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That's a standard Bombardier bing bong, several trains in Europe also use it.
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If a special chime is used, I think it should only be used to distinguish important announcements (platform/time/calling points-type information) from blah blah stuff. However, people being what they are, I wouldn't trust 'them' not to consider everything super-important, which would completely negate its use.
That's a standard Bombardier bing bong, several trains in Europe also use it.
FWIW I quite liked the WCML Mk3 "guitar strum", shame the Pendolino got a horrid piercing ding-dong instead.
features it.
Agree entirely. I don't see that happening any time soon, unfortunately.I'd personally remove the "blah blah" stuff entirely. Static information should be displayed on posters, not using the PIS.
I'd personally remove the "blah blah" stuff entirely. Static information should be displayed on posters, not using the PIS.
Agree entirely. I don't see that happening any time soon, unfortunately.
To my knowledge, it was an ATW thing as they rolled it out on their 158s too but subsequently removed it.I think that one is a 175 (Coradia) thing, pre-dating ATW with First North Western.
Maybe on 180s too (haven't been on one for ages).
Might even be an Alstom thing (French of course).
This is still at Norwood Junction, West Croydon and a few others around there that are now operated by London Overground.The PIS Connex installed played that when a train was going to run through non-stop.
I'm always surprised to hear tones a *bit* like the SNCF sting inside TGVs - similar, but inferior. Surely they could have got the real thing? I think the answer here as robustly pointed out earlier is that there are too many TOCs and they don't last long enough. I used to like SWT's NBC chimes, but it wasn't really branding as such. Much better than ATOS Anne's cheap door chime. I would expect TfL and ScotRail to be large and permanent enough to have thought about this. I'm very surprised that TfL doesn't have anything. In Paris, RATP does. The (very) long versions of the SNCF and RATP music are rather fabulous.The French announcement tones are very distinctive but seems to go with the trains - South Korean high speed trains are a straight copy of the TGV and to my surprise also used the SNCF tones.
Which is exactly what Gatwick Airport do, and is the right answer, as any announcement is then listened to.If we could find a way to deal with the accessibility issue that would pose, I'd be well in support of adopting a "silent terminal" approach with only serious out of course running being announced.
If we could find a way to deal with the accessibility issue that would pose, I'd be well in support of adopting a "silent terminal" approach with only serious out of course running being announced.
I'm not entirely sold on that approach myself, but it would really help if staff would just leave the pre-recorded announcements alone unless they're doing something completely wrong. The vast majority of the time, however boring it may sound, Celia Drummond or Atos Anne does a far clearer and more accurate job of announcing trains than a member of platform staff bellowing into the mic ever could, and staff don't need to repeat the announcements that have already been made automatically.Which is exactly what Gatwick Airport do, and is the right answer, as any announcement is then listened to.
I have no idea why other state operators use them but they don't use a different one for each line do they? Or do SNCF just have one jingle which is used all over?So, how come both other countries' railways and other businesses think it is worthwhile?
And from Edinburgh to Glasgow?Of course, there are only 2 operators. LNER and Avanti
I have no idea why other state operators use them but they don't use a different one for each line do they? Or do SNCF just have one jingle which is used all over?
I'm not entirely sold on that approach myself, but it would really help if staff would just leave the pre-recorded announcements alone unless they're doing something completely wrong. The vast majority of the time, however boring it may sound, Celia Drummond or Atos Anne does a far clearer and more accurate job of announcing trains than a member of platform staff bellowing into the mic ever could, and staff don't need to repeat the announcements that have already been made automatically.
Which is exactly what Gatwick Airport do, and is the right answer, as any announcement is then listened to.
For some reason the old BR jingle reminds me of Deltics, must be an ECML thing.I really miss the old BR jingle before announcements, actually I miss the Phil Sayer announcements too.
Is the BR jingle still used anywhere?
A good brand can help you as a customer to trust a business, improving your satisfaction at your experience, and giving you a better overall impression, as well as encouraging additional purchases. I don't see any reason why a TOC shouldn't be any different at benefiting from a high-quality brand. A jingle can be part of a strong brand, especially for a brand like a TOC that has various opportunities to use it. No, it probably won't directly make you want to buy another ticket, but if you have a particularly strong impression of say the GWR brand, so it sticks in your head, perhaps next time you are booking an advance ticket, you will visit the GWR website, rather than go to Trainline.I have no idea why other state operators use them but they don't use a different one for each line do they? Or do SNCF just have one jingle which is used all over?
As for other businesses that use jingles in TV and radio advertising is because they're catchy things so when you're in the supermarket or whatever it comes in to your head and you buy their product and not another- I would've thought that was obvious but the railway doesn't operate like that.
For some reason the old BR jingle reminds me of Deltics, must be an ECML thing.
I think you are under the mistaken belief that I don't understand what branding is.A good brand can help you as a customer to trust a business, improving your satisfaction at your experience, and giving you a better overall impression, as well as encouraging additional purchases. I don't see any reason why a TOC shouldn't be any different at benefiting from a high-quality brand. A jingle can be part of a strong brand, especially for a brand like a TOC that has various opportunities to use it. No, it probably won't directly make you want to buy another ticket, but if you have a particularly strong impression of say the GWR brand, so it sticks in your head, perhaps next time you are booking an advance ticket, you will visit the GWR website, rather than go to Trainline.
Themes are OK on adverts but not for announcements. Imagine a five second burst of a jingle before every announcement,auto or otherwise,you'd soon get cheesed off with it after a few stations. On a multi-TOC station you'd be driven insane!
I worked on a ship that had a lovely deep 'bong' as the start of all of its announcements. It sounds silly, but it matched the dark colour scheme of the carpets, the subdued lighting, and the brushed aluminium signage very nicely, building up a real feel of a quality product. Subtle, clever branding like this really works, and isn't at all intrusive, in fact quite the reverseI'm not thinking of a song, just a few notes. The famous Nestle one is only 4 notes, but I bet you would recognise it even if you didn't know what it was for!
I'm not familiar with Nestle advertising. Do I presume this is something like the 'Intel inside' ident?I'm not thinking of a song, just a few notes. The famous Nestle one is only 4 notes, but I bet you would recognise it even if you didn't know what it was for!
I completely agree that a jingle won't change it - but a well built brand will, and a bell jingle can be (admittedly a very small part) of that. The reason the Trainline has an established identity is because they have built that brand - given time, willing and a decent concept, any company can do the same. I happen to think that GWR's branding is pretty strong for a TOC - the dark traditional colour scheme matches the '5 go' advertising well - it's just a shame that the interior of the trains really does not. I'm not in advertising, but I'm sure a suitable noise could be found (a seagull?) that would similarly emphasise seaside holidays nicely on announcements. The example I gave above of from a ship is a good example of how a simple tone helped build up the quality feel of the brand.I think you are under the mistaken belief that I don't understand what branding is.
I can assure you I do. However there is nothing that a bell jingle will ever achieve for branding purposes on our multi TOC railway.
The problem with your comparison of GWR and Trainline is moot as Trainline have a long established nationwide identity which the average punter knows about as TOCs advertising on television is poor due to the costs and TOCs advertising is very localised.
You probably wouldn't know you could get a train from Blackpool until you saw a nicely branded Avanti train in the platform as there's very little inside the station to let you know. And a jingle isn't going to change that
I always liked the jingle at New Street back in the 2000s as per this video
There never seemed to be a particular standard for it nationwide though, different places had different jingles and apart from in some locations where they indicate a manual announcement being made they're nearly extinct I think. Even Worksop Station used to have it's own little jingle until recently
I think the British habit of spamming you to death with announcements has rendered them unnecessary because it is more unusual for a station to be quiet.
I once sat at Derby Station at gone 10 at night waiting to work a train forward and I could see no one else on the platform. There was just a constant stream of audio bollocks playing to no one in particular. Security. Engineering work this weekend. Mind out, it's wet (it wasn't). Don't struggle on the stairs, there's lifts.
I'm not familiar with Nestle advertising. Do I presume this is something like the 'Intel inside' ident?
That's the jingle I most recognise as well and remember it well at New Street - did the redevelopment put an end to this or was it already on its way out?
I worked on a ship that had a lovely deep 'bong' as the start of all of its announcements. It sounds silly, but it matched the dark colour scheme of the carpets, the subdued lighting, and the brushed aluminium signage very nicely, building up a real feel of a quality product. Subtle, clever branding like this really works, and isn't at all intrusive, in fact quite the reverse