Clarity of Speech!

[Envoy]

I notice on my travels that we have varying degrees of clarity regarding announcements - whether on trains or at stations. (I am not referring to automatic pre-recorded messages). Are staff given much training regarding the clarity of their spoken announcements?

I was recently on a train where the guard was making announcements that could be barely heard. I mentioned this to him and perhaps he should be nearer the microphone. He did then come through clearer.

Some people given the job of making station announcements are clearly not good enough with their clarity of speech for this task.

Are drivers able to communicate with passengers over the sound system?

 

[ComUtoR]

Are staff given much training regarding the clarity of their spoken announcements?

Yes

Some people given the job of making station announcements are clearly not good enough with their clarity of speech for this task.

There is a lot of factors to consider before I would say people are not good enough. Accents for example.

Are drivers able to communicate with passengers over the sound system?

Our Passcoms can be used to speak directly to the driver. On a 319 it is not possible.

The PA system is terrible and no longer fit for purpose. The equipment itself in the cab and on the train has the greatest affect on clarity and quality.

 

[LowLevel]

A lot of it is down to the kit. Ex BR stuff tends to be about shot now and 222s seem to suffer from this as well. We have about 5 different kinds of handset which all function in different ways as well which doesn't help.

 

[Phil.]

It's certainly something that should be looked at more. The bloke on the train to Manchester out of Euston a few weeks ago probably thought that he was doing a good job but he spoke so fast it was almost impossible to follow him.
"GoodmorningladiesandgentlemenI'myourtrainmagerforthisvirgintrainservicetomanchesterwewillbecallingatmiltonkeynescentral......"
You get the picture.
Many people mistake volume for clarity. We don't want it louder, just clearer.

 

[grumblingalong]

You also have issues on train of different volume levels, some of our 156's you need to shout into others whisper at arms length. Very difficult to pre determine this.

 

[Smethwickian]

There is one particular gentleman who makes 'manual' (non-automated) announcements at Birmingham New Street from time to time who is utterly inaudible. Sounds like he has the microphone stuffed up his nose. This morning (amid severe disruption to services caused by a lineside fire at Canley, apparently) he was interrupting some perfectly audible automatic announcements about platform changes with inaudible ones of his own.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

If its clarity that people are after with the annoucements, I think TOC's should take a leaf out of some of the commuity radio stations book. Some presenters are loud and clear, others are plain loud, some are quiet and some hardly speak at all.

 

[cf111]

Currently travelling south to Inverness and the guard (ScotRail can call them conductors if they wish) has a most wonderfully broad Caithness accent which is making me feel homesick before we get out of the county!

 

[Matt Taylor]

From a guard's perspective the key issue is that we must be able to communicate clearly and with clarity via the cab radio or telephone to the controlling signal box in the event of an emergency.

 

[L&Y Robert]

And keep it brief! Newcastle to Reading last week the guard (conductor? Train manager? Captain of Dragoons?) found it necessary - well, enjoyable might be the right word - to give ALL the possible connections at every stop, and sometimes the second rank ones as well. He went on so long that we had arrived, doors opened, and off-getters getting off by the time he'd - maybe reluctantly -finished.

 

[DarloRich]

I much prefer a broad regional accent producing names in the local way.

Darlinen, this is Darlinen. Change here for Middlesbr, Redca and Bishopocklan

 

[RichmondCommu]

I much prefer a broad regional accent producing names in the local way.

Darlinen, this is Darlinen. Change here for Middlesbr, Redca and Bishopocklan

Our youngest daughter has recently announced on the phone that she is going out with a lad from Shildon :-x. I'm now wondering whether we should start looking for a phrase book on Amazon

 

[crehld]

I much prefer a broad regional accent producing names in the local way.

Darlinen, this is Darlinen. Change here for Middlesbr, Redca and Bishopocklan

A couple of weeks ago I was treated to "trains naar prochin naar-rich" over the tannoy.

 

[ainsworth74]

A couple of weeks ago I was treated to "trains naar prochin naar-rich" over the tannoy.

Bah! That level of details is positively a luxury on my line. Usually you just get 'station name' and that's it to tell you what station you're approaching. Plus it doesn't matter how many syllables may be in the name it's always condensed into a one syllable word!

 

[6Gman]

The Northern 323s seem to have dodgy systems.

Announcements are usually very, very, very faint.

You're aware that somebody has spoken, but what they have said .......

 

[Lockwood]

I miss the older announcements...
"This is an announcement for passengers for the 12:00 service to Wherever. Passengers must garble garble garble garble garble garble garble garble garble garble. Thank you."

 

[TDK]

Mr. Mumble at Crewe is a typical example, I can hardly ever understand a word he says.

 

[pdeaves]

To any guards reading this:

Speak more slowly than you think is normal, and put gaps between the words.

Trust me: nearly everyone will understand you. There's no point in making an announcement if no one knows what you are saying.

Thank you.

 

[krus_aragon]

I miss the older announcements...
"This is an announcement for passengers for the 12:00 service to Wherever. Passengers must garble garble garble garble garble garble garble garble garble garble. Thank you."

This reminded me of the Grebulons from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. After their ship was hit by a meteorite, all the computer could retrieve of their mission was:

Your !!!!! !!!!! !!!!! year mission is to !!!!! !!!!! !!!!! !!!!!, !!!!! !!!!! !!!!! !!!!!, land
!!!!! !!!!! !!!!! a safe distance !!!!! !!!!! ..... ..... ..... .... , land ..... ..... .....
monitor it. !!!!! !!!!! !!!!!...

 

[cin88]

When I did my preserved railway basic safety course they made a big point about the importance clear communication whilst working and even showed us a frankly horrific Network Rail video on the subject. Surely mainline staff recieve similar training so why do they seem to come across so unclearly when using the PA system to pass information to passengers? Outside of the usual faulty equipment problems of course.

 

[WestCoast]

I don't work on the railway but I used to make announcements at work. You need to imagine that your audience is a slightly hard of hearing non-native speaker of English. You won't go wrong with that in mind!

 

[crehld]

Mr. Mumble at Crewe is a typical example, I can hardly ever understand a word he says.

Do you mean the guy who sounds like Ed Miliband?

 

[A-driver]

To any guards reading this:



Speak more slowly than you think is normal, and put gaps between the words.



Trust me: nearly everyone will understand you. There's no point in making an announcement if no one knows what you are saying.



Thank you.

I'm sure all the guards on here will be very pleased that you have come along with your patronising and insulting post telling them how to do their jobs.

Can you tell us what you do so that Us rail staff can give you a few pointers in an equally patronising and insulting manner?

"Thank you"...

 

[hounddog]

I'm sure all the guards on here will be very pleased that you have come along with your patronising and insulting post telling them how to do their jobs.

Can you tell us what you do so that Us rail staff can give you a few pointers in an equally patronising and insulting manner?

"Thank you"...

If you really think that all guards are models of perfect diction you clearly don't travel as a passenger. Some most definitely need telling. Or need to listen to what they're being told.

 

[A-driver]

If you really think that all guards are models of perfect diction you clearly don't travel as a passenger. Some most definitely need telling. Or need to listen to what they're being told.

Can you provide a quote of where I have claimed anything you say I did please?

I stand by what I said, it was a rude patronising post.

 

[Tio Terry]

BS5839 gives the requirements for a Safety Critical Audible announcement system.

 

[jon0844]

I'm sure all the guards on here will be very pleased that you have come along with your patronising and insulting post telling them how to do their jobs.

Can you tell us what you do so that Us rail staff can give you a few pointers in an equally patronising and insulting manner?

"Thank you"...

It was written in a slightly patronising way, but the advice is sound. I have done some voiceover work and I always start talking to fast. I can speak clearly, but speed really is an issue and people commonly talk too fast.

I'll admit it's not something I am very good at. And I've heard many other people who are bad at it too!

On the railway, is there a lot of training given to improve clarity, or just what to say?

 

[A-driver]

It was written in a slightly patronising way, but the advice is sound. I have done some voiceover work and I always start talking to fast. I can speak clearly, but speed really is an issue and people commonly talk too fast.

I'll admit it's not something I am very good at. And I've heard many other people who are bad at it too!

On the railway, is there a lot of training given to improve clarity, or just what to say?

There is some training but it's hardly rocket science.

Employees have good and bad days. During a bad day by the time you've made your 25th PA announcement standards may well slip.

Dosnt excuse rude and patronising posts on here "thank you. "

(Not aimed at you but the OP).

 

[387star]

when I was new to the guard role I found making announcements the toughest part of the job..

it should be so easy and is once your confident but it is easy to see why some people hate making them.. you never really know how clear it sounds as you can't hear yourself from a back cab

on GWR 14x and 15x you can only make announcements from the back cab but luckily the hybrid 150/9s and 158/9s have a centre cab which is most helpful..

but that is why announcements are not made at every station

And until a passenger tells us we don't always know the PA is playing up

'This is a security announcement. Please be aware of the location of your luggage at all times. If you become aware of anything at all suspicious please inform a member of railway staff or a police officer' this is mandatory and should be made up to every 30 minutes ! mentioning CCTV is not mandatory

on ex wales and west class 158s/150s fitted with the equipment I often press the auto announcer which can make the following announcements:

'in the next few minutes the conductor will be carrying out a full ticket check and would like to see all tickets, passes and railcards'


'An at seat service of drinks and light refreshments is available on this train selling a selection of hot and cold drinks and snacks. The steward will be passing through the train shortly'

'Welcome onboard. Please listen to the following announcement for your own safety. Please familiarize yourself with the safety posters displayed in the passenger saloons. Emergency door opening procedures are indicated by the doors. Please ensure your luggage is safely stowed and when you leave the train please mind the gap between the train and platform edge. Thank you'

'may I have your attention please. So that all passengers may be seated please remove any luggage placed on seats using the overhead racks provided. '

 

[Phil.]

I'm sure all the guards on here will be very pleased that you have come along with your patronising and insulting post telling them how to do their jobs.

Can you tell us what you do so that Us rail staff can give you a few pointers in an equally patronising and insulting manner?

"Thank you"...

Bit of a patronising reply old mate. The poster made a very good and valid point about clarity and quality of announcing.