SWT platform describer changes

[Dstock7080]

Not sure if this has been mentioned, 10 SWT stations have had the London bound train describers changed to the countdown 'minutes-to-arrive' style:

http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/countdown.aspx

 

[SansPareil]

Is there any reasoning behind this? An attempt to present these services as 'Metro' style services?

It seems to me to rob the customer of available information as to whether their train is running late, and the ability to tell which service they have boarded and quickly deduce it's likely arrival time according to the schedule.

I certainly didn't welcome this change when London Overground made it at various stations. Do the TOCs really think passengers struggle to calculate the difference between the current time and the expected arrival time.

I can only assume that it's a move designed to hide delays from customers.

 

[Eagle]

It would be okay if they hadn't gotten rid of the scheduled time as well as the expected time. Something like

"1st 1057 London Waterloo 5mins"

is preferable to just

"1st London Waterloo 5mins"

as people often know which train they want by its time ("the 10.57"). Although presumably the automated announcements still call "the 10.57 service to London Waterloo".

 

[jopsuk]

The ones on GA go to countdown for the 1st train if the train is expected in the next 10 minutes; they at all times continue to display the scheduled time. If more than ten minutes, the "Expected" shows a time rather than countdown.

 

[TheJRB]

The ones on GA go to countdown for the 1st train if the train is expected in the next 10 minutes; they at all times continue to display the scheduled time. If more than ten minutes, the "Expected" shows a time rather than countdown.

The same method is used at Tonbridge with times then countdown. I think it's a good system for stations (or platforms) that have a frequent service.

 

[Starmill]

It would be okay if they hadn't gotten rid of the scheduled time as well as the expected time. Something like

"1st 1057 London Waterloo 5mins"

is preferable to just

"1st London Waterloo 5mins"

as people often know which train they want by its time ("the 10.57"). Although presumably the automated announcements still call "the 10.57 service to London Waterloo".

If I remember correctly... a screen I saw at Elmers End the other day had something like the former example on it... I was quite impressed actually, though it might create confusion if the train is delayed.

From the SWT website

It just doesn't seem right that there is nothing under 'time' anymore, does it? Hm.

 

[Eagle]

If I remember correctly... a screen I saw at Elmers End the other day had something like the former example on it... I was quite impressed actually, though it might create confusion if the train is delayed.

Yeah, most Southeastern Metro stations use that system. As does Merseyrail (which also has a column for train length).

 

[causton]

I suppose it makes SWT seem better to some people as they no longer know whether their train is delayed. As it is seemingly only for services towards Waterloo do people need to know what time their train was actually scheduled for? Many people would moan if they saw the 1057 was due at 1101 but if they turned up at 1055 and it said just '6 mins' they would probably not complain!

 

[30907]

On the up main local line from Wimbledon inward trains are so frequent (16 an hour offpeak?) and all call all stations that the booked time is about as relevant as it is on the tube. It's a different matter on the Windsor side - fewer trains and a mixed stopping pattern - and SWT ought to be asked to rethink.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I can forsee a few problems when workings are running out of sequence but close together on routes where there are such things as Advances and Megatrains...

 

[TEW]

They're only changing them on a couple of stations in Greater London and even then only on London bound platforms. There won't be any Advance or Megatrain issues at those stations.

 

[causton]

I can forsee a few problems when workings are running out of sequence but close together on routes where there are such things as Advances and Megatrains...

When you can get an advance from Wimbledon to London that will become an issue. However, at the moment, all of these 'x mins' describers are non-reservable frequent metro-style services, so there should be no problems with anything like that

 

[Lockwood]

As it is seemingly only for services towards Waterloo do people need to know what time their train was actually scheduled for?

Meeting someone en route?
"I've just got on the 9 o'clock from here, it should be the 9:23 from your station. I'm in the second carriage"
Now let's say that the 9:20 got held up by 3 minutes, and the 9:23 is sat at a junction waiting for that one to get past.

There's one scenario where knowing which train is which would apply

 

[Eagle]

There's one scenario where knowing which train is which would apply

It's also a scenario that sells the point of using train numbers publicly. "I've just got on train number 2D34, I'm in the second carriage" is even easier to communicate and doesn't require you to look up the timetable to see what exact time it'll be at the other station.

But that's a whole other debate

 

[Starmill]

It's also a scenario that sells the point of using train numbers publicly. "I've just got on train number 2D34, I'm in the second carriage" is even easier to communicate and doesn't require you to look up the timetable to see what exact time it'll be at the other station.

But that's a whole other debate

Hahaha, I like it. I did actually teach some of my friends how to read tram numbers so they could text me them when I'm supposed to be meeting them and I then track it down.

Had a brief appraisal of it today... it doesn't seem as though there's anything 'wrong' with it, but it does create something of a disparity. It now feels a bit more like the Overground where you aren't quite sure if you are on a proper train and they will do full 'Calling at: ...' or just give the destination and a countdown.