LU old announcement

[greaterangrier]

From time to time I hear a no smoking announcement referring to London Regional Transport Bus Stations at a Central Line station near to me.

How old is this announcement? Is it likely that it plays at any other stations?

According to Wikipedia London Regional Transport existed from 1984-2000 which means there is a fair chance that this announcement has outlasted the organisation many times over.

 

[xtmw]

It's very possible the select station hasn't been updated- I know there are 1 or 2 units on the 92s with some announcements that haven't been changed
Some stations still have announcements that I haven't heard since the 2010s!

I've no idea if stations announcements are updated via 'the cloud' but in the case of the 1992 stock it's a matter of going round each train, manually changing the announcements on a train by train basis

 

[boiledbeans2]

See this post and the posts following it for more old announcements: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/new-overground-line-names-progress.271250/post-7517439

I believe Southwark still uses "TfL Rail", i.e. "TfL Rail has severe delays"

 

[announcements]

You are referring to a "voice Perfect" system announcement voiced by Henrietta Bess. Sadly most of these have been replaced with the inferior system voiced by Elinor Hamilton. It is probable Henrietta recorded her announcements in the late '90s when London Regional Transport still existed.

 

[81A]

LU don’t have a monopoly on old announcements either… I remember the GWR Christmas 2016 one lasted a few years on some trains.

 

[RacsoMoquette]

A few months ago I was travelling on the Central Line on the Hainaut Loop, alighting at various stations to see take photographs of some of the lovely GER ironwork and station buildings.

At Grange Hill station, the old Metronet era Henrietta Bess, safety announcements form the very early 2000s played at the station. The “Ladies and Gentleman” announcements advising customers that smoking is prohibited throughout London Undeground and the service update announcements. Grange Hill also had an example of the original 00s Central Line platform DMIs. As many stations on said line have seen them replaced over the years, especially in Central London.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jun 2026 ==

You are referring to a "voice Perfect" system announcement voiced by Henrietta Bess. Sadly most of these have been replaced with the inferior system voiced by Elinor Hamilton. It is probable Henrietta recorded her announcements in the late '90s when London Regional Transport still existed.

Was this the system used at Metronet stations heard commonly during the early 2000s? Most examples have been eradicated now, but not all.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jun 2026 ==

Bayswater and Notting Hill Gate come to mind, can anyone confirm that said announcements can still be heard at these stations? Probably more?

 

[announcements]

Metronet had a different system voiced by Sarah Parnell. However, yes, many Metronet stations had the Voice Perfect system already in place.

 

[xtmw]

Grange Hill also had an example of the original 00s Central Line platform DMIs. As many stations on said line have seen them replaced over the years, especially in Central London.

A few Central Line stations retain these platform indicators; first introduced during the Central Line Upgrade in the 90s.

 

[announcements]

Green text and capital M for "Mins" right? Yes I've seen those elsewhere too.

 

[xtmw]

Those are the ones. Off the top of my head, they are retained at: Buckhurst Hill, Leytonstone, Liverpool Street, Chancery Lane, Redbridge, Gants Hill, Grange Hill, Barkingside, North Acton, Hanger Lane and Ealing Broadway. Very easy to read from a distance.

They were introduced during the Central Line upgrade in the 90s, many of these indicators were not accurate until signalling was handed over to Wood Lane.