Thameslink announcements

[MaxB]

Travelling up to London yesterday, at E&C the "lady" announced the next stop as London Blackfriars "our final destination". I suppose you can have an intermediate destination, but this train was only ever going to Blackfriars and the "final" seems unnecessary. On our return, the message was that the train would "terminate" at Sevenoaks. I was then surprised to be told we would be "shortly be stopping at Denmark Hill" before we had even slowed down to take the Loughborough Jn. curve, normally announcements like this are much closer to the station. Finally, at Peckham Rye we were told the rear coach doors would not open as it had a short platform. As I was in the rear coach, I can confirm that the platform runs the full length of the train (unless the driver had overshot at the front!) and appeared to be of the same length as other Catford Loop line stations. I didn't note any other "short platforms" but the "lady" gave up announcing after Peckham Rye so who knows. There are usually far too many announcements and every operator seems to have their own ideas, but at least they should be correct.

 

[zwk500]

There's 2 separate main points here, I think. First is over the terminology of 'Final Destination' vs 'terminates'. and I don't think there's ever going to be a clear consensus on the best way to announce it for passengers overall. I've heard a number of different formulations over the years, all have been clear enough to tell me that the train won't be going any further. Maybe under GBR somebody will pick one way, but I doubt it.
Secondly, there's the short platform warnings - these absolutely should be correct. If every door opens, don't say they won't, and if some doors won't open then say so until the stops have been made.

Your other points: there's a dark art to timing the 'we are now approaching' announcement as people need time to collect belongings and put on coats etc. There's also differences between systems used to detect the position of trains for each announcement.
Finally, it depends who you are travelling with, but although there are lots of announcements I generally don't hear that many I'd consider to be unnecessary. 'See it, say it, sorted' could perhaps be played less often, but safety & security on the network has been a real issue. 'Please take your bags with you' is an attempt to reduce lost luggage and security scares (although it's not that effective). And the list of stations and final terminating point is required by law for customers unable to read the displays. Although it's interesting to look at Europe and the generally much scarcer announcements here. I'd be interested to know what comparative accessibility and customer feedback scores are for UK vs France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands etc.

 

[fandroid]

It used to vex me that Virgin's automatic announcements would say "this the xx.xx service for Manchester Piccadilly" (say), then list the stops but always leave out the "final destination" from the list. Faintly logical, I suppose, but it did assume everyone was instantly alert at the start of the announcement. I never was! I realise a little way in that I should be listening. Then wonder why the final destination is Stockport (say). No other train company did/does this.

As for announcements about suspicious objects and keeping belongings with you, I really don't know why this isn't just covered by posters. No visually impaired person is going to carelessly leave their stuff anywhere. Their whole lifestyle automatically includes making sure they know where it is. So no need for audible announcements of that sort

 

[30907]

As for announcements about suspicious objects and keeping belongings with you, I really don't know why this isn't just covered by posters. No visually impaired person is going to carelessly leave their stuff anywhere.

Fair enough - but I suspect annoying announcements ("all your personal belongings..." amuses me) are more effective than posters at prompting action.

A poster is an excellent way of covering your back/complying with a law though (see discussions on PF signage as nauseum....)

 

[zwk500]

As for announcements about suspicious objects and keeping belongings with you, I really don't know why this isn't just covered by posters. No visually impaired person is going to carelessly leave their stuff anywhere. Their whole lifestyle automatically includes making sure they know where it is. So no need for audible announcements of that sort

An audible announcement is just as useful for somebody being absent-minded as anything else. A poster is a static thing, and will quickly fade from your mind if you are not looking directly at it. Reminding people to look around them when they are just getting up is a sensible thing to do.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

This train finishes its journey at the next station....

 

[JackTheLad]

Travelling up to London yesterday, at E&C the "lady" announced the next stop as London Blackfriars "our final destination". I suppose you can have an intermediate destination, but this train was only ever going to Blackfriars and the "final" seems unnecessary. On our return, the message was that the train would "terminate" at Sevenoaks. I was then surprised to be told we would be "shortly be stopping at Denmark Hill" before we had even slowed down to take the Loughborough Jn. curve, normally announcements like this are much closer to the station. Finally, at Peckham Rye we were told the rear coach doors would not open as it had a short platform. As I was in the rear coach, I can confirm that the platform runs the full length of the train (unless the driver had overshot at the front!) and appeared to be of the same length as other Catford Loop line stations. I didn't note any other "short platforms" but the "lady" gave up announcing after Peckham Rye so who knows. There are usually far too many announcements and every operator seems to have their own ideas, but at least they should be correct.

The lady is announcement veteran and voice artist Julie Berry. You will get people in a rush who will board a Blackfriars terminator at the Elephant and just assume it's going through the core, so "our final destination" on approach to Blackfriars isn't necessarily unnecessary. It's just personal preference I suppose from operator to operator. Most go for "this train terminates here" but Thameslink chose "Our Final Destination"

 

[ComUtoR]

Finally, at Peckham Rye we were told the rear coach doors would not open as it had a short platform. As I was in the rear coach, I can confirm that the platform runs the full length of the train (unless the driver had overshot at the front!) and appeared to be of the same length as other Catford Loop line stations.

Secondly, there's the short platform warnings - these absolutely should be correct. If every door opens, don't say they won't, and if some doors won't open then say so until the stops have been made.

The last set of doors don't open at Peckham Rye. On a weird technical level, the platform is indeed too short. It is the difference in physical length and useable length.

 

[Birmingham]

Most go for "this train terminates here" but Thameslink chose "Our Final Destination"

The auto-announcer on West Midlands Railway Class 172s also uses ‘our final destination’. It works quite well: it only announces all calling points at (what must be coded as) principal stations. At other stations, it announces the destination and the next calling point.

 

[jon0844]

It used to vex me that Virgin's automatic announcements would say "this the xx.xx service for Manchester Piccadilly" (say), then list the stops but always leave out the "final destination" from the list. Faintly logical, I suppose, but it did assume everyone was instantly alert at the start of the announcement. I never was! I realise a little way in that I should be listening. Then wonder why the final destination is Stockport (say). No other train company did/does this.

The bendyleanos still do this and I agree it's odd and out of sync with everyone else.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

It used to vex me that Virgin's automatic announcements would say "this the xx.xx service for Manchester Piccadilly" (say), then list the stops but always leave out the "final destination" from the list. Faintly logical, I suppose, but it did assume everyone was instantly alert at the start of the announcement. I never was! I realise a little way in that I should be listening. Then wonder why the final destination is Stockport (say). No other train company did/does this.

East Midlands Railway Meridians do this (and CrossCountry Voyagers used to a long time ago.) I don't see the issue. A train to Manchester Piccadilly will obviously go to Manchester. It says so when it says "Avanti service to Manchester Picc." It then says "Calling at: Crewe, Wilmslow, Stockport" because that is where it will call en-route.

Similarly, 222 displays say messages like "Welcome on board the 10:04 to London St Pancras calling at Wellingborough, Bedford, Luton Airport Park," In these circumstances, I find the use of "Park" instead of "Parkway" the far more annoying issue.

Perhaps one thing that's annoying is the lack of "and", which in the Avanti announcements makes it sound like something else is yet to come.

 

[AM9]

It used to vex me that Virgin's automatic announcements would say "this the xx.xx service for Manchester Piccadilly" (say), then list the stops but always leave out the "final destination" from the list. Faintly logical, I suppose, but it did assume everyone was instantly alert at the start of the announcement. I never was! I realise a little way in that I should be listening. Then wonder why the final destination is Stockport (say). No other train company did/does this.

When travelling on a Greater Anglia service from Liverpool St. to Norwich earlier this year, on pulling out of Diss, the last stop before Norwich, the announcement went:

This is the Greater Anglia service to - Norwich​

Calling at - Norwich​

The next station is - Norwich​

All quite clear but in that instance definitely sounded a bit repetative.

 

[talldave]

When travelling on a Greater Anglia service from Liverpool St. to Norwich earlier this year, on pulling out of Diss, the last stop before Norwich, the announcement went:

This is the Greater Anglia service to - Norwich​

Calling at - Norwich​

The next station is - Norwich​

All quite clear but in that instance definitely sounded a bit repetative.

So easy to code out the "Calling" element with "if remaining stations > 1" that it's lazy not to!!

 

[DerekC]

As a happy pedant, I find "This train terminates at the next station" faintly amusing. Shouldn't it be "This service terminates ..."? I have visions of the train fading into misty nothingness!

 

[ComUtoR]

So easy to code out the "Calling" element with "if remaining stations > 1" that it's lazy not to!!

Is the software written with that sort of code ?

How much would a software rewrite cost ?

What's involved in a fleet update ?

 

[talldave]

Is the software written with that sort of code ?

How much would a software rewrite cost ?

What's involved in a fleet update ?

Not suggesting a rewrite, it should have been done properly in the first place!!

 

[Surreytraveller]

What sort of destination isn't a final one?

 

[zwk500]

What sort of destination isn't a final one?

An intermediate one, such as if there's a long layover or a reversal of direction. (Yes, I'm aware that nobody announces such station calls as intermediate destinations)

 

[Timmyd]

There are loads of on-station ones on the Thameslink core which make no sense. ‘There is no first class accommodation on this train‘ being one, which obviously isn’t the case as they all have first class accommodation, its just that any ticket holder can use it

 

[AM9]

There are loads of on-station ones on the Thameslink core which make no sense. ‘There is no first class accommodation on this train‘ being one, which obviously isn’t the case as they all have first class accommodation, its just that any ticket holder can use it

Not quite right, the Metro trains only, have declassified first class at both ends, on the express trains, first class accommodation is normally available at the front of the train.

 

[Timmyd]

Not quite right, the Metro trains only, have declassified first class at both ends, on the express trains, first class accommodation is normally available at the front of the train.

I know, my point was more than every Sutton/Sevenoaks/St Albans train is announced incorrectly

 

[jon0844]

At WGC, the screens say that any ticket holder can use first class on the Sevenoaks services.

 

[MaidaVale]

It used to vex me that Virgin's automatic announcements would say "this the xx.xx service for Manchester Piccadilly" (say), then list the stops but always leave out the "final destination" from the list. Faintly logical, I suppose, but it did assume everyone was instantly alert at the start of the announcement. I never was! I realise a little way in that I should be listening. Then wonder why the final destination is Stockport (say). No other train company did/does this.

As for announcements about suspicious objects and keeping belongings with you, I really don't know why this isn't just covered by posters. No visually impaired person is going to carelessly leave their stuff anywhere. Their whole lifestyle automatically includes making sure they know where it is. So no need for audible announcements of that sort

To be honest I think the way that the calling points were done on VT with the calling points not repeating the destination (although make sure the destination is announced before listing the calling points and make sure to include "and Stockport" rather than just saying "Macclesfield, Stockport." and then just abruptly ending like VT did) is the most logical way of doing announcements, although in practice it would no longer work as a widespread thing because it just catches people off-guard as it's not what they're expecting, myself included, it does just sound odd although I know that's only because I'm used to the way every other operator does it.