Platform boards

[mfc3024]

Hi,

Who is responsible for updating the arrivals / departures boards on platforms? Is it the TOC?

I ask as I commute daily between Motherwell and Waverley and when returning from Platform 8E at Waverley I always check the platform board to see where 1st Class is. I like to sit in the Quiet Zone (Coach F on XC) so know that this is at the opposite end from 1st Class. With XC the train is not always facing the same direction so this board gives good guidance on where passengers should go.

The board will read "1st Class is at front" or "1st class at rear" however often the train arrives and the board will have been incorrect, resulting in passengers having to move to find the correct coach.

It is not a big deal, but it is irritating. If the TOC (or whoever) is putting up information it should be correct.

 

[michael769]

The departure boards at Edinburgh Waverley are the responsibility of Network rail, however I suspect the information as to which way round the train comes from XC. If XC gives Network Rail the wrong info (or more likely simply fails to inform them that the planned arrangement has been changed) then there is not much Network Rail can do.

 

[AlexS]

Generally the station operator is responsible for updating the CIS screens, whether that is at a local (station) or general (Control) level. The way round First Class is, for example, can be far more telling than most passengers would ever realise. If we note a train arrive and first class is indicated the wrong way round (for example, Centre and Rear rather than Centre), not only is it a pain in the morning/evening peak for business commuters. It's also an indicator, that, possibly, sets have been coupled the wrong way round (which causes a nightmare for diagramming and maintenance as they typically split and go their seperate ways at some point, there's no automatic way of the controllers physically seeing which trains are which other than what they input into their computer) or even that the depot has sent out the wrong set entirely. So we are under strict instructions to report First Class errors and report the train identities involved as it can save much hassle in the long run with 'losing' trains (or realising your set required for a planned exam on shed is sat in a carriage siding on the opposite end of your route). Quite often though, it's just as a result of the set having been turned and it not having been updated on 'the sheet' and it's corrected in a moment.

 

[rail-britain]

The board will read "1st Class is at front" or "1st class at rear" however often the train arrives and the board will have been incorrect, resulting in passengers having to move to find the correct coach

If this is happening frequently (say at least one third of journeys) then contact Network Rail and see what the reason is, if they will be implementing a solution, and if so what the timescale is

There really shouldn't be such a reason northbound, as the service will have passed through many stations
However if the set has reversed at Newcastle then that would make sense, but it should not happen as frequently

 

[David10]

It's a bit hit and miss with XC particularly as they can approach Birmingham and Newcastle from more than 1 direction. I always look at the coupler as it approaches, grey equals standard, yellow first.

 

[mfc3024]

Thanks all for the replies.