Southern 377 PIS

It’s not something one might notice immediately, but I just don’t understand something about the window PIS of the Southern 377/1-4s (I don’t pay much attention to the dash 6/7s)

Why do some say:

This is coach number 4
Brighton

(Coach number on top, destination below alternating with calling points), while others say

Brighton
This is coach number 4 of 8

(Coach number below alternating with calling points, destination on top) ?


Can someone please explain why the Southern electrostars have this inconsistency? It baffles me why some have destination on top and coach number below but then the opposite for others!

I've noticed this too, but not paid it much attention. Could it be that the old-style ex South Central ones with the separate tail lights (377101-139, 377/3) display it one way, and the newer style ones (377/2, 377/4, 377/5 and 377140-164) with the integrated marker/tail lights display the other way?

I believe the only reason for the difference is the way each route code is set up individually. The software on the various batches of 377 is the same where routes are the same (i.e. the 'classic' 3/4 car units. Most of the time coach numbers (x of y) seem to only be announced for Vic services that originate from the coast or other locations where short platforms with long trains calling at them. Likewise, announcements used to consistently announce 'Welcome aboard the Southern Service to...' and there are some route codes that still have this, but a lot of them have been changed to 'this train is the'.

TL;DR Route codes are not all equal, and apparently have no 'standard' order to things

There was a point where most, if not all, had coach number on top. I think this was around the time 455s read "via Sydenham" instead of their destination. But I'm pretty sure most of them have gone back to the original format:

London Victoria
This train calls at: X, Y and Z.

That said, I think all splitters have for example:

This is coach number 5
Coaches 1 to 4 to Portsmouth Harbour, Coaches 5 to 8 to Bognor Regis.

I'm pretty sure I saw a Southeastern set the other day with:

Hastings
Coaches 1 to 4 to Hastings, Coaches 5 to 12 to Tunbridge Wells.

aleggatta said:

I believe the only reason for the difference is the way each route code is set up individually. The software on the various batches of 377 is the same where routes are the same (i.e. the 'classic' 3/4 car units. Most of the time coach numbers (x of y) seem to only be announced for Vic services that originate from the coast or other locations where short platforms with long trains calling at them. Likewise, announcements used to consistently announce 'Welcome aboard the Southern Service to...' and there are some route codes that still have this, but a lot of them have been changed to 'this train is the'.

TL;DR Route codes are not all equal, and apparently have no 'standard' order to things

Click to expand...

The "Welcome aboard the Southern Service to" and "This train is the Southern service to" makes Suburban services talk constantly. I remember there was at one point Thameslink/FCC 377s that would say "Brighton. Calling at X, Y and Z" - simpler times.

I believe there was a PIS update on the 377s that has been rolled out to most units over the past year.

TT-ONR-NRN said:

This is coach number 4
Brighton

(Coach number on top, destination below alternating with calling points), while others say

Click to expand...

^ This is the old software, but is still used for splitting services.

TT-ONR-NRN said:

Brighton
This is coach number 4 of 8

(Coach number below alternating with calling points, destination on top) ?

Click to expand...

^This is the new software.

As well as this, the update has increased the frequency of the on-board announcements; in addition to the 'This is ... This train is the Southern service to ... calling at XYZ' announcement, once the train leaves the station there is the additional 'Welcome aboard the Southern service to ... The next station is ... '

There has also been minor alterations to the splitter announcements.