Passenger Information Cardiff Central

[PHILIPE]

I was waiting on Platform 6 today at Cardiff Central and the 1st train due was:-
16 51 to Coryton (from Radyr) and then
16 56 to Merthyr. Next in sequence of events. (from Barry Island) both shewn in time. Next in sequence of events. - Coryton showing "arrived" which is triggered by passing last reporting point on approach to station and the Merthyr being announced as the next train. Passengers for Coryton to "listen for further announcements". Screens then shewwd Coryton ETA 1655. Next announcement stating that train arriving was the Merthyr and Coryton passengers to listen for further announcement. What was the train that was coming to a stand while this was going on ? - The 1651 to Coryton. We than had a voice announced quire rightly that it was the Coryton. I appreciate that they both approach from different routes at Cardiff West, but the Screens and announcements and actual facts were all contradicting each other. If it had not been for a proper voice, how many passengers would have boarded the wrong train.
There is another anomaly on a daily basis in that when the train to Manchester from West Wales departs at 12 05 (maybe on other hours also) is shewn on the CIS and announced as the next train on Platform 2, the train there is the 1200 (FGW) to Taunton so some people attempt to board this. This, I shoild imagine, is because the Milford Haven to Manchester arrives before 1200 and so the system recognises this as the earlier time and thinks it is the first train. I have seen Platform staff having to call to passengers to direct them to the correct train.

 

[krus_aragon]

Looking at realtimetrains, 2C41 to Coryton was five minutes late arrving at Ninian Park (and leaving). I'd guess that the signaller (or his software) set a route for the 2M46 to Merthyr to jump ahead and go into Central first, but that was then changed back to send the Coryton service in first. (If it had been any later it would surely have been going after the Merthyr service.) Add in a little latency in the passenger announcement system and it could well be working on old (and wrong) information. That's when the manual announcements are needed badly.

As for the 1200 situation on platform 2, that's definitely a limitation of the software: bad assumption on the part of the programmer. For a similar case, the automated PA system at Swindon seems to alert passengers to stand back when an ECS service is booked through a platform, warning that "the next train at platform X does not stop here". I was a little underwhelmed to see such a service come to a stop at the platform and form the next departing service!

 

[PHILIPE]

The Coryton was approx 5 late and the Merthry following in the correct order approx 3 Late.

 

[merlodlliw]

I have been on Cardiff Central many times waiting for the 1721 to Wrexham,once the bionic announcements had us going to platform zero, only to be told by a real person that was a mistake and we should return to platform one where the train was waiting.
Not uncommon for the bionic announcements to state platform two, where a London service was waiting, only to be corrected by a real announcer.


Bob

 

[AlexS]

I would think all PA systems would auto announce a class 5 ECS as either non stop or not for public use, as they only announce class 1 and 2 trains that are booked to call.

They do have some foibles - they are after all pretty much a cost cutting measure so you don't have to have an announcer to operate them. I try and override ours if I catch it in the act of doing something silly, but it's not always possible to be in the right place at the right time

 

[ValleyLines142]

With regards to the 1205 to Manchester, normally the 1200 Taunton service will pull up on platform 2 and then the 175 will go behind it.

Platform 1 isn't much of an option either as the 1155 to London uses it and also the 1212 Cheltenham service arrives about ten minutes after the London. Usually there are plenty of staff on platform 2 to help passengers

 

[gogogoadam]

At least you are given wrong information by Ruth instead of Anne which I now have to put up with in FGW-land !

 

[ValleyLines142]

At least you are given wrong information by Ruth instead of Anne which I now have to put up with in FGW-land !

I quite like the voice of Anne; I think she should appear at more stations, to be honest! I wouldn't be surprised if she replaces Ruth in the next few years!

 

[Qwerty133]

At leicester either just before or after the 17:06 arrival from new street you get 'the next train at platform 1 does not stop here. please stay back from the edge of platform 1' however the 16:50 arrival is already sitting on the platform. I have seen irregular passengers worry about it especially when the doors are left open and they are sat on the train.