Automated Announcements

[Aictos]

Some trains don't even get advertised anymore, the 0550 Hertford North to Stevenage via Watton At Stone is advertised as the 0640 Hertford North to Stevenage via Watton At Stone.

The writing on the old VDU screens is illegible so sadly it seems it's better to turn off the GN screens until such a time arrives that the problems have been ironed out, might not be the best solution but gives ATOS and FCC some breathing space to get the system working properly.

 

[thefab444]

On a slightly different note, here's some archive clips I stumbled across earlier of the ridiculously posh male voice used on some Southeastern stations, in this case Herne Hill.

Watch out, it's a bit loud.

 

[Via Bank]

Was at Woking today, and the "stopping service" rule seems to have been implemented across the network now. Expresses are still announced as the "xx:yy South West Trains service to Z."

As I said, it's an improvement, but I can't help but feel that stations like Woking, Surbiton and Clapham Junction, especially during peak times, could do with a system similar to the old system at London Bridge. Namely, it'd be useful if there were a way of beating Ditra into saying things to the effect of:

• The train now at Platform One is the stopping service to London Waterloo, calling at West Byfleet, Surbiton, Clapham Junction and Waterloo. This train is the stopping service; the next fast service departs over the footbridge from Platform Two in three minutes.
• This train at Platform Two is for London Waterloo only, Waterloo only. Customers for Clapham Junction, please remain on Platform Two.
• The next stopping service to London Waterloo departs from Platform Three. Over the footbridge and to the end of the platform, please, for the next service to West Byfleet, Byfleet and New Haw, etc.

Of course, such a system is unlikely until the software gets an upgrade, but it'd certainly be useful at stations with a mix of stoppers and expresses leaving every few minutes.

 

[313103]

Still no announcement at Clapham Junction for Imperial Wharf............................... Now been one year since that station opened.

 

[alexdodds]

The system that is being installed at a number of (mostly small for now) Scotrail stations is Ditra.

Update: Perth station now has an automated PA system with the usual Scottish woman although she sounds a bit fuzzy because of the speakers.

I bet Aberdeen will follow next.

 

[12CSVT]

Eaglescliffe on Thursday 11th November - waiting for 1406 Sunderland (possibly the last ever time I would travel on a Valenta engined HST).

1404 - The 1406 to Sunderland is announced
1408 - points are still set for the Darlington line
1412 - points set for Northallerton line, but......
1414 - Class 185 with Manchester Airport - Middlesborough passes through (no 'stand clear' announcement)
1418 - points set for Darlington line again and Saltburn service announced
1421 - Saltburn service arrives & departs right time
1440 - The 1406 to Sunderland finally arrives (no further announcement)

 

[Jordy]

The system at Eaglescliffe is a very old Ditra - don't expect it to be particularly reliable!

 

[thefab444]

Sounds like it runs purely based on a timer, rather than actual real time running information/track circuit reports.

 

[gogogoadam]

Hi All

This is my first post on here, and I am loving this thread !

I have a few points and questions for discussion....

1. I really love the noise used on Southern stations (particularly East Croydon) to announce a fast train coming through. (toot toot toot toooot !) I am desparately trying to get a recording of it, can anyone please help?

2. My favourite voiceover woman is definitely 'Ruth' from ex Wessex and still in use on ATW and some FGW stations. Does anyone know if she is being upgraded to the horrendous 'NR' woman who announces at Paddington and other places? The old help point at Bedminster has been changed from Ruth to her ! Bah !!

3. Thanks for all the postings people have made, very enjoyable !

Thanks !

Adam

 

[159jim]

Yep, Annoying Annes replacing Ruth on the FGW.

But in wales, Ruth stays put.

 

[Ibex]

gogogoadam, I believe the fast train chime you're referring to is this? Not my recording, I have a very very strong feeling it was Jordy? Credit to him if so.

 

[Via Bank]

The "fast train approaching" chimes seem to be generated by the PIS screens, and not Ditra: on SWT, we have a completely-different three-note chime that also plays when a correction is displayed on the screen.

At smaller stations (Frimley, for example) this becomes more noticeable: Phil will announce to "stand well away from the edge of Platform One," and then around thirty seconds later the screen will update to display the warning message, and chime.

(This can cause quite ugly clashes at larger SWT stations, where Ditra also makes its own chimes before "stand well away" announcements.) If I had it my way, there'd be different chimes for each sort of announcement, but that's just me. It'd definitely compensate for the bizarre lack of "the train now standing..." on SWT's systems.

Also, am I right in saying that Atos nabbed a deal, a while back, for use across all FirstGroup-managed stations? This raises a question: if Atos Anne's suicidal tones are being rolled out across their network, why is Ditra being installed at a few stations in Scotland? (I'm not complaining, but... :P)

 

[londonmidland]

Who is doing this annoucement at Edinburgh, sounds like Sarah/Anne. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyAg2MJBnRs&feature=sub
Skip to 0:47 in the video.

 

[thefab444]

That's the station manager Juliet Donnachie who provided the voice samples for the Atos system at Waverley. I guess Sarah was considered too obnoxiously English for EDB!

 

[alexdodds]

I was at Leeds on xmas eve and now the jingle used whenever staff make an announcement has been replaced with the same 2 tone sound heard at stations like Carlisle, Preston, Rugby etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4okdJXfxoY

You can hear it at 03:09

 

[whhistle]

Aaah yes, "removed without warning", that's the usual one these days, isn't it?

One of the announcers at Rugby still says this.
Although surely the announcement itself is a warning? :roll:

 

[londonmidland]

Does East Midlands Parkway have the "Stand well back" announcement? Are the announcements done by Sarah/Anne?

 

[Ibex]

East Midlands Parkway has Anne, and uses "The train now approaching platform X does not stop here. Please stand well clear of the edge of platform X."

 

[jon0844]

Or at Finsbury Park; 'The train now approaching platform X does not stop here. Does not stop here. Platform X.' (which I thought they'd fixed but it was doing it again not long before Christmas).

 

[Aictos]

Or at Finsbury Park; 'The train now approaching platform X does not stop here. Does not stop here. Platform X.' (which I thought they'd fixed but it was doing it again not long before Christmas).

I think that's at all stations, I was on the Letchworth to Cambridge branch on Saturday and it was announcing that for every non stop Kings Lynn flier.

 

[londonmidland]

I might go to East Midlands Parkway tomorrow .

 

[jon0844]

I think that's at all stations, I was on the Letchworth to Cambridge branch on Saturday and it was announcing that for every non stop Kings Lynn flier.

Hatfield says it okay, and always has. Finsbury Park did seem to correct it but then I heard it wrong again recently! Unlike the old system, it says it quite a while in advance (30 seconds?) then once again when the train is approaching. Of course, when the data is delayed - as is often the case - the second announcement can start during or after the train goes through. Perhaps that's why there's the advanced announcement?

If, therefore, FCC has acknowledged there's a problem with the data being passed to them from the track circuits, for whatever reason (and it seems nobody can yet have figured out what the problem is) then it makes even less sense to just have the one single announcement per train.

The problem at Hatfield is the volume is still too low - and the screen on platform 1 no longer works at all. Given you get only one chance to hear what the approaching train is (or the train already there and about to go if it's delayed) it is pretty useless.

Rather than attack the staff, the media should perhaps concentrate on things like this - as these are very valid complaints to make about the railway, and I know that people working for FCC (yourself included, from what you've said before) hate it because they have to deal with the complaints, as well as correct people who get misinformed by the system when it - regularly - gets it all wrong.

 

[londonmidland]

Went to Milton Keynes Central instead of of East Midlands Parkway. Something I noticed is that after the train annoucement (Virgin Trains to London Euston), Anne says this, "Please note that tickets marked London Midland are not valid on this service". I have never heard this at Nuneaton and thats just down the line, is this an new "addon"?

 

[The Barlow Boy]

Cracker of an automated announcement this afternoon whilst waiting at Gatwick Airport for a train to Horley. After telling us that the next train at platform one would be the 15.23 for London Bridge calling at............... we were then told that there are connections at London Bridge for City Thameslink, Farringdon, St. Pancras, St. Albans etc.
Er, that'll be the four times an hour train off platform four at Gatwick Airport then.
How to confuse and annoy passengers in one fell swoop.

 

[NXEA!]

http://www.acapela-group.com/text-to-speech-interactive-demo.html
Select Rachel from the drop down list and you can make your own STJ style announcements, it's the same program used!

Thats a useful link, thanks. Is there anyway you can save the announcements you make yourself?

 

[londonmidland]

Which one's Anne? lol

 

[Aictos]

If anyone thinks Anne is annoying, has anyone heard the newish announcements at Kings Cross concerning the new automatic ticket gates and Platform 0 - believe it or not, as much grief as Anne gets from everyone, I prefer her tones to these announcements.

 

[Fred26]

They are rubbish. Hopefully they won't last long.

 

[WestCoast]

If anyone thinks Anne is annoying, has anyone heard the newish announcements at Kings Cross concerning the new automatic ticket gates and Platform 0 - believe it or not, as much grief as Anne gets from everyone, I prefer her tones to these announcements.

I don't think Anne is annoying, she just sounds a bit bored compared to Phil and Celia plus I don't think her announcements flow all that well.

What sort of wording is used in the new announcement at Kings Cross?

 

[londonmidland]

Do you get the announcement "Ticket checks are in operation at this station, please have your ticket available for inspection" at London Kings Cross?