St Pancras Thameslink announcements

[skyhigh]

I've noticed that the announcements for the Thameslink platforms at St Pancras seem to change volume mid-way. Firstly I assumed that the volume automatically increased as a train entered the platform so that it could still be heard over an arriving train, but when I was passing through last week the volume kept going up and down even with no trains in the station.

One announcement started at normal volume and then by the end was barely audible, whereas another started at normal volume and got unreasonably loud for an empty station... Is the system designed to do this, or has something gone wrong somewhere?

Automatic volume control in a station like St Pancras with it's acoustics is obviously very useful, but experiencing different announcements playing at once on either platform entering into a shouting competition with each other is a little unnecessary!

 

[All Line Rover]

Been like this for months. Yes, at times the announcements can get deafeningly loud.

 

[talldave]

You sometimes get a battle between northbound and southbound announcements as one tries to out-volume the other!

 

[XCTurbostar]

I've noticed that the announcements for the Thameslink platforms at St Pancras seem to change volume mid-way. Firstly I assumed that the volume automatically increased as a train entered the platform so that it could still be heard over an arriving train, but when I was passing through last week the volume kept going up and down even with no trains in the station.

One announcement started at normal volume and then by the end was barely audible, whereas another started at normal volume and got unreasonably loud for an empty station... Is the system designed to do this, or has something gone wrong somewhere?

Automatic volume control in a station like St Pancras with it's acoustics is obviously very useful, but experiencing different announcements playing at once on either platform entering into a shouting competition with each other is a little unnecessary!

The system is intended to do this. The Public Address announcements at the station are configured to respond to the ambient noise within the station using sensors mounted above the platforms on on lighting columns. This is the case with most stations on the rail network. The system can be configured differently depending on whether there are events, wind etc.

Thanks,
Ross

 

[skyhigh]

The system is intended to do this. The Public Address announcements at the station are configured to respond to the ambient noise within the station using sensors mounted above the platforms on on lighting columns. This is the case with most stations on the rail network. The system can be configured differently depending on whether there are events, wind etc.

Thanks,
Ross

I understand the volume is intended to change, I was more questioning why the volume was changing when there was no train arriving/in the station/departing. It seemed as if it was hearing itself and raising the volume thinking it was ambient noise

 

[RichmondCommu]

In the past I've noticed that announcements at St Pancras Thameslink were made by members of staff using a microphone on the platform. Does this no longer happen?

 

[XCTurbostar]

I understand the volume is intended to change, I was more questioning why the volume was changing when there was no train arriving/in the station/departing. It seemed as if it was hearing itself and raising the volume thinking it was ambient noise

As that station in particular is entirely enclosed, it is possible that it could be changing th volume based on its own volume. It is something I have seen before at other stations (such as Birmingham new street) where the announcements on other platforms compete. I don't think the system is intelligent enough to filter out its own noise.

Thanks,
Ross