Changes to Customer Information Screens in the London area

[whole diary]

[Brucey]

From the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) website

Customer Information Screens on some London bound platforms are changing.

We are making changes to our Customer Information Screens located on some London bound platforms, within ticket halls and entrances at a number of stations in the London area. Rather than advertise trains in the traditional format with scheduled and expected times, the new format will be in a ^countdown^ style, simply showing the number of minutes until the next train.
Where will the changes be made?

Initially the changes will be made at Wimbledon, Earlsfield and Clapham Junction (platform 10) these will display the new format from Monday 24 June. Other stations on the map below will be converted to the new format over the following weeks.

http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/countdown.aspx

Not a huge fan of this myself, makes the system feel less like it runs to a timetable and more of a "we'll turn up when we feel like it".

[eightf48544]

I think it could work at the stations mentioned where basically you have a train every 5 minutes or so. Basically it's the same as LUL^▸ (London Underground Ltd) you don't go for a specific train you just curse as one pulls out and the next one is  still 10 minutes away!

[paul7575]

I believe there's actually significantly more than 12 tph along there, more like 18 tph in the high peak, but I wonder if the displays will only do this towards London?  In the morning peak they can hardly ever run to the timetable, because they cannot board the trains in the allowed dwell times.  However many people heading away from London on the same trains are aiming for particular services that may only run twice an hour to their eventual destination.

I know they've changed the TfL^» (Transport for London - about)/LO ELL within its core section to this type of display, but don't know if it works the same way in both directions - I did read that they don't really worry about the timetable northbound, but they have to southbound because they are joining a NR^» (Network Rail - home page) route in amongst other services from London Bridge.

Paul

[devon_metro]

I believe there's actually significantly more than 12 tph along there, more like 18 tph in the high peak, but I wonder if the displays will only do this towards London?  In the morning peak they can hardly ever run to the timetable, because they cannot board the trains in the allowed dwell times.  However many people heading away from London on the same trains are aiming for particular services that may only run twice an hour to their eventual destination.

I know they've changed the TfL^» (Transport for London - about)/LO ELL within its core section to this type of display, but don't know if it works the same way in both directions - I did read that they don't really worry about the timetable northbound, but they have to southbound because they are joining a NR^» (Network Rail - home page) route in amongst other services from London Bridge.

Paul

The SWT^▸ (South West Trains) quote does state that this will only apply on London bound platforms.

[bobm]

It is unlikely to affect me as I don't travel through that area, but I assume the trains involved have the same calling pattern.

I frequently glance at the scheduled time of a train to establish if it is the one for me, rather than waiting for the calling points to scroll through.  If the picture is anything to go by the scheduled time of the train on the left hand side is lost with this upgrade.

[Brucey]

It is unlikely to affect me as I don't travel through that area, but I assume the trains involved have the same calling pattern.

That's where the system falls apart as many services (even from the same platform) don't call at Queenstown Rd Battersea and/or Vauxhall.

I think it works well on London Overground or London Underground where all trains call at all stations to the destination shown, but on National Rail services this is often not the case.

[Network SouthEast]

It is unlikely to affect me as I don't travel through that area, but I assume the trains involved have the same calling pattern.

That's where the system falls apart as many services (even from the same platform) don't call at Queenstown Rd Battersea and/or Vauxhall.

I think it works well on London Overground or London Underground where all trains call at all stations to the destination shown, but on National Rail services this is often not the case.

Not so sure.

On the London bound platforms at Wimbledon NO trains call at Queenstown Road, and apart from the very early AM/PM all trains stop at Vauxhall too.

It's only the Kingston loop trains at Wimbledon that call at Queentown Road, and they leave from platform 8 which is keeping the old style CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) displays.

Southeastern use countdown style CIS displays, it's not just limited to LUL^▸ (London Underground Ltd) or LOROL^▸ (London Overground Railway Operations Ltd)!

[Electric train]

Actually I think this is a good idea, most people that regularly use trains in London want to know the next train to London is in X mins they are not really that fussed if its the xx:06 the xx:23 the xx:37 etc just that there will be a train in so many minuets.  The CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) could still display "non stop" or calls at

[aleph_0]

So I note that link says "Other stations on the map below will be converted to the new format over the following week". The text also makes reference to changes the screens at the entrance. Assuming this done for all London-bound trains, it makes sense.

Arriving at Clapham Junction Grant Road entrance. Something like:

Next trains to
London Waterloo
  2 minutes -- Platform 10
  3 minutes -- Platform 4
  5 minutes -- Platform 10
Vauxhall
...

Would make a lot of sense, and allow an informed choice about whether to walk across the station or not.

[grahame]

On a sort of similar topic, I was interested so see bus departures in Bath bus station sometimes coming up with a time, and at other times with a number of minutes.  Thus:
* Melksham; 272; 17:25
* Keynsham; 339; 8 minutes
(And there is a clock - "time now 17:17") on the board too.

I'm not sure which I prefer, although I do know that having a mixture made me stop and think.

[Network SouthEast]

On a sort of similar topic, I was interested so see bus departures in Bath bus station sometimes coming up with a time, and at other times with a number of minutes.  Thus:
* Melksham; 272; 17:25
* Keynsham; 339; 8 minutes
(And there is a clock - "time now 17:17") on the board too.

I'm not sure which I prefer, although I do know that having a mixture made me stop and think.

If similar to other RTI^▸ (Real Time Information (displays)) bus displays I've seen the 17:25 bus won't be having it's movements tracked, so it is just the timetabled departure, whereas the 8 minute bus probably is having it's movements tracked, and is a genuine indication. However I bet there was no supporting information available anywhere near the display, as a result probably confusing most people.