PermitToTravel
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But it excludes passengers of non-binary genders so the best practice is to avoid using it
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What does that call actually mean? Heard it numerous times at stations across London.
I have always thought that it would be pretty funny if a real inspecter sands turned up to the part of th station which he was required.
Sam
Sam
Out of interest, what is the best way then to introduce a message?
"Attention passengers"?
It is certainly a cultural thing. We live in interesting times and language is evolving at a dramatic pace. Intent is much more important now days and yes I agree that being polite is important.
It's not 'polite' its more the use of formal language than good manners.
On a side note. I do find it the use of the word "pax" to be a little insulting but it is widely used on this forum. I'm sure that the intent isn't to belittle and comes more from the use of rail terminology.
I don't think there is a right or wrong way to make announcements only to be polite and respectful.
trainophile
Established Member
I doubt the train staff would make an announcement to "Pax...", it's just a convenient abbreviation to save them saying the whole word when talking among themselves. I bet they have a few far more offensive ones for certain situations too!
PermitToTravel
Established Member
I'm not sure about the best way - to be honest I'm rather underwhelmed by a lot of the alternatives available in many contexts, most of which don't sound as classy. Personally when seeking to attract the attention of a large group of strangers in public I use "Hello everybody"
Generally an emergency call either to an area or just in general. Usually to alert staff to a serious problem such as a security alert or a fire but without the general public realising so as to not cause panic. I'm not sure what it was for on the occasion in question but there was no follow up message and no evacuation. It was in St Pancras and only 24 hours after the fire alert in the underground station.
The message is not limited to railways. Many theatres and other venues use this and similar others to indicate a problem.
Rob
I have pretty much tuned out most of VTWC's announcements from Birmingham to Crewe, they are legion and many are automated. However, we have a new joker who appears to think that Sandwell and Dudley is to be mocked and has been announcing it as Madwell and Sadley. I suspect this won't last long, the MP for West Brom West looked at bit miffed at it yesterday.
trainophile
Established Member
^ A bit like the Merseyrail guard who used to tell us to change at Moorfields for Slime Street.
Haven't heard him for a while, wonder if he's still around.
Haven't heard him for a while, wonder if he's still around.
A bit of thread archaeology. I'm on 9M56 Edinburgh to London Euston. On leaving Lancaster the auto-announcement proudly welcomed us on board and said the next stop will be Birmingham International. Cue confusion, made even worse when thirty seconds later it repeated the same message.
"Ignore the auto-announcement, she got a bit confused about her geography. Rest assured, the next stop *will* be Preston... And I'm turning her off and you'll have a human doing the announcements from now on."
"Ignore the auto-announcement, she got a bit confused about her geography. Rest assured, the next stop *will* be Preston... And I'm turning her off and you'll have a human doing the announcements from now on."
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The who?
TheNewNo2
Member
Non-binary means that they do not define as either male or female. While unusual, it's not uncommon. The most famous person I know of who considers themselves non-binary is Miley Cyrus, who has stated she "[doesn't] relate to being boy or girl".
(Miley Cyrus is also pansexual and in concerts has been known to wear a giant dragon dildo. Miley Cyrus is therefore an awesome person.)
People can be non-binary despite being fully male or fully female anatomically. They may be attracted to people of any gender, both sexually and romantically. In addition they may prefer to use pronouns other than he/she. It is also worth noting that gender identity is not the same as gender expression. For more information see http://www.transstudent.org/gender.
It's also nice to see that World Net Daily have just found out about the Gender Unicorn linked above and are in full-on apocalyptic rage-out over it.
We now return to your regularly scheduled train discussion.
The moral of Southern guards is obviously low, a few weeks ago after one had finished the usual announcement of calling points, he signed off with "But remember, nomatter where you get off the train today, keep in mind that we are all heading for the same destination."
'Twas a bit heavy for the morning commute.
'Twas a bit heavy for the morning commute.
Kind of related - I was at Three Bridges platform 5 on Sunday and the automated announcements were absolutely haywire. Instead of
"Please stand clear from the edge of platform five. The approaching train is not scheduled to stop at this station"
we had
"Lostwithiel. Welwyn Garden City. Welwyn North. Leuchars. Carlisle. Due to. Calling at. A person having been taken ill on this train."
Certainly raised a few eyebrows amongst fellow travellers!
"Please stand clear from the edge of platform five. The approaching train is not scheduled to stop at this station"
we had
"Lostwithiel. Welwyn Garden City. Welwyn North. Leuchars. Carlisle. Due to. Calling at. A person having been taken ill on this train."
Certainly raised a few eyebrows amongst fellow travellers!
CaptainHaddock
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Inspector Sands also has a friend by the name of Mister Neptune....
https://richardosley.com/2013/01/15/inspector-sands-and-mister-neptune/
greaterwest
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I've heard this has happened at Hackbridge before. Apparently it started announcing highland stations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPWUzKQLkoM another example
CromptonLad
Member
"We are now entering [redacted], please change here for [shopping mall] and [other station]....when stepping off, please take all your personal platforms with - er, apologies, I mean personal belongings with you and mind the gap between train and platform...."
Oh dear.
Oh dear.
Train wasp
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I once got on a vep unit at Winchester heading to Southampton and when entering Eastleigh station the guard put over the PA change here for Pompey. Make you wonder if anyone missed their connection for Portsmouth. I'm sure there must be some poeple out there that don't know Pompey is the nickname for Portsmouth.
In the pre-technology (and pre-Beeching) days porters on station platforms used to shout out the name of their stop. Usually as incomprehensibly as newspaper sellers. The man at Elslack station on the Skipton-Colne line used to shout
'Ell's slack, 'Eaven's busy.' (Slack being local dialect for short of trade).
'Ell's slack, 'Eaven's busy.' (Slack being local dialect for short of trade).
tsr
Established Member
There are quite a few Southern stations with this issue (of which Three Bridges is most notorious); Ewell East is another.
Tom B
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I have never heard this on a railway system, but the London i-bus system has this sort of fault from time to time, so rather than "17 - to - London Bridge" it will substitute the phrases for other ones such as "17 - North Circular Road - Warren Street Station"... this must be especially confusing since the service 17 goes nowhere near either of those points!
Gemz91
Member
"We are now approaching that great famous football ground Elland Road which means we are almost at Leeds, ladies and gentleman Manchester has the Theatre of Dreams whilst Leeds has the comedy playhouse," heard a few times on the East Coast almost at Leeds. Keep meaning on reporting him for that!
(sorry if its been posted before, not read through all ten pages).
(sorry if its been posted before, not read through all ten pages).
Blindtraveler
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Something similar happened on a heathrow bound X26 tother day, the system seamed determind it was going to West Croydon despite being in Kingstone etc. Eventually corrected itself. Is it GPs driven?
plastictaffy
Member
I frequently use "all tickets, passes, bribes, bungs and excuses please", "Good morning ladies and gents, boys and girls", and "thankyou for travelling on this magical mystery tour", and "if you're leaving here, please remember to take all belongings, including small children, any small children left behind will be given an espresso and a puppy"
I also used "for the benefit of the two gentlemen who held the doors open at (previous stop), here is a brief recap as to how train doors work. If they're closed, the train is ready to leave. If they're beeping, they're closing and you need to stand clear. Please bear this in mind the last time you go out on your own in public without your carer......" A bit harsh, maybe, but it made a couple of the punters smile.
I also used "for the benefit of the two gentlemen who held the doors open at (previous stop), here is a brief recap as to how train doors work. If they're closed, the train is ready to leave. If they're beeping, they're closing and you need to stand clear. Please bear this in mind the last time you go out on your own in public without your carer......" A bit harsh, maybe, but it made a couple of the punters smile.
HMS Ark Royal
Established Member
Some years ago, I once had a guard that was updating people on the football results over the PA system. I remember it well because news came through of a devastating result for Leeds whereupon the guard then gave out detailed instructions on how to visit the local branch of the Samaritans
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