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Strange/unusual/rare destinations programmed in the PIS

TheHovisKid

Member
Joined
9 Sep 2008
Messages
308
Location
Heysham
Kind of the opposite, but in my misspent youth, the blind I was winding on a 101 headed back to Yorkshire wasn't forthcoming, ending with a white blank and biro saying
NO LEEDS
NO COLNE
NO BANANAS
 
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RailUK Forums

Rail2002

Member
Joined
9 Aug 2026
Messages
15
Location
Eccleston Park
Class 180s have the former First Great Western destinations programmed in to the system. I recall being on a train from Hull to London King's Cross and as we approached Selby, the automatic announcements started playing saying that we were approaching Yatton and then Weston Milton (Somerset!).
 

45Fox

Member
Joined
17 May 2022
Messages
150
Location
Leicester
I remember, years back now, seeing a photo in a book of a class 321 electric unit (I think it was one of the West Yorkshire 321/9s) showing 'Giggleswick' on the front destination display.
 

170399

Member
Joined
24 Apr 2007
Messages
81
Location
Norwich
They certainly did have Ashby de la Zouch. They also had Coalville. They had a few places that didnt have stations. If you selected 398 it came up as Hereford North. Im sure it shouldve been Hertford North. If you selected 998 it would scroll thro everything in the directory. Each destination remaining on screen for about 20 seconds or so. It would take almost 2 hours to go thro the lot.
DSCF5703.JPG

158777 was showing Ashby-De-La-Zouch when it arrived into Norwich back in 2014.
 

childwallblues

Established Member
Joined
3 Jul 2014
Messages
3,824
Location
Liverpool, UK
In the early 2000s when Liverpool crews still signed 158s I went home to Broad Green from Lime Street. The conductor who was a bit of a joker said that he could not find Warrington Bank Quay in the PIS so he put the nearest one to it which was Wick.
 

Purple Train

Established Member
Joined
16 Jul 2022
Messages
2,448
Location
Despond
At Reading on Sunday, 159019 at the rear correctly displayed its destination as Salisbury. On observing 158883 at the front it was something of a surprise to see it claiming to go to Bentley!
 

Transilien

Member
Joined
10 Mar 2024
Messages
733
Location
Ayrshire
I remember, years back now, seeing a photo in a book of a class 321 electric unit (I think it was one of the West Yorkshire 321/9s) showing 'Giggleswick' on the front destination display.
The 321s as built had LCD front displays, just like the 158s. Could this mean that they had the same destinations programmed?
 
Joined
1 Sep 2018
Messages
489
Location
Malvern to Minffordd
Class 196s can have most WMT ECS services recognised by the TCMS..

Images attached show calls on the PIS screens as Malvern Wells and Worcester Middle Siding in addition to public stops. Any scheduled stop on an ECS will show up.
 

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DeeperMadness

Member
Joined
21 May 2026
Messages
6
Location
Greater London
Not sure if this is exactly the correct place to post it, but I did happen to spot a Class 720 rolling through Turkey Street this afternoon for some reason.


i haven't seen anything saying why it was there, but it did remind me of when the old GA 317s would occasionally go by.
 

Krystal

Member
Joined
12 Aug 2025
Messages
122
Location
Suburbia London
Not sure if this is exactly the correct place to post it, but I did happen to spot a Class 720 rolling through Turkey Street this afternoon for some reason.
720s down Turkey Street aren't the rarest things in the world. During stupid o'clock (or during diversions) trains sometimes go via Seven Sisters via the Weaver Line (including Turkey Street) instead of the regular route via Tottenham Hale. Or, it's an ECS move that runs via that way, which again isn't the rarest thing in the world.
 

Dave W

Member
Joined
27 Sep 2019
Messages
877
Location
North London
720s down Turkey Street aren't the rarest things in the world. During stupid o'clock (or during diversions) trains sometimes go via Seven Sisters via the Weaver Line (including Turkey Street) instead of the regular route via Tottenham Hale. Or, it's an ECS move that runs via that way, which again isn't the rarest thing in the world.
They're not all that rare, especially on diversion... but this one was a bit odd. It ran as 2Z04 non stop to Hertford East (except what looks like a stop to wait for a gap at Theobalds Grove). Bring back GA calls to Edmonton Green, I say... They'd be chuffing handy in a morning!
 

DeeperMadness

Member
Joined
21 May 2026
Messages
6
Location
Greater London
They're not all that rare, especially on diversion... but this one was a bit odd. It ran as 2Z04 non stop to Hertford East (except what looks like a stop to wait for a gap at Theobalds Grove). Bring back GA calls to Edmonton Green, I say... They'd be chuffing handy in a morning!
My best guess is that it was done to give an extra service from Hertford East later on. Although why it was just one five-coach unit, I'm not sure. Perhaps its usual partner is getting painted in the new livery? Waiting at Theobald's Grove makes a bit more sense, as it probably needed to wait before it could use the Cheshunt junction.

And I'm completely with you about a more frequent service at Edmonton Green! And if they send some 720s, we might finally get a seat. :D
 

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