What was the first station to have auto announcements?

[Platform 1000]

I know auto-announcements are now used very widely across the rail network but which were the first stations to use them? Didn't Stoke-on-Trent use an auto-announcer which sounded like an 'angry woman' back in the 1980's ? I also remember Birmingham New Street having a "no smoking area - please extinguish all smoking material" announcement long before Phil Sayer arrived.

 

[DarloRich]

LU mind the gap - Embankment?

 

[Muzer]

Yeah, I suspect you'll find LU hard to beat, if we're just talking about announcements that are prerecorded/automatically triggered/something.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I know auto-announcements are now used very widely across the rail network but which were the first stations to use them?

The "headmistress" autoannouncer was at many IC stations in the 1990s - "Good ahhhfternoon, welcome to Wigan North Western. Thankyou for travelling...InterCity". I suspect it came with the VDU based (rather than Solari based) BR PIS.

The first modern-generation one I encountered was the now-standard dystopian future computer woman which was installed at Manc Picc after the rebuild.

 

[Carlisle]

LU mind the gap - Embankment?

Yes surely that's got to be the outright winner, BR had pre recorded tapes in the 80s and probably much much earlier but from memory they always had to be manually selected by staff using a row of numbered buttons on a panel at the stations I knew

 

[DarloRich]

Taken from the following 2013 article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21719848

A 40-year-old "mind the gap" recording once heard across the Tube is returning to one station - so the widow of the actor behind it can hear his voice.
Oswald Laurence's voice was used on the northbound Northern Line but was phased out until only Embankment used it.

TfL began using the "mind the gap" message from 1969.

 

[Dr Hoo]

I have heard it claimed that the stationmaster at Linlithgow on the Edinburgh-Glasgow line had a pet parrot who, unsurprisingly, learnt to squawk "Linlithgow" every time that a train arrived, back in about 1848.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I know auto-announcements are now used very widely across the rail network but which were the first stations to use them? Didn't Stoke-on-Trent use an auto-announcer which sounded like an 'angry woman' back in the 1980's ? I also remember Birmingham New Street having a "no smoking area - please extinguish all smoking material" announcement long before Phil Sayer arrived.

London Transport in the 193O's had "automatic" disc- driven lift announcements off some machine called a "stentonograph" or similar. No doubt in impeccable Home Counties / BBC English.

Always liked the Southern tape announcements - rather posh lady intonating "Staines ...this IS...Staines" etc

 

[TheManOnThe172]

The first BR recorded announcements will have been in the late 60's - my mother wasn't in at the very start, but started recording announcements - for Southern Region - around 1970, joined by my father in 1971. Neither were professional actors, although both had done a bit of am-dram.

 

[Ibex]

In terms of the systems in use these days, the Atos system with Anne's voice (the woman who's at most London terminals, Manchester Piccadilly etc) was first installed at Luton Airport Parkway in the late 90's, was followed by London Bridge and is now at 1,200 (approx) stations.

 

[onlinespotting]

In terms of the systems in use these days, the Atos system with Anne's voice (the woman who's at most London terminals, Manchester Piccadilly etc) was first installed at Luton Airport Parkway in the late 90's, was followed by London Bridge and is now at 1,200 (approx) stations.

Is this system likely to take over the whole network? Are we likely to hear Anne at Clapham Junction at any point for example - I don't think she'd work there; although she is in Notthern Ireland...

 

[40129]

Re the BR pre-recorded tapes, I remember being allowed to press the buttons for the London Bridge and Charing Cross trains by the announcer at Ashford whilst spotting there in the mid-80s. Also, IIRC Shrewsbury had a pre-recorded announcement that said: " We regret that the last announcement was wrong. The correct announcement will be made shortly."

Regarding the future spread of auto-announcers Virgin (West Coast at least) seems to have a dislike of them at stations - though sadly not on trains - so hopefully manual announcements will continue for some years yet

 

[Parallel]

With voices still used today, ATW's system with Ruth's voice used to be at Salisbury and many Wessex Trains managed stations (possibly even before that, to the days of Wales and West?). Replaced at all FGW stations now with Anne and Rodger, and Phil/Celia at SWT managed ones.

 

[greaterwest]

With voices still used today, ATW's system with Ruth's voice used to be at Salisbury and many Wessex Trains managed stations (possibly even before that, to the days of Wales and West?). Replaced at all FGW stations now with Anne and Rodger, and Phil/Celia at SWT managed ones.

Ruth was a Wessex Trains employee; I don't think the system preceded Wessex Trains. She was at Romsey, Dunbridge and Dean, but as far as I am aware Salisbury has always used the SWT Phil/Celia system.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Regarding the future spread of auto-announcers Virgin (West Coast at least) seems to have a dislike of them at stations - though sadly not on trains - so hopefully manual announcements will continue for some years yet

I think there's room for both. Some more recent developments on the "dystopian future woman" system are quite welcome - for example the system LM uses gives alternatives in the event of cancellations - "Passengers for Leighton Buzzard and London Euston your next fastest direct service is the xx:xx from platform Y. Passengers for Apsley and Kings Langley..."

One thing that will be an interesting development is in synthesized voices that make the provision of more detailed information easier, as you don't have to record it, just enter it in text form. While I find the Dutch accent irritating, AviaVox is quite good in this regard as it uses speech fragments to form realistic sounding text (which means something like the lengthy easyJet boarding procedure announcements just need to be typed in). I do wonder if they will develop a rail version, perhaps in partnership with NS/Abellio.

One particular thing I'd like to see is a German style "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to X. Your next connections from this station..." type announcement. Simplicity itself to do with a text based announcer.

 

[onlinespotting]

Ruth was a Wessex Trains employee; I don't think the system preceded Wessex Trains. She was at Romsey, Dunbridge and Dean, but as far as I am aware Salisbury has always used the SWT Phil/Celia system.

I thought the system that ATW uses is Atos, they just choose to use Ruth as their English announcer, similar to the 'male announcer' at GWR , or the Scottish woman at Edb and Glc, all Atos just different voices

 

[Parallel]

Ruth was a Wessex Trains employee; I don't think the system preceded Wessex Trains. She was at Romsey, Dunbridge and Dean, but as far as I am aware Salisbury has always used the SWT Phil/Celia system.

My apologies, I got Salisbury confused for Sherborne (I assume) - There was a video online of a Ruth announcement for Yeovil Junction - Exeter St David's. (Unless it was a special from Yeovil Pen Mill?)

EDIT: Video here

 

[greaterwest]

I thought the system that ATW uses is Atos, they just choose to use Ruth as their English announcer, similar to the 'male announcer' at GWR , or the Scottish woman at Edb and Glc, all Atos just different voices

Indeed it is.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

My apologies, I got Salisbury confused for Sherborne (I assume) - There was a video online of a Ruth announcement for Yeovil Junction - Exeter St David's. (Unless it was a special from Yeovil Pen Mill?)

EDIT: Video here

That's interesting, the only thing I can think of is that SWT were on a diversion (via Westbury, as the Ruth system was there, and SWT diversions via Westbury & both Yeovils was not unheard of, even if they do now regularly serve both)

 

[LowLevel]

I still think Phil Sayer is by far the best of the lot for clarity etc. Unfortunately his reputation seems to have been tarnished somewhat by being associated as 'Mr Birmingham New Street' in the 'bad old days'. I'd happily have him network wide.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Agreed. Phill for announcement King!

 

[Muzer]

Agreed here. His voice really carries, and unlike many of the weaker female voices like Celia, you can actually hear it over diesel trains. It also shows just how important it is to have a talented voice artist doing the announcements. I cannot stand the "oh, just get a random employee to do it" ones — Anne, Ruth, Roger, etc., I'm sure they're all lovely people, but their voices seriously get on my nerves in that context.

I don't mind "Only lady" — her voice carries pretty well and is very clear, though I'm not convinced about the sing-song way the announcements seem to start (with the word "Platform"). But she's still not a patch on Phil, who she replaced in most cases.

 

[contrex]

The first BR recorded announcements will have been in the late 60's - my mother wasn't in at the very start, but started recording announcements - for Southern Region - around 1970

I used to commute from Herne Hill to Victoria and Blackfriars from 1969 - 1971 and I remember a story in the South London Press about a group of male commuters trying to find the 'lady with the beautiful voice' to present her with a gigantic bunch of flowers they had bought, and being disappointed to learn she was a recording, and didn't actually work on Herne Hill station.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Only one of the so called Randem voices I like is the West Midlands Male voice at BHM. He is even in automated form v good and clear

 

[greaterwest]

Agreed here. His voice really carries, and unlike many of the weaker female voices like Celia, you can actually hear it over diesel trains. It also shows just how important it is to have a talented voice artist doing the announcements. I cannot stand the "oh, just get a random employee to do it" ones — Anne, Ruth, Roger, etc., I'm sure they're all lovely people, but their voices seriously get on my nerves in that context.

I don't mind "Only lady" — her voice carries pretty well and is very clear, though I'm not convinced about the sing-song way the announcements seem to start (with the word "Platform"). But she's still not a patch on Phil, who she replaced in most cases.

Ruth and Celia are both very clear and Ruth especially seems to carry well over diesel trains.

 

[onlinespotting]

Only one of the so called Randem voices I like is the West Midlands Male voice at BHM. He is even in automated form v good and clear

He isn't there anymore. All platforms are now announced by the default voice, 'Anne'

 

[Blindtraveler]

That, is very sad! Why I wonder

 

[Parallel]

Ruth and Celia are both very clear and Ruth especially seems to carry well over diesel trains.

Ruth used to announce at my local station, and is still at the station serving my university town. I find her voice very clear and concise, but I can see why some people find it patronising/sarcastic. Anne is okay but a little juddery. ("Platform 1. For the. xx:xx service to. Lundun Paddington. This train has EYHYT coaches")... and I have to listen to her nearly every day. I like Celia and Phil but don't hear them often. I'm not a fan of FGW Roger's announcements. The announcements are too slow and deep, and don't carry well over diesel engines.

 

[greaterwest]

Ruth used to announce at my local station, and is still at the station serving my university town. I find her voice very clear and concise, but I can see why some people find it patronising/sarcastic. Anne is okay but a little juddery. ("Platform 1. For the. xx:xx service to. Lundun Paddington. This train has EYHYT coaches")... and I have to listen to her nearly every day. I like Celia and Phil but don't hear them often. I'm not a fan of FGW Roger's announcements. The announcements are too slow and deep, and don't carry well over diesel engines.

FGW shouldn't have bothered with Roger at all, his announcements are absolutely awful and they sound robotic (actually they shouldn't have bothered with Anne or that ATOS system either, but that's another story )

 

[Bletchleyite]

That, is very sad! Why I wonder

Agreed, I liked the Brummie announcer. It always makes sense to have two voices, a male and a female, because it allows two announcements on platform level to run at the same time because it's easy enough to differentiate two different voices.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

The "headmistress" autoannouncer was at many IC stations in the 1990s - "Good ahhhfternoon, welcome to Wigan North Western. Thankyou for travelling...InterCity". I suspect it came with the VDU based (rather than Solari based) BR PIS.

The first modern-generation one I encountered was the now-standard dystopian future computer woman which was installed at Manc Picc after the rebuild.

I always liked that woman. I remember her at Lancaster when I was there at University from 1999 - 2002. She survived at Wigan North Western until quite late on, around 2008 / 2009 I think. There was a similar sounding woman at Seven Sisters till only a few years ago too. That was a very old system at Seven Sisters, an old Ditra system, that - as another post mentions - used a series of pre-recorded announcements which were activated by the platform staff typing a 3 digit number into a very old wooden box on the all, which would then make the relevant announcement. There was a book of scripts, along with the 3 digit codes, and only those ones in the script book could be announced.

There is a recording here: (sorry about the sound quality from Lancaster, it hasn't transferred from tape very well).