First Capital Connect displayed on station departure boards.

[swt class 450]

Last night while i was at Gatwick Airport just after 00:00 i came across these screens on Platform 2 which were showing a train as being run by First Capital Connect! FCC have not existed for a few years now! Does anyone know what would have caused this to happen? Did someone input the wrong details in to the CIS screen systems? Or is it just usual GTR incompetence? Has anyone else ever seen previous TOCs displayed on station screens?

I have attached some photos.

 

[arb]

Not departure boards, but every now and then I hear the automated announcements on board Great Northern trains refer to themselves as "West Anglia Great Northern".

 

[trainmania100]

Your up late. I have never seen this occurrence but FCC was a great livery on the 319s

 

[fgwrich]

Perhaps the CIS has had enough of announcing GTR delays and wants a better operator to take it over again?

 

[bengley]

It's a fault with that one screen at Gatwick. It does it for all Thameslink services. The other screens on the same platform are unaffected and display the correct information.

 

[Galvanize]

Not departure boards, but every now and then I hear the automated announcements on board Great Northern trains refer to themselves as "West Anglia Great Northern".

Certain 365 units do it! It's not down to "Cranky" drivers or anything like that...it's the same code put in that would otherwise say "This Train is for Cambridge. Via Stevenage."

 

[causton]

Certain 365 units do it! It's not down to "Cranky" drivers or anything like that...it's the same code put in that would otherwise say "This Train is for Cambridge. Via Stevenage."

I didn't know it was unit dependent!

Here is the announcement if people haven't heard it.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8msFFcTw-q3TDBTamphMmgwaDg/view?usp=sharing

 

[NSE]

Aye, I've had the WAGN announcement on a few 365's over the years and on one 317.

 

[Skimble19]

Quite a few of the older screens on GN revert to showing www.wagn.co.uk when they lose their connection, but I've never seen one that is actually "live" do something like that. Perhaps the CIS are also wishing First were still here

 

[Galvanize]

I didn't know it was unit dependent!

Don't know which ones do it...but it only seems to do it at the originating station. Everywhere else, all you get is the "This train is for..." without any calling points.

My understanding, when WAGN was absorbed into FCC in 2006, the company wanted to upgrade the system...but they couldn't as the company that programmed it had ceased trading! Quite a basic 1990s system that allegedly runs on Floppy Disk software (365s use Windows 95 anyway!). So the new PIS system was installed on 317s and 321s upon their refurbishment/refreshs instead!

 

[NSE]

Don't know which ones do it...but it only seems to do it at the originating station. Everywhere else, all you get is the "This train is for..." without any calling points.

My understanding, when WAGN was absorbed into FCC in 2006, the company wanted to upgrade the system...but they couldn't as the company that programmed it had ceased trading! Quite a basic 1990s system that allegedly runs on Floppy Disk software (365s use Windows 95 anyway!). So the new PIS system was installed on 317s and 321s upon their refurbishment/refreshs instead!

I hope the drivers on the Cambridge non-stops play JezBall as they go

 

[387star]

Many 158s can play either wessex or wales and borders announcements as required

But FCC branding is still everwhere for instance the posters at kings cross thameslink proclaiming the new st pamcras or the other operators sign at the entrance to preston park

Most stations have been repainted now though and looks like work has started to paint over and replace signage where necessary

 

[Hadders]

The rumour on these boards was that FCC lost the original disks!

I've heard the WAGN version of the announcement a few times but I agree that it seems to be unit specific. I do feel a little nostalgic when I hear it!

On the whole, the announcements on the 365s are excellent - clear, brief and to the point. Not bad for a 20 year old system.

When the 365s boot up the PIS reads 'BRB Class 465'

 

[Muzer]

Besides them calling it "Blundon Kings Cross"

WRT the GWR (presumably?) 158s, I didn't even know they had automated announcements!

 

[AndrewP]

'Kings Cross' at the Hogwarts Express in Universal Theme Park Orlando has First Capital Connect on the displays! (as well as some very strange destinations)

http://themeparkreview.com/forum/files/056_67.jpg

Not quite the same but made me smile!

 

[91103eastcoast]

Besides them calling it "Blundon Kings Cross"

There's also a some other stations which always sound a bit wrong, Hitchin sounds like kitchen. I can't possibly write what Huntingdon sounds like on an online forum though.

 

[DasLunatic]

'Kings Cross' at the Hogwarts Express in Universal Theme Park Orlando has First Capital Connect on the displays! (as well as some very strange destinations)

http://themeparkreview.com/forum/files/056_67.jpg

Not quite the same but made me smile!

Surely with Universal having ludicrous money, they could install the same displays as at the real Kings Cross, AND have them alias the real departures as they happen?

 

[takno]

Surely with Universal having ludicrous money, they could install the same displays as at the real Kings Cross, AND have them alias the real departures as they happen?

They could, but the 5 hour time difference means that the afternoon peak there would coincide with rush hour. I'm not sure recreating the sweating rage of GTR commuters watching with mounting fury as trains get later and later is the Universal "experience" they're aiming for

 

[jon0844]

Wouldn't quite look right having trains cancelled due to a shortage of train crew...

"This Train is for Cambridge. Via Stevenage."

I'm sad enough that having heard the 'via Stevenage' bit so many times in the last 15 or so years I often find myself adding it to other announcements in my head, and occasionally out loud when with other people who either get it (because they know) or must think I'm mad.

 

[swt class 450]

I noticed these stickers yesterday that are still on all of the Southeastern Scheidt & Bachmann TVMs at London Victoria about "First Capital Connect only" tickets. I find it strange that these machines have these stickers as FCC have never served London Victoria and these TVMs do not have a "tickets from another station" feature so i dont think these TVMs have ever sold "FCC only" tickets.

I have attached some photos.

 

[Failed Unit]

Off topic slightly but anyone know why the LUL managed stations are still Network SouthEast signed? Surely they can get agreement from LUL to at least put stickers over the top. Not that it is an issue, nice retro. Just makes me wonder why BR could rebrand the station but the 4 private operators (Prism, National Ex, First Group, GTR) that have since had the route can't