Julie Berry equals Margaret??

[londonbridge]

On the train this morning:

(Julie Berry anouncement)

This train is the Southern service to Horsham. We are now approaching Redhill".

followed by

"Good morning this is Johnny your onboard supervisor and as Margaret just said we're now arriving into Redhill. If you're leaving us here......", etc, etc

Why call her "Margaret"? Granted, most people don't know (or indeed care about) the identity of the announcer but if you're going to name them then why use the wrong name? Why not just say "and as you just heard......"? Or is referring to her as Margaret an industry joke that I wasn't aware of?

 

[BestWestern]

Yes, probably. It's usually 'Doris', as in 'digital Doris'.

 

[SPADTrap]

Probably a joke the OBS thought up there and then. I don't know. Maybe you should have asked the OBS for a more accurate answer. I've heard names like 'Digital Doris' before but never 'Margaret'.

 

[pdeaves]

For that matter, why refer back to what's been said? 'Margaret' has already said you are arriving at Redhill, why tell everyone that 'someone else' has just told you you're arriving at Redhill? Just carry on from where the announcement left off ("If you're leaving...", etc.)

 

[BestWestern]

For that matter, why refer back to what's been said? 'Margaret' has already said you are arriving at Redhill, why tell everyone that 'someone else' has just told you you're arriving at Redhill? Just carry on from where the announcement left off ("If you're leaving...", etc.)

Because most people using a PA like to make an announcement with a beginning, a middle and an end; it's pretty natural to do it that way. Beginning mid-flow is not particularly friendly and feels a tad 'odd'.

 

[Lrd]

On the Underground we call her "Sonia" as she often "gets on ya nerves"

 

[londonbridge]

For that matter, why refer back to what's been said? 'Margaret' has already said you are arriving at Redhill, why tell everyone that 'someone else' has just told you you're arriving at Redhill? Just carry on from where the announcement left off ("If you're leaving...", etc.)

That reminds me of an X26 bus driver, who, after the ibus announced "Broad Street, Teddington", came over the tannoy and said "well as you just heard we're now arriving at Teddington, on departure from Broad Street our next stop will be Hatton Cross".

 

[Parallel]

On the Underground we call her "Sonia" as she often "gets on ya nerves"

There was me thinking you got Natalie Cassidy (Sonia from Eastenders) to record London Underground announcements.

 

[SPADTrap]

Sounds like staff trying to be a bit more human.

Cooler - 3 weeks!

 

[Loop & Link]

[Deleted]

 

[Busaholic]

That reminds me of an X26 bus driver, who, after the ibus announced "Broad Street, Teddington", came over the tannoy and said "well as you just heard we're now arriving at Teddington, on departure from Broad Street our next stop will be Hatton Cross".

That's doing a service imo: he's letting passengers know it's not stopping en route to Hatton Cross.

 

[tsr]

Jonny the OBS is a decent fellow, has cheered loads of people up and tends to come out with inoffensive things like that, apparently fairly spontaneously. I’m sure there was no intention to actual equate that voice with someone called Margaret. In any case, very very very few Southern staff will have ever heard that the announcement voiceover is linked to the name “Julie Berry”. Caring about the name of the voiceover is definitely an enthusiast thing, and not all staff are enthusiasts.

(OK, that’s not the whole truth... as it so happens, by sheer coincidence, there are actually a couple of OBSs called Jonny who do the rounds saying stuff like that. No harm in it!)

 

[Llanigraham]

For that matter, why refer back to what's been said? 'Margaret' has already said you are arriving at Redhill, why tell everyone that 'someone else' has just told you you're arriving at Redhill? Just carry on from where the announcement left off ("If you're leaving...", etc.)

Because life isn't stiff and boring and they wanted to lighten things up.

 

[jamesst]

Because life isn't stiff and boring and they wanted to lighten things up.

This! ^^

 

[Chris M]

Because life isn't stiff and boring and they wanted to lighten things up.

And it beats the rather poor Bruce Forsythe impersonations we were entertained with on a Pendolino a few years back.

 

[the sniper]

The OBS called the announcer, Margaret. That’s it, take it at face value. End.

If it hasn't been clearly proven by page 14 of this thread that this was all the fault of the RMT, I'll be disappointed.

 

[Minilad]

If it hasn't been clearly proven by page 14 of this thread that this was all the fault of the RMT, I'll be disappointed.

Just wait for the press release

 

[DarloRich]

Just to sum up this thread: A slight error was made in announcement.

 

[Intermodal]

Southern have been making mistakes like this en-route for some time and it is becoming a far too often occurrence nowadays. The OBS should know the name of the on-board announcer. I don't think anyone could contest that. The fact that they don't, is frankly scary - as if they cannot get the fundamentals right - what else is going to go wrong? It begins with calling Julie Berry Margaret, but I would not be surprised if the OBS had opened the doors wrong-side that very same day, or perhaps even the Driver had taken a wrong route. Completely within the question considering the carelessness of this announcement.

I would advise that you write to Southern ASAP - preferably with the name of the OBS, and the date/time of the service, and enquire further why their staff are making such gross errors within their safety critical role. I would argue that you are entitled to a significant amount of compensation considering the clear distress that this error has caused you, and perhaps I would also request evidence that the OBS had been given a development plan or perhaps even a suspension until a thorough investigation into the matter can be concluded. If you need any help writing the letter, I am available via PM on this forum, and it would be well worth copying in the DfT, and Passenger Focus on this matter.

Standards are constantly slipping on the network and it should not be allowed to continue - it is a true downward spiral.

Edit: Well worth raising this issue publicly on Twitter also - I am not sure if Southern senior management are present on there, but it is always helpful to create a 'public storm' with issues of this severity, as once other people realise what are going on it will be very difficult for Southern not to take action.

 

[SPADTrap]

Southern have been making mistakes like this en-route for some time and it is becoming a far too often occurrence nowadays. The OBS should know the name of the on-board announcer. I don't think anyone could contest that. The fact that they don't, is frankly scary - as if they cannot get the fundamentals right - what else is going to go wrong? It begins with calling Julie Berry Margaret, but I would not be surprised if the OBS had opened the doors wrong-side that very same day, or perhaps even the Driver had taken a wrong route. Completely within the question considering the carelessness of this announcement.

I would advise that you write to Southern ASAP - preferably with the name of the OBS, and the date/time of the service, and enquire further why there staff are making such gross errors within their safety critical role. I would argue that you are entitled to a significant amount of compensation considering the clear distress that this error has caused you, and perhaps I would also request evidence that the OBS had been given a development plan or perhaps even a suspension until a thorough investigation into the matter can be concluded. If you need any help writing the letter, I am available via PM on this forum, and it would be well worth copying in the DfT, and Passenger Focus on this matter.

Standards are constantly slipping on the network and it should not be allowed to continue - it is a true downward spiral.

Edit: Well worth raising this issue publicly on Twitter also - I am not sure if Southern senior management are present on there, but it is always helpful to create a 'public storm' with issues of this severity, as once other people realise what are going on it will be very difficult for Southern not to take action.

Bravo sir bravo!

 

[Minilad]

Southern have been making mistakes like this en-route for some time and it is becoming a far too often occurrence nowadays. The OBS should know the name of the on-board announcer. I don't think anyone could contest that. The fact that they don't, is frankly scary - as if they cannot get the fundamentals right - what else is going to go wrong? It begins with calling Julie Berry Margaret, but I would not be surprised if the OBS had opened the doors wrong-side that very same day, or perhaps even the Driver had taken a wrong route. Completely within the question considering the carelessness of this announcement.

I would advise that you write to Southern ASAP - preferably with the name of the OBS, and the date/time of the service, and enquire further why there staff are making such gross errors within their safety critical role. I would argue that you are entitled to a significant amount of compensation considering the clear distress that this error has caused you, and perhaps I would also request evidence that the OBS had been given a development plan or perhaps even a suspension until a thorough investigation into the matter can be concluded. If you need any help writing the letter, I am available via PM on this forum, and it would be well worth copying in the DfT, and Passenger Focus on this matter.

Standards are constantly slipping on the network and it should not be allowed to continue - it is a true downward spiral.

Edit: Well worth raising this issue publicly on Twitter also - I am not sure if Southern senior management are present on there, but it is always helpful to create a 'public storm' with issues of this severity, as once other people realise what are going on it will be very difficult for Southern not to take action.

Please tell me this is a wind up

 

[londonbridge]

Southern have been making mistakes like this en-route for some time and it is becoming a far too often occurrence nowadays. The OBS should know the name of the on-board announcer. I don't think anyone could contest that. The fact that they don't, is frankly scary - as if they cannot get the fundamentals right - what else is going to go wrong? It begins with calling Julie Berry Margaret, but I would not be surprised if the OBS had opened the doors wrong-side that very same day, or perhaps even the Driver had taken a wrong route. Completely within the question considering the carelessness of this announcement.

I would advise that you write to Southern ASAP - preferably with the name of the OBS, and the date/time of the service, and enquire further why their staff are making such gross errors within their safety critical role. I would argue that you are entitled to a significant amount of compensation considering the clear distress that this error has caused you, and perhaps I would also request evidence that the OBS had been given a development plan or perhaps even a suspension until a thorough investigation into the matter can be concluded. If you need any help writing the letter, I am available via PM on this forum, and it would be well worth copying in the DfT, and Passenger Focus on this matter.

Standards are constantly slipping on the network and it should not be allowed to continue - it is a true downward spiral.

Edit: Well worth raising this issue publicly on Twitter also - I am not sure if Southern senior management are present on there, but it is always helpful to create a 'public storm' with issues of this severity, as once other people realise what are going on it will be very difficult for Southern not to take action.

Thanks for your advice, I'll get started on the letter first thing in the morning, oh and i'll be sure to copy in my MP and Chris Grayling........

 

[methethpropbut]

Thanks for your advice, I'll get started on the letter first thing in the morning, oh and i'll be sure to copy in my MP and Chris Grayling........

Why stop at that, cc the Queen as well

 

[Chris M]

Please tell me this is a wind up

It's a wind up.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

There was me thinking you got Natalie Cassidy (Sonia from Eastenders) to record London Underground announcements.

“She’s our daughter, Martin!”
Haha if they got her to do announcements then I would be worried! Or worse still, they could get Karen Taylor to do them!

Margaret was probably a bad guess her name is most definitely Julie Berry.

 

[Starmill]

Caring about the name of the voiceover is definitely an enthusiast thing, and not all staff are enthusiasts.

It's very unlikely that any would actually care about the name, but it's certainly possible that some would have made a journey on the Piccadilly line (or really pushing the boat out, Merseyrail) and wondered if the announcements sounded familiar from somewhere...

 

[Minilad]

It's a wind up.

I did hope that was the case but you can never be too sure on here

 

[headshot119]

Southern have been making mistakes like this en-route for some time and it is becoming a far too often occurrence nowadays. The OBS should know the name of the on-board announcer. I don't think anyone could contest that. The fact that they don't, is frankly scary - as if they cannot get the fundamentals right - what else is going to go wrong? It begins with calling Julie Berry Margaret, but I would not be surprised if the OBS had opened the doors wrong-side that very same day, or perhaps even the Driver had taken a wrong route. Completely within the question considering the carelessness of this announcement.

I would advise that you write to Southern ASAP - preferably with the name of the OBS, and the date/time of the service, and enquire further why their staff are making such gross errors within their safety critical role. I would argue that you are entitled to a significant amount of compensation considering the clear distress that this error has caused you, and perhaps I would also request evidence that the OBS had been given a development plan or perhaps even a suspension until a thorough investigation into the matter can be concluded. If you need any help writing the letter, I am available via PM on this forum, and it would be well worth copying in the DfT, and Passenger Focus on this matter.

Standards are constantly slipping on the network and it should not be allowed to continue - it is a true downward spiral.

Edit: Well worth raising this issue publicly on Twitter also - I am not sure if Southern senior management are present on there, but it is always helpful to create a 'public storm' with issues of this severity, as once other people realise what are going on it will be very difficult for Southern not to take action.

*mic drop*

Take a bow sir!

 

[Clip]

I would be stunned if most railway employees knew who on earth she was and nor would they actually care about someone calling her anything different.