Destination Specific Electronic Announcements

[Bohemian]

I was on a Birmingham New Street to Liverpool Lime Street train and noticed a whole host of new announcements over the speakers. "Please keep your feet of the seats, no smoking in the toilets and no jacking up the train to steal the wheels". That's how it came across anyway!

These announcements went on for quite a while before the train actually left the station. Do you think London Midland has a whole set of announcements based on how an area in the United Kingdom is perceived?

hock:

 

[Geezertronic]

If it is, its probably for the Liverpool lot rather than us Brummies

 

[Pumbaa]

If it is, its probably for the Liverpool lot rather than us Brummies

Watch it

Yes. The system on the 350s has a rolling instruction to play one every 10 minutes from a pre-determined list including toilets, CCTV, calling pattern, buying tickets online, etc etc. They can also be inputted manually on the control panel in the cab by the Guard.

 

[WestCoast]

Some TOCs love their automated announcements. London Midland is certainly one of them, along with South West Trains and First TransPennine Express who are also very fond of their announcements.

FTPE use "station specific" on their 185s I think. Major stations get everything from CCTV and luggage to noting the emergency procedures, while smaller stations just get the destination. FTPE also have specific announcements at barried stations advising passengers to have their tickets ready for inspection.

When leaving Poulton-le-Fylde the system always plays "a full ticket check will now take place". And the best one "if you have walked past an open ticket office today you will not be entitled to any discounted tickets" seems to be played at certain stations.

 

[Bohemian]

Some TOCs love their automated announcements. London Midland is certainly one of them, along with South West Trains and First TransPennine Express who are also very fond of their announcements.

FTPE use "station specific" on their 185s I think. Major stations get everything from CCTV and luggage to noting the emergency procedures, while smaller stations just get the destination. FTPE also have specific announcements at barried stations advising passengers to have their tickets ready for inspection.

When leaving Poulton-le-Fylde the system always plays "a full ticket check will now take place". And the best one "if you have walked past an open ticket office today you will not be entitled to any discounted tickets" seems to be played at certain stations.

I agree. You certainly know your trains.

 

[ObservationCar]

Automated announcements make sense, why should a man/woman do something which a computer can do. Although it makes you laugh on the Far North Trains when the Guard has to stop checking tickets before Beauly, go to the cab to announce special arrangements for Beauly because it is only 15m long, run to middle door to open it manually and then carry on duties. Surely an automated announcement could be inserted with instructions, e.g "Beauly+(announcement)"

On the other hand people switch off during announcements lasting more than 30 seconds, so announcing anything beyond safety information notices and listing calling stations on initial station departure announcement is excessive.

I think there is times when the human element is essential, e.g listing which platforms onward connections are departing from for popular interchanges, e.g. Perth, Carlisle Northbound Intercity services, Crewe for Wales connections etc...

 

[Greenback]

I wopuld welcome platform numbers as long it was certain that these were the correct platforms! Otherwise you would be certain to get some prize specimens dawdling to the one announced completely oblivious to all the indicators and announcements on the station telling them otherwise.

The question about announcements is whether they are necessary at all, though, rather than whether it should be computer or human.

 

[142094]

The question about announcements is whether they are necessary at all, though, rather than whether it should be computer or human.

Announcements IMO should always be human rather than computer - adds a more personal touch to the railways instead of everything being computerised.

 

[Greenback]

I would tend to agree with that when it comes to stations and trains. But to be honest, there ar eso many stupid announcements deemed necessary these days that it does seem better to leave it to a machine!