Station announcement voice change

[zsl11913]

Is there a coordinated programme to chage station announcement voice, or just a coincidence?

A few weeks ago, the station announcement at Waterloo was switched from female to male voice. Then the voice at Vauxhall was also switched to the same male voice today. And the voice at Earlsfield (Plat 2) switched from the standard female voice to a new female voice, the same as the new SWR on-board announcement launched last year (also on 455 in its final months, but surprisingly not on 701s).

I am personally absolutely fine with any voice as long as they make sense and easy to understand, but just wondering if there is a coordinate project going on?

 

[swt_passenger]

Is there a coordinated programme to chage station announcement voice, or just a coincidence?

A few weeks ago, the station announcement at Waterloo was switched from female to male voice. Then the voice at Vauxhall was also switched to the same male voice today. And the voice at Earlsfield (Plat 2) switched from the standard female voice to a new female voice, the same as the new SWR on-board announcement launched last year (also on 455 in its final months, but surprisingly not on 701s).

I am personally absolutely fine with any voice as long as they make sense and easy to understand, but just wondering if there is a coordinate project going on?

Yes, they’re moving to an AI voice - it was discussed here:

Did Phil Sayer record ‘See it, say it, sorted’, or is it AI?

At Waterloo, Hampton Court and a few other SWR stations I’ve been hearing what sounds like a pseudo-Phil voice announcing ‘if you see anything suspicious…’ and I was wondering if, despite the switch to ATOS a few years back with Elinor and Rodger replacing Celia at stations, they’ve added an AI...

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