Are you saying it's ok to say nothing at all?
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TM "Late Running Train" Announcements
- Thread starter westv
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Are you saying it's ok to say nothing at all?
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trainophile
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It’s also helpful if the announcement includes platforms and times for connections.
Deafdoggie
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Are people saying that staff should only apologise for the delay if they are personally responsible for it?
DelW
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It would very rarely be the guard's fault personally but I'd consider s/he is apologising on behalf of the TOC / NR / wider "the railway" etc. It acknowledges that one of those parties hasn't performed as expected, and that passengers may have been inconvenienced as a result. Though I agree that an explanation of the reason is often a more effective way of defusing passenger ill-feeling, particularly if the delay is the result of external causes (trespassers, passenger illness, flooding as your case, etc.).
trainophile
Established Member
I appreciate any sort of announcement when I can see we are becoming late by more than a couple of minutes.
Nothing worse than deadly silence when you’ve not moved for five minutes and nobody knows what’s going on.
Nothing worse than deadly silence when you’ve not moved for five minutes and nobody knows what’s going on.
Least it's not like when I was on a delayed ICE from Linz to Nürnberg and the staff gleefully announced that after an hour's delay- 'we've held no connections for you, have a great evening!' 
Was that the 18:01, by any chance? It was quite remarkable - he really seemed to want us all to know everything about every station on the route, including the location of the car park at one point. I did start to wonder whether he'd been told to communicate more and was consequently taking the ****, but perhaps he's just incredibly enthusiastic about his job.
londonmidland
Established Member
At most Network Rail managed stations, they have removed all apologies from their automated announcements for delayed/cancelled trains.
So now it is simply - example:
‘The 11:31 CrossCountry service to Manchester Piccadilly is delayed by approximately/delayed/has been cancelled. This is due to (reason)
So now it is simply - example:
‘The 11:31 CrossCountry service to Manchester Piccadilly is delayed by approximately/delayed/has been cancelled. This is due to (reason)
northernchris
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I'd noticed this too, not sure of the reasons behind it. The awful woman Northern use at their stations has also had the apologies removed which comes across a little more cold and abrupt
fairysdad
Member
It was the 1924 - but a quick look at Realtime Trains seems to impress that it's the same unit so quite likely the same Guard! (Mind you, I didn't know that there were toilets on the Underground platforms at Wimbledon until yesterday thanks to him - whenever I've been caught short, I've nipped across the road to Burger King...)
trainophile
Established Member
I've always thought there's something rather insincere about a robotic voice apologising from a recorded script.
londonmidland
Established Member
An audio example below of what you'd typically hear for a delay announcement at a Network Rail managed station via an automated announcement. (10:33 RDG)
A TOC managed station would most likely include an apology both pre and post announcement. (14:17 BHM)
A TOC managed station would most likely include an apology both pre and post announcement. (14:17 BHM)
Yes.
Why are you so desperate to hear the words "I'm sorry for the delay"?
What does it really, truely, honestly change?
Because when you know the person saying it is just saying it, surely it can't make you feel better?
Are you saying I should call up my internet provider and wait for them to say "sorry" for my wifi dropping out, and I'll feel loads better?
As @trainophile says, if you're not moving for an amount of time, any information is better than none.
The Underground are pretty good at getting to the facts rather than messing about with an empty worded apology.
I'd rather get the facts, clear and straight than some TM mumbling saying sorry for this, and that... just extending the announcement, which is probably barely audible over other noise, and which most people tune out anyway.
It's a wild way to think isn't it?!
But if you think it's okay to apologise for things that aren't your fault...
Can you apologise for the delay I had the other weekend when someone was hit by a train out of Moor Street?
Can you apologise for the mis-information the ticket office person gave regarding running of trains?
Can you also apologise for the loud people on the Cross Country train I had to catch instead?
Can you please apologise for the bad management at Banbury with replacement buses?
I'd say you can be sorry for the way someone feels, or how it's affected them, but you shouldn't be sorry for the thing that caused it, unless it was caused by you, surely?
But again, I ask whether someone saying sorry really, truely, honestly changes anything about the situation.
I realise for some peope it can, but in my direct experience with apologising for this and that, most people couldn't care less; they just want to know what you're going to do about it.
An apology suggests blame.
People can then use this in a court of law to suggest Network Rail are to blame (whether they are or not, NR would prefer to close as many options to aportion blame as possible).
In a previous role, I had to ensure a paragraph was added to a "we're sorry, here's something free" letter that said the company didn't accept any liability for what happened by apologising or giving compensation.
It's the same reason motorway boards now display "incident" instead of "accident" - because it might not have been an accident.
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