Phil Sayer's announcements

[thefab444]

I much prefer real annoucements - so much better than these generic ones. I really dont undertstand the fascination!

Why are you in this thread then?

 

[ApAp]

I believe Darlington (and possibly Durham) also had Ditra systems, long since gone.

I much prefer real annoucements - so much better than these generic ones. I really dont undertstand the fascination!

Was it GNER that removed the automated announcements from their stations or did they disappear when BR still ran the line?

I agree with DarloRich, as long as a station has the staffing levels to do manual announcements then it's a lot better. The automated announcements are best left for stations that are smaller and aren't financially viable to staff with announcers.

 

[thefab444]

In this age, it's not financially viable to employ announcers at any station other than the very busiest.

The computer generally does a better job than a human during standard service and minor disruption. It's during major disruption than improvements to automated CIS are needed.

 

[DarloRich]

Why are you in this thread then?

Because i didnt realise it was a closed thread for automated voice lovers. I thought opinions might be allowed!

I find the speech pattern of the generic annoucments annoying. this is no doubt brought on by the computer running the system.

This is the (pause) 1752 (pause) London Midland Train to (pause) Euston Calling at (pause) Station list (pause) tickets marked (pause) Virgin only are not valid on this train (pause)

The pause is small but noticable.

None of the fluidity of a "live" person, no regional accents or difference thorughout the country. I just find them bland.

 

[thefab444]

Because i didnt realise it was a closed thread for automated voice lovers. I thought opinions might be allowed!

They are but it seems rather pointless posting in a thread about automated announcements merely to say they are all rubbish. It'd be like you starting a thread about places in the North East and me replying to say they are all dumps.

I find the speech pattern of the generic annoucments annoying. this is no doubt brought on by the computer running the system.

The poor spacing is actually caused by the person who edited the sound files leaving gaps at the start and end of the recordings. The gaps should be put in by the computer as it can determine when a short gap (between phrases) or a long gap (between sentences) is needed.

None of the fluidity of a "live" person, no regional accents or difference thorughout the country. I just find them bland.

Regional accents can be provided, it is just TOCs often do not want the expense of getting a brand new set of voice samples recorded, preferring to use the generic voice provided by the system manufacturer.

 

[Blindtraveler]

of course you can share your views. I am sure you aint the only one who finds the pause anoying and in time the systems wil i'm sure improve so the speach does sound more natural, and even now some are better than others. You ötice the difference too today compared to a system installed in 1996. And, as has already been said, the edits of clips also matter. As a trained sound engineer and dj I should know lol

 

[DarloRich]

Fab - most of them are dumps. The diffferance being that as a native i am allowed to say so!

I wouldnt even mind a recorded announcement if they got someone with "something" to read them. The voice seems bland and boring. I dont feel any warm or reassurance behind it.

I dont think they are rubbish. I think they have a place at smaller stations with no staff, i think they are useful late/early in the morning if there are no staff. I think they are useful in giving the continous security advice we seem to need these days.

Given a choice i prefer a real person

 

[tonytrainsfree]

does phil sayer stll announcements at birmgham new street

 

[thefab444]

As far as I know he is.

 

[thefab444]

Nah, not him, it's a new guy announcing trains. Only been on a few days.

Apparently there were no announcements there on the 30th April, so it didn't last long.

 

[Via Bank]

Would it have been Phil Sayer doing the on-board announcements on the slammers and 5-WES on the Portsmouth - Waterloo route in the late NSE to SWT desrio introduction era?

IIRC he was used on the Desiros as they were being introduced, but he was replaced with Celia around 2005/2006 time.

It's easy to understand why: Phil's voice is wonderful on the platforms, but I imagine over a Desiro's (quite loud) PA speakers it could become quite overbearing!

 

[thefab444]

IIRC he was used on the Desiros as they were being introduced, but he was replaced with Celia around 2005/2006 time.

It's easy to understand why: Phil's voice is wonderful on the platforms, but I imagine over a Desiro's (quite loud) PA speakers it could become quite overbearing!

He was replaced in January 2007 (on the 444s anyway), but it sounded like had a cold when they recorded the on train samples. Celia sounds better although they still need to sort out the lack of gaps between stations in the calling pattern.

 

[LemonGrove]

I'm surprised to read that stations like Leeds (I was there not so long ago and thought it was a real woman) and Birmingham have recorded announcements, yet Newcastle which although large has much lower passenger numbers, has live announcements. What is the thinking behind which stations do and don't have them?

 

[ainsworth74]

What is the thinking behind which stations do and don't have them?

Well I can't speak for all stations but in the examples you've mentioned it's to do with the operator of the station. Leeds is operated by Network Rail who use auto announcements at all their stations (or at least I think they do!) whereas Newcastle is run by East Coast and all their stations use manual announcements (such as Darlington and York). So basically it is partly to do with who operates the station that determines whether it's auto or not. I have a feeling the ECML stations are some of the last major stations to still use manual announcements.

 

[Blindtraveler]

West coast has a mix of live and auto. Network rails estate is now fully auto since GLC went auto earlier this year. Out of all network rail managed ones, the only one remaining with Phil is BHM.

 

[thefab444]

West coast has a mix of live and auto. Network rails estate is now fully auto since GLC went auto earlier this year. Out of all network rail managed ones, the only one remaining with Phil is BHM.

Fenchurch Street is now the only Network Rail station with manual announcements. Victoria and Waterloo also have Phil.

 

[Blindtraveler]

oo my bad, completely forgot those too

 

[thefab444]

Well, Waterloo's CIS is managed by South West Trains and is just an extension of their Ditra system. Victoria's is an ancient system that harks back to the 1980s, which I'm sure will be replaced at some point in the not too distant future.

 

[Blindtraveler]

possibly with a similar waterloo type arangement?