Automated Announcements

[robert2000]

ATW class 175 chimes are awesome lol

 

[route101]

Chimes are great . Used to love them on the WCML MK 3s . Also i love the Eastern European chimes , Prague Holesviece my fav along with Budapest Keleti.

 

[Aictos]

I love the chimes on the East Coast HSTs, would really love to get them to use them as a email alert

 

[jon0844]

Just quickly, who does the ATOS Origin announcements seeing as by the end of September both FCC routes will have this system in place rather then the existing Ditra and Funkwerk systems.

And by the way, I'm not 100% sure on the existing system that Moorgate GN uses but thankfully it still has chimes

I heard Phil doing the different safety announcement at Old Street (FCC platforms) for the first time last week (the one that says unattended bags may be removed by security forces, as against removed without warning) and it was very clear now they've got the new speakers installed.

However, this announcement also existed in the ticket hall for ages - so I doubt this is the new FCC system, but perhaps whatever London Underground uses - and now it's linked to the FCC platforms. Maybe the same for Moorgate?

 

[bengley]

Phil does a security announcement at Finchley Road met too.

 

[Ibex]

Same for Euston. I'd imagine thats just a generic clip for LUL.

 

[thefab444]

Two clips from Southampton Central, featuring a correction, and the system interupting itself during a delay announcement. Copyright, as ever, remains with Ditra Systems and Celia Drummond.

 

[mathmo]

Anne is now in use at Cambridge and you cannot hear her properly in some areas of the platforms - especially the open-air sections of 1&2. I do find her rather annoying!

I'm sad to hear that the old Cambridge woman has gone - what was her name? She always used to sound very "proper" and nothing else really came close (though overall I do prefer Phil).

 

[thefab444]

The previous voice at Cambridge was that of Celia Drummond.

 

[455driver]

"This train divides at xxx with the first 4 coaches going to yyy and the last 4 going to zzz. Please make sure you are in the correct coach" .... time and time again. Derrrrrr, thank you for that last statement of the obvious.

Well people STILL end up in the wrong coach so SOME people need more than that!
I do wonder how some people get through the day sometimes

 

[Aictos]

Well people STILL end up in the wrong coach so SOME people need more than that!
I do wonder how some people get through the day sometimes

This is true, I worked at Royston one evening when you get some 8 car 317s which split there with only the front 4 working onto Cambridge with the rear 4 either ECS to either Kings Cross or Hornsey.

You would be surprised by the number of people who think the whole 8 cars are going onto Cambridge and have to ushered onto the front 4 regardless if any announcements are made.

 

[philjo]

the 16:32 KX-Cambridge divides at Letchworth Garden city. it is formed of 2 365 units, so passengers can't walk through so have to go along the platform at Letchworth. Regulars know that it divides (so on arrival the rear 2 coaches are mainly passengers wanting Letchworth as these are nearest the steps) but often there are several people still sitting in the rear unit at Letchworth. the on-board announcements can vary in length & volume - some days there is plenty of warning, others the announcement is inaudible.

I have seen confusion at Cambridge on occasions. Several of the evening peak services from KX arrive as 8 car & split. the front 4 coaches go onto Kings Lynn & the rear 4 coaches form the next service non-stop back to KX.
Passengers waiting to board at Cambridge hear the "Kings" on the announcement but don't always distinguish between Lynn and Cross. both units are in the same platform but will now go in different directions (usually platform 4).

 

[MCR247]

We should get chimes like this in England!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bobmqeNirU

 

[159jim]

Basingstoke now has first class announcements done by Phil.

 

[Aictos]

Just spent two days in Bristol and wow, if only I had the same setup on all FCC stations that Reading, Bristol Temple Meads, Bristol Parkway has

One thing about the chimes though, do they really annoy people when they go off prior to announcements or do they make you take more notice of the announcements?

Anyway, as much as I love the ATOS Origin chimes and the HST chimes, I do love the SNCF chime which is uber cool!

 

[159jim]

Guys, look at this vid!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kymqE3altu4

 

[Bittern]

I love the chime on the ScotRail 170s. Very classy.

 

[Ibex]

Just spent two days in Bristol and wow, if only I had the same setup on all FCC stations that Reading, Bristol Temple Meads, Bristol Parkway has

One thing about the chimes though, do they really annoy people when they go off prior to announcements or do they make you take more notice of the announcements?

Anyway, as much as I love the ATOS Origin chimes and the HST chimes, I do love the SNCF chime which is uber cool!

I think it depends really, if its a station that only uses chimes for manual / special announcements I take more notice but for somewhere like Clapham it just sounds like a drone in the back of your head after 5 minutes.

What exactly is the ATOS chime? I don't ever recall hearing a chime on an ATOS CIS and our LICC at my work has no option to use a chime

 

[thefab444]

In other news, I've got in contact with SWT about the changes to the announcements Clapham Junction; in about a month I'll get a reply, hopefully with some changes made.

Just a quick update on this. After a month with no reply I decided to take things further and sent off an email to the MD of SWT. His PA very quickly passed my email on to a Senior Customer Relations person, who has yet to reply a week on! If nothing happens by the end of this week further prodding will have to occur.

With regards to chimes, personally I think they should be used for train pre-arrival announcements, and delay/cancellation announcements, but nothing else e.g. only for the important "listen here" stuff.

 

[dan_atki]

Guys, look at this vid!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kymqE3altu4

This 'phenomenon' appears to be a fault with the Southern help points. In all cases of a train being cancelled, it will announce the next arrival is a 'First Great Western Atlantic Coast Express' - the Summer only M-F 0906 and S 1135 Paddington to Newquay with M-F return at 1500 and S 1122.

Another interesting thing occurs with 'This service is expected to arrive at xx00 hours'. I won't ruin the surprise, but anybody who is local to a Southern station with one of those help points and with a train timed at xx00, go and activate it .

This is confirmation that Ditra does handle named trains like the Wessex system does. Just a shame FGW doesn't utilise it...

 

[AutoKratz]

http://southtpe.co.uk/uk_announce/hex/1223-Newcastle.mp3

'Proodo' Phill? Its pronounced Pruda, although spelt Prudhoe. You'd think they'd check how to pronounce station names. Sheesh

 

[142094]

One of them pronounces it Prodhoue. At least the announcements at Central are right.

 

[thefab444]

Just a quick update on this. After a month with no reply I decided to take things further and sent off an email to the MD of SWT. His PA very quickly passed my email on to a Senior Customer Relations person, who has yet to reply a week on! If nothing happens by the end of this week further prodding will have to occur.

Final update, SWT have replied and tell me that the pre-arrival announcements at Clapham Junction have now been restored, as have the London Overground announcements on platform 2. They claim my original email was lost, but as they have at last taken action on the issue I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

EDIT: Whilst I'm here, I also contacted Southern about the speakers at East Croydon - this should be rectified soon apparently.

 

[313103]

Final update, SWT have replied and tell me that the pre-arrival announcements at Clapham Junction have now been restored, as have the London Overground announcements on platform 2. They claim my original email was lost, but as they have at last taken action on the issue I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

EDIT: Whilst I'm here, I also contacted Southern about the speakers at East Croydon - this should be rectified soon apparently.

Yes the announcements have returned back to the London Overground platform, but guess what 'IMPERIAL WHARF' is STILL omitted!.

 

[Any Permitted]

Since everyone seems to be being so pro-active I'm going to email NXEA to ask them to turn down the volume on the announcements in the waiting rooms at Ipswich. Every time one went off last night it deafened me and gave me a fright.

We should get chimes like this in England!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bobmqeNirU

Haha funny how that 5 seconds of chime brings back such strong memories of Paris.

 

[thefab444]

Since everyone seems to be being so pro-active I'm going to email NXEA to ask them to turn down the volume on the announcements in the waiting rooms at Ipswich. Every time one went off last night it deafened me and gave me a fright.

This is not a good idea. If you do this then I also shall email, and ask for the volume to be restored.

 

[Aictos]

This is not a good idea. If you do this then I also shall email, and ask for the volume to be restored.

And I shall ask them to ignore both emails just to wind you two up, ha ha ha!!!

No seriously, if it's one thing I don't like is having the PA on quiet as if I can't heard a announcement how do I expect my beloved passengers to also hear them?

 

[thefab444]

And I shall ask them to ignore both emails just to wind you two up, ha ha ha!!!

Well, if they ignore both emails then that suits me fine!

No seriously, if it's one thing I don't like is having the PA on quiet as if I can't heard a announcement how do I expect my beloved passengers to also hear them?

Agreed.

 

[Aictos]

Well I've got three handbooks at work, nothing like being prepared when it comes to announcing especially when you know there's a certain announcement you know you need to use and it's only in one of the handbooks.

One thing that certainly true is practice makes perfect but so is styling my announcements on the booking office clerk in Oh Doctor Beeching although I'm glad I don't actually sound like her!

 

[159jim]

Soory to dig this forum up but is the some kind of archive anywhee where I can find lots of different sound files used in announcements?