Phil Sayer's announcements

[jon0844]

If only he'd thrown in the warning about leaving cases or parcels unattended anywhere on the station!

 

[alexdodds]

Network Rail are unlikely to give in to changing the system back, however.

It was upgraded a couple of months ago to enable announcements to play only on the platforms they concerned, enabling simultaneous announcements to be made in the station so there wasn't a queue of endless speech coming from speakers. Whilst that doesn't bother people like me () there are several people it does. People switch off to the system and miss the information they need. On the other hand, I said of the change that it was much better as it was because New Street needed it.

The problem with the upgraded system is purely one of simultaneous announcements - e.g. one on platform 1 and another on platform 11 at the same time. It would be technologically impossible to have all announcements played on the concourse as a result.

If the announcements are to return there (as the RNIB want and legal action may decide), then the rather expensive upgrade is going to have to be reversed - something I'm sure Network Rail would not like.

A similar thing started at London Euston earlier this year with Sarah. announcements play only on the relevant platforms the difference is that the announcements all play on the concourse and no more than 1 is announced at the same time.

Manchester Piccadilly and London Bridge are 2 other stations with different PA zones i think.

 

[Ibex]

I think announcements should be put in place at Watford Junction, London Marylebone and I'd love to hear them at all stations Bushey - Queen's Park. "...Queen's Park, Kilburn Park, Maida Vale, Warwick Avenue, Paddington Underground..." I'm suprised they are even shown on the departure boards. Just type in ZBK, NWB or RMD on NRE Live Departure boards only the terminus shows up.

Sorry, I realise this is quoting a comment that was made months ago but I couldn't help myself.

In regards to Watford Junction having automatic announcements, they have now been put in place and to be honest they're a bit naff. It's the Sarah voice used across the LM network, and theres an awful lot of un-necessary verbal garbage that we get the option to play.

Some examples here... http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/4249/img0223y.jpg

The platforms have all been zoned though due to the size of the station its not worked very well. Platform alterations are awful for zoning because she will announce the change on the new platform, and not the one with all the customers waiting on it.

To be honest though I only ever expect to be playing stuff like
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/3167/img0318t.jpg

The old system which was just manual announcements accompanied by some optional extras by the Boofay lady on a Whiteley Electronics system, such as Security and 'Fast trains pass through this station'. There were some others but they were very outdated, with Silverlink branding, and 'no smoking in the waiting rooms'.

Thats enough waffle from me I think

 

[thefab444]

The previous voice at Watford Junction was the omnipresent Julie Berry, sadly not the Boofay lady (who is much better).

How much is the operation of the new WFJ system automated e.g. delay announcements, alterations, cancellations and the like? Certainly on the system used by SWT these are played automatically, so the system basically runs itself.

 

[Ibex]

The previous voice at Watford Junction was the omnipresent Julie Berry, sadly not the Boofay lady (who is much better).

Are they not the same person then?

To be honest the new system is supposed to be fully automatic (hence the name automatic announcements) but the days I get lumbered with the announcer shift I find I have to do more work than when it was fully manual!

Click the train to announce, click announce, click pre-announcement, click the zones to play it on, click Yes I want to announce this. Pah the days when it was just hold down a button and read out like 5 station names (the info people actually want) were so much better than all this THIS TRAIN HAS FOUR COACHES, A BUFFET SERVICE, FIRST CLASS, NO TOILETS, CHANGE AT rubbish! I'm not a fan of auto PA's

 

[tripleseis]

Channel M news report from 23rd January on Phil and his wife Elinor which may interest some of you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QaIAEr-Wt0

 

[transportphoto]

Purely for the purpose of identifying the voices, here's a quick guide semi-complete with samples:

Phil
Celia
'Roger'
'Charlotte'
Mike
'Sarah'
'Boofay'
Ruth

Link Error '404 Not Found' Could you try again for us please!?.

 

[142094]

Any idea what the voice is at Micklefield? Sounds like the typical Northern standard voice which was heard at a lot of places until they stopped doing announcements.

 

[Ibex]

Link Error '404 Not Found' Could you try again for us please!?.

I'll take a liberty here and upload some.

Celia
http://download99.mediafire.com/1bng5mdtzt1g/muttcyzlml3/1527-London+Waterloo-1.mp3

Charlotte
http://download477.mediafire.com/zzdt2uzjryvg/2mcynzq4zlm/1413-Sevenoaks-Standing.mp3

Julie
http://download63.mediafire.com/ujzygte4eztg/ijkwz5jjy3j/Pl+8+and+9+Closed.mp3

Mike
http://download819.mediafire.com/bmglxmnnjkwg/4wjgdyj4mjk/1451-ManchesterPiccadilly-Next.mp3

Phil
http://download366.mediafire.com/ugxtsttwfxwg/dxmiemmmjnm/1138-Watford+Junction.mp3

Roger
http://download351.mediafire.com/sf1timytnljg/e2two1oyzzy/1431-StAlbans.mp3

Ruth
http://download524.mediafire.com/npty9tyt7b4g/git2nd522mz/0939-London+Waterloo.mp3

Sarah
http://download48.mediafire.com/wyi0zsjlmohg/ynyyhymmhvm/1101-Crewe+%26+Birmingham+New+St.mp3

Then you've also got the new girl on the scene, Emma Hignett.
http://download740.mediafire.com/un3chmdyzmvg/ziz3x4t0ywg/For+Willesden+Junction+-+Next+Stop+Imperial+Wharf.mp3

Also to point out only the Emma, Sarah, Celia and Julie recordings are mine so credit for the others go to rightful owners (unfortunatly I have no idea who they are).

 

[Aictos]

Well after listening to that lot, I have to conclude that the best announcements are the ones by Julie and Phil. I know Phil can be heard at some FCC stations but where can Julie be heard?

 

[tripleseis]

On-board Southern trains and I think on-board some FCC trains too.

 

[jon0844]

Yes, FCC 317s have her voice - and I think the 317s on NXEA do too.

 

[thefab444]

Julie Berry's on all Southern stock (except 313/456s), most National Express East Anglia EMU stock, and First Capital Connect EMU stock (except 319s). She replaced a far better Essex male voice on the NXEA stock (I believe he was a driver for FGE?).

 

[Galvanize]

Julie Berry's on all Southern stock (except 313/456s), most National Express East Anglia EMU stock, and First Capital Connect EMU stock (except 319s). She replaced a far better Essex male voice on the NXEA stock (I believe he was a driver for FGE?).

He was known as "Dave" by people, and he's now a driver with Freightliner, which may of been why NXEA replaced him with Julie...

Emma Hignett is better known for being the voice on London's buses...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTHvUT9chQ4&feature=related

She is heard announcing the destination of the bus, plus the names of the stops, and also messages activated by the driver which include:
"Please move down the bus."
"Seats are available on the upper deck."
"No standing on the upper deck or stairs please!"
"This bus is on diversion-Please Listen for further announcements."

 

[Aictos]

Ah that's interesting news, cheers guys - thought the announcements sounded familiar.

 

[Ivo]

Julie Berry's on all Southern stock (except 313/456s), most National Express East Anglia EMU stock, and First Capital Connect EMU stock (except 319s). She replaced a far better Essex male voice on the NXEA stock (I believe he was a driver for FGE?).

Of late she has also been heard on c2c units. The only real difference in any of the announcements compared to the previous one [Sarah?] is the inclusion of "change here for bus links to Canvey Island" at Benfleet. [Standardise all Anglian units, I suppose :roll:]

Also, don't ask why, but Ruth does my head in. Even the first time I heard her at St Erth nearly four years ago. These days, maybe it's the ATW connection

EDIT: Actually, it probably has something to do with the inconsistencies in her station declarations. Examples:

BRIStol (Temple) Meads
(Tiverton Parkway)
NEWport

Tiverton is the classic because it is unnecessarily deep compared to most of the others - an after thought, almost. I will admit though, final stations usually flow well with the preceding "and", especially Leeds and Holyhead.

 

[Ibex]

I think Julie is near enough extinct from stations now. Also to add to the on-board announcements, shes now on all LM 350s though the format of the announcements is a bit lame, but its better to have a decent voice now.

"Welcome aboard this London Midland service to Milton Keynes Ctl, we will be calling at Leighton Buzzard, Bletchley, and the next stop will be Leighton Buzzard"




Ruth isn't too bad! I'm not keen on her 175 announcements but the station ones are fine

 

[Ivo]

The 350 announcements are a bit lame, aren't they? They don't even have her "trademark enthusiasm" (evident particularly on East Coastway services). They sound like a list and nothing more.

...Oh, crud. I just realised that I get to put up with this over-and-over-and-over on Saturday...

As for Ruth... Clear, but otherwise inadequate.

Phil's the best; I'm sure that I need not declare this. Easy to imitate too

 

[Pumbaa]

Julie Berry's on all Southern stock (except 313/456s), most National Express East Anglia EMU stock, and First Capital Connect EMU stock (except 319s). She replaced a far better Essex male voice on the NXEA stock (I believe he was a driver for FGE?).

And LM 350s, ME 507/508s.

 

[metrocammel]

Surely the worst station announcements are by the 'man who sounds like he has a lisp' as used by TPE. He replaced Phil at Huddersfield, which was a shame (though apparently the Ditra system is still in place at Huddersield, just not used)

 

[poshbakerloo]

Phil, Celia are the best voice! So clear and not annoying like the ones at Sheffield/Piccadilly etc, and the even worse ones used on TPE 185s!

 

[142094]

At least the woman on the 185s has a regional accent appropriate for up north. Some of the pronunciations of stations up here are rubbish when made by southerners.

 

[poshbakerloo]

At least the woman on the 185s has a regional accent appropriate for up north. Some of the pronunciations of stations up here are rubbish when made by southerners.

Even tho I live just outside Manchester, I can't stand northern accents I would much rather have Celia or Phil doing them any day!

 

[142094]

Lol, you'd probably be in the minority then. Hear complaints all the time about 'those bloody southern accents'!

 

[thefab444]

Well, Phil's a Northerner and Celia lives in France!

 

[142094]

Probably more complaints about the one who does TPE station announcements. At least on the ECML at most stations the announcers are local - apart from the one at Darlington (IIRC) which was American...

 

[thefab444]

That bloke works for TPE, he's from Hull I think?

Certainly not Southern, actually, I'm slightly offended by that!

 

[142094]

Well he doesn't sound northern! The best course of action - get a computer voice to do it.

 

[alexdodds]

The PA at Leeds station seems to have had some improvements done to it. Before it was loud in some areas and quiet in others. Now Sarah blasts out perfectly through every speaker in the station.

I spoke to NR staff at the station and they said there were upgrading the system possibly where all the announcements play on the concourse but only play on the relevant platform.

Not only has the PA been improved but they have also replaced the colour monitors and replaced them with orange LED ones sorry to go off topic for just a bit.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

That bloke works for TPE, he's from Hull I think?

Certainly not Southern, actually, I'm slightly offended by that!

The bloke who does the TPE station announcements is a TPE Conductor Competence Manager in Manchester.

The on train announcements are done by a Station Supervisor from Hull.

In my opinion the station based announcements are probably the worst I have ever heard anywhere. This is no reflection on the man behind the voice however, as he sounds nothing like that awful system - it is more the way the announcements are out together on the computer system.