Station announcer phraseology no longer used

[GordonT]

What were examples of once quite common phrases used by station announcers which are no longer heard now? Announcers at Glasgow and Edinburgh used to be able to announce things like "a Griddle Car is conveyed on this train". There were occasional references to "the carriage sidings" when heralding the origin of incoming coaches - don't seem to hear that now?

 

[ptreanor]

Heard today at Stratford: "The train is delayed due a fault on the train in front of this one" Sounds very clumsy, surely "....preceding train" would be better!

 

[Bletchleyite]

"Please board the train and close the doors, this train is now ready for departure" was pretty universal at IC stations in the 90s.

"Please board the train in the Blue Zone" was similarly common for 2-car DMUs in Preston - the old colour zones have gone now.

 

[Taunton]

"... and principal stations to ...", or "and all stations to ...". Nowadays they all have to be listed out lugubriously, with the key ones just mixed in with the drone.

"Stand clear at platform n, the train is about to draw up".

"Passengers for the connection to x, please hurry along to platform n where your train is waiting".

 

[Rail Ranger]

"Manchester Victoria making a staff announcement" which presumably indicated that it was not Manchester Exchange making an announcement. Still heard long after Exchange had closed.

 

[HYPODERMIC]

Not of great vintage, but I think these phrasings died out about ten years ago -

• "Please note that this train is today in reverse formation. First class is situated at the rear of the train."
  
  I don't think announcers talk about 'train formation' these days.
  
  (Edit: apparently they still do!)
  
  
  
• "A buffet service - of drinks and light refreshments - is available on this train"
  
  Nobody calls it a buffet car anymore!
  
  
  
• "Swindon. This is: Swindon."
  
  I miss these announcements. I know onboard announcements have made them redundant. But they were part of the soundscape of the rail network. It's not really Birmingham New Street unless Phil Sayer tells you it's Birmingham New Street.

And I really miss the four-chime jingle too. If I were boss of GBR, I'd bring that back as a national standard. It might not be as chic as SNCF's jingle but it felt like home. These days you get bing-bongs that sound like they've been bought off a stock audio website. But perhaps that's my nostalgia talking.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Fairly sure I've heard "reverse formation" recently.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Fairly sure I've heard "reverse formation" recently.

I still make reverse formation announcements. It’s not just about first class being at the wrong end,but people with facing seat reservations finding themselves going backwards!

 

[Starmill]

I still make reverse formation announcements. It’s not just about first class being at the wrong end,but people with facing seat reservations finding themselves going backwards!

On Avanti West Coast it's also very important to draw attention to it for anyone who has a bicycle reservation.

 

[GordonT]

I'd forgotten about the announcements encouraging pax to hurry. Or sometimes please make your way as quickly as possible. Perhaps these no longer are encouraged in case someone trips up as a result of hastening, or it might be inappropriate for those who have mobility impairment, or maybe partly a consequence of much less incidence of trains being "held".

Stretching the original post in the direction of newish phrases not formerly used might embrace this train is "formed of" four coaches. Perhaps wasn't felt particularly necessary before short-forming became more prevalent?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'd forgotten about the announcements encouraging pax to hurry.

Anne still does those.

 

[Rescars]

Anne still does those.

But you don't hear platform staff bellowing "stand aside" to those individuals who were a bit slow off the mark and tried to open a carriage door after the train had started to move. A cry from the pre-central locking era!

Reverting to the OP, another thing seldom heard in announcements nowadays are the titles of named trains.

 

[GordonT]

Another one which was fairly common in some localities was along the lines of: "If there is a Charles Higginbottom in the station who is meeting his mother, Matilda Higginbottom, please proceed to the station manager's office."

 

[virgintrain1]

Some quite good examples from Anne we don't hear very often.

mp3/ph · main · David Wheatley / ATOS Anne announcement files · GitLab

GitLab Community Edition

gitlab.service.davw.network

Such as "We apologise but this service has no telephone facilities"

 

[DarloRich]

Surely a lot of this is a drive to standard announcements using a clear and passenger friendly language.

"Please note that this train is today in reverse formation. First class is situated at the rear of the train."

I don't think announcers talk about 'train formation' these days.

I have certainly heard this at Avanti and LNER stations recently for the reasons others have set out above.

 

[zwk500]

But you don't hear platform staff bellowing "stand aside" to those individuals who were a bit slow off the mark and tried to open a carriage door after the train had started to move. A cry from the pre-central locking era!

Although not uncommon to hear 'stand back' roared as People race up to the clearly closed and locked doors and hammer on the buttons.

 

[yorksrob]

"The train at platform (x) terminates here, all change please, all change"

 

[Bletchleyite]

Although not uncommon to hear 'stand back' roared as People race up to the clearly closed and locked doors and hammer on the buttons.

It had largely gone away, but after that Merseyrail incident it has returned but in the context of getting people behind the yellow line before giving right away.

 

[GordonT]

Does the strident "Stand clear of the platform edge, fast train approaching. Stand away there! Stand away!" or similar still prevail?

 

[zwk500]

Does the strident "Stand clear of the platform edge, fast train approaching. Stand away there! Stand away!" or similar still prevail?

Last thing I heard (been a while since I used a non-stop station) was 'Your attention please. The next train at Platform X does not (occasionally: is not scheduled to) stop here. Please stand clear of the edge of Platform X" or something along those lines.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Does the strident "Stand clear of the platform edge, fast train approaching. Stand away there! Stand away!" or similar still prevail?

Anne does a much more bored-sounding version which mentions pushchairs and wheelchairs too. The best one of those was I think the "toot-toot-toot-toooooot" the old Connex system did.

 

[185]

I remember the days before it was banned for outraging public decency & crimes against humanity when they used to announce "See it, sa... See More

 

[fairlie]

I can't remember the exact wording but there used to be an announcement about passengers not intending to travel needing to leave the train because it was ready to depart. Not heard that for a long time!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I can't remember the exact wording but there used an announcement about passengers not intending to travel needing to leave the train because it was ready to depart. Not heard that for a long time!

It's less applicable now more stations are gated so people who aren't travelling are less likely to be there in the first place, but I've definitely heard it recently, though I can't specifically think where.

 

[zwk500]

I can't remember the exact wording but there used an announcement about passengers not intending to travel needing to leave the train because it was ready to depart. Not heard that for a long time!

It's less applicable now more stations are gated so people who aren't travelling are less likely to be there in the first place, but I've definitely heard it recently, though I can't specifically think where.

You used to hear it on Long-Distance operators at Euston and King's Cross quite a lot. Often just as much about people getting on the wrong train than people specifically intending not to travel, I got the sense.

 

[Trainguy34]

It's less applicable now more stations are gated so people who aren't travelling are less likely to be there in the first place, but I've definitely heard it recently, though I can't specifically think where.

Ive heard it recently at Kings x.

 

[6Gman]

It's less applicable now more stations are gated so people who aren't travelling are less likely to be there in the first place, but I've definitely heard it recently, though I can't specifically think where.

Pretty sure I've heard it (but on train) at both Liverpool and Manchester recently.

 

[Ashley Hill]

There used to be announcements specifically for HST services. “The next train to arrive at platform one is the 10.15 InterCity 125 service to London Paddington “. Or “Welcome aboard the 1015 InterCity 125 service to Paddington,we’ll be calling at” etc. I resurrected the latter during the final week of HSTs.

 

[D6130]

I can't remember the exact wording but there used to be an announcement about passengers not intending to travel needing to leave the train because it was ready to depart. Not heard that for a long time!

Still regularly used by LNER train managers before departure from Leeds, Kings Cross and other originating stations.

 

[prod_pep]

I can't remember the exact wording but there used to be an announcement about passengers not intending to travel needing to leave the train because it was ready to depart. Not heard that for a long time!

Definitely rarer these days, but I did hear it at Birmingham Moor Street on my Chiltern train last week. Also still used at Liverpool Lime Street on Avanti trains as they use the area of the station without barriers.