Which is your favourite and least favourite station announcer?

[Prestige15]

Celia Drummond and Phil Sayer my top favorite

The one in Birmingham NS my least fave, Think his name is mike/matt.

 

[swt class 450]

Celia Drummond and Phil Sayer my top favorite

The one in Birmingham NS my least fave, Think his name is mike/matt.

My favourite is also both Phil Sayer and Celia Drummond.

My least favourite is that new robotic female voice that is used at some rural Southeastern stations such as Frant and Stonegate (not sure what the name of the voice is).

 

[Deepgreen]

I've no idea who any of them are and which are real or digital synths. The disjointed announcements on GWR trains on the North Downs line are irritating and contain odd inflections.

There are some strongly-accented examples on Southern at frequent intervals, especially the recorded messages about security, etc.

 

[swt class 450]

I've no idea who any of them are and which are real or digital synths. The disjointed announcements on GWR trains on the North Downs line are irritating and contain odd inflections.

There are some strongly-accented examples on Southern at frequent intervals, especially the recorded messages about security, etc.

I believe that the (unreliable) ones on the North Downs line (Betchworth / Dorking Deepdene / Dorking West / Gomshall / Chilworth / Shalford) are known as "Anne".

 

[greaterwest]

I think he means the onboard ones, voiced by the artist known as Faye.

I don't like them either.

Phil Sayer, Celia Drummond, the woman at London Victoria, and ATW's Ruth are my favourites, in no particular order.

Least favourite has to be Anne, and especially Rodger (GWR)

 

[swt class 450]

I think he means the onboard ones, voiced by the artist known as Faye.

I don't like them either.

Phil Sayer, Celia Drummond, the woman at London Victoria, and ATW'a Ruth are my favourites, in no particular order.

Least favourite has to be Anne, and especially Rodger (GWR)

The GWR onboard announcements certainly arent great either. These are the ones that used to pronounce "Betchworth" as "Bletchworth".

Does anyone know the name of the new female voice announcements at Brighton / Gatwick Airport / East Croydon / London Victoria that have been introduced within the past few years?

Also what is the name of the male voice announcements at London Bridge (and quite a few other (mainly SE) stations)?

 

[greaterwest]

Matt at London Bridge
The system used at Victoria, East Croydon, Gatwick and Brighton (also Blackpool North and some VT stations too) is made by Amey so that name has stuck so far I think.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The one I most dislike is the TPE on-board one. It sounds rude, clipped and arrogant, a perfect sum-up of the attitude of the previous incarnation of the First TPE franchise (but seemingly improving).

Given how warm and welcoming Northern accents can be, I have no idea why that one (allegedly a member of staff) was selected.

I'm also not a fan of the bored-sounding "dystopian future computer" one you get on Network Rail stations.

In terms of real people, I quite liked the old Manc Picc announcer who could do all stations to Southport in one breath (ever been to "Burscoughbridgenewlanebescarlanemeolscopansouthport" station? ), one at Preston who tended to do evenings in the late 1990s who used to sing the stations, and the Aussie one at Euston before the automated one took over.

In terms of autoannouncers, Phil Sayer (RIP) and the ScotRail one - it seems quite a nice, warm, welcoming accent.

 

[DarloRich]

Unlike most here I detest the bland, dull & uniform auto talk boxes and much prefer a real person with some regional variation in voice.

I certainly don't care what the name of the voice behind the autotalk box is!

 

[Bletchleyite]

"Talk boxes" can have regional accents. The lift at Liverpool Central used to be Scouse!

 

[DarloRich]

"Talk boxes" can have regional accents. The lift at Liverpool Central used to be Scouse!

it needs to be harsh enough that it cant be understood I would love to do the announcements at a big station. It would be fun.

 

[Bletchleyite]

it needs to be harsh enough that it cant be understood I would love to do the announcements at a big station. It would be fun.

Prior to the sickening truth about its host being discovered, it was quite a common request to Jim'll Fix It.

 

[KTHV]

Andy Smith - who did the Station Announcements at Birmingham New Street for the last 25 years was always a welcoming voice to hear.

Sadly he retired from that role to take up a signal box job in the area back in February.

 

[AlterEgo]

I miss the proper Geordie voice on the TW Metro.

 

[EM2]

I would love to do the announcements at a big station. It would be fun.

I must admit, it was a part of the job that I really enjoyed. The best time was when we were asked to announce all the Team GB gold medals during London 2012 (I used to do the silver and bronze ones too). As I was doing the announcements, I would keep an eye on the CCTV and watch everyone cheer

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Best announcer voice is the late Majel Barrett, not only was she the Computer voice on Star Trek, she did voices on a few railroads in America.

 

[faltskog36abba]

My favourite announcer was a gentleman who worked at Manchester Victoria from the 80's through to the early 2000's - He spoke perfect English and it was a pleasure to hear him do his job, unfortunately I don't recall his name.

My second favourite was a guy called Ashley based at Stalybridge station who worked there for 20 years or more, You couldn't understand a word he said but what a lovely man . He has retired now, but he welcomed you into his office for a warm on cold nights and kept you informed if your train was late.

 

[district]

Apparently there's a young lad who sometimes covers Canterbury West who makes a good announcement....

 

[J-2739]

Drummond and Sayer definitely tip top, as well as the one at Leeds, who's she called? Always nice to hear her voice echo at rush hour!

The one at Thameslink St Pancras doesn't sound particularly good...

I must say, the TPE announcements sounds very 'London'! Just saying...

 

[All Line Rover]

Least favourite is the TPE on-board announcements (the most depressing I have ever heard), followed by the male station announcements at Birmingham New Street that replaced Phil Sayer (though not used as frequently - or at all? - any more, it would seem).

Most favourite is the female Network Rail station announcements at e.g. Euston. Formal, clear and to the point. The on-board London Midland announcements are similar.

I don't have a view on manual announcements as they do, of course, vary.

 

[ChathillMan]

Kings Cross auto-woman makes me want to cut my wrists. Oddly I can tolerate here elsewhere. Just not Kings Cross.

The Peterborough team are quite good, especially telling people which end of the platform is first and standard for VTEC

Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk

 

[Mr Fizz]

Least favourite on-board announcer would be a train manager on Virgin trains between Euston and Brum. He has a Potteries accent i think, but takes great pleasure in announcing Bham Int and New St as "Buuuuuuuuurmingham" and ends every announcement with a prolonged "Thank yoooouuuuu". Very annoying.

 

[Clip]

The best announcer Ive ever heard was the geordie bloke that used to work at the cross years ago

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Firstly it has to be the late great Phil Sayer (whose voice is still being used at Salisbury and at Eastbourne as of August 2016) and the second is the male voice used at Bristol Temple Meads who usually over emphasises the station names on the Severn Beach via Clifton Down route.

The worse ones are the female ones used at Leeds, Sheffield, Trowbridge, Westbury, London Vic and Kings Cross - you simply cannot hear what she is saying or understand it.

TPE really could do with updating both station and on board announcements considering that its a new franchise and surely it should mean new voices too. The station ones sound as if they've been badly edited (note the Northern... service ones) and they sound rushed.

 

[NORMAN471]

Since when did West Yorkshire go retro 1950s BBC style Lady Announcer? I could not believe my ears at Shipley last Saturday, now if I had been at Keighley next to the K&WVR I might have thought the announcer was theirs. Then there was the Male voice on the 333s. Very clear and relaxed, somehow the voice seemed familiar, TV presenter/announcer perhaps. This totally contrasted with the Conductor on the 142 on the Leeds to Poppleton service fo' stations to York, strong, true Yorkshire accent. Made my day.

Phil Sayer definitely my favourite though.

 

[David57]

I love the Guy on LM services on the Worcester-Birmingham services, the one who announces ALL the connections!

 

[matacaster]

I'd like dalek-voiced announcements.
"Passengers for Huddersfield change at Wakefield - you will obaaaaay

"We have stopped due to trespassers on the line - exterminate!"

 

[northernchris]

I like the Network Rail auto-announcer. The worst auto-announcer has to be the one TPE use, it sounds really disjointed, like the way Wigan is shouted. There's also an announcer at Doncaster who speaks so fast he might as well not bother saying anything

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Can't say I really like or dislike any of them, well, except the male voice on Northern stations currently whose announcement starts with "If you have boarded this train...."

 

[Bungle965]

I seem to be in minority here but I like both the TPE on board announcer and also Rodger at GWR stations.
Sam