Ordering of station PA announcements

[josh-j]

Hello, I'm just wondering if there are guidelines about this

At Manchester Picadilly the automated announcements for departures go something like this:

Platform 1 for the xx: xx Northern service to Sheffield, calling at Brinnington, Bredbury........ and Sheffield.

The problem with this is that my ears perk up when I hear the station I want, which happens after the "Platform 1" bit. As it happens I usually know what platform it'll be anyway, and I do find the departure boards there very good (even if they do cycle), but surely it makes more sense to have it go:

For the xx: xx Northern service to Sheffield, calling at Brinnington, Bredbury......... and Sheffield, please go to Platform 1.

Does it take up too much extra time to add "please go to" - or maybe for people who hear their station it then takes longer to wait for the platform number at the end?

 

[Starmill]

On many announcements which use this system, including at Manchester Piccadilly, if there are a large number of calling stations, a summary will sometimes be played at the end.

In your case you would get

"Platform one for the ten fortynine Northern service to Sheffield. Calling at Reddish North, Brinnington, Bredbury, Romiley....Grindleford, Dore and Sheffield. Platform one for the ten fortynine Northern service to Sheffield."

Any supplementary information would go in between the end of the calling points and the summary, although Manchester Piccadilly rarely adds any. It might consist of 'This train is formed of two coaches.'. Sometimes they do add 'First Class accommodation is at the front of the train.' to London services. The summary is almost always replayed on the South Wales services, where the supplementary information usually has to include: "Please note that Kidwelly, Ferryside, Clunderwen, Clarbeston Road and Johnston are request stops, and passengers for these stations should ask the conductor on the train to arrange for the train to stop to allow them to alight." and then back into "Platform eight for the ten thirty Arriva Trains Wales service to Milford Haven."

Hope that helps.

 

[SamS]

At Sheffield the summary is played after most trains I think, although always after Cross Country services.

"Platform 1b for the 17:21 Cross Country High Speed Train service to Glasgow Central. Calling at: Wakefield Westgate, Leeds, York, Darlington, Durham, Newcastle, Alnmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Edinburgh, Haymarket, Motherwell and Glasgow Central. First class accommodation is situated at the rear of the train, an at seat service of light refreshments is available on the train. Platform 1b for the 17:21 Cross Country High Speed Train service to Glasgow Central."

As the train is approaching the station the summary is played once again.
(It's a while since I got that train/was at Sheffield station, but that was how it was done a few months ago.)

I think they do similar at York where they (last time I was there) still have manual announcements.

 

[Bletchleyite]

At Sheffield the summary is played after most trains I think, although always after Cross Country services.

Pretty sure the LM auto-PIS plays the summary every time, even if it is for London Euston only. This has a solid basis behind it - it takes some time for people to tune into an announcement and actually hear it, so repeating the first few words makes sense. The other way to do this is the "Birmingham New St, this is Birmingham New St" prefix, but that's more than passingly annoying and doesn't provide a whole lot of useful information if you do hear it, as you already know where you are. That kind of announcement was useful in the days of trains with no on-board PA (which wasn't that long ago - the Class 101s in service until around 2003 had no PA).

Neil

 

[plymothian]

"Platform 3 for the 06.42 First Great Western service to Barnstaple. Calling at Credition, Yeoford, Copplestone, Morchard Road, Lapford, Eggesford, Kings Nympton, Portsmouth Arms, Umberleigh, Chapleton and Barnstaple. Yeoford, Copplestone, Morchard Road, Lapford, Kings Nympton, Portsmouth Arms, Umberleigh, and Chapleton are request stops and passengers should ask the conductor on the train to arrange for the train to stop to allow them to leave. This train is formed of 3 coaches. Platform 3 for the 06.42 service to Barnstaple."

Because by the time you've got to "..Copplestone" you've either fallen asleep or the train has left.

"Platform 4 for the Torbay Express, the 12.57 First Great Western service to to Paignton. Calling at Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot, Torre, Torquay and Paignton. First class is at the rear of this train. A buffet service is available on this train. Platform 4 for the Torbay Express, the 12.57 service to Paignton."

 

[EM2]

'Good morning/afternoon/evening, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to St Pancras International. The 19:00 East Midlands Trains service to Corby is now boarding from platform 3, calling at Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby'.

 

[tsr]

'Good morning/afternoon/evening, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to St Pancras International. The 19:00 East Midlands Trains service to Corby is now boarding from platform 3, calling at Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby'.

I would be very worried if that was departing in the morning...

 

[EM2]

I would be very worried if that was departing in the morning...

It's the first stopping pattern I could remember off the top of my head!

 

[josh-j]

I think I have heard an additional platform number at the end of some announcements at Manchester Piccadilly but generally they dont, even with quite long announcements. But even with a short announcement, if you don't pay attention properly until you hear your destination, it matter if its short or long surely!

Thanks for these interesting posts

I like the ordering of the St Pancras one EM2- shame I would virtually never have to use that station

 

[Mike395]

'Good morning/afternoon/evening, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to St Pancras International. The 19:00 East Midlands Trains service to Corby is now boarding from platform 3, calling at Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby'.

Only thing I think the EMT announcements at St Pancras could do with is the addition of 'First Class is at the front of this service, passengers with bikes should make their way to the rear of the train' or something to that effect. The amount of people I've seen try to board the middle of a train there with a bike.... (and no, there weren't two trains joined together on that occasion before you get clever :P )

 

[button_boxer]

At Sheffield I notice that the announcement starting "Platform 6 for the ..." is only the very last announcement for that train, as it is pulling in to the platform. Earlier announcements are more like "The next train to depart from platform 6 will be the ...", so more chance to tune in your ears before the crucial bit of information (the platform number).

 

[Emyr]

I find it very unnerving to hear platform alteration announcements repeated without flagging them as repeats.

At Piccadilly I recently heard the delayed 8:04 for Hadfield being changed from Platform 2 to 4 and back to 2 again several times over the course of about 20 minutes. This was particularly annoying for me as I was awaiting the (also delayed) 8:04 Crewe via Stockport service which uses the same Class 323 EMUs.

They should have left the platform announcements until the signals and track had actually been set to bring the relevant units in.

 

[louis97]

It all depends on the type of announcement that is set to play and the system that it is on. Generally only the 'train at' and 'next train to depart' announcements announce the platform number again on the system at Manchester Piccadilly. Although it really does depend on the TOC's or Network Rails configuration choice - for example the announcement before the train arrives also says the platform number again on the FGW system and on the ATW system the platform number is said again on all announcements.

At Manchester Piccadilly, the only announcements that will say the platform number again are next train to depart and standing announcements. The next train to depart announcements normally play when a train starting there has not arrived yet, and the standing announcements are generally set off manually by the CIS controller. The announcements played for through services and services starting there that are at the platform are whats known as the 'arrival' announcement, and play on arrival for through services and 10 minutes before booked departure for services starting.