Why are there two 'cases and parcels' warnings (or more)? We've got the 'unattended articles may be removed without warning' and others saying they may be destroyed. Oh, and then there's the 'security forces' one too - as if some navy seals will come in and blow up anything suspicious (as against a PSCO getting on his/her radio and asking what they're supposed to do).
Considering the usual advice is to leave unattended items alone, I'm surprised any announcement would say they'd be removed without warning. By who? These announcements seem to be at stations where staff wouldn't go near them - so the 'removed without warning' suggests they'd simply be nicked!!
Depends on the system in use.
Ditra (at Blackfriars) will say: 'Please do not leave cases or parcels unattended anywhere on the station. Any unattended articles are likely to be removed without warning'. I think that comes from the days when unattended luggage wasn't seen as too suspicious and would just be moved to lost property.
Funkwerk (elsewhere at FCC-TL managed stations): 'Please do not leave luggage or personal belongings unattended. Any unattended items will be removed and may be destroyed or damaged by security forces'. Recorded a couple of years ago now general practice is to close the station and get a 'bomb squad' to attend the scene.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I never realised how disorganised things like this could be, when providing information shouldn't be that difficult.
Exactly - not many people seem to be aware about the differences in the systems and what they can do. The Ditras in use on FCC-GN, FGW, SWT, Southern, and at Birmingham New Street are of the newer version than that at Blackfriars and those still in use with Northern. To be honest with you I'm not exactly sure what the newer version *cannot* do!
I'd like to see Funkwerk deal with a split (not that it's needed at present). It's bad enough only approaching announcements are used. If a service was to split then people are going to need enough time to move to the correct part of the platform. In the core, approacing announcements now play when the train is almost stationary.
Ditra can also be completely automatic (as it is on SWT and Southern where both these systems hold
every sound file recorded for Ditra). Advance announcements are played at least 2 minutes before departure time (sooner if the train is arriving early), approaching announcements when the train is about 30 seconds away, and a further announcement when the train is standing in the platform.
There is a reason Ditra is more expensive than Funkwerk... Phil records new stuff for Ditra every 3 months to make the system as up-to-date and versatile as possible! I wonder how often FCC and Northern will get new clips off of him for Funkwerk. (The systems are very different and as such I don't think Funkwerk seem all that bothered about a standard configuration).
I'm only glad it was agreed that Phil was deemed to be better so his voice used. TPE, on the other hand, removed Phil for someone really bad!
I know things may have to be built to work with legacy systems, but how can it be such a mess and allowed to continue in this state for such a long time?
Isn't a proper CIS vital, and required particularly for blind/partially sighted and deaf people? It seems that nobody 'high up' is that bothered if it's partially accurate or doesn't really work as intended.
Very true indeed. I'd have thought such systems would be set up, calibrated, configured, and staff trained to use them properly
before they went into use... It would seem so that management aren't bothered about what system they have nor its effectiveness as long as they have one... even if it is totally rubbish and does not do its job properly.
What's particularly bad is when things go wrong, and the information screens become even more important (especially to people who already know the timetable and how to identify their train). Time after time on the GN side, the screens end up showing totally wrong information when things to tits up, such that they're occasionally turned off completely!
And we all know how well the National Rail website copes when we have bad weather! Websites that offer 'mission critical' data being hosted by sites that will not cope with a heavy loads.
On 2nd February after the heavy snowfall, SWT turned their screens to a advisory message rather than giving information out. On the other hand the Ditra was coping very well with the brunt of what was going on, and giving out excellent information (something I doubt FCCs Funkwerk would be able to do). Admittedly that was again discriminatory towards those with hearing impairments but at least an effort was made.
FCC should take a leaf out of SWT and Southerns' books regarding CIS. They have made the effort to work with Ditra to make the system fit for its purpose and as such it is reliable and provides the correct information as necessary. From what I've experienced, nothing seems to go majorly wrong with their systems* because they have been developed so well.
*Admittedly, some do have some RAM problems (particularly Clapham Junction which I highlighted last year), which causes announcements to stutter or loop, but that can be easily rectified I think with... some more RAM!
(I apologise for dragging this thread off topic slightly - I'll keep an eye on things and see whether it is worth splitting this CIS discussion into another!).
. Thanks!
The Ditra was alive on Tuesday with Phil doing his famous cases announcement there. Seems like its days could be numbered then. The Blackfriars Ditra has been plagued with faults though and it chops the first second or so off each announcement. There were recently new speakers put up on platform 5 though.
hock: the system really shouldn't even be in use then! Surely the actual service announcements are there to tell people: