On Board Train Service Announcements?

[westv]

I know passengers are often bombarded by announcements of one sort or another but I was thinking this morning why there are no on board announcements for current service levels.
It would be handy for those that have changes to make and options as to where they change.
I know drivers sometimes do announcements but that isn't always the case.

 

[Class 466]

Some trains I've been on in Germany automatically announce next connections on approach to stations and display them on screens, so the technology is there.

 

[jon0844]

700s show TfL information but not for train services, which seems rather bizarre.

I only remember one instance being told of delays to trains and that was on a 317 with retrofitted displays on Great Northern, and it wasn't specific but did highlight delays at a location. It happened to me literally once, ever.

I assume it had to be a connected system (maybe being tested but never taken up due to cost or something) or maybe it was just the driver manually pressing a code to make it say it.

I've seen the displays with live info of departures at the next station stop, laid out much like many apps here would show things. Maybe the fact we can get info very easily here (one good thing about open data) puts off the necessary investment as increasingly people can get the info on their phone. Bad luck if you don't have one, ran out of data or the battery died.

(having just noticed this is the LU section, I can say Victoria line trains announce issues and possibly also LO trains).

 

[rebmcr]

The 09 Tube Stock on the Victoria line, and the S Stock on the subsurface lines both feature automated announcements of line statuses.

Often on the weekends the Overground closures are so complex that the Victoria line's station stops force the announcement to be truncated.

 

[TFN]

The 09 stock on the Victoria Line seems to be automatic as it can be consistent all weekend (with engineering works) on all trains. The 09 stock even leaves out the line(s) that have no service.

For example at Euston it would normally be "Change here for Northern Line, LO and NR services", it would change it to be "Change here for LO and NR services". I've got some nice recordings of rare announcements on the 09.

Why can't the S Stock do the same, especially since it's a newer train? I've only ever heard "There are severe delays on the Picc due to a lack of available trains. LU apologises for any delays caused" during Autumn 2017. But that was only once.

Anyone knows the reason?

 

[bramling]

The 09 stock on the Victoria Line seems to be automatic as it can be consistent all weekend (with engineering works) on all trains. The 09 stock even leaves out the line(s) that have no service.

For example at Euston it would normally be "Change here for Northern Line, LO and NR services", it would change it to be "Change here for LO and NR services". I've got some nice recordings of rare announcements on the 09.

Why can't the S Stock do the same, especially since it's a newer train? I've only ever heard "There are severe delays on the Picc due to a lack of available trains. LU apologises for any delays caused" during Autumn 2017. But that was only once.

Anyone knows the reason?

I believe the Victoria Line is done by the information assistant in the control room. Perhaps the S stock won’t get the functionality until after resignalling (?), or perhaps their information assistants don’t have the time to do it. Just guesses though.

 

[Dstock7080]

Why can't the S Stock do the same, especially since it's a newer train? I've only ever heard "There are severe delays on the Picc due to a lack of available trains. LU apologises for any delays caused" during Autumn 2017. But that was only once.

Anyone knows the reason?

S Stock still operate on older signalling technology.
It is now possible for the control room at Hammersmith to auto-broadcast typed messages that can be translated into speech and visual information onto S Stock trains.
Once the SSR gradually goes over the CBTC I’m sure the information both on platforms and inside trains will improve.

 

[bluegoblin7]

S Stock still operate on older signalling technology.
It is now possible for the control room at Hammersmith to auto-broadcast typed messages that can be translated into speech and visual information onto S Stock trains.
Once the SSR gradually goes over the CBTC I’m sure the information both on platforms and inside trains will improve.

Nominally it is the same system that is on the 09TS, and should also be operated by the LIS.

The issue is that there are a number of bugs in the software, and sending out the updates will regularly cause the S stock computers to crash. Essentially, the S stock haven't got fast enough on board computers...

 

[321over360]

The 09 Tube Stock on the Victoria line, and the S Stock on the subsurface lines both feature automated announcements of line statuses.

Often on the weekends the Overground closures are so complex that the Victoria line's station stops force the announcement to be truncated.

If the Victoria Line didnt have the pointless "Doors will open on the R/L Hand side" then surely this would improve the situation, i never got why TFL Specced this for the 09 fleet, doesnt seem needed, if passengers are stupid enough to not notice which side the platform is as the train pulls in then they deserve to miss their stop

 

[jamesst]

Kind of linked to the thread but does anyone think the manual announcements on the s stock are incredibly poor compared to the automated ones? I've been on 2 separate district line services recently where the driver has made an announcement and it was impossible to understand him

 

[321over360]

Kind of linked to the thread but does anyone think the manual announcements on the s stock are incredibly poor compared to the automated ones? I've been on 2 separate district line services recently where the driver has made an announcement and it was impossible to understand him

Sounds like most tube driver announcements, it is rare to understand what they are ever saying, I've noticed on the district some you cant even hear much cos they clearly dont know how to use the PA correctly

 

[rebmcr]

If the Victoria Line didnt have the pointless "Doors will open on the R/L Hand side" then surely this would improve the situation, i never got why TFL Specced this for the 09 fleet, doesnt seem needed, if passengers are stupid enough to not notice which side the platform is as the train pulls in then they deserve to miss their stop

I think you need to take a deep breath and let go of your anger!

It seems you have zero experience of the Victoria line at peak periods — making your way to the correct door while the train is in the tunnel can be the only sure way to be able to alight in time! Otherwise, it is still a much-needed boost to dwell times, especially in combination with the "allow passengers off the train before boarding" policy.

 

[robbeech]

If the Victoria Line didnt have the pointless "Doors will open on the R/L Hand side" then surely this would improve the situation, i never got why TFL Specced this for the 09 fleet, doesnt seem needed, if passengers are stupid enough to not notice which side the platform is as the train pulls in then they deserve to miss their stop

Tell that the the user in the wheelchair on the busy service that wants to position theirselves so they can alight without getting in the way. Though I guess some would say they shouldn’t be on a busy service.

 

[cjp]

If the Victoria Line didnt have the pointless "Doors will open on the R/L Hand side" then surely this would improve the situation, i never got why TFL Specced this for the 09 fleet, doesnt seem needed, if passengers are stupid enough to not notice which side the platform is as the train pulls in then they deserve to miss their stop

'Tis only pointless if you do not know and you are politely trying to make your way through a full carriage getting ready to get off at the next stop. Anything to minimize dwell times must be good.
I first heard such announcements in Hong Kong and was I grateful since I could not even see out of the windows!

 

[Mojo]

If the Victoria Line didnt have the pointless "Doors will open on the R/L Hand side" then surely this would improve the situation, i never got why TFL Specced this for the 09 fleet, doesnt seem needed, if passengers are stupid enough to not notice which side the platform is as the train pulls in then they deserve to miss their stop

I think that this is one of the few announcements that are actually beneficial!

 

[IceAgeComing]

Sounds like most tube driver announcements, it is rare to understand what they are ever saying, I've noticed on the district some you cant even hear much cos they clearly dont know how to use the PA correctly

Compared to the Glasgow Subway they actually aren't that bad! Although saying that the Subway seems to have gotten better: when the drivers started making the announcements (which wasn't that long ago; I remember that my first year of uni they didn't so you had to pay attention) they really didn't know what they were doing and so the start and end would be cut off so "next stop Cowcaddens" would be "t stop Cowcad" which isn't very useful - especially since people tend to talk quickly in Glasgow so I imagine that for people who aren't used to it its totally incomprehensible. I guess that the new trains will have automatic announcements and door alarms and all of the bells and whistles which is sort of needed for a modern service but I'll miss the old ones; something very nice about the lack of annoucements and the hustle alarms when you don't need them!