Avanti take needless announcements to a new level

[voyagerdude220]

Heard an announcement today that the shop was unable to sell hot drinks as the train was too crowded.

Sometimes Avanti close the Shop due to overcrowding, which is understandable if there's no room for people to move freely around the train whilst trying to carry hot food and/or drink.

Similarly First Class has been known to have it's at seat service suspended if it's overcrowded in First.

 

[Broucek]

Heard an announcement today that the shop was unable to sell hot drinks as the train was too crowded.

That's a sensible announcement - stops people going to the buffet car for tea/coffee onlt to find none is available!

 

[Bikeman78]

Ian Walmsley has done an interesting piece in Modern Railways about the never ending warnings on the railway.

Yesterday, I had two periods of around 45 minutes at Glasgow Central. The public address almost never shuts up. All the time between train announcements is taken up with waffle, mostly about wet floors. They have two different messages including one about a sudden rise in temperature making the floor slippier (yes they really use that word) than usual. I'd hardly call a gradual rise from zero to four degrees over 12 hours a sudden rise. The reason the floor was wet was thousands of commuters walking on it. By 2100, it had dried out. The two messages often played one after another, every four or five minutes. There is also beware of station vehicles moving around, don't feed the pigeons, train doors shut early. The only positive is that SSS only seems to happen every 30 minutes.

 

[Russel]

Ian Walmsley has done an interesting piece in Modern Railways about the never ending warnings on the railway.

Yesterday, I had two periods of around 45 minutes at Glasgow Central. The public address almost never shuts up. All the time between train announcements is taken up with waffle, mostly about wet floors. They have two different messages including one about a sudden rise in temperature making the floor slippier (yes they really use that word) than usual. I'd hardly call a gradual rise from zero to four degrees over 12 hours a sudden rise. The reason the floor was wet was thousands of commuters walking on it. By 2100, it had dried out. The two messages often played one after another, every four or five minutes. There is also beware of station vehicles moving around, don't feed the pigeons, train doors shut early. The only positive is that SSS only seems to happen every 30 minutes.

In reality, these are all just H&S box ticking announcements that very few people actually pay attention to, which makes it all a bit pointless.

The wet floor announcements are a bit strange though, given it must have been raining outside of the station and the paving used around Glasgow is some of the most slippery I've ever known, what Glasgow City Council were thinking when they chose it, in a city known for rain, is beyond me!

 

[Bikeman78]

In reality, these are all just H&S box ticking announcements that very few people actually pay attention to, which makes it all a bit pointless.

The wet floor announcements are a bit strange though, given it must have been raining outside of the station and the paving used around Glasgow is some of the most slippery I've ever known, what Glasgow City Council were thinking when they chose it, in a city known for rain, is beyond me!

The pavements in Helensburgh were covered in ice. It had been frosty and then drizzled on the cold ground. At one point I was slowly sliding down the gradient without moving my feet. After that I walked on the road or the verge. The bottom line is that if people go out when it's freezing, they will encounter ice. Anyone that has made it to a station will already have encountered worse underfoot conditions.

 

[Russel]

The pavements in Helensburgh were covered in ice. It had been frosty and then drizzled on the cold ground. At one point I was slowly sliding down the gradient without moving my feet. After that I walked on the road or the verge. The bottom line is that if people go out when it's freezing, they will encounter ice. Anyone that has made it to a station will already have encountered worse underfoot conditions.

It only takes rain for the streets of Glasgow around Buchannan Galleries to resemble an ice rink, the only place I know that is as bad in the More London area around Tower Bridge.

 

[styles]

Ian Walmsley has done an interesting piece in Modern Railways about the never ending warnings on the railway.

Yesterday, I had two periods of around 45 minutes at Glasgow Central. The public address almost never shuts up. All the time between train announcements is taken up with waffle, mostly about wet floors. They have two different messages including one about a sudden rise in temperature making the floor slippier (yes they really use that word) than usual. I'd hardly call a gradual rise from zero to four degrees over 12 hours a sudden rise. The reason the floor was wet was thousands of commuters walking on it. By 2100, it had dried out. The two messages often played one after another, every four or five minutes. There is also beware of station vehicles moving around, don't feed the pigeons, train doors shut early. The only positive is that SSS only seems to happen every 30 minutes.

I've mentioned before but Derby I always found horrendous for this.

If you see something that doesn't look right, text the British Transport Police on 61016. See it, say it, sorted.

Please don't struggle on the stairs today as lifts are available at this station.

During wet weather, surfaces may be slippery, please take care.

Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is not permitted on any part of this station.

Please note that bicycles, scooters, roller skates must not be used on station platforms.

The next train to depart from Platform 1 will be the 0823 service to Nottingham; calling at Long Eaton, Attenborough, Beeston, and Nottingham. Due to a short platform, passengers for Attenborough must use the front 3 coaches. A buffet service of hot and cold snacks is available on the train. First class accommodation is towards the rear of the train. The quiet coach is in coach B.

Please stand behind the yellow line at all times.

For your safety and security, CCTV is in operation at this station.

Engineering works may disrupt your journey. You can check amended timetables at eastmidlandstrains.co.uk.

The train approaching platform 3 does not stop here. Please stand well away from the edge of platform 3.

Please do not leave luggage unattended at this station. Luggage left unattended may be removed or destroyed by the security services.

Bu these announcements aren't even sporadic, they run back to back. It's rare to actually get a minute of peace where there isn't some sort of announcement.

In comparison, I think Avanti announcing they've run out of hot drinks is quite tame and actually more relevant than many other announcements!

 

[Russel]

In comparison, I think Avanti announcing they've run out of hot drinks is quite tame and actually more relevant than many other announcements!

If that was all, then I'd agree, but add in nonsense about doors automatically closing, announcements in the toilet about the train stopping and moving suddenly (who'd have thought it) and whatever other tosh they can come up with and and it's not all that different.

 

[CEB24]

I think the simple reason here is likely an Ops Notice has been issued for staff to make certain announcements due to incidents that have happened recently. I'm sure someone has probably been clipped by the vestibule doors whilst holding a hot drink and burnt themselves. Those Ops Notices are 'live' for a certain amount of time and then staff should stop/shorten their PAs.

 

[Russel]

I think the simple reason here is likely an Ops Notice has been issued for staff to make certain announcements due to incidents that have happened recently. I'm sure someone has probably been clipped by the vestibule doors whilst holding a hot drink and burnt themselves. Those Ops Notices are 'live' for a certain amount of time and then staff should stop/shorten their PAs.

Oh I agree that'll be the reasoning behind the announcements, but I stand by what I've already said in that they will make very little difference to preventing any further issues, the railway in general is awash with announcements and they have become nothing more than background noise that many simply tune out to...

It's H&S box ticking, we know it, Avanti know it, but something must be done and this is something...

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Please stand behind the yellow line at all times.

That one always awakens my inner pedant. How are you supposed to actually board a train if you must be behind the yellow line at all times?

 

[Bikeman78]

I've mentioned before but Derby I always found horrendous for this.

If you see something that doesn't look right, text the British Transport Police on 61016. See it, say it, sorted.

Please don't struggle on the stairs today as lifts are available at this station.

During wet weather, surfaces may be slippery, please take care.

Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is not permitted on any part of this station.

Please note that bicycles, scooters, roller skates must not be used on station platforms.

The next train to depart from Platform 1 will be the 0823 service to Nottingham; calling at Long Eaton, Attenborough, Beeston, and Nottingham. Due to a short platform, passengers for Attenborough must use the front 3 coaches. A buffet service of hot and cold snacks is available on the train. First class accommodation is towards the rear of the train. The quiet coach is in coach B.

Please stand behind the yellow line at all times.

For your safety and security, CCTV is in operation at this station.

Engineering works may disrupt your journey. You can check amended timetables at eastmidlandstrains.co.uk.

The train approaching platform 3 does not stop here. Please stand well away from the edge of platform 3.

Please do not leave luggage unattended at this station. Luggage left unattended may be removed or destroyed by the security services.

Bu these announcements aren't even sporadic, they run back to back. It's rare to actually get a minute of peace where there isn't some sort of announcement.

In comparison, I think Avanti announcing they've run out of hot drinks is quite tame and actually more relevant than many other announcements!

Ah yes, they have the no smoking and luggage ones at Glasgow Central too. There wouldn't be enough time for all the others you mention. It would never stop. It's already close. Do the people who mandate this never stop and think whether it's sensible?

 

[styles]

That one always awakens my inner pedant. How are you supposed to actually board a train if you must be behind the yellow line at all times?

Quite. Much like, "Door to be kept closed at all times." Well might as well not have a door then!

 

[Broucek]

The reality of all this is that I now wear noise cancelling headphones when travelling by train or tube. That protects my sanity but does mean I risk missing actual important announcements....

It's funny, most airports have almost zero announcements. Whilst an airport termianl is a more "controlled" space, I don't really understand why the difference is so stark

 

[whoosh]

Really, we need to keep interrupting the person who mandates all this nonsense from all the important work in their office. Something completely irrelevant like, "Please park your car within the designated lines," knowing full well they come to work by train.
Just barging in all day long with drivel like that.

"Sorry, to interrupt you from your work again, it's just the British Transport Police..."

"Yes? What is it?!"

"They say... if you see anything suspicious, you should let them know, by texting six one zero one six."

"Get out!!"

"See it, say it, sorted!"

"Get OUT!!!"

"Okay." [Opens door to leave.] "Ooh, you will just watch yourself on this door handle wont you? The spring pings back a bit quick, wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

"OUT!!!"

[Closes door.]
[Re-opens door and pops head in.]
"And mind your fingers on the doorframe, dont get them trapped. And just to remind you, security cameras operate on this premises for your safety and comfort."


All.
Day.
Long.

Someone needs to do it!

 

[Bikeman78]

Really, we need to keep interrupting the person who mandates all this nonsense from all the important work in their office. Something completely irrelevant like, "Please park your car within the designated lines," knowing full well they come to work by train.
Just barging in all day long with drivel like that.

"Sorry, to interrupt you from your work again, it's just the British Transport Police..."

"Yes? What is it?!"

"They say... if you see anything suspicious, you should let them know, by texting six one zero one six."

"Get out!!"

"See it, say it, sorted!"

"Get OUT!!!"

"Okay." [Opens door to leave.] "Ooh, you will just watch yourself on this door handle wont you? The spring pings back a bit quick, wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

"OUT!!!"

[Closes door.]
[Re-opens door and pops head in.]
"And mind your fingers on the doorframe, dont get them trapped. And just to remind you, security cameras operate on this premises for your safety and comfort."


All.
Day.
Long.

Someone needs to do it!

I'm glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read this. It wouldn't have gone well!

This evening at Glasgow Central they are still doing the sudden rise in temperature announcement every five minutes, even though the temperature has now dropped back to freezing.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jan 2026 ==

The reality of all this is that I now wear noise cancelling headphones when travelling by train or tube. That protects my sanity but does mean I risk missing actual important announcements....

This is the problem. There are so many warnings that I just roll my eyes and carry on. See also weather warnings. I can't recall the last time an amber warning prevented me from going about daily life as normal.

 

[Russel]

This is the problem. There are so many warnings that I just roll my eyes and carry on. See also weather warnings. I can't recall the last time an amber warning prevented me from going about daily life as normal.

This is the point I was making earlier, the overload of warnings just becomes background noise that no one pays attention to.

 

[whoosh]

I'm glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read this. It wouldn't have gone well!

This evening at Glasgow Central they are still doing the sudden rise in temperature announcement every five minutes, even though the temperature has now dropped back to freezing.


This is the problem. There are so many warnings that I just roll my eyes and carry on. See also weather warnings. I can't recall the last time an amber warning prevented me from going about daily life as normal.

I do feel your pain - I can remember being on Sheffield platform, probably about 15 years ago, and it was incessant. An announcement about slippery platforms because of 'inclement weather' was played, and I'm not exaggerating, every minute, being played more often than announcements about trains - and there were more announcements about trains than normal because trains were delayed, so each train was announced as being delayed. It was utterly ridiculous.

I'm totally with you about weather warnings - it's a load of crying wolf to me, nothing has affected me for years weather-wise, except when it was really hot for a day a couple of years ago and all trains were cancelled, so I had to stay at home. Apart from that, oh its a bit windy, oh there's a bit of rain. Oh it's a snow forecast but ends up as a bit of sleet. Ooh yellow warning - ALERT, ALERT!!!

 

[Russel]

I do feel your pain - I can remember being on Sheffield platform, probably about 15 years ago, and it was incessant. An announcement about slippery platforms because of 'inclement weather' was played, and I'm not exaggerating, every minute, being played more often than announcements about trains - and there were more announcements about trains than normal because trains were delayed, so each train was announced as being delayed. It was utterly ridiculous.

I'm totally with you about weather warnings - it's a load of crying wolf to me, nothing has affected me for years weather-wise, except when it was really hot for a day a couple of years ago and all trains were cancelled, so I had to stay at home. Apart from that, oh its a bit windy, oh there's a bit of rain. Oh it's a snow forecast but ends up as a bit of sleet. Ooh yellow warning - ALERT, ALERT!!!

Regarding weather warnings, how many people are genuinely in a position to let the weekly weather warnings in January / February effect their day to day lives?

 

[whoosh]

Regarding weather warnings, how many people are genuinely in a position to let the weekly weather warnings in January / February effect their day to day lives?

Well, seeing another thread on the forum, it's obviously sensible that there is a weather warning in parts of Scotland at the moment due to heavy snowfall and roads and railways blocked.
It's the unsensible a**e-covering that is the problem. The oversensitive, let's make it a yellow warning, because it might blow a loose roof tile off a house somewhere ALERT, ALERT, that's the problem.
There are far too many yellow warnings that I'm sure two of us on the forum aren't the only ones who disregard them now.

 

[Russel]

a**e-covering

Just about sums it up!

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I've mentioned before but Derby I always found horrendous for this.

If you see something that doesn't look right, text the British Transport Police on 61016. See it, say it, sorted.

Please don't struggle on the stairs today as lifts are available at this station.

During wet weather, surfaces may be slippery, please take care.

Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is not permitted on any part of this station.

Please note that bicycles, scooters, roller skates must not be used on station platforms.

The next train to depart from Platform 1 will be the 0823 service to Nottingham; calling at Long Eaton, Attenborough, Beeston, and Nottingham. Due to a short platform, passengers for Attenborough must use the front 3 coaches. A buffet service of hot and cold snacks is available on the train. First class accommodation is towards the rear of the train. The quiet coach is in coach B.

Please stand behind the yellow line at all times.

For your safety and security, CCTV is in operation at this station.

Engineering works may disrupt your journey. You can check amended timetables at eastmidlandstrains.co.uk.

The train approaching platform 3 does not stop here. Please stand well away from the edge of platform 3.

Please do not leave luggage unattended at this station. Luggage left unattended may be removed or destroyed by the security services.

Bu these announcements aren't even sporadic, they run back to back. It's rare to actually get a minute of peace where there isn't some sort of announcement.

In comparison, I think Avanti announcing they've run out of hot drinks is quite tame and actually more relevant than many other announcements!

I once had near enough an hour to wait at Derby. I had a newspaper with me. I didn't manage to read even the front page due to the number and volume of platform announcements. Not because I was carefully listening to them, simply because I couldn't concentrate. Nowadays, with any similar wait (in nice weather), I go outside and sit on the benches, having to put up with the smokers instead!

 

[Bikeman78]

I once had near enough an hour to wait at Derby. I had a newspaper with me. I didn't manage to read even the front page due to the number and volume of platform announcements. Not because I was carefully listening to them, simply because I couldn't concentrate. Nowadays, with any similar wait (in nice weather), I go outside and sit on the benches, having to put up with the smokers instead!

I once walked the streets of Swindon for half an hour so I didn't have to listen to the inane "please hold the handrail and take care on the stairs" announcement every few seconds. I could have stood on the platform but it was very cold. Walking warmed me up. As you say, it's impossible to concentrate on reading with that going on in the background.

 

[physics34]

When we were developing the CIS system for Connex SouthCentral (now Southern) there was always the fear that there would be an overuse of special announcements..... now we are way past that point. No where else i travel to in Europe has this overload, its ridiculous. Just like several other big issues on the railway, something needs to be done.

 

[uglymonkey]

We, over a number of years, have created a risk adverse culture, which pervades everything. Railways seem to be at the sharp end of it unfortunately. Ambulance chasing lawyers have a lot to do with it and the rear end covering of everything to prevent being sued.

 

[physics34]

We, over a number of years, have created a risk adverse culture, which pervades everything. Railways seem to be at the sharp end of it unfortunately. Ambulance chasing lawyers have a lot to do with it and the rear end covering of everything to prevent being sued.

I think theres also a couple of other elements. Office based staff making decisions but never going on 'to the shop floor' ie never hear/see the results of their decisions, an overkeenness to 'play announcements' for the sake of it, not having an overall structure, guidelines or plans for when to use announcements.. hopefully GBR will correct this.

We know that most people ignore them, we know that having too many it become just background noise. It has to change.

 

[Halwynd]

I boarded an Avanti service a couple of weeks ago... the Train Manager did go on a bit, but at the end he informed passengers that luggage theft onboard trains was 'rife' - his word - which I thought was useful, but perhaps not necessarily a good advert for travelling by rail, or the state of the country crimewise at the moment.

 

[ThisIsSurbiton]

I think there's a real mixture of useful and useless on the railway. For me, putting drinks in a paper bag and listing all troublesome ingredients is a very good thing, suggesting I might be a violent fare dodger, asking me if I have an allergy that I would obviously know about and telling me that a buffet sells drinks and snacks - who knew? - is unnecessary. Some find the "slippery" announcements a pain but a platform can be a dangerous place if you're running, and fall. But... there's just so much of it. On SWR yesterday I was told about weekend engineering work, and then immediately about weekend engineering work - in a different voice. On the train we get the auto announcement then the guard says the same. I'm all for a bit of guard talk, at the beginning and end of a journey, or as @Krokodil suggests for connection times and platforms. But on SWR it has gone too far, there are some real performers (good and bad!) and it feels like there must have been some management encouragement. Having said all that, before Christmas our guard wished us happy time off and told us that it would probably be the last time we travelled on a class 455. I liked that, and have made a note to contact the company about it. I don't have to do it in my job, of course, and maybe it's hard to strike the right balance and you can't please all the people all of the time.

I'm all for safety, I just think the verbiage detracts from that. Everything said should be necessary, obviously useful or to inject a bit of personality. And it could so easily be better. Travelling down to the coast on HS1 this week was delightful in comparison with my daily journeys. Something for GBR to do.

 

[Russel]

I boarded an Avanti service a couple of weeks ago... the Train Manager did go on a bit, but at the end he informed passengers that luggage theft onboard trains was 'rife' - his word - which I thought was useful, but perhaps not necessarily a good advert for travelling by rail, or the state of the country crimewise at the moment.

Is it though, or is that his opinion?

Not suggesting it doesn't happen, but I wouldn't suggest it's rife either.

 

[Sealink]

SWR, I find particularly bad.

A constant barrage of automated announcements, but annoying that after "This is the xx.xx train to... calling at ..." then the conductor/guard repeats the same message.