Frustrated EC guard announcement

[Greenback]

The announcements are simply too long for anyone who uses the EC trains regularly. The first time I travelled out of Kings Cross to newcastle, I sat in impressed silence as the conductor ran through the ticket types and destinations that were banned, the station stops, the train facilities etc. The second time I switched off mentally, and the third and subequent times it became slightly, and then even more irritating to have this constant drone.

It seems that hardly anyone listens to the announcements anyway, and since there appears to be very few passengers on each train who have never traveleld before, it seems to me that it would be preferable to keep the announcements short and sharp!

 

[route:oxford]

The announcements are simply too long for anyone who uses the EC trains regularly. The first time I travelled out of Kings Cross to newcastle, I sat in impressed silence as the conductor ran through the ticket types and destinations that were banned, the station stops, the train facilities etc. The second time I switched off mentally, and the third and subequent times it became slightly, and then even more irritating to have this constant drone.

It seems that hardly anyone listens to the announcements anyway, and since there appears to be very few passengers on each train who have never traveleld before, it seems to me that it would be preferable to keep the announcements short and sharp!

Just wait until the "Gaelic Mafia" demand that all services routing through Scotland have announcements made in their dead language.

I wonder if XC/EC/Scotrail should employ a team of commission based RPI staff to walk the services prior to departure.

 

[Greenback]

As very few people actually listen to the announcements, they may as well be made in Latin, you can't get any deader than that!

 

[TomJ93]

VT have started doing it out of new street.

Chiltern tickets are valid from moor street, lm tickets not valid please use the xx:xx service to northampton and change onto the xx:xx towards Euston. off peaks not valid, the price of a new ticket etc.

All that again at International too.

 

[Bomber]

So what do you do in an instance that happened to me last week, on another trip Warrington to Lancaster, booked my ticket on line for the 17.27 but due to an accident blocking Bridgefoot in Warrington was late arriving at the station. Collected my ticket from the machine and ran through the subway and up to the platform at 17.29 to find the train in the platform, jumped straight on, only to find someone sitting in th seat I had reserved, did not argue as there was another seat across the aisle.
Once we were underway the guards announcement came, ' Welcome on board the late running 17.14'. So what's the position in this case? with the train in the platform at the right time was I supposed to stop and check the departure board and watch it pull out?
Oh and no one came to check my ticket anyway...

 

[island]

Hopefully that would be resolved by the application of discretion, although if I were you I would have gone and found the guard to try to explain.

 

[Old Timer]

East Coast guards do seem to go on and on, sometimes BEFORE the train's even left, and afterwards! I remember going upto Edinburgh back in July 2009, and there was a change of guard at Newcastle, and a Scottish-based guard took over for the Newcastle-Edinburgh leg.

*Before departure*
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the 14:45 National Express service to Edinburgh Waverley. Please note this train is NON STOP, NON STOP to Edinburgh Waverley. This train calls at Edinburgh Waverley ONLY, once again, this train is NON STOP, NON STOPPING to Edinburgh Waverley. This train does NOT call at Berwick or any other station, customers for these stations, please consult the TV monitors or ask a member of station staff. Please note this train is now ready to depart, the doors are now ready to close, therefore anyone onboard NOT wishing to travel, please return to the platform. The doors are now closing. Once again, this train calls at Edinburgh Waverley ONLY!!!

*After departure*
Good afternoon and welcome aboard Ladies and gentlemen, to the 14:45 National Express service to Edinburgh Waverley, this train is now fast to Edinburgh Waverley-non stop to Edinburgh Waverley, due to arrive and terminate there at 16:18. Once again, we're due to arrive and terminate at Edinburgh Waverley, at eighteen minutes past four, this afternoon.
My name is XXX, the train guard for the Newcastle to Edinburgh leg of the journey. Remember coach B is the quiet coach, electrical equipment CAN be used, as long as you remember to switch it to the silent mode, and if you wish to make a telephone conversation, please use the vestibule area away from other passengers. Please remember it is an offence to smoke on any of our stations or trains...remember NO SMOKING onboard this service. This includes toilets and vestibule areas, also, please note it is also an offence to smoke on any station platform, please ensure you have left the station premises of Edinburgh Waverley, before you think about lighting any cigarettes. Please do not smoke on this train, this afternoon! I'm pleased to announce this train has free Wi-Fi available, please consult the livewire magazine for further details. A full ticket examination is about to commence in a minute, please ensure you have ALL your travel documents ready, any if you have had your ticket checked by the previous train guard, please put your ticket on the table, so that I can see it. A buffet service is available on this train, please listen for further announcements by the team leader, and if myself, and any member of the train crew can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to ask. Once again, the next stop will be Edinburgh Waverley, at 16:18. Thank you!

Then he made an announcement to say that the ticket check will commence in Standard Class, then some luggage had fallen off the rack in one of the coaches, and started to ask people to pick it all off the floor! You'd think we'd almost be in Edinburgh by the time that long announcement had finished!

Safety announcements are necessary because in the event of an accident/incident the compensation seekers and ambulance chasing lawyers will use the lack of to vastly increase any compensation.

Ticketing announcements are necessary to prevent a passenger using the "didn't know/no one told me" argument.

On Board service announcements are made to ensure that no-one can complain ""didn't know/ were not told".

 

[Scotrail84]

Sounds like Kenny - Legendary Newcastle conductor for East Coast.

The only conductor in the UK to have thrown a driver off the train for travelling home passenger on an earlier service. Reported several TPE and Northern staff for using his train to work, even though he uses Northern to go home.

When I worked at GNER, the first time I worked with him, an Asian chap had him pinned up by the neck against a vestibule wall 'darth vader' style. Popular bloke.

This bloke is what us Scots call a baw bag then eh.

 

[CarterUSM]

This bloke is what us Scots call a baw bag then eh.

I ken a few of them myself.

 

[embers25]

The announcements on Virgin at Birmingham are both annoying and wrong as Chiltern routed tickets from Birmingham are almost all valid on Virgin between Birmingham New Street and Coventry provided you change at Coventry for XC to Leamington or Banbury as they are routed High Wycombe.

 

[scotsman]

This bloke is what us Scots call a baw bag then eh.

Not 'A Manager' ?

 

[jon0844]

Regular travellers can switch off as they should know the safety information from before and know what ticket they have. It isn't THAT long on a 2, 3 or 4 hour journey or more!

Given what happens on a plane, I don't care one bit about the long announcements before departure. They are for people who don't know, and makes travel easier and more relaxing.

With the long and detailed announcements, they've covered every possible eventuality which is good. If people don't listen, that's their problem.

By contrast, I can get on FCC trains where the driver reads the stopping pattern once (and some rattle through them so quick you'd easily miss your station) and then the safety information bit. Every now and then (but it IS rare) the driver won't say bugger all and there's no PIS in operation. I am not sure that's better, even if you do get peace and quiet (well, besides people around you now asking you if it's the train to X on account of them not having been told).

 

[WestCoast]

So what do you do in an instance that happened to me last week, on another trip Warrington to Lancaster, booked my ticket on line for the 17.27 but due to an accident blocking Bridgefoot in Warrington was late arriving at the station. Collected my ticket from the machine and ran through the subway and up to the platform at 17.29 to find the train in the platform, jumped straight on, only to find someone sitting in th seat I had reserved, did not argue as there was another seat across the aisle.

Virgin check tickets on that stretch (especially if its a Pendolino) so rarely I wouldn't have worried! DISCLAIMER: Of course, that's no excuse for any deliberate fare evasion (not that yours was in any way)

Getting back to long announcements, when you really need info the announcements are few and far between (when it's pitch black and you've forgotten what the next station is), but when you don't there is tonnes of them..

 

[silentone]

To most the announcements might seem a bit long and irritating but really some of things that happen you wouldn't believe. If you've been on since and London and hear it over and over I guess it would get annoying but sadly it has to be said.

Particularly in Edinburgh passengers with XC only tickets will board an EC service because the EC service leaves slightly before the XC service and they think its okay. People will get on at Newcastle and assume the train stops at Berwick or Morpeth.... there in for a shock when it sails right past!

Another frequent one are passengers boarding services at Newcastle for Durham when the train doesn't stop at Durham! From May that will be a bloody big trip on the fast service.... next stop LONDON!

And even today people with Advance tickets were making up their own journey plan. I was asked if this train stops at Station X. I said Yes. They asked if they could use this ticket. I had a look and asked for the reservation - it wasn't for my train. I told them this. Then she told me "Oh I got off my train".....??? "Why did you get off the train?" *DOORS CLOSED*

 

[PaulLothian]

Late night journey north to Edinburgh in 1970s (I think) - tannoy comes on: "Evening. This is your guard, or conductor, or whatever they're calling us this week. Next stop Berwick."
Those were the days - crucial information and irreverence in five seconds!

 

[ApAp]

Late night journey north to Edinburgh in 1970s (I think) - tannoy comes on: "Evening. This is your guard, or conductor, or whatever they're calling us this week. Next stop Berwick."
Those were the days - crucial information and irreverence in five seconds!

I remember "Customer Operations Leaders" I think they were the guards in GNER speak, or did the term originate before then?

I'm sure they became guards again before the end of the GNER franchise though.

I was never sure who did what, everyone on the train had their titles beginning 'customer'. Customer services leader, customer services manager, customer operations leader, customer services assistant, I think were the crew. I guess it was an attempt to outline the customer focus or something.

 

[island]

What was the driver called then?

 

[junglejames]

What was the driver called then?

Mechanical Operations Operative!
Or. the MOO for short!

 

[ralphchadkirk]

What was the driver called then?

Customer Transportation and Management Technician.

 

[Scotrail84]

Late night journey north to Edinburgh in 1970s (I think) - tannoy comes on: "Evening. This is your guard, or conductor, or whatever they're calling us this week. Next stop Berwick."
Those were the days - crucial information and irreverence in five seconds!

Ha. I knew a Guard who is retired now and annouced we are now approaching Glasgow Central. "All you for here get oot."

Another retired Guard got to his train it was an Aberdeen service. He just picked up the PA handset and said "Aberdeen Train" then slammed it back down. Few years ago now like as it was a 158 before the 170s arrived.

We would get strung up by the Henry Halls if caught doing an announcement like that now