Are SWR's on board announcements excessive?

[nctd2306]

I've been sat on 701031 at Waterloo for about 7 minutes and the BTP announcement, followed by Safety Guidelines are located in each carriage etc has already played 3 times

 

[talldave]

I've been sat on 701031 at Waterloo for about 7 minutes and the BTP announcement, followed by Safety Guidelines are located in each carriage etc has already played 3 times

I'm sure you meant W'loo Car 4, didn't you?!

Seriously, this is ridiculous. Do the people responsible for this s**t at SWR ever actually travel on their services and experience this aural bombardment first hand?

 

[43096]

Today’s experience of SWR between Martins Heron and Waterloo had no less than EIGHT see it, say it, sort it announcements between stations and on train. Anyone who thinks that is acceptable or not excessive needs their head testing!

 

[talldave]

Today’s experience of SWR between Martins Heron and Waterloo had no less than EIGHT see it, say it, sort it announcements between stations and on train. Anyone who thinks that is acceptable or not excessive needs their head testing!

Perhaps if we all individually put complaints in to SWR they'll get the message? I'm not a social media expert but a few tweets directing frustrated passengers to the appropriate complaints form might assist?

 

[Bikeman78]

Today’s experience of SWR between Martins Heron and Waterloo had no less than EIGHT see it, say it, sort it announcements between stations and on train. Anyone who thinks that is acceptable or not excessive needs their head testing!

Careful, when I objected in the SSS thread, another forum member suggested I seek therapy. Far easier, and cheaper, for me to avoid SWR.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Just boarded a 444, in the few minutes it’s taken to depart we’ve had:

Don’t abuse staff
See it say it sorted
Staff wear body worn cameras.

If they’re played at every stop, Imagine coming from Weymouth on this thing.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Apr 2026 ==

Edit: next stop 5 minutes later we have the see it say it sorted announcement again. It’s actually insane.

 

[DelW]

Just boarded a 444, in the few minutes it’s taken to depart we’ve had:

Don’t abuse staff
See it say it sorted
Staff wear body worn cameras.

If they’re played at every stop, Imagine coming from Weymouth on this thing.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Apr 2026 ==

Edit: next stop 5 minutes later we have the see it say it sorted announcement again. It’s actually insane.

Don't forget the one about boarding without a ticket which enthusiastically threatens penalty fares and prosecutions.

In my experience you get two or three of this list after every stop, and additional ones randomly between stations. In (say) an hour's journey, you probably get each one up to a dozen times. It's no wonder people retreat into headphones.

 

[SWRtrainfan]

The announcements on Desiros/diesels can get a little repetitive with the 'this is BTP'/'please treat our teams with kindness'/'to ensure fairness for all customers' announcements, but overall I don't mind those ones too much as they're not too long and they're not necessarily played after every stop (in my experience anyway).

What really does irritate me though is the 701's system. It repeats the calling pattern after leaving every station, and if you've boarded early on in the train's journey, that's a lot of stops it'll announce. Plus there's weird, unnatural gaps between certain phrases, like 'welcome aboard this South Western Railway service to... Reading', 'this is... Clapham Junction', 'this is the service to... Reading'. They're just annoying. Hopefully that'll get fixed when the voice is changed from the current New Celia to Elinor (the current voice on the Desiros/diesels). I also hope the 701 PIS format is amended to match that of the 158/159/444/450s, i.e. just a simple 'this is X, this train is for Y, the next station is Z' and generally nothing else.

 

[Harratt4]

Have just boarded a slightly delayed service from Clapham Junction to Feltham (on the Reading service).

I don’t use SWR very often so was struck and shocked that up arrival after the doors opened, we got told to see it, say it, shove it, then that we’d get a penalty if we didn’t have a ticket, AND ONLY AFTER THAT the destination of the bl00dy train!

This was on a service that had been subject to a platform alteration at the last moment and where, therefore, there was an even greater likelihood of passengers (who may be sight impaired) wanting reassurance that this was, indeed, the correct train. It struck me as about as wrong headed and as least “passenger focussed” as possible!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Apr 2026 ==

Good grief, it gets worse! Just stopped at Twickers and the auto announcer didn’t even get to announce the train’s destination before the doors closed and we started moving.

That’s INSANE!

 

[talldave]

And even before you get on the train at Clapham Junction the potentially useful announcement of the train's stopping pattern as it arrives at the platform will quite likely be interrupted by a pointless brainwashing do/don't/sorted type announcement. Infuriating....

 

[gabrielhj07]

And even before you get on the train at Clapham Junction the potentially useful announcement of the train's stopping pattern as it arrives at the platform will quite likely be interrupted by a pointless brainwashing do/don't/sorted type announcement. Infuriating....

Alternatively, you could receive the platform 5/6 treatment, where the staff interrupt the automatic announcement just to yell the same information over the PA manually.

 

[Sealink]

Just boarded a 444, in the few minutes it’s taken to depart we’ve had:

Don’t abuse staff
See it say it sorted
Staff wear body worn cameras.

If they’re played at every stop, Imagine coming from Weymouth on this thing.

I travel from Dorchester South and will be doing so on Tuesday.

 

[ScottGallagher]

Fare evasion is operator wide so doubt its the DFT specificallly requesting this approach here. This will be a SWR senior management decision, approved by the MD or COO for sure.

 

[Recessio]

Fare evasion is operator wide so doubt its the DFT specificallly requesting this approach here. This will be a SWR senior management decision, approved by the MD or COO for sure.

Does SWR have a particular problem with fare evasion compared to other operators?

 

[talldave]

Alternatively, you could receive the platform 5/6 treatment, where the staff interrupt the automatic announcement, just to yell the same information over the PA manually.

Yes, with an excessive obsession with the yellow line!!

I'm sure if you redeployed the shouty people to other areas, everything would run smoothly and quietly.

 

[ScottGallagher]

Does SWR have a particular problem with fare evasion compared to other operators?

I dont travel on it but i wouldnt have thought so, SE, Southern and Thameslink must be just as bad for fare evasion

 

[Sad Sprinter]

I travel from Dorchester South and will be doing so on Tuesday.

Good luck!

 

[Russel]

On the subject of excessive announcements, Avanti this evening at Euston have to be a contender, "Welcome onboard this Avanti West Coast service to Preston" must have been set to repeat as it was played every couple of minutes while sat in the platform at Euston while waiting to depart, followed by a long, rambling manual announcement by the Train Manager making a big song and dance about which tickets are valid and which aren't and how there was to be a full ticket inspection which obviously didn't actually happen, as usual, much to the delight of group of young lads sat at the table opposite me boasting about how they don't have tickets because they are never checked!

Anyway, rant over.

 

[ScottGallagher]

On the subject of excessive announcements, Avanti this evening at Euston have to be a contender, "Welcome onboard this Avanti West Coast service to Preston" must have been set to repeat as it was played every couple of minutes while sat in the platform at Euston while waiting to depart, followed by a long, rambling manual announcement by the Train Manager making a big song and dance about which tickets are valid and which aren't and how there was to be a full ticket inspection which obviously didn't actually happen, as usual, much to the delight of group of young lads sat at the table opposite me boasting about how they don't have tickets because they are never checked!

Anyway, rant over.

How did the lads get past the Euston Gestapo without tickets I wonder!

 

[Sad Sprinter]

How did the lads get past the Euston Gestapo without tickets I wonder!

It’s surprisingly easy. Just walk in the other lane as if you were getting the Overground service on the other side, then just cross over.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Alternatively, you could receive the platform 5/6 treatment, where the staff interrupt the automatic announcement just to yell the same information over the PA manually.

They have been instructed to this so if someone falls onto the track, SWR/NR/DfT/OnTrak/STM have a stronger case against having to pay liabilities. Same on TfL services.

 

[Russel]

How did the lads get past the Euston Gestapo without tickets I wonder!

Easily when there wasn't one.

 

[gabrielhj07]

They have been instructed to this so if someone falls onto the track, SWR/NR/DfT/OnTrak/STM have a stronger case against having to pay liabilities. Same on TfL services.

How ridiculous.

Somehow a less intelligible repeat of the same information will stop people falling off the platform?

I’d love to read that risk assessment.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Is this platform 5/6 at Clapham junction? I remember a few years ago the platform was over-manned in its entirety by agency staff who would issue continuous pleading and chiding announcements telling people to stand behind the yellow line. It was completely bizzare. On an off topic, it seems like since Covid, brigades of agency staff has ballooned almost everywhere. It’s really weird.

 

[43096]

Fare evasion is operator wide so doubt its the DFT specificallly requesting this approach here. This will be a SWR senior management decision, approved by the MD or COO for sure.

It’s a pointless announcement. Everybody knows you need a ticket. Anyone fare dodging is not going to be put off by some ear spam about revenue protection.

Just get rid of the announcement.

 

[3rd rail land]

It’s a pointless announcement. Everybody knows you need a ticket. Anyone fare dodging is not going to be put off by some ear spam about revenue protection.

Just get rid of the announcement.

Get rid of the civil servants that made these silly decisions. Replace them with people who know what they are doing and think about things from a passenger perspective.

 

[gabrielhj07]

Is this platform 5/6 at Clapham junction? I remember a few years ago the platform was over-manned in its entirety by agency staff who would issue continuous pleading and chiding announcements telling people to stand behind the yellow line. It was completely bizzare. On an off topic, it seems like since Covid, brigades of agency staff has ballooned almost everywhere. It’s really weird.

Yes that’s the one, see also platform 9

 

[Russel]

It’s a pointless announcement. Everybody knows you need a ticket. Anyone fare dodging is not going to be put off by some ear spam about revenue protection.

Just get rid of the announcement.

Same goes for all of the TFL posters about not staring, harassing, photographing others on the tube, or the no smoking signs and announcements everywhere, everyone knows it's wrong, but those that do it won't be put off by a couple of signs.

 

[brooklynbound]

Agency workers with no useful knowledge that can help passengers now seem to be more visible than actual railway staff at many SWR stations.
As for the Platform 5/6 staff at Clapham Junction. They must have a new manager because something has gone seriously wrong there.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Agency workers with no useful knowledge that can help passengers now seem to be more visible than actual railway staff at many SWR stations.
As for the Platform 5/6 staff at Clapham Junction. They must have a new manager because something has gone seriously wrong there.

The true Clapham Junction agency staff experience is when the train is approaching and the automated announcement starts saying “The train now approaching platform 5 is the 18:54 South Western Railway service to-“ promptly interrupted by “PLEASE STAND BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE, STAND BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE” before the automated announcement is actually able to say anything useful. Additionally the “next train to arrive on platform 5” is interrupted by some completely separate automated announcement system running in parallel, usually a low quality and extremely loud recording about “see it, say it, sorted”. Honestly when you’re there is feels like the whole station is going to spontaneously collapse because of the all the chaos going on.