Deliberate msinformation on departure boards at Euston?

[87015]

I’m at Euston to catch the 18:39 LNR departure to Harrow & Wealdstone. FastJP says it is the fastest way to make this journey and NRE confirms the train calls at HRW.

The new departure board at Euston claims this train doesn’t call at HRW (it’s not marked as pick up only or anything like that). The departure board shows the next train to HRW is at 18:54. Staff claim it doesn’t call at HRW.

I know better and made my way to the train where the guard has just announced the first call as HRW!

Does anyone know why this is happening. I can’t see any disruption on LNR out of Euston, there a some London Overground cancellations but if anything you’d want to put people onto LNR if LO is disrupted.

LNR do this when shortformed, is regular behavoir and exactly as per thread title!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm sure I recall reading somewhere that there's some manual suppression going on due to overcrowding on some services.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Mar 2023 ==

LNR do this when shortformed, is regular behavoir and exactly as per thread title!

Arguably it should be put in properly as pick up only, though. Presumably they're avoiding that as it'd trigger a cancellation penalty.

 

[87015]

I'm sure I recall reading somewhere that there's some manual suppression going on due to overcrowding on some services.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Mar 2023 ==



Arguably it should be put in properly as pick up only, though. Presumably they're avoiding that as it'd trigger a cancellation penalty.

Correct. Playing the figures with the the daily list of shortforms (both 350s and 319s, more of the former recently) - not that they advertise them in advance either but usually 2-3 peak circuits.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Correct. Playing the figures with the the daily list of shortforms (both 350s and 319s, more of the former recently) - not that they advertise them in advance either.

I'm a bit confused as to why we're seeing so many shortforms, as pre the new timetable you almost never got them. 319s I sort of get, but surely you've got an opportunity to swap an 8 car in every time a given service passes either Bletchley or Northampton so it'd be quite easy to arrange? It's like they've stopped trying. You could even run a few sets down to Camden Bank and swap them in at Euston.

 

[Hadders]

TBF it was a 4 car train but it wasn’t overly busy. Some standing but not offensive.

 

[cactustwirly]

I'm sure I recall reading somewhere that there's some manual suppression going on due to overcrowding on some services.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Mar 2023 ==



Arguably it should be put in properly as pick up only, though. Presumably they're avoiding that as it'd trigger a cancellation penalty.

Peak services like that shouldn't have pick up only restrictions that's madness

 

[Bletchleyite]

Peak services like that shouldn't have pick up only restrictions that's madness

It's not madness if it would leave longer distance passengers behind who have fewer options. It's no different from Avanti putting restrictions at MKC.

It is naughty just doing it on the PIS and not doing a proper cancellation though.

 

[Stephen42]

I’m at Euston to catch the 18:39 LNR departure to Harrow & Wealdstone. FastJP says it is the fastest way to make this journey and NRE confirms the train calls at HRW.

The new departure board at Euston claims this train doesn’t call at HRW (it’s not marked as pick up only or anything like that). The departure board shows the next train to HRW is at 18:54. Staff claim it doesn’t call at HRW.

I know better and made my way to the train where the guard has just announced the first call as HRW!

Does anyone know why this is happening. I can’t see any disruption on LNR out of Euston, there a some London Overground cancellations but if anything you’d want to put people onto LNR if LO is disrupted.

In Darwin that service today has had the Harrow & Wealdstone and Bushey stops converted from the planned normal stops to pick up only which would explain the departure boards no longer showing it. I can't offer an explanation for why someone has made that alteration though.

 

[Bletchleyite]

In Darwin that service today has had the Harrow & Wealdstone and Bushey stops converted from the planned normal stops to pick up only which would explain the departure boards no longer showing it. I can't offer an explanation for why someone has made that alteration though.

Presumably to reduce crowding as it's short formed to 4 car.

 

[Stephen42]

Presumably to reduce crowding as it's short formed to 4 car.

Makes some sense. The way the data model is structured changing the nature/activities of a stop doesn't trigger the usual cancellation flag which applies to everything at the stop so imagine many websites/apps won't have implemented logic for this case.

 

[cactustwirly]

It's not madness if it would leave longer distance passengers behind who have fewer options. It's no different from Avanti putting restrictions at MKC.

It is naughty just doing it on the PIS and not doing a proper cancellation though.

It's a local stopping train, not a semi fast service. It provides an alternative for Harrow Passengers who then don't have to crowd out LO services

Peak time restrictions on Avanti are just as ridiculous imo

 

[Hadders]

It's a local stopping train, not a semi fast service. It provides an alternative for Harrow Passengers who then don't have to crowd out LO services

Indeed. And LO was disrupted at the time so to deny HRW passengers the opportunity to travel with LNR was silly.

Loads got off at HRW so the regulars clearly know their stuff and won’t be misled by what the departure board says.

I wonder if LNR will still receive their full share of ORCATS revenue?

 

[PG]

I wonder if LNR will still receive their full share of ORCATS revenue?

That's set me thinking - doesn't all revenue go directly to the Treasury these days? If so isn't the question of ORCATS a mute point...?

 

[Hadders]

That's set me thinking - doesn't all revenue go directly to the Treasury these days? If so isn't the question of ORCATS a mute point...?

Dft are taking the revenue but I'd be surprised if there isn't a revenue target/reporting for each TOC. Otherwise what's the point of TOC specific tickets.

It'd be like a retailer not bothering to look at the sales of each of their branches but only at an overall total.

 

[PG]

Otherwise what's the point of TOC specific tickets.

At the moment I'd say that there is no point!

 

[bramling]

I prefer monochrome displays, too.

The new displays are intended to appeal to people who wouldn’t be able to understand RTT in a million years!

Agreed. I find the Euston displays fussy and cluttered. Regular users might be able to pick out info once used to the layout, but such users would have been able to do so just as readily before. Whilst for non-regular users it’s too fussy.

I’ll stick to using OTT maps, which tends to offer the best experience for those with understanding.

 

[Jamiescott1]

Chiltern do similar during Wembley stadium events.
They don't list high wycombe as a destination on the boards at Marylebone on the Birmingham stoppers (which also stop at Wembley stadium on event days) even though the trains stop there. Presumably to encourage high wycombe passengers onto slower trains leaving space for passengers from Wembley.