Euston departure board to be moved

[BenS123]

I'm not sure if this is helpful as the screens are off as this photo is from Monday night but hopefully it can show where these new boards are?

 

[modernrail]

The countdowns would be fine if they were correct, but they're not, they are to departure, not to 2 minutes before (Avanti)/30 seconds before (LNR).

I really object to the countdowns when this is the station with the worst record of late announcements. The same with the no running signs.

Welcome to Euston. On the odd occasion we load the reservations on the train before boarding and announce your train on our now hard to read boards with sufficient time for you to make it to the platform with a modicum of dignity please make sure you are there before we close the gate on you. At all other times please ignore all visual signals, wait for the excuses to pour out of the tannoy and get ready to run, scrum and very often, stand.

Anyway, I am heading there now for a trip to Liverpool. Gum shield already in.

 

[Phillipimo]

The two double-sided outdoor screens are now on. And scaffolding is up inside covering the old departure boards, presumably for their removal.

From my observations the new boards do keep the routes from the entrances to the platforms clear of people waiting.

Also Avanti staff allowed passengers to board before boarding was officially announced. Safe to say the unreserved coach filled up very quickly.

 

[pitdiver]

I know this is slightly different but i flew out of Luton Airport las week. In th departure hall the departure screens are at 90 degrees to the seating so everybody has to stand up and look at the screens so stop others getting to their seats. One of a number of issues I have with LLA.

 

[IndianPacific]

Hopefully this query is relevant enough, but I travelled from Euston last week (11th May) when there was quite a bit of disruption so had a lot of time to stand around on the concourse.

I noticed that when trains were announced, the automated audio announcement was made significantly before the associated text on the screens updated (I wish I'd got a video but there was even a gap between the end of the announcement and the screen updating so quite a big difference).

I'd assumed these were driven from the same system so would have have been synchronised? Do the new screens mean there are now separate systems in place? Can anyone confirm / explain?

The 'your train is ready' text came from Avanti before the announcement even started which I was very thankful for given the number of people ignoring seat reservations once it was advertised fully.

 

[K.o.R]

Victoria manages to have this style of screen but giant and where the old orange-on-black screens used to be.

 

[williamn]

One of the recent innovations on departures screens which I really like is the little diagram showing you the level of reservations in each train and train formation. The Euston screens aren't as good however as they cycle through the carriage letter, facilities and then the level of reservation, making you preform a feat of memory to remember which coach has what in it. On most other screens the carriage letter is a constant.

 

[Agent_Squash]

As a passenger, these new departure boards are far more convenient - especially the ones outside.

I don’t get the love for the big board it replaced. The station passenger flow is so much better during normal times.

 

[K.o.R]

As a passenger, these new departure boards are far more convenient - especially the ones outside.

I don’t get the love for the big board it replaced. The station passenger flow is so much better during normal times.

Probably because the big board is visible from pretty much everywhere on the concourse, particularly the upstairs area. This requires four sets of boards to display what seems to be less information.

 

[sot]

Also the board being directly above the 'channel' that leads to the ramps helped keep that channel clear.

The ends to get out seem to end up more congested than before and there are several seats from which a screen cannot be seen.

 

[Bletchleyite]

As a passenger, these new departure boards are far more convenient - especially the ones outside.

I don’t get the love for the big board it replaced. The station passenger flow is so much better during normal times.

In my experience it is far, far worse.

The problem, fundamentally, is that Euston's entrances are at the corners - this filters people onto one side of the new boards, the side where they are in the way.

A single transverse board in the middle would work (because people would move towards it from the two corner entrances, clearing the way at the sides), but two doesn't work well at all.

It's nice having them outside, but that could have been done without touching the one inside.

 

[Starmill]

I don’t get the love for the big board it replaced. The station passenger flow is so much better during normal times.

I'm not sure anyone's saying they loved the old one? However the decision to install four smaller sets of screens is a bit baffling.

As for passenger flow, sure it's possible it's better if you're waiting. But if you arrive at the station from the Underground or bus station and wish to proceed immediately to your platform without doing anything else, there are definitely more people in the way now than there used to be.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 May 2023 ==

It's nice having them outside, but that could have been done without touching the one inside.

Yes. Or they could have just put the new screens up in the same location as the existing.

 

[AlbertBeale]

Yes. Or they could have just put the new screens up in the same location as the existing.

I assume they wouldn't put new ones in the place where the old ones were because they want that latter space for massive in-yer-face adverts. Commerce trumps passenger usefulness of course.

 

[DarloRich]

I will chip in with my usual statement:

The new boards at Euston are much brighter, more colourful and much easier to read than the old ones

I KNOW this goes against what all the cool kids think but so be it. I know posters here find change very hard to deal with but my only criticism is the location otherwise i am very impressed with the new boards. Unsure how the outside ones will work but they will be useful for users of the cancer garden or fast food eateries in the courtyard.

 

[nlogax]

The new boards at Euston are much brighter, more colourful and much easier to read than the old ones

Not sure I'm seeing much criticism of the boards themselves, and the outdoors ones are a welcome addition. The location of the new ones on the concourse is the major annoyance. It feels like a backwards step.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I will chip in with my usual statement:

The new boards at Euston are much brighter, more colourful and much easier to read than the old ones

I KNOW this goes against what all the cool kids think but so be it. I know posters here find change very hard to deal with but my only criticism is the location otherwise i am very impressed with the new boards. Unsure how the outside ones will work but they will be useful for users of the cancer garden or fast food eateries in the courtyard.

I totally agree on the format (the one thing I'd change is "Wait" to "Please wait" - it's too blunt).

They are however utterly in the wrong place inside, and don't have quite enough panels.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 May 2023 ==

Not sure I'm seeing much criticism of the boards themselves, and the outdoors ones are a welcome addition. The location of the new ones on the concourse is the major annoyance. It feels like a backwards step.

It's totally wrong. If they insist on having that type of board, one in the middle would be best.

 

[Starmill]

I assume they wouldn't put new ones in the place where the old ones were because they want that latter space for massive in-yer-face adverts. Commerce trumps passenger usefulness of course.

No doubt something like that.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 May 2023 ==

I totally agree on the format (the one thing I'd change is "Wait" to "Please wait" - it's too blunt).

I think basically everyone has said that the format is better for the reasons given. The same at London Waterloo and London Victoria.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 May 2023 ==

Not sure I'm seeing much criticism of the boards themselves, and the outdoors ones are a welcome addition. The location of the new ones on the concourse is the major annoyance. It feels like a backwards step.

Precisely.

 

[IndianPacific]

I totally agree on the format (the one thing I'd change is "Wait" to "Please wait" - it's too blunt).

They are however utterly in the wrong place inside, and don't have quite enough panels.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 May 2023 ==



It's totally wrong. If they insist on having that type of board, one in the middle would be best.

I'd bet 'Wait' vs 'Please wait' was debated during design. However, people generally respond better to blunter commands. Plus fewer words keeps the sign cleaner. I'd have voted for just 'wait'

From the Plain English Campaign:

There always seems to be a fear of commands. The most common fault is putting 'customers should do this' or 'you should do this' instead of just 'do this'. Perhaps people worry that commands sound too harsh. But you can often solve this by putting the word 'please' in front. However, if something must be done, it is best not to say ‘please’ as it gives the reader the option to refuse the request.

Re: locations, totally agree. The outside one is very handy, but indoor ones seem oddly positioned. Especially as the screen closest to and pointing towards M&S never seems to show anything.

At smaller stations, CIS screens on platforms are sometimes placed away from the ends of stair and things in order to 'pull' people along the platforms. But I can't work out what they were trying here.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'd bet 'Wait' vs 'Please wait' was debated during design. However, people generally respond better to blunter commands.

They may do, however treating your customers (who pay your wages) with respect and politeness is very important. Plus as the platform number isn't displayed passengers can hardly do anything else anyway. (Those who use RTT will ignore anything it says).

I suspect "platform closed" with the red X on the platform displays does discourage people from wandering onto platforms early when they know them, but that's a bit different - there's nothing impolite about "platform closed", it's just a statement of fact which you can do with as you see fit, whereas "wait" is a fairly blunt and rude command (and utterly obvious, as absent a platform number what else are you going to do - dance a jig?).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 May 2023 ==

Re: locations, totally agree. The outside one is very handy, but indoor ones seem oddly positioned. Especially as the screen closest to and pointing towards M&S never seems to show anything.

When that did show the same display the blockage was even worse. It now mostly shows "fastest train to each destination" but I think turns off when things get super-busy.

At smaller stations, CIS screens on platforms are sometimes placed away from the ends of stair and things in order to 'pull' people along the platforms. But I can't work out what they were trying here.

No idea, but it does the total opposite.

I would guess, from experience, that about 60-70% of people enter the station from the right hand corner entrance by M&S (as that's the Tube station's nearest entrance and most people get there by Tube), which means if you removed the one at that end and left the other one where it is it'd probably work fine.

I also think that if you could enter the station anywhere along its frontage the current layout may work, as people from the Tube would probably randomly turn left or right and enter potentially between the displays, and people from parts of the bus station might enter in the middle, but that'd require getting rid of about 4 takeaway retail units along the front.

 

[Cowley]

Thread reopened for @JaJaWa to update.

 

[londonmidland]

So the scaffolding has been took down to reveal a massive adverting screen, which will no doubt be blinding bright..

Some absolutely ridiculous decisions and designs being made here at Euston.

 

[800001]

So the scaffolding has been took down to reveal a massive adverting screen, which will no doubt be blinding bright..

Some absolutely ridiculous decisions and designs being made here at Euston.

Money talks, and is the rather obvious focus, rather than delivering on improving customer service.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Has to be the very worst thing any custodian of the present station has ever done to it. An act of abject corporate vandalism of the highest order.

 

[Agent_Squash]

So the scaffolding has been took down to reveal a massive adverting screen, which will no doubt be blinding bright..

Some absolutely ridiculous decisions and designs being made here at Euston.

I can’t wait to see this used on an advertising task on The Apprentice.

Agree totally though - ridiculous decision.

 

[100andthirty]

They could use the new panel to show train departures and use the monstrocities on the concourse to show adverts.

 

[RailAleFan]

.

 

[Peter0124]

Euston was better before they done this silly departure board renovation.

 

[josh-j]

What a degredation of a public (technicalities aside) space. Advertising in stations is nothing new but that massive thing is awful and way overkill.

Rather makes a mockery of the supposed original intention of improving crowd flow or whatever was supposed to be happening with the new CIS setup.

 

[DarloRich]

very poor & seems to be the wrong way round. the higher screens should have the info on them!

 

[josh-j]

Maybe they will use the new enormous screens to announce platforms for trains in advance