Welcome aboard this… service for…

[railpigeon]

For the second time in two days I have noticed the announcement say “Welcome aboard this service to [destination]”, rather than “Welcome aboard this [operator name] service to [destination]”.

It happened on a Southern service yesterday, GA today.

Are announcements being de-branded? Or am I reading too much into it? It certainly feels as though there is half a beat missing where the tape has been spliced to remove the operator’s name.

 

[dangie]

I’m sure most rail users don’t care a jot which rail operator it is, they just want to know where the train is going, and more to the point thankful that it’s actually running.

 

[OscarH]

Was your Southern train green? They're now using some Gatwick Express and ex-Great Northern 387s units which don't seem to have the "Southern" recording causing this.

 

[bleeder4]

I’m sure most rail users don’t care a jot which rail operator it is, they just want to know where the train is going, and more to the point thankful that it’s actually running.

Indeed, I was typing a similar comment myself. I think it's only the users of this forum who would notice such a change. The majority of passengers only care where the train is going, not which company is running it, so removing extraneous wording is a good thing in my book.

 

[Hadlow Road]

And, if the system is going to be edited, could the pauses, changes of tone and changes of emphasis all be recorded to provide a proper, coherent and fluid announcement.

i applaud the loss of the operator‘s name; it adds little to any necessary and helpful information.

 

[SimplyLlama]

For the second time in two days I have noticed the announcement say “Welcome aboard this service to [destination]”, rather than “Welcome aboard this [operator name] service to [destination]”.

It happened on a Southern service yesterday, GA today.

Are announcements being de-branded? Or am I reading too much into it? It certainly feels as though there is half a beat missing where the tape has been spliced to remove the operator’s name.

I seem to remember that Greater Anglia have never done it (or at least not since the introduction of their new fleet), but I may be mistaken

 

[Vexed]

With the current ticketing structure I'd be against this (if it's actually a policy and not just coincidence). People travelling on operator specific tickets will want confirmation that they are traveling in accordance with their ticket restrictions.

 

[HughT]

I seem to remember that Greater Anglia have never done it (or at least not since the introduction of their new fleet), but I may be mistaken

Certainly the case on Cambridge-Liverpool St services. I *think* this goes all the way back to the pre-GA days, when someone realised how stupid/confusing it would be to say "Welcome to this ONE service to ..."

Perhaps there's a case for it with routes covered by more than one operator, and where operator-specific tickets are available. But if you're on the wrong train, the announcement is probably coming too late to help!

 

[azOOOOOma]

With the current ticketing structure I'd be against this (if it's actually a policy and not just coincidence). People travelling on operator specific tickets will want confirmation that they are traveling in accordance with their ticket restrictions.

I agree.

 

[800001]

I’m sure most rail users don’t care a jot which rail operator it is, they just want to know where the train is going, and more to the point thankful that it’s actually running.

Can we get rid of the LNER announcements where it says ‘welcome aboard this LNER Azuma service to xxx’, and when approaching the terminating station, ‘we are now arriving at London Kings Cross where we finish our journey today’?

 

[paul1609]

For the second time in two days I have noticed the announcement say “Welcome aboard this service to [destination]”, rather than “Welcome aboard this [operator name] service to [destination]”.

It happened on a Southern service yesterday, GA today.

Are announcements being de-branded? Or am I reading too much into it? It certainly feels as though there is half a beat missing where the tape has been spliced to remove the operator’s name.

Its been the case on the Southern services using Class 387 Gatwick Express Coaches since they were introduced on the east coastway services during the pandemic.

 

[John R]

I’m sure most rail users don’t care a jot which rail operator it is,

Until they get Penalty Fare'd or reported for prosecution for travelling on one operator, when they had an operator specific ticket for another.

 

[styles]

If the purpose of specifying the operator is primarily avoiding passengers receiving penalty fares for operator-specific tickets, then really each service (where multiple operators run the same route and operator-specific tickets are available) need also to announce that passengers should check their ticket to ensure it is valid on this service. A classic example being travelling on Avanti London to Birmingham, on LNWR restricted tickets. In fact the announcement really ought to highlight the wording on invalid tickets.

I'm all for making announcements more concise, and the overall noise of announcements about lifts being available, slippery surfaces, no skateboarding, smoking including e-cigarettes, CCTV is in operation, etc mind-numbing; I'd rather an announcement about which tickets are/aren't valid than one where the train manager lists the buffet cart menu.

 

[Ghostbus]

Surely only a temporary relief from auditory clutter (no offence, visually impaired folks!)

Welcome to the Great British Railways service to Biggleswick.

Welcome to the [Open Access Operator] service to Biggleswick.

All services to Biggleswick are cancelled. Please contact your service provider for advice on how to get your money back and alternative travel options.

 

[swing]

If the purpose of specifying the operator is primarily avoiding passengers receiving penalty fares for operator-specific tickets, then really each service (where multiple operators run the same route and operator-specific tickets are available) need also to announce that passengers should check their ticket to ensure it is valid on this service. A classic example being travelling on Avanti London to Birmingham, on LNWR restricted tickets. In fact the announcement really ought to highlight the wording on invalid tickets.

I've travelled a number of times on Avanti London Euston to Manchester trains in the past year, and well before leaving Euston I regularly hear a manual announcement from the Train Manager reminding passengers about operator specific tickets (often explicitly listing the exact wording of the operator-specific information on the ticket to make it clear which are not valid), and also discussing the validity of split tickets.

 

[styles]

I've travelled a number of times on Avanti London Euston to Manchester trains in the past year, and well before leaving Euston I regularly hear a manual announcement from the Train Manager reminding passengers about operator specific tickets (often explicitly listing the exact wording of the operator-specific information on the ticket to make it clear which are not valid), and also discussing the validity of split tickets.

Indeed, and I think this is a good thing. I wish other operators would do the same.

It helps remove that confusion from passengers trying to navigate a complex ticketing system.

 

[Bletchleyite]

"This service is not in service" appears on the displays at New St...

 

[RailWonderer]

Surely only a temporary relief from auditory clutter (no offence, visually impaired folks!)

You could also make a case for some disabilities having problems with too much noise. There are so many disabilities it's folly to try and provide for all of them with conflicting needs. The best thing is to keep it simple, like, every single other country that doesn't have excessive announcements on its transport. The biggest announcement that has to go it 'see it say it sorted'. I regularly hear people mimic it in a brainless way. When a phrase is repeated so many times it loses all meaning and effectiveness.

 

[Howardh]

With the current ticketing structure I'd be against this (if it's actually a policy and not just coincidence). People travelling on operator specific tickets will want confirmation that they are traveling in accordance with their ticket restrictions.

Yes, where two or more companies operate on the same line. I've travelled recently on an Avanti super off peak return and LNW super off peak return, and while to me it's obvious which company I'm on, it might not be to an infrequent traveller.

As an aside, under nationalised rail will we lose these train specific tickets (eg the aforesaid returns from Milton Keynes to London)?

 

[1955LR]

What annoys me is the message about Ticket validity is often made after the train departs when it is too late to do anything if you have it wrong.

 

[Vexed]

What annoys me is the message about Ticket validity is often made after the train departs when it is too late to do anything if you have it wrong.

But it means you can actively seek out the train manger/guard which shows you're acting in good faith, and might lead to a better outcome then them finding out while inspecting tickets.

 

[Bletchleyite]

As an aside, under nationalised rail will we lose these train specific tickets (eg the aforesaid returns from Milton Keynes to London)?

Replied here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/gbr-and-toc-specific-fares.282053/

 

[QueensCurve]

Are announcements being de-branded? Or am I reading too much into it? It certainly feels as though there is half a beat missing where the tape has been spliced to remove the operator’s name.

One can beut hope they are being debranded.

 

[Class 466]

Can we get rid of the LNER announcements where it says ‘welcome aboard this LNER Azuma service to xxx’, and when approaching the terminating station, ‘we are now arriving at London Kings Cross where we finish our journey today’?

You missed the part where it says “Hello” at the start of that announcement for some reason

 

[LickeyIncliner]

As far as I know, Great Northern services between Kings Cross and Cambridge/Kings Lynn have always had a momentary pause in the opening phrase "Welcome aboard this ... service...". I've heard various suggestions as to what word is missing, the most appropriate being my other half's suggestion: "Welcome aboard this unspeakable service...".

 

[800001]

You missed the part where it says “Hello” at the start of that announcement for some reason

Yeah, all we need is a simple, ‘this is the 1020 service to King’s Cross, calling at York, Doncaster, Peterborough and Kings Cross’, next stop will be York’.

 

[Railcar]

A Southern service to Sutton caused confusion a few years ago due to the mis-pronunciation of the two words

 

[centraltrains]

London Midland has the same phenomena on the 172s in the last few weeks/months of the franchise.

"We are now approaching Whitlock's End, our final destination. Thank you for travelling with London Midland."
changed to
"We are now approaching Whitlock's End, our final destination. Thank you for travelling with us today."

It always felt like a special easter egg as you only got to hear it if staying on until the final stop, which as a stop just on the edge of the countryside certainly felt a little odd. The new one far less personal to the company and less enjoyable.

The announcements got far more annoying since WMR took over, every station has "Please step onto the platform before removing heavy luggage and pushchairs", and then they list all the calling stations to Kidderminster at both Tyseley and Small Heath which is a little much, pick one of the other please! Most of us won't be going beyond Moor Street/Snow Hill anyway so a little irrelevant!

A little of an off topic ramble/vent at the end their apologies! I will end by saying if it is as a lean towards a national unbranded standard, I hope a sensible level of national consistency is achieved.

 

[Horizon22]

For the second time in two days I have noticed the announcement say “Welcome aboard this service to [destination]”, rather than “Welcome aboard this [operator name] service to [destination]”.

Station or on-board?

 

[railpigeon]

On board.