Euston departure board to be moved

[Bletchleyite]

it seemed to be just the 12-15 ramp, it was absolute mayhem when passengers where getting of an Avanti train meeting with the crowds of regular commuters who know the platform for their LNWR service already. I agree with withholding platforms at most London termini, but Euston is an exception given that the platforms are huge and the concourse is tiny in comparison.

Now LNR are mostly running only 8 car trains I'm surprised they haven't gone back to only operating from 8-11. It was only when these services went to more 12s that they started using others frequently, bar the odd peak extra.

 

[AJDesiro]

Now LNR are mostly running only 8 car trains I'm surprised they haven't gone back to only operating from 8-11. It was only when these services went to more 12s that they started using others frequently, bar the odd peak extra.

They seem to be trying to use platforms 8-11 where possible, during the Watford DC engineering works, many trains were moved to platform 9.

 

[gabrielhj07]

My first time enjoying the new screens.

As we can see it’s going really well.

 

[zwk500]

Was the other screen showing the trains? It wasn't an easy day for delays just to help with things, by the look of Traksy.

 

[Intercity110]

If I’ve got this right they’re removing the main departure boards? Also i hope this stops the stampedes.

 

[py_megapixel]

If I’ve got this right they’re removing the main departure boards?

At the moment they're still in place but blank, though I imagine they'll be removed if they decide to make this arrangement permanent.

Also i hope this stops the stampedes.

I can't see how it would help with that - it's mainly a product of the platform numbers not being shown until close to departure time, and that hasn't changed.

 

[gabrielhj07]

If I’ve got this right they’re removing the main departure boards? Also i hope this stops the stampedes.

The stampedes look healthier than ever, I’m sorry to say.

Was the other screen showing the trains? It wasn't an easy day for delays just to help with things, by the look of Traksy.

Yes, just those two.

 

[Intercity110]

I can't see how it would help with that - it's mainly a product of the platform numbers not being shown until close to departure time, and that hasn't changed.

why can’t they show the platform numbers earlier, if possible

 

[py_megapixel]

why can’t they show the platform numbers earlier, if possible

I agree that it's daft... there's already a separate thread about this

London Euston - late advertising of services

I’m currently on the 14:45 LNR service from London Euston to Crewe - this service was advertised and announced no less than two minutes prior to departure, at 14:43. Luckily for me and a few other people who ‘know’ the tricks, we were already waiting on the right platform for the train...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[FOH]

My first time enjoying the new screens.

As we can see it’s going really well. View attachment 126907

Crazy. They tease customers with an information screen that shows no information

 

[Bald Rick]

My first time enjoying the new screens.

As we can see it’s going really well. View attachment 126907

evidently it was your first time, as this screen has been configured this way since about day 3.

Was the other screen showing the trains? It wasn't an easy day for delays just to help with things, by the look of Traksy.

yes all the other three screens were showing trains.

 

[Parallel]

I get the impression that this is the sort of change that they’ve listed as a ‘trial’ so they can use it as an excuse when someone complains, but actually it’s some vanity project that’s intended to be the permanent solution. Maybe I’m being cynical but when I used Euston a couple of weeks ago, it didn’t seem to change anything for the better and actually seemed to make crowding in certain areas of the concourse worse. These boards should be removed and new ones erected where the old one was.

 

[James90012]

I think the congestion has moved but one of the benefits is it is easier for arriving passengers to find a clear path from the platforms to the tube with the new screen position. When the original screens were on it was like dodgems trying to get through. That said I doubt any conclusions can be drawn until there has been a travel day with demand like a pre-covid busy day which seems a way off considering the ongoing operator issues.

 

[100andthirty]

I think the congestion has moved but one of the benefits is it is easier for arriving passengers to find a clear path from the platforms to the tube with the new screen position. When the original screens were on it was like dodgems trying to get through. That said I doubt any conclusions can be drawn until there has been a travel day with demand like a pre-covid busy day which seems a way off considering the ongoing operator issues.

I'd add to that......a normal per-covid busy day when the serice is running to timetable.......for a change, he says with exasperation.

 

[xydancer]

When the station is very busy, one problem the new boards seem to have created is that, because they can be seen from much closer to the top of the ramps than the old ones, the crowd looking at them encroaches significantly on the walkway that was beneath the old boards by the takeaways.

Last night, when there were big crowds and significant disruption, it was quite a struggle get through the mix of those waiting and food outlet queues - a walkway that was previously pretty clear, even when there were problems. On top of that, those coming from arriving trains who were having to fight their way through the throng that now met them almost immediately at the top of the ramps.

 

[DelW]

Last weekend I went through Euston, and saw that another new board is being put up, this time outside. It's in front of the new-ish tube station entrance (the one which makes all passengers walk outside in the weather where once you could transfer in the dry within the concourse), and is in the same north-south orientation as the inside ones. From a very quick look it seemed to be the same design.

On a positive note, my Avanti train already had its platform shown when I arrived 12 minutes before departure time.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Last weekend I went through Euston, and saw that another new board is being put up, this time outside. It's in front of the new-ish tube station entrance (the one which makes all passengers walk outside in the weather where once you could transfer in the dry within the concourse), and is in the same north-south orientation as the inside ones. From a very quick look it seemed to be the same design.

Yes, there always was a plan to put one outside, in summer a lot of people do hang around in that area and it's one of the few places with relatively plentiful seating.

 

[high camera]

I find real-time trains very accurate for platform numbers in advance. The platform staff seem to hate the app !

 

[Bletchleyite]

Went through today and the one outside does look like a good idea, it is the same as the others. They seem to be putting "next train to" on the Tube end, and as such it's crowded and blocking the way again.

It is still my view that it would be best if they removed the whole unit at that end and just had the one nearer the ticket office.

 

[AJDesiro]

Managed to take a few pictures of the new infotec RGB screen outside today. They’re also installing (I think?) infotec TFT screens at the platform entrances.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Interesting platform displays. They do make some important information clear, but equally they are incredibly amateurish compared to the LNER ones.

In particular having "Plat 4" in white on light grey on that Platform Closed one (I guess to try to put off Realtime Trains users) is probably not accessibility-compliant.

 

[AJDesiro]

Interesting platform displays. They do make some important information clear, but equally they are incredibly amateurish compared to the LNER ones.

In particular having "Plat 4" in white on light grey on that Platform Closed one (I guess to try to put off Realtime Trains users) is probably not accessibility-compliant.

I’d imagine it wouldn’t matter too much as the platform number sign is just above.

Although the platform closed thing is annoying, some staff refuse you access to the platform before the platform is announced so it most likely won’t make much difference.

Ah, if only the Avanti staff didn’t insist on you waiting at the gate!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I’d imagine it wouldn’t matter too much as the platform number sign is just above.

Although the platform closed thing is annoying, some staff refuse you access to the platform before the platform is announced so it most likely won’t make much difference.

Ah, if only the Avanti staff didn’t insist on you waiting at the gate!

I don't think it's unfair when they intend to do a revenue check. You can just wait on the ramp and still be on first. It's not my preferred method of operation though of course.

If they start shoving that up on 8-11 I'll continue to ignore it though.

 

[AJDesiro]

I don't think it's unfair when they intend to do a revenue check. You can just wait on the ramp and still be on first. It's not my preferred method of operation though of course.

If they start shoving that up on 8-11 I'll continue to ignore it though.

Neither do I, although it’s annoying that they don’t just install barriers there, am I right in thinking that there were plans to install them at the (then) VT platforms but for some reason they were cancelled?

If they say that on 8-11 I will very much be annoyed.

 

[Russel]

Is there any meaning to the coloured V shaped light on the ends of the new screens, they look to glow either red or green?

Does green indicate good service and red indicate things have gone wrong or is the lighting just cosmetic?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is there any meaning to the coloured V shaped light on the ends of the new screens, they look to glow either red or green?

Does green indicate good service and red indicate things have gone wrong or is the lighting just cosmetic?

Just cosmetic, I've never seen it anything other than green.

Edit: except it's red above! Maybe it's red if the screen is turned off, as the one pictured is.

 

[AJDesiro]

Could the colour maybe be dependent on crowd levels? I recall seeing it green one day and then red later in the day, it’d make sense as they have some sort of sensors to measure crowd control.

 

[py_megapixel]

Could the colour maybe be dependent on crowd levels? I recall seeing it green one day and then red later in the day, it’d make sense as they have some sort of sensors to measure crowd control.

Would be a bit pointless - if you're stood in sight of the boards you can see whether or not it's crowded around them anyway

 

[Basil Jet]

Managed to take a few pictures of the new infotec RGB screen outside today.

Not switched on yet...

 

[HarryL]

It's probably already been said in this thread and will be part of what they're trialling here, but I'm surprised there isn't already a standard for digital departure boards. Almost every station they've been put in so far have used a different version and you'd think they'd be more common in 2023.