The Great Euston Rush

[F Great Eastern]

Sarah does my head in at Liverpool Street, just the way she says "NATIONAL EXPRESS" rings in my ears and annoys me in a way that nowhere else ddoes.

 

[Z12XE]

I Quite like the one at Liverpool Street (and other NXEA stations which have the updated PIS software)

The announcements are much clearer than the old voice and not so posh - they should have used her on the trains as well.

 

[Daimler]

Is Sarah the one that warns people to stand back from the platform edge every time a train passes on the fast tracks (so non-stop, basically) at Hemel Hempstead/Berkhamsted/other LM stations?

 

[thefab444]

That's her Daimler! "STAND WELL BACK FROM THE PLATFUM EDGE. THE NEXT TRAIN AT.. PLATFUM TUU. DOES NOT STOP HERE! STAND BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE!!"

I agree with FGE, she is awful at Liverpool Street, it's even better when you get the echo off "Stansted Expressssss!" or... "Seeee tooo seeee". I do not however agree with GE, the previous Anglia/FGE/one station announcements system, known as "the Boofay lady", was great, especially when a down inflex version of a station hadn't been recorded... "saaarvice, to, Billericay?!". She'll be sadly missed.

That's Sarah as well I think - all WCML stations have her until Rugby.

Incorrect, she is not at Euston, nor is she at Harrow & Wealdstone.

 

[Daimler]

She's only on periodically at Watford too - she announces 'passengers for stations to St. Albans Abbey please go to...' etc. from time to time, and stuff about security/smoking, but for fast trains passing through and actual departures, they still have - gasp - real live people! There's an one guy who sometimes puts a bit of humour into his announcements. A while ago he came up with something like 'Would a member of the cleaning department please make their way to the ladies' toilets. Rumour has it they're smelling fresh.'

 

[Pumbaa]

Is Sarah the one that warns people to stand back from the platform edge every time a train passes on the fast tracks (so non-stop, basically) at Hemel Hempstead/Berkhamsted/other LM stations?

Yes that's right - basically LM stations. Watford had someone else, but it's gone over to Sarah recently.

My reason for liking her is simple - she stresses the important bits aka LONDON MIDLAND, LONDON EUSTON, 1134 etc. Not only is it technically correct oratory, but it is also very effective for large crowds; evening rush hour punters need only to catch those vital bits of info.

 

[me123]

Glasgow Central and Queen Street are the same. They usually wait until the train is in and everyone's off before they announce it. However, you tend to know what platform to expect the train on (in Central) and in Queen Street (where platforming seems to change on a daily basis) I can work out what arriving train will form my outward train (ie, I know that the Edinburgh trains all work back out to Edinburgh normally and so on). As a result, I know which barriers to stand beside.

Edinburgh, however, advertise most trains well in advance. People here know where to go well in advance, but as a result there seem to be lots of "platform alteration announcements" going out. On the topic of announcers, the one at Edinburgh is my favourite. Sure, she's annoying, but I never fail to miss an announcement. Don't know why she needs to announce that trains do not convey smoking accommodation, though.

 

[90019]

Edinburgh, however, advertise most trains well in advance. People here know where to go well in advance, but as a result there seem to be lots of "platform alteration announcements" going out. On the topic of announcers, the one at Edinburgh is my favourite. Sure, she's annoying, but I never fail to miss an announcement. Don't know why she needs to announce that trains do not convey smoking accommodation, though.

She's good, but she obviously doesn't like being silent for too long, as there'll be something like a security announcement if she hasn't said anything for a while. However, after you've been there a few times, you start to block it out, so it's fine

You do get sometimes get a person making announcements too, but not that often.

 

[Danielo]

This Sarah gets about a bit then.

 

[Broken Viking]

This Sarah gets about a bit then.

Aye...I believe I might've seen her standing at a "picture" window last time I walked through Hamburgs' red-light district! hock:

 

[D841]

happens at a lot of major stations. KGX is bad in the evening rush, mainly for the leeds trains.

Yep. I've been in the Leeds queue many times at KX, and have cheated by standing near the barrier line to get to the train as soon as it was announced. In common with several other people (every time), this was done to make sure of a seat in the restaurant.

Now that NXEC have pulled them from all but two of the down evening Leeds trains, I'm not likely to be doing it again.

 

[Danielo]

There are several non-English accents making announcements at Euston. Those making announcements at Harrow & Wealdstone sound like they've only managed a C at GCSE English.

 

[O L Leigh]

Sarah does my head in at Liverpool Street, just the way she says "NATIONAL EXPRESS" rings in my ears and annoys me in a way that nowhere else ddoes.

It's because she ennunciates the "S" sound clearly both at the end of "express" and at the start of "service".

Mind you, the Stratford version doesn't do this, which I find even more annoying. Instead of "National Express service" we get "National Expre service".

Weird.

O L Leigh

 

[Pumbaa]

To my delight, I also discovered today that Sarah is responsible for Man Piccadilly. Hurrah!

 

[thefab444]

Mind you, the Stratford version doesn't do this, which I find even more annoying. Instead of "National Express service" we get "National Expre service".

Stratford should now be equipped with the new Sarah system, so no more "National Expre" and no more "Dining Carrrrrrrrrrrrs" on 321s... no more trains to "SOWTHEND?! Victoria" either.

Plumbaa, Sarah is at all Network Rail managed stations with the exceptions of:

London Cannon Street, which has the alternative male voice; "Mike".
London Euston, which is manual.
London Fenchurch Street, which is manual (unless Sarah has popped in for a quickie to Shoebury?)
London St Pancras, which has the FCC/Funkwerk version of Phil on the Thameslink platforms and is manual on the Domestic platforms.
London Victoria, which is the older version of DITRA Phil.
London Waterloo, which is the newer version of DITRA Phil.

Birmingham New Street, which is the newer version of DITRA Phil.
Glasgow Central, which is manual.
Edinburgh Waverley, which is the alternative scottish female voice; "Annie".

She may be at Liverpool Lime Street, unless somebody has stolen the speakers and replaced them with bricks? She'd suit it there.

 

[O L Leigh]

Stratford should now be equipped with the new Sarah system, so no more "National Expre".

It's Sarah that's doing it...!!

Still, at least she knows the WA destinations now as the previous system didn't. We used to get: "Platform 12 for the XX33 service to [pause]. Calling at [pause], Cheshunt and [pause]. Platform 12 for the XX33 service to [pause]."

O L Leigh

 

[thefab444]

Indeed, I seem to recall at one point it was unable to say ANY of the stations, then Cheshunt randomly appeared but nowhere else, and then I think towards the end, the system became able to say some more of those places. "Totten-hum Hale". "Starnsted!" (she couldn't bring herself to say Mountfitchet the Essex way)

 

[Danielo]

Stratford should now be equipped with the new Sarah system, so no more "National Expre" and no more "Dining Carrrrrrrrrrrrs" on 321s... no more trains to "SOWTHEND?! Victoria" either.

Plumbaa, Sarah is at all Network Rail managed stations with the exceptions of:

London Cannon Street, which has the alternative male voice; "Mike".
London Euston, which is manual.
London Fenchurch Street, which is manual (unless Sarah has popped in for a quickie to Shoebury?)
London St Pancras, which has the FCC/Funkwerk version of Phil on the Thameslink platforms and is manual on the Domestic platforms.
London Victoria, which is the older version of DITRA Phil.
London Waterloo, which is the newer version of DITRA Phil.

Birmingham New Street, which is the newer version of DITRA Phil.
Glasgow Central, which is manual.
Edinburgh Waverley, which is the alternative scottish female voice; "Annie".

She may be at Liverpool Lime Street, unless somebody has stolen the speakers and replaced them with bricks? She'd suit it there.

So the wench making the announcements at Euston is not Sarah. Hmmmn, the mystery deepends!

 

[Pumbaa]

So the wench making the announcements at Euston is not Sarah. Hmmmn, the mystery deepends!

Harsh!

 

[Danielo]

Harsh!

I can't figure out her accent. It sounds Italian, maybe even middle easten. But it is a lovely voice. I hope she's not the type that has the perfect face for radio!

 

[thefab444]

I know who you mean actually, she was there back in 2007 I think...

"Train doors clossssssathirtay seconds before d'partureeeeeee!"

Given that Sarah is a slut from the North, it is unlikely to be her... when you hear "Platfum tuu" and "LONDON MIDLAND!!" echoing around the departure hall, you'll know Sarah is there.