Great Western Coffee Shop

I recall reading somewhere that part of First's committment as they undertook the frachise was to replace all the old information points like this:
(http://www.wellho.net/pix/oldbox.jpg)
where (if it's working) you get a basic recorded message ... and the train tends to disappear without explanation if delayed or cancelled at the last minute, with modern information points like this:
(http://www.wellho.net/pix/newbox.jpg)
which seem MUCH more informative, and much more likely to keep the customers happy.

Wasn't there a time set on the change?   Wasn't it something like "by the halfway through the initial 7 year term of the fracnchise", so shouldn't the update program have been completed last month?

Anyone out there 'in the know' who can give an update?   Where else are the old blue boxes still in use?

We still have the old red booxes at Taplow which tend to ring and ring.
 and not be answered
We also still have the old style CIS system which stops working as soon as it rains.

The blue ones are still in use at most ummanned stations in Cornwall.

And Devon, though I think there is one of the new ones at Ivybridge.

We don't have any Information Points at Nailsea & Backwell - we have to rely on the rather unreliable (or unreadable, in direct sunlight) green CIS screens. ::)

As I understand it, the new info systems are due to be installed over the next year.

As mentioned above, there is a rather swish trial version at Ivybridge at the moment.

Whats the difference between these and the CIS points at other stations.........

Or more to the point, why if this can be done some places, cant similar information be provided at the likes fo Reading, Worcester etc - save me having to use the phone to find the info on trains!  Remember standing at WOS with a 7 minute delay on a train but knowing for a fact (departure boards and staff) that it had not yet left Ledbury!

The blue boxes are still in place between Westbury and Dorchester West and as unreliable as ever.

The new fangled type are not all they are cracked up to be....On the Cotswold line there are a few of these, they are only as good as the data they are given, once the departure time of a train passes it is likely to vanish from the screen despite pax knowing that it hasnt arrived yet. It really cant cope with trains arriving out of order on the single line and it is internet based and the server end seems to go awol on a frequent basis.

Heres a new fangled (lack of) Help Point at Shirehampton after the local scrotes have had a go at it. If I were to see 'DBK' etching or tagging I'd give him a dry slap, sod the consequences.


(http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt68/bignosemac/DSCF0057.jpg)

I pressed the blue button to check on train running and thought maybe I'd report the damage at the same time. However, I wondered whether the message would find it's way to the right person from the Indian call centre I spoke with.....so just to be sure I also reported the damage, and the fact that Help Points were also not working at Clifton Down, Stapleton Road and Lawrence Hill to the Duty Station Manager at Bristol TM.

That's the problem with trains running over long sections of Absolute Block signalled track. Does anyone know what the final decision on the Cotswold Line redoubling is regarding signalling? The original plan was for Axle Counters and modern signalling controlled from Didcot's new Signalling Centre, but, to save costs, there was talk about retaining the old signalboxes and a revised Absolute Block system. This would have a real impact on the quality of information that any new CIS system on the stations would be able to provide.

Just thought I'd show you what we have at AML (http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/7743/17112009195.jpg) - this is the information screen on the bridge by the ticket office/stairs to the platforms (taken by me on a camera phone in the dark!)

(http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/aml/images/photos/800/o1061-0000026.jpg) - this is a Help point - similar in style to those used on London Underground, I believe it connects to FGW in Plymouth - unfortunately, the last time I tried to use it, it wasn't working - which wasn't much help at all!
(image taken from National Rail station plan site)

(http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/sjp/AML/images/photos/800/o1061-0000006.jpg) - finally, in this picture, you can see one of the platform information displays at AML - pretty bog standard matrix type thingie - unfortunately the writing hasn't ben picked out that well in the photo, again from the National Rail site, probably due to shutter speed.