reecestrains
Member
They've just rolled out the new announcements onto the other units...
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Northern Unit Refurbishments and depot allocations.
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reecestrains
Member
Not sure yet, but when I was last on a 158 on Tuesday, they still had the old announcements.
Soft Hands
Member
Yes, 156490 was photographed heading for Wolverton on Thursday 14 September. I wonder when 156413 will be able to be fitted in for repairs following its fight with a tractor on a level crossing? There may be insurance claims to be settled first before repairs are authorised?
With Northern now rolling out the new Voices on their other fleet, I'm wondering if the 333's will get the old voices (Trisha Jarman and Sebastian-Tomas Sargent) or the new voices (Peter Corley & Laura Palmer) when they get Train FX
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reecestrains
Member
They still haven't installed any TrainFX on any of the 333's. It's taking it's time at the moment.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
I can confirm that 170459 has had TrainFX fitted. Still keeping an eye out for 460 to confirm.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
I can confirm that 170459 has had TrainFX fitted. Still keeping an eye out for 460 to confirm.
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busy in the Sheff to York service!
Where is everyone, or is it always that empty?
pokemonsuper9
Established Member
The description of the original video says the train is:
A midday service may be in low demand, maybe the recording was taken just after the train arrived 20 mins before departure (not sure when that train actually arrives to Sheffield). Maybe the other carriage (Typically a solo 150/2) has people in it.
reecestrains
Member
I can now also confirm that 170460 has been fitted with TrainFX, which now means all of Northern's Class 170 Turbostars are now completed and fitted with TrainFX.
You are aware that this is an off pattern, “parliamentary” service
I am planning on using it soon as part of a trip to Sunderland. It looks like the most convenient way to get from Sheffield to York avoiding crowds on XC, so it’s a shame it’s not more widely known.
I haven’t heard the new announcements on a 15x yet. Is it only the east side being done first?
pokemonsuper9
Established Member
Indeed I was not aware, only 3 Northern's per day Sheffield <-> York (although the first to York and last from York probably work for commuters). They're only a bit slower (by 10m or so) than the via Leeds XC (40m slower than via Doncaster).You are aware that this is an off pattern, “parliamentary” service
I am planning on using it soon as part of a trip to Sunderland. It looks like the most convenient way to get from Sheffield to York avoiding crowds on XC, so it’s a shame it’s not more widely known.
I've not heard it on my journeys this week, makes sense to work with the East first if the staff that set the 170's TrainFX up are now available to set the 15x in the East up.
I'm pretty sure the updates are being done over the air rather than physically.
pokemonsuper9
Established Member
I thought that would be the reasonable way but surely they'd be an overnight thing if it was over air rather than someone plugging a laptop in?
Or is the system itself behind uploads/downloads quite slow in one of many possible ways?
I noticed yesterday (Thursday) when on a Class 170 between Sheffield & Bridlington via Hull (170455 was the return Train) in both directions that the announcements on board were in the previous style without the local voice. How many are left to go to get the local voice version on the announcements?
Liverpool 507
Member
I think the new announcements are absolutely awful. They should have stayed with the previous versions.
Agreed. Really unnecessary change IMHO
We all know the actual reasons for the change were not to improve the audibility of the announcements, but then more aspects of the operation being taken in house is usually applauded.
Perhaps it was just as necessary as renaming themselves from northern to NORTHERN.
I'm probably not the first person to say this and certainly won't be the last, but these announcements don't sound very welcoming at all. In fact, I'd say that they sound quite the opposite. No friendliness or Warmth at all
reecestrains
Member
I preferred the older announcements too to be honest. Especially on the 195's and 331's.
Yeah. They seemed alot more friendly and welcoming than the new announcemnts that were rolled out earlier this year
Agent_Squash
Established Member
- Joined
- 22 Jul 2016
- Messages
- 1,271
I know we say that trains should reflect the regions they serve but that’s a strong Northern accent!
reecestrains
Member
Much preferred these:
stan claire
Member
But then again a Yorkshire accent on a service from Manchester Airport to Blackpool isn’t exactly reflecting the correct region. And at the beginning it seemed like the only stations that he could pronounce correctly were his own
Many stations on my route now have sarcastic sounding announcements and only Manchester (all stations), Burneside, Kirkham and Accrington have been re-done in the north west that I’m aware of but it’s a bit annoying how they can record new announcements (which sound worse than the older ones on so many levels) but are unable to run a good service (in the north west anyway) which should be their priority
Plus the way he says Staveley, Windermere and Adlington makes me want to rip my ears off
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The CAF units will have them wirelessly because of them being new build, I don’t think the TrainFX units do have the ability to do this wirelessly so they’ll need doing at the depot overnight, this is also why they updated the CAF ones first because if an announcement is recorded incorrectly then it’s easier to send the update out once to all units
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TrainFX does have the ability to update remotely. They all have 4G capability and have previously received additional announcements and messages over the air.
Examples of this include the "we're now approaching Leeds..." female announcement which was added about 2 years ago and the Three Lions recording that was put on during the last World Cup.
3973EXL
Established Member
- Joined
- 2 Feb 2017
- Messages
- 2,741
Realtime Trains | 5M70 1200 Newton Heath T.M.D. to Wolverton Centre Sidings | 03/10/2023
Real-time train running information for 5M70 1200 departure from Newton Heath T.M.D. to Wolverton Centre Sidings on 03/10/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
50002Superb
Established Member
Hi @diligentdave , how are things progressing with 150132, 156416, 156417 and 156471?
diligentdave
Member
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2007
- Messages
- 444
No change at the moment.
simon7929
Member
Unit 156490 also at Wolverton.
pokemonsuper9
Established Member
And 150145
50002Superb
Established Member
Understood, thanks!!