Frighton (Brighton given a spooky temporary name by GTR)

[Silver Cobra]

Wait what?

According to the puff pieces they put out it was only for Brighton, Billingshurst, Crawley, Huntingdon and Winchmore Hill and only on the platform screens.

Do you remember what time you took that photo? Didn't know they were changing the destinations on the front of the trains too

This was at 9:30am yesterday morning, following the disruption caused by a failed 700 in the Core.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Honestly, I think some of you lot need to join the Fun Police as you're a load of killjoys.

That's the kind of thing workplace bullies say, the sort who deliberately wind up their colleagues and when they react responds with "Can't you take a joke"?

 

[DarloRich]

Loving all this grumpiness / anger on behalf of other people.

Are there actually any real examples out there of passengers who have been genuinely confused by this?

Agreed! Anyone confused ( and I bet that number is 0) would do what I do in countries where i don't speak the language and don't know the railway system: find a uniformed member of staff and ask them!

If i can do it why do posters here think people coming to the UK wont be able to?

I agree. If I were the boss of whoever came up with this pathetic infantile prank, I'd have him in my office first thing tomorrow and give him the sack.

you would be in the employment tribunal before your feet touched!

Running a railway is a serious business; anyone wasting their working day on this nonsense might be better advised to seek a career elsewhere.

Even if your job is to run social media or PR?

It's amazing the sort of stuff they spend effort on in the modern railway, even as it enters a financial death spiral......

It cost nothing apparently…

How much do you think the following conversation costs:

Boss I have a GREAT idea: for Halloween can we call Brighton " Frighton" for a few minutes. it will explode on the socials

yeah, ok.

thanks - I will type that into my computer terminal now

Whatever the price it will be less than the cost of tea bags for one round of brews for one team in the office.

 

[infobleep]

Eh? This would be one simple edit to change the name of the station between the hours defined.

When someone once told me that to input timetable changes for engineering works took a while but this was around 10 years ago now.

They couldn't block input changes to every hour this happens

 

[gg1]

Loving all this grumpiness / anger on behalf of other people.

Are there actually any real examples out there of passengers who have been genuinely confused by this?

Since I highly doubt anyone conducts routine representative surveys of non-English speaking users of UK rail services we can never truly know, but it's perfectly reasonable to assume that those passengers who don't understand that 'Frighton' is a play on words will instead think it's a genuine destination.

Agreed! Anyone confused ( and I bet that number is 0) would do what I do in countries where i don't speak the language and don't know the railway system: find a uniformed member of staff and ask them!

If I can do it why do posters here think people coming to the UK wont be able to?

Due to the dual facts English is the most commonly taught second language worldwide and that Britain is behind many other nations when it comes to learning other languages, that's far easier for you or I as English speaking visitors to a non English speaking country than a non English speaker visiting Britain.

 

[341o2]

Yes, Halloween (and 'Proms') are from U.S. American school culture.

The origins of Halloween are from the celebration of the Celtic New Year on 1st November, with the belief that on the previous evening, the spirits of the dead could return and communicate with the living, which was largely introduced by Irishmen who emigrated to the USA following the potato famine. Carved punpkins are based on the legend of Stingy Jack, who was refused entry to both Heaven and Hell.
Rather like what has been done to Santa Claus who now travels by sleigh pulled by flying reindeer

 

[stuu]

Since I highly doubt anyone conducts routine representative surveys of non-English speaking users of UK rail services we can never truly know, but it's perfectly reasonable to assume that those passengers who don't understand that 'Frighton' is a play on words will instead think it's a genuine destination.

Absolutely. If I were travelling somewhere and saw something odd like this, it would be a long time before I assumed that they had just changed the display for a laugh. Especially as Halloween isn't a tradition in much of the world. But hey, top bantz

 

[geoffk]

Yes, Halloween (and 'Proms') are from U.S. American school culture. A cynic would say that the reason is they've been adopted here is that they can be monetised - I found out how much my neighbour had to cough up for a 'Prom' dress for his daughter. Popcorn, another U.S. import, has I understand, a very high profit margin - cost said to be 0.1% of price.

In my youth we managed without all of them - just an awareness of All Hallows' Day made one avoid walking past churchyards on the night.

Also two unconnected events, Halloween and Bonfire Night, have been rolled in together so we get a week of fireworks.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Perhaps someone in the industry, who has access to Delay Repay data and complaints information may like to comment on how many are caused by changing station names? And then perhaps an informed decision could be taken as to whether or not it was worth doing.

 

[Agent_Squash]

As a driver in another part of the country, I genuinely wouldn’t have known that Frighton was Brighton. I’d just presume that a train was terminating short at a station I’d not heard of.

The CIS also says 'Alight at Frighton for Brighton' as well?

 

[Mat17]

Personally I think it's shocking, absolutely shocking, that anyone would think it appropriate when dealing with something as serious a matter as the railway to even think about attempting to make another person smile whilst they are travelling. Shocking! The act of travelling by train is an undertaking which must only be entered into with a solemn focus and due regard for the serious nature of the activity. Ridiculous affectations such as changing station names to things like "Frighton" are utterly obscene transgressions against the sacred act of travelling by railway. I hope that such disgusting behaviour will not catch on and that those involved in this, frankly, criminal act are duly punished for this outrageous and contemptable action. Hopefully no-one will have been too dismayed to have an egregious attempt at introducing levity to their journey forced upon them.

Brilliant!

 

[12C]

Agreed! Anyone confused ( and I bet that number is 0) would do what I do in countries where i don't speak the language and don't know the railway system: find a uniformed member of staff and ask them!

If i can do it why do posters here think people coming to the UK wont be able to?

If it was displayed at Victoria and Gatwick Airport as others have said I’d put money on a fair number of foreign visitors being confused by this, plus UK nationals. Not everyone gets even the most obvious of jokes.

If you were in a country and didn’t speak the language how would you ask a member of staff, or understand them explaining to you that the station name had been changed for a Halloween themed pun?

 

[CaptainHaddock]

you would be in the employment tribunal before your feet touched!

You don't think deliberately misleading your customers could be construed as gross misconduct?

 

[DarloRich]

If you were in a country and didn’t speak the language how would you ask a member of staff, or understand them explaining to you that the station name had been changed for a Halloween themed pun?

I wouldn't expect them to explain it. I would expect help in finding the right train. What I have done in the past when lost or confused in a foreign country is to walk up to person in uniform, show ticket, point at destination and make a confused shrug!

 

[Mat17]

Yes, Halloween (and 'Proms') are from U.S. American school culture. A cynic would say that the reason is they've been adopted here is that they can be monetised - I found out how much my neighbour had to cough up for a 'Prom' dress for his daughter. Popcorn, another U.S. import, has I understand, a very high profit margin - cost said to be 0.1% of price.

Black Friday had to be the worst. The holiday sales day without the holiday. I wouldn't mind so much if they gave us Thanksgiving off as a bank holiday. Alas no, just another money spinner.

 

[DarloRich]

You don't think deliberately misleading your customers could be construed as gross misconduct?

don't be silly.

 

[Horizon22]

You don't think deliberately misleading your customers could be construed as gross misconduct?

No. The hyperbole in this thread…

Anyway Halloween is over now, so enjoy Brighton being spelt normally for the next 364 days!

 

[DarloRich]

No. The hyperbole in this thread…

the head loss and lack of perspective is incredible!

 

[Deepgreen]

Personally I think it's shocking, absolutely shocking, that anyone would think it appropriate when dealing with something as serious a matter as the railway to even think about attempting to make another person smile whilst they are travelling. Shocking! The act of travelling by train is an undertaking which must only be entered into with a solemn focus and due regard for the serious nature of the activity. Ridiculous affectations such as changing station names to things like "Frighton" are utterly obscene transgressions against the sacred act of travelling by railway. I hope that such disgusting behaviour will not catch on and that those involved in this, frankly, criminal act are duly punished for this outrageous and contemptable action. Hopefully no-one will have been too dismayed to have an egregious attempt at introducing levity to their journey forced upon them.

Not really worthy of a moderator here, perhaps? You are missing the point, which is the ever-increasing interference with basic railway stuff such as information provision, which has already suffered so much under privatisation anyway. TfL's recent "Burberry Street' farce has been the worst so far, but there is probably far more still to come. This sort of stuff may make a couple of kids giggle but they certainly wouldn't be disappointed if the name remained correct. However, the insidious slide of standards grows ever faster with more and more messing about with station identities. Expecting the railway to behave responsibly doesn't make someone a killjoy.

 

[alistairlees]

Station names should not be changed on signage or CIS or anything else similar. There are plenty of other opportunities, all rather more imaginative, to do themed things in stations, and enjoy occasions like this. It just doesn’t need any of the core signage to be changed.

Imagine if all the TOC and other journey planners / booking engines had ‘Brighton’ removed in the search list and replaced with ‘Frighton’, for one day only. Would you be able to plan journeys and buy tickets? Probably not, and nor would others. If it’s not acceptable there (it would be an RSP accreditation fail too!) then it definitely isn’t acceptable on trains / at stations either.

 

[sprunt]

In terms of making the railway look unprofessional, this doesn't even register compared to the continuing failure to provide a reliable service that allows future travel plans to be made with any degree of confidence.

Also, Halloween was observed for centuries before there was any concept of America.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

If they had changed a few of the signs at Brighton with an "F" looking like it was done with blood or something over the B that would be fine, as it's obvious that it's done as a joke, and also no one is going to get lost. But doing it on actual screen which are miles away and it looks like a sensible word even to native UK inhabitants is just wrong. Especially when it is the destination for a lot of trains to the second airport in the country

There are some serious sense of humour failures on here about this.
I saw the information display at East Croydon yesterday evening, and on looking to see if the 20:29 was on time, saw it as ‘Frighton’.
Underneath was the message ‘Alight at Frighton for Brighton’ so it’s highly unlikely people would have failed to board because of a little joke. Today’s ‘yoof’ are more likely to be confused as to what alight means!!

 

[JohnRegular]

Amusing? Sure, if it doesn't elicit a slight chuckle from you, too bad.
Confusing? Possibly. I don't really think we should be messing with the CIS screens, it probably is confusing to some even with the 'Alight at Frighton for Brighton' message. Hardly as bad as some have made it out though.
A reason to start a curmudgeonly rant about Halloween? No. Get over yourselves.

 

[Cach17]

Wonder if anyone at SE thought 'Witch-stable' was a good idea?

 

[lachlan]

As a partially sighted person the last thing I need is people messing with displays that I rely on making them harder to read. This is an obvious accessibility issue and it's disappointing to see the railway continuously ignore this, whether it's Network Rail or the TOCs.

 

[ainsworth74]

You are missing the point, which is the ever-increasing interference with basic railway stuff such as information provision, which has already suffered so much under privatisation anyway. TfL's recent "Burberry Street' farce has been the worst so far, but there is probably far more still to come. This sort of stuff may make a couple of kids giggle but they certainly wouldn't be disappointed if the name remained correct. However, the insidious slide of standards grows ever faster with more and more messing about with station identities. Expecting the railway to behave responsibly doesn't make someone a killjoy.

I'm not missing the point, I actually agree there is a genuine concern regarding accessibility and the ability of more unfamiliar passengers to way find when screens are showing things like "Frighton" rather than "Brighton". Personally speaking I would suggest screens should show something along the lines of "Frighton (Brighton)" along with the audio announcements and trains continuing to say and show the correct information. However I find the po-facedness of some of the reactions of some on here, stretching to the point of suggesting that this is somehow "gross misconduct", to be very silly and over the top.

By all means criticise the impact on the ability of people to navigate their way around the system because I tend to agree that is a valid concern but lets not get too deeply offended by the attempt by someone to raise a simile. It is that attitude I was attempting to lampoon. But I shall ensure that I never again dare express an opinion nor attempt humour as a moderator! Consider my wrist thoroughly slapped

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

It will be soon time for the Christmas name changes to station names. I await another thread of fume!!

 

[Horizon22]

Would you be able to plan journeys and buy tickets? Probably not, and nor would others.

Exactly why it wasn't done there.

 

[al78]

+1 from someone else who doesn't enjoy Halloween. What was a one day, or more particularly one night, thing when I was growing up has turned into at least a week of 'celebration' now.

Take for example Fireaway, who have been doing a Halloween-themed pizza since 24th October. Not to mention all the parties and people going on nights out in costumes since at least Friday, which is just ridiculous.

It is not ridiculous when you look at it in the context of capitalism which is all about encouraging consumption and spending money. If the Halloween (or any) festival is extended then it means people can be encouraged to buy more useless paraphenalia which will get discarded when it is over. We have it with Black Friday which is just another way of getting people to spend money they don't have by extending the pre-Chritsmas spending frenzy by an extra week or three.

 

[D1537]

Nottingham trams also changed the name of a number of their stations (i.e. The Forest -> The Frightful Forest) for far longer than one day as well (I was there last Wednesday, the 25th). The onboard and station PIS displays were not changed.