unless I was imagining things it looks like his work may be around for a while longer.

He probably had one of the best announcers voices for clarity and I also remember he did some voiceovers for bmi (airline) in the past.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They'll probably need to find another male one at some point. The advantage of having both male and female is that you can have announcements playing on two platforms at once, because the brain can separate the two quite easily, much less so if it's the same voice.

 

[6Gman]

Manual announcements, if only because I have faith in a human slamming down a piece of paper to exclaim, "I'm not reading out that bit again, I only did it two minutes ago, we're not a CCTV monitoring centre and nobody is standing over the yellow line!!!"

I so agree with this. I think our friend from Preston travels in the same areas I travel ...

 

[DarloRich]

Human announcements every time. Preferable with thick local acents.

I hate those auto talk boxes, although many here seem to love them.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If I was given a *real* choice I'd go for the "silent terminal" approach, i.e. no announcements except for serious out of course running (and those ones done manually). The problem with that, though, is accessibility for those who can't for whatever reason read displays. I'm not sure how that could be worked around.

It was tried at Manc Picc immediately after the rebuild was done, but I think they couldn't reconcile that issue properly. It would work in an airport because there is more scope for providing direct assistance.

 

[faltskog36abba]

Manual for me, Back in the 80s and 90s there was a gentlemen who did the announcements at Manchester Victoria-His voice was crystal clear and he spoke clearly with a lovely tone to his voice. Not like the digital nonsense you hear today- see it say it sorted- what is that all about?.

 

[bramling]

Which do you prefer?
I think there are advantages and disadvantages to both. Automatic Recorded announcements can often be quite lengthy and sometimes uncesssary. While with manual announcements it can depend on the person with some going on and on while others are very brief and to the point. The quality of recorded announcements also tends to be better as well as being more reliable. You can normally rely on the automated announcements more as they don't forget or are busy like those making manual announcements.

Personally, I don't mind either way, as long as it's done well. Unfortunately this is not always the case, for both types.

Personal preference, but I tend to prefer male voices too - I find them clearer and less irritating.

 

[ooo]

I think that one or the other should be stuck to. For example I was at Birmingham New Street recently where the manual announcer was repeating exactly what the automated announcement said straight away which was extremely irritating. Are people doing announcements able to here what the automated announcer is saying?

 

[AY1975]

Again, I don't mind either way, as long as it's done well. Having said that, I do miss the real characters you used to get doing the manual announcements at some stations in BR days, such as the woman who used to be at Sheffield Midland in the 1980s and '90s. (See www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8eYvnmZ60k)

Also of note is that in the days of manual announcements, most stations had a pre-announcement jingle, such as BR's standard "ding dong ding" at Sheffield in BR days which not many stations have these days. A few still do even with pre-recorded announcements, though, and oddly enough jingles are becoming more common with on-train public address systems.

See also the thread on pre-announcement jingles at www.railforums.co.uk/threads/favourite-automated-announcement-chimes-and-jingles.151889
and the now-closed thread on BR station announcers of old at www.railforums.co.uk/threads/br-station-announcers-of-old.122463

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm actually quite surprised that no TOC seems to have come up with a signature jingle used in all promo material, on stations and on trains in the manner SBB and SNCF have. ATW have their little jingle but it is only used on Class 175s (but does sound very Welsh). New Arriva buses seem to go "ding ding, ding ding" when you press the bell rather than one ding, though I don't know if that's what that is meant to be.

Think earworms like the Nestle jingle.

The Class 700s have a jingle (for manual announcements) I've heard before. I half recall it's the one used at Kuala Lumpur airport and on the KLIA Expres which does to be fair use European type Desiro EMUs, so they probably just got the sound file from there.

 

[Bungle965]

They'll probably need to find another male one at some point. The advantage of having both male and female is that you can have announcements playing on two platforms at once, because the brain can separate the two quite easily, much less so if it's the same voice.

Indeed, GWR have Anne and Roger, and while I have never found Roger to be bad he is a bit slow at reading out the calling patterns. The only other one I can think of is ATW who have Ruth (English) and Glyn (Welsh).

 

[Bletchleyite]

There is or was a Brummie at New St sometimes used as an alternative to Phil.

 

[Bungle965]

There is or was a Brummie at New St sometimes used as an alternative to Phil.

No longer used, simply Anne at Birmingham New Street now.
Sam

 

[Philip]

How about the auto lady who used to do some of the North West WCML stations up until about 10 years ago? She was definitely used at Warrington and Wigan and would sign off the announcement with a "Good afternoon, welcome to...."

 

[Bletchleyite]

How about the auto lady who used to do some of the North West WCML stations up until about 10 years ago? She was definitely used at Warrington and Wigan and would sign off the announcement with a "Good afternoon, welcome to...."

I just talked about her on another thread. She was a "posh Northerner" - quite well-spoken but the A in "good afternoon" was a short, Northern one, it definitely wasn't a Southern "Ahfternoon".

I still have the "good afternoon" and "the top two coaches only" by her firmly implanted in my mind

 

[Qwerty133]

I'm sure some guards use announcements as one of their many excuses to never leave the back cab so in these cases an automated system would be appreciated (looking at you XC woman who literally announced that passengers must buy tickets at Leicester station before continuing their journeys).

 

[Mintona]

I always get confused by which announcer is which when referred to by their name - is there a database or something somewhere with a list of names and a sample recording by them so I can try and work out which is which?

At the station I worked at 9 years ago, the announcements were manual and I enjoyed doing them. I have no idea if they’ve been upgraded since, as it’s no longer a part of the world I visit. But for the memories, I’ll say manual are better.

 

[Bungle965]

I always get confused by which announcer is which when referred to by their name - is there a database or something somewhere with a list of names and a sample recording by them so I can try and work out which is which?

Try this. There might be the odd few that have been missed off, but the vast majority of them are there. Some are more ubiquitous than others such as Anne who is evident all round the country as compared to others that only appear in one specific TOC such as Roger.
Sam

 

[Deafdoggie]

Longport is my easiest station to reach by bus, although not the main one (Stoke, of course) or the closest (Kidsgrove) Longport has automated announcements, short, concise, clear. Perfect in everyway, except one! Not a single one mentions train running!! they are all "Smoking is prohibited" "Don't leave your luggage unattended" etc.

Not even "Stand well back" as a VTWC or XC comes hurtling through! By Contrast Kidsgrove (also automated) dispenses with any non-train running announcements at all, but the automated lady pronounces everything a spelt. Alsager is a particular bug bear of mine! (All-say-jrr it should be) but understandable if wrong. However, she says Rugby as Rug-Buy, and Tutbury & Hatton as Tut-Berry and Hat-On almost like two words each! However, she is clear if quiet.

Stoke tend to do 'live' announcements. They seem to do them from the noisiest office they can find, and then mumble.

 

[JaJaWa]

The Class 700s have a jingle (for manual announcements) I've heard before. I half recall it's the one used at Kuala Lumpur airport and on the KLIA Expres which does to be fair use European type Desiro EMUs, so they probably just got the sound file from there.

It is actually © Netherlandse Spoorwegen

 

[Bletchleyite]

It is actually © Netherlandse Spoorwegen

Interesting. Wonder why it was used?

 

[Philip]

I quite like Ruth for her station announcements, but find her 175 announcements too slow and almost patronising. I preferred the original FNW auto announcer for the 175s.

Back when 175s worked North West routes and stopped at Deansgate, does anyone remember whether the full stopping pattern was announced on the auto PA whilst the train was travelling between Oxford Road and Deansgate? The 185 system was programmed so that the stations weren't announced on the PA until the train had left Salford Crescent.

 

[londonbridge]

I've only been on the SWR network once since the new franchise, but I'm sure I've heard Phil say South Western Railway so they must have chopped that together. So unless I was imagining things it looks like his work may be around for a while longer.

He probably had one of the best announcers voices for clarity and I also remember he did some voiceovers for bmi (airline) in the past.

Nope, you didn't imagine it as I've heard that as well. whilst, of course, the majority of passengers will have no idea who the announcer is, I do sometimes wonder how people might feel if they knew they were listening to the voice of a dead man.

One memory that sticks in my mind of hearing a 'railway voice' elsewhere was when I heard a radio ad asking for volunteers for a study into bronchitis and emphysema and thinking "Where do I know that voice from"? Took me a good few minutes and another couple of hearings before I figured out it was Julie Berry!