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Trains displaying wrong destinations....

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Prodigy

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Well today I was waiting for the 11.11 TpExpress service to Scarborough at Manchester Piccadilly. The train was delayed and on arrival it displayed the destination as Liverpool Lime Street (where it originally came from) on the train head. After asking the platform staff they confirmed it was in fact the Scarborough service and I boarded.

In my case I was able to sort this problem easily but the fact it was delayed may add to other passengers confusion as they may think it's a train scheduled for the time where the delay is happening... I have a question on this matter.

1. If there were no staff to inform passengers of the issue on the front of the train and passengers who had Advanced tickets didn't board would the train company have to accept the fact that they misled passengers and accept Advance tickets on the next train?

2. Is there any rules that mean TOC's can be fined for displayed incorrect information on the train destinations?
 
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mallard

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1. If there were no staff to inform passengers of the issue on the front of the train and passengers who had Advanced tickets didn't board would the train company have to accept the fact that they misled passengers and accept Advance tickets on the next train?
I doubt it. They'd probably just charge for a brand new, non-discounted Anytime ticket. If you fought your case with customer services, you might get a refund in the form of rail vouchers.
2. Is there any rules that mean TOC's can be fined for displayed incorrect information on the train destinations?
You must be joking!
 

Cherry_Picker

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"Establishing PIS link"

An error on the PIS controls so common it is not funny, I believe it is caused by two trains with different versions of the software on them coupling together, though I might be wrong on that. It might be specific to the Networker family of trains too (I am sure every train has its own issue though) but it is incredibly annoying and often a full reset of the system is needed, which means two switches need to be tripped and put back in. In a class 168/0 and /1 some bright spark decided it would be fun to put one switch in the cab and the other 25 yards away in a cupboard in the saloon. It is little surprise that these things sometimes dont get reset, especially in suburban work during peak hours when turnarounds are tight and especially on DOO trains.
 

Jonfun

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Manchester Victoria station. Ten minutes, three trains, one platform. The xx:22 Blackpool, the xx:27 Huddersfield and the xx:30 Rochdale are all departing from 6. Blackpool train sits in the platform, ready to go, when a train arrives from the East end of the station with "Huddersfield" on the destination blind. People pile on, Blackpool train leaves. Oops, the CIS on the platform reckon that the train at the East end of 6 is the xx:30 to Rochdale.

Dispatchers (handling things very well might I add) insist it isn't actually the Huddersfield train, it's the Rochdale like the boards think it is. So Hudds pax move down to the West end of the platform, and sure enough a train arrives. With "Rochdale" on the blind. And passengers and crew thinking that's where its going.

After we took a poll of the staff on the platform, those of us for Huddersfield ended up on the train which thought it was going to Rochdale, and ended up in quite a debate with some of the passengers, who were also under the impression it was going to Rochdale.

Eventually the staff did come around explaining which train was which, and apologising for the messing around.

Top marks to Northern's staff for handling the situation well, although it was a highly confusing experience. I would think especially so for anyone who travelled irregularly.
 

RPM

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"Establishing PIS link"

An error on the PIS controls so common it is not funny, I believe it is caused by two trains with different versions of the software on them coupling together, though I might be wrong on that. It might be specific to the Networker family of trains too (I am sure every train has its own issue though) but it is incredibly annoying and often a full reset of the system is needed, which means two switches need to be tripped and put back in. In a class 168/0 and /1 some bright spark decided it would be fun to put one switch in the cab and the other 25 yards away in a cupboard in the saloon. It is little surprise that these things sometimes dont get reset, especially in suburban work during peak hours when turnarounds are tight and especially on DOO trains.

And sometimes even resetting the system won't work. They really are appallingly unreliable.
 

Schnellzug

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I rarely take any notice what it says on the front anyway. It could say "Mystery excursion" for all I know. Besides, if you're getting on at a termini, or at a big station and you weren't on the platform when it came in, you wouldn't see what was on the front anyway, would you?
 

TDK

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"Establishing PIS link"

An error on the PIS controls so common it is not funny, I believe it is caused by two trains with different versions of the software on them coupling together, though I might be wrong on that. It might be specific to the Networker family of trains too (I am sure every train has its own issue though) but it is incredibly annoying and often a full reset of the system is needed, which means two switches need to be tripped and put back in. In a class 168/0 and /1 some bright spark decided it would be fun to put one switch in the cab and the other 25 yards away in a cupboard in the saloon. It is little surprise that these things sometimes dont get reset, especially in suburban work during peak hours when turnarounds are tight and especially on DOO trains.

Another way to extinguish the wrong destination from the cab is to insert a manual message such as "welcome aboard" this in turn resets the PIS to just welcome aboard and extinguishes the front destination. The "establishing PIS link" is a pain as it does not matter how many times you rest the system from the cab the last destination will always be displayed, however a good fix is to reset from inside the train and if you are DOO there isn't normally time to trapse back into the train to reset.
 

Eng274

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I doubt it. They'd probably just charge for a brand new, non-discounted Anytime ticket. If you fought your case with customer services, you might get a refund in the form of rail vouchers.

You must be joking!




I'm not completely conversant with the standards transport scotland set for scotrail, but it isn't beyond the realms of imagination for something like destination displays to be scrutinised; which is fair enough i think.
 

cuccir

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Happened to me on Friday when a Manchester Oxford Road to Wilmslow train appeared at Piccadilly with 'Manchester Oxford Road' on the front. Was fine for me but a few other passengers were confused, had to ask for assurance etc. Is it coincidence that these were all in Manchester this weekend? Can't think that there's any reason that these would be connected but it does seem odd.
 

DarloRich

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The destination rollers on the 150's on the my local often say the wrong destination! I think some of the drivers like to have a bit of fun!

We often get Football Special, excursion, a wide illumious band, any West Midlands station, once Exeter and once York!
 

sonic2009

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A bit like this blind then at Cheltenham Spa one night :)
 

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IanPooleTrains

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That's nothing bud, we caught a 350 Dessy at Stafford going to London euston but actually thought it was going to Coventry and also a Class 150 at Dorridge going to Worcester Shrub Hill but thinking it was off on it's holidays to Skegness!
 

pemma

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When new DDA rules come in to force displaying a wrong destination could be seen as a breach of these if the train calls at any stations without LED displays on the platform showing the correct destination.
 

Schnellzug

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Another rule by which the Authorities will insist on cancelling trains, I suppose. What would you rather have, a train with "Kyle of Lochalsh" on the front when it's going to Scarborough, or for it to be cancelled and everyone have to wait an hour.

But they just want to protect us.
 

pemma

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Another rule by which the Authorities will insist on cancelling trains, I suppose. What would you rather have, a train with "Kyle of Lochalsh" on the front when it's going to Scarborough, or for it to be cancelled and everyone have to wait an hour.

Destination blinds will have to be replaced by LED displays and will probably have all possible destinations programmed in, like the 158s do.

If they fail there is the option of writing the destination on paper in large letters and sticking it on door windows/windows near the door depending on which type of train is being used. That wouldn't be fully complaint but should be complaint enough in an emergency situation.
 

Greenback

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To be honest, I hardly ever look at what is on the front of the train. Most of the time it doesn't help the average passenger much in any case. If you catch a train at Cardiff Central and want to go to Bridgend, the only oens with that on the front will go via Barry! Mostly, your train would either say nothing (a HST!), Maesteg, Carmarthen, Swansea, Milford Haven, Pembroke Dock, Fishguard Harbour or Shrewsbury, even if the display was correct!
 

Schnellzug

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Exactly; displays by the door are more useful, although even then I'm pretty sure nearly everybody will go by the platform displays or announcements. And even unstaffed 'Alts will probably have automated announcements of some form.
 

cambsy

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years ago when the 158's used to Man Air to Edinburgh or Glasgow,i was on the overnite and the guard let me ride in rear cab and let me play with the rear destination blind which i did for hours,if remember the unit didn't have first class,i had 1st class all line rover for week
 

- Cal -

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Other train crew may agree, even when the destination blind is correct on the train passengers will still ask if it goes there, lol
 

DXC

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Other train crew may agree, even when the destination blind is correct on the train passengers will still ask if it goes there, lol

Agreed! The front display, and the side displays on each coach and the CIS screens, they still ask :roll:
 

pemma

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Other train crew may agree, even when the destination blind is correct on the train passengers will still ask if it goes there, lol

Agreed! The front display, and the side displays on each coach and the CIS screens, they still ask :roll:

Or do what a group of teenage girls did at Chester. Asked a member of staff if a train was going to Manchester Piccadilly she said yes it was. They boarded the train and showed the conductor their tickets to which the conductor said this train doesn't stop at Delamere. They started screaming about the woman told them that.... so it's all her fault.
 

Prodigy

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What didn't help was the fact no announcement was made like the usual 'The train standing at platform _ is the _ service to _'
 

Greenback

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Yes, you cna have announcements, multiple announcements, platform screens and train displays inside and out, and still people will ask! Reassurance is everything!
 

deltic1989

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I once saw an EMT 156 at Lincoln that was apparently going to Stranrear, (speeling may be wrong)
 

TheJRB

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I was at Acton Town LU station yesterday and heard the announcement:
"Platform 3: The train now approaching is to Hyde Park Corner. Please stand back from the platform edge."
Along comes the train and it has Arnos Grove on the front! :D

I know it's not such a problem as all trains eastbound are heading in the same direction on the Piccadilly line, but you could imagine if the same thing had occurred on the westbound what with the Heathrow and Uxbridge branches.
 

BestWestern

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Nothing to encourage correct destination displaying, it seems :-/ There is for buses, so it's odd that there's nothing for TOCs. Presumably the feeling is that there will be CIS screens or whatever else whenever people are boarding, and so a destination screen is superfluous. But it would be useful to have a crackdown. It's not helpful when a train turns up wearing somebody else's livery and with no destination being displayed; Arriva Wales 150 & London Midland 153 combo working a First Gt Western service, anyone?! And we wonder why the punters are confused...!
 

Greenback

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Nothing to encourage correct destination displaying, it seems :-/ There is for buses, so it's odd that there's nothing for TOCs. Presumably the feeling is that there will be CIS screens or whatever else whenever people are boarding, and so a destination screen is superfluous. But it would be useful to have a crackdown. It's not helpful when a train turns up wearing somebody else's livery and with no destination being displayed; Arriva Wales 150 & London Midland 153 combo working a First Gt Western service, anyone?! And we wonder why the punters are confused...!

A lot of people understandably have no idea about liveries. To them it's just a purple train, a red train, a big train or a little train!
 
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