That announcer...

[Singing Rails]

I'm sure you all know her, she's the automatic announcer on:
The Piccadilly line,
Heathrow Connect,
Greater Anglia,
First Capital Connect,
London Midland,
Southeastern,
Southern,
C2C,
MerseyRail (thanks to 317666),

Does anyone know who this woman is, and why she is so prevalant? It's really annoying having to hear the same announcer even when travelling on different lines. I personally like the SWT announcer the most because it announces so fast, not long and drawn out like some others.

If anyone knows any other services she's on do tell me

 

[GatwickDepress]

I believe her name is Julie Berry, although I don't know much more than that!

EDIT: She also voiced the Flora Pro Activ advertisements No escape from her it seems.

 

[317666]

She's also used as MerseyRail's on-board announcer, and I agree it's a very annoying voice!

 

[Singing Rails]

I believe her name is Julie Berry, although I don't know much more than that!

EDIT: She also voice the Flora Pro Activ advertisements No escape from her it seems.

She has a website with audio clips, yes that definitely her,
I wish they would suppress her breathiness before putting it on the trains, it sounds like she's whispering in your ear, some of my 'preferred' announcers sound more like they are speaking loudly and authoritatively

 

[306024]

When the class 360s were introduced on the GE it was decided to make the announcements as authentic as possible. A Colchester driver who always made clear PA announcements was 'volunteered'. Apparently it was actually quite stressful doing the recording, getting all the intonation correct.

Approaching Harwich Parkeston Quay you also got Dutch (the mum of one of the project team was Dutch) and German (Siemens project manager). At least it was individual to the area rather than the plain version you now get.

SWT announcements are too garbled, imagine you do not know the route and then try to keep up with it. Personally I don't mind JB's voice but whoever does the recording there will inevitably be people who dislike it.

 

[christopher]

You can't call her annoying unless you've done a full trip Liverpool Street - Shenfield on one of the 315's with the PIS fitted

 

[306024]

You can't call her annoying unless you've done a full trip Liverpool Street - Shenfield on one of the 315's with the PIS fitted

Fair point - I'm yet to endure that.

 

[Stats]

Does anyone know who this woman is, and why she is so prevalant? It's really annoying having to hear the same announcer even when travelling on different lines. I personally like the SWT announcer the most because it announces so fast, not long and drawn out like some others.

Personally I quite like the Julie Berry announcements. But then I have to endure the terrible new PIS announcements at London Victoria.

 

[317666]

You can't call her annoying unless you've done a full trip Liverpool Street - Shenfield on one of the 315's with the PIS fitted

That PIS is absolutely ridiculous. There's no need at all to announce all the calling points at any time, because all the stations they stop at (on the Shenfield Metro at least) have platform announcements saying the calling points just as the train arrives. Not to mention, off-peak, the trains are all stations anyway!

 

[christopher]

Fair point - I'm yet to endure that.

I recorded a little bit on my phone on the way home (Not edited at all!), Not sure if It'll work....

https://soundcloud.com/christopherrose/ga-315-announcments-1

Totally agree 317666, Although speaking from JC on Twitter earlier he said that GA are aware of the problem so whether they will make it announce less or what!

 

[Aictos]

Her name is actually Anne and she's a ATOS Origin employee, been told she's actually quite a nice person despite her announcements being like marmite in that you either love them or hate them!

 

[MisterWhippy]

Ahh, she's the women who does the voice overs on the 172's on the Snow Hill lines!

I hate her voice.

 

[317666]

Her name is actually Anne and she's a ATOS Origin employee, been told she's actually quite a nice person despite her announcements being like marmite in that you either love them or hate them!

You're thinking of a different voice, ATOS Anne can be found on many stations but not to my knowledge on any trains.

 

[tsr]

Personally, I don't find Julie Berry too annoying, but then again I may have got used to her voice - the amount of time I spend on or in the vicinity of 377s is quite high!

Some of my friends are less than happy with the voiceover, however.

 

[gogogoadam]

Julie Berry is an absolute dream compared to the creeping-across-the-UK horror that is 'Anne'.

I am starting a campaign to have Anne replaced with Ruth on fgw PIS.... not sure how far I am going to get.

My favourite Julie Berry line 'this is coach number 1 of 4' .... um what does that matter to most Southern passengers!?!?

 

[TEW]

My favourite Julie Berry line 'this is coach number 1 of 4' .... um what does that matter to most Southern passengers!?!?

It's pretty useful when the train divides, as a lot of Southern services do, and for short platforms.

 

[tsr]

It's pretty useful when the train divides, as a lot of Southern services do, and for short platforms.

Yes indeed - it is incredibly important in this scenario, especially as there are no coach letters provided for passengers on Southern EMUs/DMUs (or indeed seat reservations) to ensure a conventional reference to the correct coach.

There are trains running on Southern routes every weekday which divide into two and (in rarer cases) three portions.

 

[Harlesden]

Julie Berry is an absolute dream compared to the creeping-across-the-UK horror that is 'Anne'.

I am starting a campaign to have Anne replaced with Ruth on fgw PIS.... not sure how far I am going to get.

My favourite Julie Berry line 'this is coach number 1 of 4' .... um what does that matter to most Southern passengers!?!?

Not her fault. She records the announcements chosen by TOC bosses.
I would prefer a warm Caribbean female voice myself

 

[Hyphen]

Can anyone get an example recording of each of these people (even if it's YouTube)? I've probably heard them all before across the network but never always been able to put names to voices!

i.e. no idea which woman does the announcements at Sheffield/Derby but prefer her to others I've heard elsewhere. An example of one I don't like is the woman who voices along side Phil Sayer at Bristol Parkway - though I've not been there for a long time so I don't know if things have changed at BPW.

 

[Temple Meads]

Can anyone get an example recording of each of these people (even if it's YouTube)? I've probably heard them all before across the network but never always been able to put names to voices!

i.e. no idea which woman does the announcements at Sheffield/Derby but prefer her to others I've heard elsewhere. An example of one I don't like is the woman who voices along side Phil Sayer at Bristol Parkway - though I've not been there for a long time so I don't know if things have changed at BPW.

No Phil Sayer at BPW any more, Anne and Rodger now, as with most FGW stations.

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

In my opinion the Virgin auto announcer is a million times worse than JB. Having had Phil Sayer's announcements on a bus back home in Dorset I can safely say his are the best and I wish he'd do more (perhaps take over some of JB's roles?)

 

[chuckles1066]

I would prefer a warm Caribbean female voice myself

It doesn't work.

"Hey chill y'all, de sun is shinenn, de rum punches are fired up blood claat and de beach is hot" won't cut any ice (see what I'm doing here) with punters stood on a desolate platform at 7a.m on a January morning in temperatures of -10C.

 

[cjp]

I'm sure you all know her, she's the automatic announcer on:
The Piccadilly line,
Heathrow Connect,
Greater Anglia,
First Capital Connect,
London Midland,
Southeastern,
Southern,
C2C,
MerseyRail (thanks to 317666),

Heathrow Connect used to have a clearly spoken gentleman with a mellifluous tone.
I was told his voice was also to be heard in some of their lifts.
Unusual to hear a male voice but I understand that change was made because the higher female tonal range cuts through the hubbub of travel
I would rather it did not.

Chiltern seem to be going over from personal announcements by their drivers to boring recordings

 

[Aictos]

I don't know who this voice is but it's the voice on Berlin's U Bahn/S Bahn who provides it?

 

[Boothby97]

Does the announcer on the TPE Class 185s do any other train announcements?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks, Sam

 

[ainsworth74]

No she's a member of TPE staff.

 

[londonbridge]

Several years ago I heard radio adverts asking for help with research into bronchitis and emphysema, from people who were suffering with either of these illnesses. Couldn't think where I knew the voice on the ad from at first until I realised it was Julie.

I also note they've got Emma Hignett, the voice of London buses, doing radio ads for paying your bus fare by contactless payment card.

 

[306024]

I recorded a little bit on my phone on the way home (Not edited at all!), Not sure if It'll work....

https://soundcloud.com/christopherrose/ga-315-announcments-1

Totally agree 317666, Although speaking from JC on Twitter earlier he said that GA are aware of the problem so whether they will make it announce less or what!

I see what you mean, and that was only Forest Gate to Manor Park. I would be going spare by Brentwood !

Still think how much better it will be when she has to announce all stations from Shenfield to Maidenhead

 

[GatwickDepress]

Slightly off-topic; Pink Floyd's "The Wall" uses a station announcer to transition "Goodbye Blue Sky" to "Empty Spaces" - "The 11:15 from Newcastle is now approaching. The 11:18 arrival..." Is this an announcement that was in use, or created in a studio; and if the former; automated or manual?

There are trains running on Southern routes every weekday which divide into two and (in rarer cases) three portions.

As well as quite a few short platforms - I was on a 12 coach London Bridge to Eastbourne service and there were at least three stations in-between Haywards Heath and Hampden Park with short platforms. I'll start having nightmares of Julie Berry saying "Coach 6 of 12" soon!

I don't know who this voice is but it's the voice on Berlin's U Bahn/S Bahn who provides it?

The U-bahn's announcements used to be two female announcers, - Helga Bayertz and Ingrid Metz-Neun - I recall, but - at least the U-Bahn - were both replaced by a male voice a year or two ago. Hope that helps, even if just a little.

 

[southern442]

SWT announcements are too garbled, imagine you do not know the route and then try to keep up with it. Personally I don't mind JB's voice but whoever does the recording there will inevitably be people who dislike it.[/QUOTE
Once on SWT, there was a really long pause, and everyone joked that she had stopped to take a massive breath.
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SWT announcements are too garbled, imagine you do not know the route and then try to keep up with it. Personally I don't mind JB's voice but whoever does the recording there will inevitably be people who dislike it.

Once on SWT, there was a really long pause, and everyone joked that she had stopped to take a massive breath.
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sorry about that last post, something went wrong when i tried to reply