Automated announcements - customer sensibilities

[talltim]

At Chesterfield today trains were being delayed left right and centre. As well as XC running late due to 'planned engineering work', EMT were delayed due to 'an obstruction on the line' and Northern were cancelled due to a 'fatality'. However it turns out that the obstruction and fatality were the same thing.
Do Northern have a policy of being more northern and blunt with their automated announcements?

 

[michael769]

The other possibility, I guess is that it is down to the sensibilities of whoever selects the message.

 

[talltim]

BTW the National rail website also referred to a fatality

 

[tom1649]

I didn't know Chesterfield had gone automated. That's news to me.

 

[thefab444]

Yes, EMT are installing Atos's "Anne" system at all their major stations.

As for the varying delay reasons, these are entered manually by a person, in the case of Chesterfield it will be someone in EMT control. Maybe they just wanted a bit of variation, or the reasons were entered at different times. We often get that down here with "trespass on the line", "a suspected fatality", "a fatality", "an earlier fatality" etc.

 

[313103]

I like the one on London Overground. 'Ladies and Gentleman the xx.xx service to xxxxxx is being delayed this is due to a unknown reason which is currently under investigation'

 

[talltim]

I've noticed too, at Sheffield station, one of the TOC's announcements never seems to give a delay reason. I assume because they don't pass the reason on to EMT

 

[michael769]

I assume because they don't pass the reason on to EMT

Probably too busy wondering it is a large bird or a small bird.....

 

[Eeveevolve]

Probably too busy wondering it is a large bird or a small bird.....

Or a peacock....

 

[EM2]

I was under the impression that 'fatality' was not supposed to be used?
We (a Network Rail managed station) now refer to 'a person struck by a train' or 'a person under a train'.

 

[thefab444]

Depends on the TOC, SWT still use "fatality".

 

[Flamingo]

I can imagine the more "blunt" Northern announcements. Instead of "We are now arriving at our final stop, all change please", it's "We're 'ere, bugger off!"

 

[talltim]

I can imagine the more "blunt" Northern announcements. Instead of "We are now arriving at our final stop, all change please", it's "We're 'ere, bugger off!"

It would be "we're 'ere, bugger off luv"!

 

[Flamingo]

It would be "we're 'ere, bugger off luv"!

I'll bow to your superior knowledge and experience

 

[Tomonthetrain]

Probably too busy wondering it is a large bird or a small bird.....

Or a peacock....

Depending on the mass of it!

 

[IanXC]

It would be "we're 'ere, bugger off luv"!

Blimey that's a bit wordy! There's a guard who'll just say "cott" or "'ull", that's a proper Northern announcement!