Transpenine Express new onboard announcements

johntea · 24 Aug 2026

Just on a York - Manchester via Wakefield Transpenine Express service and they seem to have updated the on board announcements!

They no longer seem to insist on starting a new. sentence every 3. words although I think the announcer is the same male voice?

One curiosity is instead of ‘This is the xx:xx service to Manchester Piccadilly’ you just get ‘This is a service to Manchester Piccadilly’!

Also no list of upcoming station stops other than the next one upon departing each station stop although I can’t remember if Transpenine Express ever did that or not

EDIT : The return journey still has the old announcements and they DID use to rattle off a complete list of upcoming station stops!

RailUK Forums

GWVillager · 24 Aug 2026

Yes, I’ve noticed this too. They’ve sped them up a lot, as well, but I don’t know why. The old ones were perfectly fine - some of my favourites, in fact.

dodecahedron67 · 24 Aug 2026

The new announcements are by two members of staff following an internal competition. A Glasgow based conductor is the voice of the Class 397s and a York conductor the voice of 185s and 802s.

Only complaint is the voice on 185s and 802s is quite quiet and probably needs to be turned up a bit as it’s quite hard to hear on noisy trains

IanMac · 24 Aug 2026

I've heard similar uninformative announcements though not on TPE as I haven't travelled with them.

I much prefer an announcement that states clearly which train it is (operator, time, location, routing/destination), how punctual it is (or is not), when and where the next stop will be, the connections available at that stop, followed by all the other stuff about seating available, toilets, refreshments, tickets etc. And it isn't a service; in the UK we call them trains.

Msq71423 · 24 Aug 2026

If the auto announcers are on there's no need for the guard to come on straight after and repeat everything just said though! One or the other is sufficient in my opinion.

kkong · 24 Aug 2026

Msq71423 said:
If the auto announcers are on there's no need for the guard to come on straight after and repeat everything just said though! One or the other is sufficient in my opinion.

Except when the auto-announcer is wrong.

e.g. I was on a ScotRail 4-car HST the other day which was approaching Broughty Ferry in the down direction.

The auto-announcer said it would be single door operation, but the conductor came on the PA to say that all doors would be opened.

speedy1 · 24 Aug 2026

This is still the average auto announcement experience on most journeys IIRC:

"For your safety and security, this train is fitted with CCTV. Please keep your belongings with you and insight at all times. If you notice anything suspicious, speak to a member of staff or text the British transport police on 61016. If you see it, say it and we'll sort it"

"If you have an advance purchase ticket, please note, these are only valid for the service shown on the reservation. If you are travelling on a different service, you will be required to pay an additional charge. If you are unsure, please speak to a member of staff"

"Please keep aisles free of luggage and use the overhead racks provided. Seats should be kept free of luggage for people to use"

"Welcome to this TransPennine Express service to XX:XX to Manchester Piccadilly, calling at..." (2 or 3 times before departure, then immediately after departure)

"If you are leaving the train, take a moment to check you have everything with you. Don't forget any bags or cases in the luggage rack or under seats and retain your tickets as they may be required when exiting this station.

"Thank you for travelling with us at TransPennine Express and we hope you have a great onward journey"

"Please mind the step down from the train onto the platform as it is larger than usual at this station and use the handrails provided"

"First class accommodation is available on this train, located in coach K and is for the use of first class ticket holders only"

I did get on a train the other day that had no announcements. I assumed something was broken more than TPE doing A/B tests or a trial though.

matthewjohnson · 24 Aug 2026

It seems rather too enthusiastic to be going to Hull, and that's even as a proud resident and advocate of the much maligned city!

ENC Rail · 24 Aug 2026

I've always liked the TPE announcements so I think its a shame they are changing.

Saying that, this is the first I've heard about TPE changing their announcements so I'll have to listen to the new one before I say its a bad thing!

Looks like I'll have to have a trip on my favourite TOC soon... :lol:

Hullbloke · 25 Aug 2026

matthewjohnson said:
It seems rather too enthusiastic to be going to Hull, and that's even as a proud resident and advocate of the much maligned city!

I've heard this dozens of times by now but it's always a source of amusement for those hearing him for the first time.

WolvertonWorks · 25 Aug 2026

I was on the 11:10 TPE (1M86) from Glasgow yesterday morning. We arrived at Preston and then waited ... train manager came on to say that a passenger had been taken ill on a train between Manchster Piccadilly and Manchester airport meaning congestion in the Manchester area. After about twenty minutes we set off again.

Then as we were coming in to Piccadilly what sounded like an automated announcement said the train was terminating at Piccadilly quickly followed by the train manager apologising that the announcement had played before he was aware of the termination and confirming for those passengers intending to go to the airport that yes the train was terminating.

Old Yard Dog · 25 Aug 2026

On a stopping TPE on Saturday, I was amused to hear an announcement by an AI lady with a very plummy voice say “Slough-it” more or less correctly.

YorksLad12 · 25 Aug 2026

The new announcements have been around for a while. I'll admit to missing the familiarity of the previous one, and my dislike of "be the voice of our trains"-style programmes. See also: Northern.

There are so many announcements on TPE that, when leaving Huddersfield towards Leeds, they were still going strong past Deighton.

Fokx · 25 Aug 2026

Old Yard Dog said:
On a stopping TPE on Saturday, I was amused to hear an announcement by an AI lady with a very plummy voice say “Slough-it” more or less correctly.

That would have been the guard. :lol:

AI isn't used for announcements onboard

Parallel · 25 Aug 2026

Old Yard Dog said:
On a stopping TPE on Saturday, I was amused to hear an announcement by an AI lady with a very plummy voice say “Slough-it” more or less correctly.

Was this at the station? Northern use the voice of Celia Drummond at their stations which matches this description. She is not AI but a real voice, sadly now deceased.

oldman · 25 Aug 2026

matthewjohnson said:
It seems rather too enthusiastic to be going to Hull, and that's even as a proud resident and advocate of the much maligned city!

I heard something similar with Dunbar, to general amusement. I guess they had been correctly told that the emphasis is on the second syllable but overdid it.

sjm77 · Sunday at 10:42

I love the Northern C195 anouncements on the Calder Valley route, "This is the Northern train t'LEEEEDS"

speedy1 · Sunday at 10:43

sjm77 said:
I love the Northern C195 anouncements on the Calder Valley route, "This is the Northern train t'LEEEEDS"

Much better than that posh bird at Northern stations: "1830 service to LEEEs"

CaptainHaddock · Sunday at 14:19

speedy1 said:
This is still the average auto announcement experience on most journeys IIRC:

"For your safety and security, this train is fitted with CCTV. Please keep your belongings with you and insight at all times. If you notice anything suspicious, speak to a member of staff or text the British transport police on 61016. If you see it, say it and we'll sort it"

"If you have an advance purchase ticket, please note, these are only valid for the service shown on the reservation. If you are travelling on a different service, you will be required to pay an additional charge. If you are unsure, please speak to a member of staff"

"Please keep aisles free of luggage and use the overhead racks provided. Seats should be kept free of luggage for people to use"

"Welcome to this TransPennine Express service to XX:XX to Manchester Piccadilly, calling at..." (2 or 3 times before departure, then immediately after departure)

"If you are leaving the train, take a moment to check you have everything with you. Don't forget any bags or cases in the luggage rack or under seats and retain your tickets as they may be required when exiting this station.

"Thank you for travelling with us at TransPennine Express and we hope you have a great onward journey"

"Please mind the step down from the train onto the platform as it is larger than usual at this station and use the handrails provided"

"First class accommodation is available on this train, located in coach K and is for the use of first class ticket holders only"

I did get on a train the other day that had no announcements. I assumed something was broken more than TPE doing A/B tests or a trial though.

All information that the average passenger either knows already or doesn't need to know.

I heard the new TPE announcement on a Doncaster Sheffield 185 yesterday and I feel they've totally missed the point. Instead of having the same barrage of announcements in a different voice why didn't they use the opportunity to cut out all the irrelevance and stick to just telling passengers what train it is and where it's stopping?

TUC · Sunday at 17:36

CaptainHaddock said:
All information that the average passenger either knows already or doesn't need to know.

I heard the new TPE announcement on a Doncaster Sheffield 185 yesterday and I feel they've totally missed the point. Instead of having the same barrage of announcements in a different voice why didn't they use the opportunity to cut out all the irrelevance and stick to just telling passengers what train it is and where it's stopping?

The only three which are potentially helpful are:
* Welcome to this TransPennine Express service to XX:XX to Manchester Piccadilly, calling at..."

* "Please mind the step down from the train onto the platform as it is larger than usual at this station"

* "First class accommodation is available on this train, located in coach K"

185143 · 2026-08-31T07:31:18+0100

TUC said:
The only three which are potentially helpful are:
* Welcome to this TransPennine Express service to XX:XX to Manchester Piccadilly, calling at..."

*="Please mind the step down from the train onto the platform as it is larger than usual at this station"

* "First class accommodation is available on this train, located in coach K"

Which TPE service has a coach K? I'd assume a 10 car 397 but I'm pretty sure there has never been a 10 car 397 in passenger service. Despite the internal signage being set up to facilitate it!

speedy1 · 2026-08-31T07:48:10+0100

185143 said:
Which TPE service has a coach K? I'd assume a 10 car 397 but I'm pretty sure there has never been a 10 car 397 in passenger service. Despite the internal signage being set up to facilitate it!

You got me detective - I confess, I made up all the announcements!

I had used the "TPE soundboard" website to jog my memory of the wording. The data is sourced from an FoI request so I guess they recorded more than they needed

thelongestroad · 2026-08-31T11:26:48+0100

Are there any clips of the new voices?

RealTrains07 · 2026-08-31T12:47:01+0100

I do wonder why this change was brought about in the first place?

The previous announcements were far better and more clear. Though granted they are used on other first group run operators so was this just a move to remove any lasting remnants of first group from tpe?

Fokx · 2026-08-31T15:25:14+0100

RealTrains07 said:
I do wonder why this change was brought about in the first place?

The previous announcements were far better and more clear. Though granted they are used on other first group run operators so was this just a move to remove any lasting remnants of first group from tpe?

Branding and marketing as part of the "we're going places" campaign l.

The company wanted authentic sounding voices that reflect the type of staff announcements that you'd typically hear onboard, rather than the more serious tone of the previous announcements.

josh-j · 2026-08-31T15:31:21+0100

I do think they've achieved that actually, it's what I like about the new announcements compared to the old ones.

Fokx said:
Branding and marketing as part of the "we're going places" campaign l.

The company wanted authentic sounding voices that reflect the type of staff announcements that you'd typically hear onboard, rather than the more serious tone of the previous announcements.

voyagerdude220 · 2026-08-31T15:40:11+0100

On the recordings I've heard of one of the new announcements (I think it was on a 185) I thought the announcement was made far too quickly.

Fokx · 2026-08-31T15:44:52+0100

voyagerdude220 said:
On the recordings I've heard of one of the new announcements (I think it was on a 185) I thought the announcement was made far too quickly

From the opinion of someone who works on them, the tone feels 'normal' in person, but I do talk rather quickly myself

Unless you're going towards Hull which is announced rather enthusiastically :lol:

Transpenine Express new onboard announcements

Established Member

RailUK Forums

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

New Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member