Automated Announcements

[causton]

Indeed. It must be that the other systems have had some sort of proper installation and FCC said "Installation? We can do that ourselves to save a bit of cash" and it hasn't really worked... that's the only thing I can think of. Or the work experience boy installed it all!

 

[jon0844]

Maybe the same person who installed and set it up is also responsible for FCC's use of social media!

Actually, that's a little unfair as after my question on the forum recently, they've begun to use it and now appear to reply to comments! Mind you it is just one person, and only between 9-5 but it's one small step...

What they'll soon realise is that when people moan about FCC and get a reply, they'll probably find the general opinion of the company rockets.

http://twitter.com/#!/firstcc

 

[Aictos]

Indeed BUT it is a step in the right direction, given time it ought to be effective

 

[causton]

I was amazed at this, following rtfirstcc which retweets all tweets about/to FCC - and it was retweeting actual replies! It's actually a positive forward step, but not as good as London Midland yet

 

[142]

Recorded a Wessex Trains announcement on board a FGW 150 earlier, for those who are interested the link is below to the recording. Not very often you hear these any more! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAcIHHaijNo

 

[announcements]

Excellent find 142!

Does anyone know if the announcements on-board Transpennine Express trains are text-to-speech? I only ask because the messages sound so disjointed.

 

[Jordy]

No they are pre recorded.

 

[BestWestern]

Recorded a Wessex Trains announcement on board a FGW 150 earlier, for those who are interested the link is below to the recording. Not very often you hear these any more! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAcIHHaijNo

Many of the ex-Wessex units still have the auto-announcer box fitted in the cabs. The only regular use they get is on those sets where it still plays the automatic safety announcement, but the whole range of messages is still available, having never been updated or deleted. From memory they can do ticket check, remove luggage from seats, and a Wales & Borders version of your Alphaline announcement, maybe one or two others as well. If you're ever on my train I'll happily give them all a go!

 

[gogogoadam]

Recorded a Wessex Trains announcement on board a FGW 150 earlier, for those who are interested the link is below to the recording. Not very often you hear these any more! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAcIHHaijNo

That is amazing ! Interesting though as 150s were never actually 'Alphaline' although they did get used enough on those services, nightmare, especially Milford Haven to Brighton!

Regarding the automated safety announcement, is this triggered automatically by the driver/guard? I hear it every week on 150s and pacers on my journeys to work.

You gotta love Ruth!

Adam

 

[BestWestern]

That is amazing ! Interesting though as 150s were never actually 'Alphaline' although they did get used enough on those services, nightmare, especially Milford Haven to Brighton!

Regarding the automated safety announcement, is this triggered automatically by the driver/guard? I hear it every week on 150s and pacers on my journeys to work.

You gotta love Ruth!

Adam

The auto-announcer kit is generic and loaded with both Alphaline and local versions, hence the Alphaline garb on a 150. They still appear on the Brighton runs and on Cardiff - Portsmouth when 158s are in short supply, and they're still not very popular when that happens!

The automatic safety announcement is not triggered by anybody on the train, it works all by itself and has something to do with the doors being released and then closed, though there is no obvious pattern to it so I don't know exactly what the settings are.

 

[PR1Berske]

Anyone heard the tributes to whoever the "Peckummmmmmmm Rye" guy is on 6Music's Adam & Joe show>

 

[thefab444]

And still we have no Imperial Wharf at Clapham Junction! Amazing situation this is as it use to announce Sheperds Bush 6 months before it opened, but cant get Imperial Wharf for 15 months now and still counting. As an aside it also keeps saying that the train is formed of 3 coaches! Wrong all London Overground services are 4 coaches.

Now we are in a period of Austerity we may have to wait until those measures have been sorted before we can hear Imperial Wharf.

Update on the above situation.

I eventually emailed SWT about this and a few other CLJ issues a month and a half ago, and as usual for them received absolutely no reply (they must 'lose' all CIS related emails!), so I forwarded my email on to management yesterday and they have now promised to rectify these problems as soon as possible.

Hopefully Imperial Wharf should appear soon!

 

[jon0844]

Your letter to South West Trains is in a tray. Unfortunately it has been delayed due to incompetence. Thank you for your patience.

 

[thefab444]

If sender = (me) Then email = binned.

 

[announcements]

Regarding Clapham Junction's announcements:

Originally in the 1980s the Clapham Junction platforms were voiced by Angela Peberdy, Robert Lister and platform 14 was announced by Liz Crowther; these were all on Infomat taped systems. From 1990 onward, Julie Berry replaced Liz at platform 14 in solid state and Robert Lister's tape recordings were transferred to solid state on all other platforms (Angela Peberdy's recordings were not retained).

However, a Ditra system must have arrived soon after as heard in this 1993 recording (3:16-3:48). Why was a Ditra system installed so soon after the Infomat system's conversion to solid-state? Obviously the Ditra voices are different now as Phil and Celia have been recording since 1996.

 

[thefab444]

That announcement is from London Bridge not Clapham Junction.

Clapham Junction had Infomat announcements until 2002 when the Ditra system was installed.

 

[announcements]

That announcement is from London Bridge not Clapham Junction.

Clapham Junction had Infomat announcements until 2002 when the Ditra system was installed.

Ah - my mistake. Thanks

---

This part of the post is in relation to the class 450 in this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mkd51QJwVM

Is it just me or does "London Underground Services" sound like it has been slotted in by a different voice-over artist? I am convinced it is Emma Hignett (voice of iBus and London Overground) rather than Celia Drummond.

 

[thefab444]

Is it just me or does "London Underground Services" sound like it has been slotted in by a different voice-over artist?

Just you - it sounds like Celia Drummond to me! Possibly recorded at a different time to the rest though.

 

[gogogoadam]

Regarding Clapham Junction's announcements:

Originally in the 1980s the Clapham Junction platforms were voiced by Angela Peberdy, Robert Lister and platform 14 was announced by Liz Crowther; these were all on Infomat taped systems. From 1990 onward, Julie Berry replaced Liz at platform 14 in solid state and Robert Lister's tape recordings were transferred to solid state on all other platforms (Angela Peberdy's recordings were not retained).

However, a Ditra system must have arrived soon after as heard in this 1993 recording (3:16-3:48). Why was a Ditra system installed so soon after the Infomat system's conversion to solid-state? Obviously the Ditra voices are different now as Phil and Celia have been recording since 1996.

A few questions on this one.

Is Robert Lister the one who did the announcements I recall in various places (CJ/Cannon Street) with the very posh voice? The announcements didn't have times of trains, only 'Platform 14, for the Reading service' etc etc.

I do remember these announcements and liked them at the time, does anyone have any recordings?

Thanks

Adam

 

[announcements]

Is Robert Lister the one who did the announcements I recall in various places (CJ/Cannon Street) with the very posh voice? The announcements didn't have times of trains, only 'Platform 14, for the Reading service' etc etc.

I do remember these announcements and liked them at the time, does anyone have any recordings?

Thanks

Adam

Drop me a PM if you would like some recordings He was definitely in use at Clapham Junction though not 100 per cent certain about Cannon Street. You may of course have also heard John Elgar (Ditra's original male voice) at some stations such as London Bridge. John Elgar can be heard in the following clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uefJAgjRDw (6:50 - 7:23)

 

[thefab444]

Lister was indeed at Cannon Street.

Most of the Infomat announcements did not feature times (as there was only limited space available), so were often worded "Platform 9 for the Poole service" or "The Poole service will leave from platform 9". However, a few stations had some 'timed' announcements for peak period workings, in particular Cannon Street and Waterloo East. Some of the machines were updated in the late 90s with TOC recordings; I've definately heard Robert Lister's "for the South West Trains service..." recording somewhere and also Angela Peberdy's "for the Network South Central service...".

Plenty of Robert Lister, as well as Julie Berry and Angela Peberdy clips can be found here, I assume these are the ones you were referring to Announcements?

 

[Jordy]

For anyone who isn't yet a member there is a specialised automated announcements section which you can apply to join at http://www.railforums.co.uk/profile.php?do=editusergroups

 

[announcements]

Plenty of Robert Lister, as well as Julie Berry and Angela Peberdy clips can be found here, I assume these are the ones you were referring to Announcements?

Indeed, they're the ones.

 

[317666]

Cambridge station used to have the DITRA system, which was installed in WAGN days, with the voice of Celia Drummond I believe. Until April 2010, when a new system was installed with the "Sarah" voice being used. The wording for the DITRA system was "The 08:32 service to London Liverpool Street will depart from Platform 2. Calling at Whittlesford, Audley End, Bishops Stortford, Sawbridgeworth, Harlow Town, Broxbourne, Cheshunt, Tottenham Hale and London Liverpool Street. The 08:32 service to London Liverpool Street will depart from Platform 2."

 

[142]

Just recorded the Dilton Marsh announcer earlier today, for those who want to listen to it, here it is!

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

 

[HST Power]

I never knew we had an 'automated annoucements' section! What other secrets does the forum hold?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Just recorded the Dilton Marsh announcer earlier today, for those who want to listen to it, here it is!

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

Hearing this announcement, with the female voice fading and then returning, puts me in mind on the sequence in the film "Singing in the Rain", when the studio changed to talking pictures. The microphone was in a bunch of flowers at the top of her dress and she was supposed to keep speaking into it, but she kept turning her head away when she was saying her lines in the script. The results were hilarious.

 

[Blindtraveler]

hST Power it does inded, ask jordy nicely and im sure hel let ya join us1

 

[Jordy]

I've already posted how to join a few posts above this one!

 

[alexdodds]

Celia has invaded the north east at i think most Northern Rail managed stations.

I ve heard her at the MetroCentre and Heworth stations so I can assume she will be heard at all the rest.