"Station Stops"?

[Striker]

I have a friend, well more of an acquaintance really, who regularly travels up and down the East Coast from Leeds to King's Cross. The mention of "station stops" and other ridiculous syntax has always annoyed him, but he's noticed recently that this practice has ceased. Also, he noted there has been no announcements for the exhaustive list of sandwich fillings (he takes a packed lunch anyway). Has there been a change of policy at East Coast Trains or have the staff told management where to stuff their revenue protection barriers?

 

[krisk]

Surely its just up to the individual what language they wish to use, be that station, stop, calling point etc i'm sure people know what is being referred to.

 

[Striker]

Surely its just up to the individual what language they wish to use, be that station, stop, calling point etc i'm sure people know what is being referred to.

According to my acquaintance, "station" or "stop", but not both in the same sentance. That's mental!

 

[schwa]

You mean something like "Next station Bedminster, Bedminster is your next station stop"?

 

[W-on-Sea]

Wow, only the removal of one word, but a step in the right direction...

 

[Striker]

You mean something like "Next station Bedminster, Bedminster is your next station stop"?

No, I think he mentioned Doncaster.

Why not just "stop", as in, "the next stop is Doncaster", or "the next station is Doncaster"? I know trains can stop outside of stations but there is still no need to include the "station" before it.

 

[wensley]

No, I think he mentioned Doncaster.

Why not just "stop", as in, "the next stop is Doncaster", or "the next station is Doncaster"? I know trains can stop outside of stations but there is still no need to include the "station" before it.

It doesn't bother me, it's one of those things and I actually think it sounds better and less abrupt.

On the occasions I have been unleashed on the PA I prefer "We are now approaching into Northallerton, if you are leaving the train please ensure you have all your personal belongings with you and mind the gap between the body of the train and the platform edge. On behalf of myself and the onboard crew I would like to thank you for travelling with us and we do hope to see you again in the very near future. Northallerton in a few moments time. Thank You."

A bit longer but a bit more personal I feel, GC staff are given scripts at the outset but I would imagine this is standard practice until staff settle in at any TOC, every staff member has their own style, some introduce themselves, some just give the station calls, others give estimated arrival times, others don't bother at all!!!

My real nemesis are automated announcements, I was out on a 180 yesterday and was glad that the auto announcements were off and the senior was making her own announcements!!!!!!! Just a personal hatred

 

[transportphoto]

On the occasions I have been unleashed on the PA I prefer "We are now approaching into Northallerton, if you are leaving the train please ensure you have all your personal belongings with you and mind the gap between the body of the train and the platform edge. On behalf of myself and the onboard crew I would like to thank you for travelling with us and we do hope to see you again in the very near future. Northallerton in a few moments time. Thank You."

That is another of my pet hates!

 

[wensley]

That is another of my pet hates!

Yep, it should be "On behalf of the onboard crew and I" but it just doesn't sound natural...sorry to be raising your blood pressure

 

[Oswyntail]

Yep, it should be "On behalf of the onboard crew and I" but it just doesn't sound natural...sorry to be raising your blood pressure

Nearly. Should be "...crew and me".
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Though that is still inelegant. Better would be "I would like, on behalf of the onboard crew and myself, to thank...". "Myself" is acceptable when "I" has been used earlier in the sentence, and this order avoids the clumsy juxtaposition of "me" and "I".
Of course, "onboard" is meaningless

 

[Pumbaa]

Or "on behalf of my/the crew, I thank you etc" would be acceptable (depending on the seniority of the person talking use my/the?)

 

[wensley]

Nearly. Should be "...crew and me".
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Though that is still inelegant. Better would be "I would like, on behalf of the onboard crew and myself, to thank...". "Myself" is acceptable when "I" has been used earlier in the sentence, and this order avoids the clumsy juxtaposition of "me" and "I".
Of course, "onboard" is meaningless

That lost me and I have an A level in English Language!!!!
On this occasion I am going to revert to the stock Yorkshire response....
It'll be reet
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Or "on behalf of my/the crew, I thank you etc" would be acceptable (depending on the seniority of the person talking use my/the?)

Seniority doesn't matter really...suppose it would need to be the conductor or 'train manager' if they wished to say "my crew". "The crew" is fairly standard or I suppose you could plump for "the onboard team"!!

 

[exile]

"Arriving into" annoys me I'm afraid. "Arriving at" please! "Next station" or "Next stop" not "Next station stop". But then I'm a bit of a pedant!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

GC staff are given scripts at the outset but I would imagine this is standard practice until staff settle in at any TOC, every staff member has their own style, some introduce themselves, some just give the station calls, others give estimated arrival times, others don't bother at all!!!

This is what having your own style is all about, as long as it does not go too far outside the perimeters allowed.

 

[All Line Rover]

You mean something like "Next station Bedminster, Bedminster is your next station stop"?

That is exactly what is said on ATW when manual announcements are made.

 

[Proud Salopian]

My pet hate travelling on the Cardiff-Manchester line is the automatic woman saying "principal stations". Why?? (She refers to all stations as "principal", not just, say, the major ones..)

 

[Striker]

My acquaintance says that there are far too many announcements on trains these days. Also, my assistant travels to work by train every day and she has mentioned this a few times also.

 

[Squaddie]

Yep, it should be "On behalf of the onboard crew and I" but it just doesn't sound natural...sorry to be raising your blood pressure

Nearly. Should be "...crew and me".

You're both incorrect.

You cannot do anything "on behalf of" yourself. The very phrase indicates that you are doing something for someone else. So you could say "On behalf of the entire train crew...", but why do you need the "on behalf of" at all? Just "Thank you for travelling with us today" would do.

 

[transportphoto]

You're both incorrect.

You cannot do anything "on behalf of" yourself. The very phrase indicates that you are doing something for someone else. So you could say "On behalf of the entire train crew...", but why do you need the "on behalf of" at all? Just "Thank you for travelling with us today" would do.

Thank you - that was what I wanted to say but didn't know how to word it!

 

[trainophile]

My pet hate travelling on the Cardiff-Manchester line is the automatic woman saying "principal stations". Why?? (She refers to all stations as "principal", not just, say, the major ones..)

This has always annoyed me too. Why not just say "we will be calling at the following stations"? Who cares if they are considered "principal" or not?

I keep willing her to say "also Leominster, but of course that isn't really a principal station, but we have to stop there for some reason" .

 

[Oswyntail]

You're both incorrect.

You cannot do anything "on behalf of" yourself. The very phrase indicates that you are doing something for someone else. So you could say "On behalf of the entire train crew...", but why do you need the "on behalf of" at all? Just "Thank you for travelling with us today" would do.

OOh I can't let that rest In the announcement you are effectively saying that you have been appointed as the spokesman for the combined forces of the "crew" (of which you do not consider yourself a part) and yourself. Including the "crew" in the announcement fosters the illusion that they are there to look after you, and are interested in you - only the need for a prompt departure prevents the entire working population of the train from carrying you on their shoulders, whooping their acclamation at your benevolence, towards your waiting chariot.

 

[All Line Rover]

My pet hate travelling on the Cardiff-Manchester line is the automatic woman saying "principal stations". Why?? (She refers to all stations as "principal", not just, say, the major ones..)

The automatic ATW announcements are rubbish.

"Principal" stations makes no sense, because she lists ALL stations. She also raises her voice at the last station in each list, as if to imply that it's a question, when it is not.

She also lists any requests stops straight after the list of main stops - with no pause - and then says that you must inform the conductor to alight at those stops, as if to imply that EVERY station mentioned is a request stop!

The repeated, long "security" announcements annoy me too...

 

[strange6]

Nice to see you back, Striker! You always bring a bit of colour to these forums and I enjoy reading your posts which are usually a very entertaining read. Can't see the point in this thread though because at the end of the day, we all know what they mean; regardless of the word combinations that they use!
PS Try not to get banned again. Is it 3 strikes and you're gone for good?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....Why not just "stop", as in, "the next stop is Doncaster", or "the next station is Doncaster"? I know trains can stop outside of stations but there is still no need to include the "station" before it.

I don't know how far back this goes to be honest, but I know it goes into the days where some trains didn't have central door locking. The Guard announces "the next stop is...." and when the train stops Alexander Fool opens the door and walks through the opening, falls five feet to the waiting ballast and, whilst getting himself up, another train rounds the bend and uses him to redecorate the surroundings. It could even be that the person is blind. Of course all stock has CDL now so less of an issue, but historically maybe not.

Equally, simply saying "station" could be incorrect. When I was working for Thameslink It was quite common at St Albans for the drivers of the semi fast services to announce that the next station stop was West Hampstead Thameslink or Kings Cross Thameslink. The next station would be Radlett.

 

[Striker]

Nice to see you back, Striker! You always bring a bit of colour to these forums and I enjoy reading your posts which are usually a very entertaining read. Can't see the point in this thread though because at the end of the day, we all know what they mean; regardless of the word combinations that they use!
PS Try not to get banned again. Is it 3 strikes and you're gone for good?

I better be careful what I say on here so I'll send you a PM.

 

[Minilad]

My acquaintance says that there are far too many announcements on trains these days. Also, my assistant travels to work by train every day and she has mentioned this a few times also.

Wouldn't be Boppawombat by any chance would it

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Can't see the point in this thread though because at the end of the day, we all know what they mean; regardless of the word combinations that they use!

And that is probably the most valuable sentence on this thread!

 

[Striker]

Can't see the point in this thread though because at the end of the day, we all know what they mean; regardless of the word combinations that they use!

I'm not questioning whether people know what the announcements mean. Of course they know what they mean. My point is that the words they use make the announcements clumsy, cumbersome and overly verbose.

 

[WestCoast]

The automatic ATW announcements are rubbish.

"Principal" stations makes no sense, because she lists ALL stations. She also raises her voice at the last station in each list, as if to imply that it's a question, when it is not.

She also lists any requests stops straight after the list of main stops - with no pause - and then says that you must inform the conductor to alight at those stops, as if to imply that EVERY station mentioned is a request stop!

The repeated, long "security" announcements annoy me too...

ATW announcements are very strange indeed. Some very random stuff about litter is played when the train is at the platform! Although, the chime is quite pleasant before certain announcements....

 

[Lampshade]

The funny one is on VWC when they say we're on the approach to (Wigan North Western)... cabin crew doors to manual?