What a load of nonsense.

[pappleby]

Surely it should be,'the next 'Railway Station'-(from another thread)

 

[W-on-Sea]

I get annoyed with the use of superfluous adjectives by London Underground announcers. What used to be just "engineering works" now have to be qualified as either "planned" or "essential". Not necessary, really....

 

[Hydro]

A funny one that I can't really fathom is "This train will be going forward to...". I wouldn't expect the driver to throw the thing into reverse and back it to the next station. Not least because of all the fannying about for a propelling move :P

 

[Schnellzug]

I get annoyed with the use of superfluous adjectives by London Underground announcers. What used to be just "engineering works" now have to be qualified as either "planned" or "essential". Not necessary, really....

And is "essential engineering works" really good PR? It seems to be saying" oops, something's broken again, but we're trying to fix it".

 

[ModChod]

I've always thought that "the next station stop" is used because the train might well pass through other stations before reaching it, but not stop at them.

I've never heard 'The next station stop' before. I'm not even convinced it makes sense, but after reading it a few times I came to the same conclusion as trainophile above.

I can also see how it could be advising that the train may stop at signals before reaching the station though.

 

[WelshBluebird]

A funny one that I can't really fathom is "This train will be going forward to...". I wouldn't expect the driver to throw the thing into reverse and back it to the next station. Not least because of all the fannying about for a propelling move :P

Well, on some routes the train certainly does go back in the direction it came from.
Cardiff to Portsmouth harbour services do this at Bristol Temple Meads. Sometimes, the guard will specifically say something to the effect of "this train will now reverse on leaving the station". Presumably so people who don't know this happens don't get too confused!

 

[Nym]

Can I just say, when I was working at Manchester Airport, after a few months, I used neither, customers, passengers or pax. The general terms consisted of idiots, ****s, or sometimes passengers used with a qualifying term that meant we where slagging them off... (Eg. 'Ski Passengers')

 

[Yew]

I get annoyed with the use of superfluous adjectives by London Underground announcers. What used to be just "engineering works" now have to be qualified as either "planned" or "essential". Not necessary, really....

Maybe its because Hydro keeps going around doing unplanned engineering works because he just feels like it? Or because hes noticed a smooth bit on the MML?

 

[WestCoast]

Can I just say, when I was working at Manchester Airport, after a few months, I used neither, customers, passengers or pax. The general terms consisted of idiots, ****s, or sometimes passengers used with a qualifying term that meant we where slagging them off... (Eg. 'Ski Passengers')

That's what you get for MAG forcing all passengers to wander through the duty free shop just to get the boarding gates, pushing perfumes/aftershave/booze at you!

It's like forcing everyone at a railway station to go through WHSmith to get the platforms! :cry:

 

[table38]

There was a member of "Train Presentation" staff emptying the bins on the train I was on today.

 

[WestCoast]

And is "essential engineering works" really good PR? It seems to be saying" oops, something's broken again, but we're trying to fix it".

Another thing LU say is "we have a good service on the X line", shouldn't that be "a normal service" perhaps?

I must say you really do notice the amount of PR friendly terminology on our railways compared to elsewhere. When a computer is spewing out "I am extremely sorry for the delay to your journey, and any inconvenience this may cause you" you have to wonder how insincere this is!

 

[Greeby]

I am vehemently opposed to using the c-word on the railway. Whilst I wish no-one in staff was using it, to keep the peace I just concentrate on my own language and always use passenger. Even when referring to departments and roles in the company.

The reason for it is more than just semantics. To me, the use of the word is a by-product of this delusion that has taken hold in the industry that somehow we're not running a railway. We're running an airline or a supermarket or something.

Also, what you call people is important too. Using the c-word implies that the passenger is always right, and that they have no responsibilities. (Not having NRCoC on paper doesn't help there). Same reason in my previous job at a hotel, I refused to go along with referring to guests as "residents". Reason being that if you call someone a resident, it gives them license to act like it's their house and that there aren't rules.

 

[PHILIPE]

2 people on a station and an ECS passes through. Another train comes along and one of the people says to the other "This train has got customers in it!. Doesn't it sound stupid. Customer in a retail environment including booking on line and after that a passenger. I have noticed the word "service" being quoted when referring to the train. The srvice is something invisible which is operated by the train. What people board, travel in and alight from is a train.

 

[Michael.Y]

I am vehemently opposed to using the c-word

I should hope so!!

Anyway... I guess as a steward, the passengers ARE customers - to us anyway. ?confused?

 

[tbtc]

I get annoyed with the use of superfluous adjectives by London Underground announcers. What used to be just "engineering works" now have to be qualified as either "planned" or "essential". Not necessary, really....

And is "essential engineering works" really good PR? It seems to be saying" oops, something's broken again, but we're trying to fix it".

I think its fair enough, it reassures passengers that the reason for the delay/diversion is routine investment in the infrastructure, not because they've only just noticed something wrong...

That's what you get for MAG forcing all passengers to wander through the duty free shop just to get the boarding gates, pushing perfumes/aftershave/booze at you!

It's like forcing everyone at a railway station to go through WHSmith to get the platforms! :cry:

Can you imagine if the railways treated passengers half as badly as airports do? There'd be outrage

 

[Crossover]

Using phoney made-up words like "alot" doesn't make a great deal of sense either.

Just to finish off the pedantry with this one, it just reminded me of something we got told last year as part of one of our lectures for our Final Year Project (i.e. dissertation) under the part of common errors.

Bear in mind this was aimed at Engineering students (indeed, the module was "The Professional Engineer/Technologist") so the example is aimed at such.

"“A lot” is two words, “much” or ”many” would be preferable, allot means to apportion, “alot” is not in my dictionary."

Another thing LU say is "we have a good service on the X line", shouldn't that be "a normal service" perhaps?

The regulars of the LU would probably argue a "normal" service is a day where nothing works :P

 

[ValleyLines142]

Or stop at a signal before the next station, i suppose. So the next stop might not necessarily be a station.

Of course, a 175 doesn't have this problem.

The automated announcement says: 'We will shortly be arriving at (wherever).''

 

[WestCoast]

Of course, a 175 doesn't have this problem.

The automated announcement says: 'We will shortly be arriving at (wherever).''

Don't the 175s waffle about security and litter issues (!) though when passengers are disembarking and boarding at certain stages?

 

[martinsh]

As for station stop, this has been used for at least twenty years and was brought in to try and ensure that people were aware that the train may stop before the actual station.

Usually just outside in the case of Crewe ...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Pax, as far as I know, is airline industry slang and has probably crept into use in the rail industry. Obviously it's just short for passengers.

No its not, it's Latin for "peace" ...

 

[Bungle73]

No its not, it's Latin for "peace" ...

What does that have to do with train passengers? The other explanation sounds more likely.

 

[martinsh]

Another thing LU say is "we have a good service on the X line", shouldn't that be "a normal service" perhaps?

That annoys me as well. Probably would be best to say "trains are running as scheduled" (or "as timetabled")

 

[WestCoast]

No its not, it's Latin for "peace" ...

Maybe that's where the inspiration came from, although I doubt it. It's just a short three letter CVC word (consonant-vowel-consonant) which is an abbreviation for passengers.

The dictionary also defines Pax; as a tablet decorated with a sacred figure (as of Christ) and sometimes ceremonially kissed by participants at mass.

But the business dictionary says; Travel industry slang for passengers

 

[island]

What annoys me more than customer and that does annoy me alot is the term PAX. it makes no sense to me!

As mentioned above, it's come in from the airline industry, which in its earlier days frequently used telex communications (and still does, occasionally). The machines were unwieldy and slow, so a range of abbreviations were devised for frequently-used long words, many involving the letter X to avoid the risk of confusion with another word. Passenger(s) was abbreviated PAX, history HX, cancelled CANX or CXL, and so on and so forth.

My own bugbear of railway communication is when a station display says PLEASE STAND CLEAR, the next train is not in public use, and then a half-full fast train goes through. It clearly is in public use, but just doesn't happen to stop there.

 

[johnnychips]

My favourites are the Belgian IC trains where the in-carriage display and the guard (not a computer) has to give the announcements in either Dutch, French, both (if in Brussels) and in one station, German.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I tink the term "customer" was introduced back in the Glorious Years of BR, wasn't it, as was "Senior Conductor" for Guard. I'm pleased to see that some companies seem to have reverted to calling them Passengers and Guards.

I have seen a picture in a book ( a "how Britain used to be" type book, not a railway specific book ) which had a picture of a 1920s railway poster - I think an LNER one - which used the word "customer" in place of "passenger", so it goes back at least 90 years!

 

[ValleyLines142]

Don't the 175s waffle about security and litter issues (!) though when passengers are disembarking and boarding at certain stages?

Yes, but every train does regarding security issues!

 

[BestWestern]

Well, on some routes the train certainly does go back in the direction it came from.
Cardiff to Portsmouth harbour services do this at Bristol Temple Meads. Sometimes, the guard will specifically say something to the effect of "this train will now reverse on leaving the station". Presumably so people who don't know this happens don't get too confused!

You'd be amazed how confused some people are by this! I'm always slightly taken aback by passengers - or PAX! - who come running up the coach in a distressed state claiming that their luggage has been unlawfully removed, only to discover, often with help, that they were actually searching for it at the wrong end of the coach I generally try to dull their embarrassment by suggesting that their confusion was due to the train having changed direction!

I don't generally bother making any announcement advising people if a train is to change direction, but I suppose there could be some value in doing that. Most people aren't at all bothered, but I understand that travelling backwards can make some passengers feel ill.

 

[IanXC]

Or stop at a signal before the next station, i suppose. So the next stop might not necessarily be a station.

I always reassure myself with an image of a group of passengers clambering out of slam door stock in the middle of nowhere when I hear an announcement like that!

A funny one that I can't really fathom is "This train will be going forward to...". I wouldn't expect the driver to throw the thing into reverse and back it to the next station. Not least because of all the fannying about for a propelling move :P

Try this for size "we are now approaching Hull, if you are leaving the train here [blah blah blah] after Hull this service will go forward to Sheffield calling at Brough, Goole, Doncaster and Meadowhall".

Hull is of course a terminal station so unless the plan is for a Titfield Thunderbolt style trip along the A63 I think there might be an issue here!

 

[WestCoast]

Yes, but every train does regarding security issues!

The 175s have particularly long-winded announcements about it though.

333s are very brief in terms of automated announcements (probably as it should be, certainly for regional trains) - "Welcome to the X train", "the next station is X", "where this train terminates, please take your belongings with you". That's it.

 

[ValleyLines142]

The 175s have particularly long-winded announcements about it though.

333s are very brief in terms of automated announcements (probably as it should be, certainly for regional trains) - "Welcome to the X train", "the next station is X", "where this train terminates, please take your belongings with you". That's it.

I like her on the 175s, she's very classy! She does talk a tad slowly; I suppose it's good in a way so that people can understand her.

I've never been on a 333 so I wouldn't know :P