Strange Things Seen on CIS

[Steddenm]

I have just passed Selhurst (well the train actually stopped) and seen this:


(Image shows a CIS display showing * PLEASE STAND CLEAR * OF THE PLATFORM EDGE on Sunday)

Is there any other weird notices you've seen on CIS over the years?

 

[Parallel]

I have just passed Selhurst (well the train actually stopped) and seen this:

View attachment 209894
(Image shows a CIS display showing * PLEASE STAND CLEAR * OF THE PLATFORM EDGE on Sunday)

Is there any other weird notices you've seen on CIS over the years?

These screens have functionality that often displays the broadcast on the top 2 rows, then a scrolling informative message on the bottom row, sometimes about engineering works or disruption. There looks to be something incorrectly configured with that one.

 

[grinderx]

During the Doncaster works open day in 2003 there was a virgin voyager with 'I love you' or words to that effect on its destination display.

 

[81A]

At Worcestershire Parkway, some sort of testing screen displaying all the technical settings of the CIS system (didn't get a photo)...

 

[172007]

Some class 172 pis screens internally when there is no route code / just started up say "Turbostar Class 171".

Southern was a Go-Ahead Group company along with London Midland and i guess some spare parts were occasionaly shared / borrowed.

 

[plugwash]

At Worcestershire Parkway, some sort of testing screen displaying all the technical settings of the CIS system (didn't get a photo)...

Seen that sort of thing in a few places, not just on the railway.

I presume that when the screen is unable to correctly establish a network connection and talk to it's master server the it drops into a mode where it displays troubleshooting information.

 

[The exile]

1. A one-off: Being welcomed to Bletchley - by the screens at Barassie
2. Sadly not a one-off: Screens insisting that the first train at the platform is the 17:00 to xyz and that the second train is the 16:40 to xyz - both trains showing as on time. How can a computer not be programmed to reject the impossible?

 

[yoyothehobo]

I still remember the one at Bramley mourning the passing of HRH Queen Gelnabeth...

 

[styles]

Frustratingly I recall seeing London St Pancake around Ash Wednesday. I think it shows contempt for foreign travellers who may not "get" the joke. See also: renaming Bond Street station to Burberry Street station.

</oldManShoutingAtClouds>

 

[Belperpete]

At Worcestershire Parkway, some sort of testing screen displaying all the technical settings of the CIS system (didn't get a photo)...

It is not uncommon for screens to display IP addresses and suchlike technical settings if something goes wrong. Likewise you sometimes see a bootup screen if bootup has stalled.

I was once on a train that went through ALL its in-built announcements and associated displays, one after another - not just all the various destinations and stopping patterns, but all the information and emergency announcements. It took forever. Followed by an announcement from the guard, apologising for it. It went from being annoying, to interesting to find out some of the things that were programmed in, such as the emergency evacuation announcements.

 

[Krystal]

I have just passed Selhurst (well the train actually stopped) and seen this:

Things like these happen when there’s disruption and trains run via places where they otherwise wouldn’t have been to.
Here’s a moment from me: because of trespass on the Bexleyheath branch trains had to call at stations on the Sidcup line instead. The CIS gets confused and shows a passing train message regardless if the train actually stopped or not.

(Image shows a train stopped at the platform but the CIS says “PLEASE STAND CLEAR - THE NEXT TRAIN WILL NOT STOP AT THIS STATION”)

 

[GEC465]

for some unknown reason Gatwick airport is programmable on most SE train unit displays. Including 465s which were banned on the brighton main line(if im correct?)

 

[Krystal]

for some unknown reason Gatwick airport is programmable on most SE train unit displays. Including 465s which were banned on the brighton main line(if im correct?)

Destination displays are a whole other funny story that probably warrants its own thread.
Some trains have nonsensical things they can set as their destination and/or have announcements for, such as Sheffield Victoria on the 168s or Birmingham New Street on the Azumas.

 

[1D53]

One of the digital displays on Piccadilly 13/14 has been proudly showing the SWR logo for weeks now.

 

[Krystal]

One of the digital displays on Piccadilly 13/14 has been proudly showing the SWR logo for weeks now.

Image for reference for anyone wondering. Why could this be the case? Perhaps borrowing technology from SWR (track map displays?) and not changing the software?

(Image is a still from a TikTok where a digital display can be seen showing the SWR logo. This is Manchester Piccadilly)

 

[Tracked]

In 2018 Doncaster station had a large number of trains that were travelling to their destination via #itscominghome

(there's also a TPE Cleethorpes train unusually on time in that shot)

 

[birchesgreen]

Destination displays are a whole other funny story that probably warrants its own thread.
Some trains have nonsensical things they can set as their destination and/or have announcements for, such as Sheffield Victoria on the 168s or Birmingham New Street on the Azumas.

Yes i once saw a Chiltern unit with Sheffield on the front whilst sat at Banbury, very odd.

 

[lookapigeon]

When the CIS used to be a proprietary Windows application split across multiple monitor outputs when the computer went wrong you'd see a slice of Windows application error box on each. I recall it used to be a fairly frequent occurence in Portsmouth & Southsea, and exposed how old the computer was - running Windows NT in circa 2007.