Station and on board train announcements - merged topic, ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[dog box]

The one that gets on my tits is the ones at stations about lugguage 'any unattended lugguage will be removed without warning'. Well isnt that a totally daft statement? If its unattended lugguage who are you supposed to warn about removing it anyway??

That one drives me mad too ,.........something like please dont not leave unattended cases and parcels, i can understand the cases but Parcels when did you last see someone walking around BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)) with a parcel completely wrapped in brown paper and tied up with string.
Worse still is the constant yap of  Welsh then English then Welsh announcements at Cardiff its near enough non stop..........and for those of you interested the US T/M mentioned in previous posts is featured on the job profiles on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Website

[gaf71]

... and (he's been mentioned elsewhere in this forum) there's a very distinctive Canadian (I think) accented TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) who causes much hilarity on our westbound HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) with announcements about the train stopping at 'Highbridge and BurnHAM' ...   

Thats George, Exeter TM, and he is Canadian, and a very nice bloke!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks, dog box and gaf71 - I've just looked again at that page on the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) site, http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=110 , where he is indeed featured!

"Based in Exeter, George moved to England from Canada some 15 years ago ... "

Well, it's great that he has retained his distinctive accent, then!

 

[Chris from Nailsea]

The one that gets on my tits is the ones at stations about lugguage 'any unattended lugguage will be removed without warning'. Well isnt that a totally daft statement? If its unattended lugguage who are you supposed to warn about removing it anyway??

That one drives me mad too ,.........something like please dont not leave unattended cases and parcels, i can understand the cases but Parcels when did you last see someone walking around BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative)) with a parcel completely wrapped in brown paper and tied up with string.

I agree, oooooo and dog box!  The reference to 'parcels' brings up childhood images of 'brown paper packages tied up with string' - pure Sound of Music, surely?  I think it may be Posh Pamela (who has been mentioned here previously) who tries to get round this by requesting that "unattended articles" should not be left lying around - you can almost visualise her disdainful look as she refers to "unattended articles"!

And such announcements are (or were) broadcast at Nailsea and Backwell: "any unattended articles will be removed without warning."  Oh, yes: removed by who, exactly?  As Nailsea is an unmanned station, is this yet another job opportunity for the civilian lady who runs the coffee van at the foot of the steps to platform 2, perhaps???

[dog box]

 also why had Digital Doris got to call Bedmister....Bed..Minster ....it drives me mad!!!!!

[Graz]

And such announcements are (or were) broadcast at Nailsea and Backwell: "any unattended articles will be removed without warning."  Oh, yes: removed by who, exactly?  As Nailsea is an unmanned station, is this yet another job opportunity for the civilian lady who runs the coffee van at the foot of the steps to platform 2, perhaps???

It's even funnier that she says "...may be removed without warning, or damaged or destroyed by the security services"...what security services, if the station's unmanned?! It's the same at Frome when no-one's there in the evening! The "No smoking" announcement is getting a bit annoying, mainly because of the announcer's nasally voice on that part. It definitely isn't digital Doris!

also why had Digital Doris got to call Bedmister....Bed..Minster ....it drives me mad!!!!!

It's the same with Warminster as well, "War..minster!"
Another thing that I've realised about Digital Doris is she sounds really depressed when she says "London paddingtoooonn....", and yet much more upbeat when she says "GLOUCester!" or "Bristltmplmeeeaaads!" If you've ever been to Cardiff Central/Queen Street she pronounces the Welsh station names pretty well!

[Chris from Nailsea]

And such announcements are (or were) broadcast at Nailsea and Backwell: "any unattended articles will be removed without warning."  Oh, yes: removed by who, exactly?  As Nailsea is an unmanned station, is this yet another job opportunity for the civilian lady who runs the coffee van at the foot of the steps to platform 2, perhaps???

It's even funnier that she says "...may be removed without warning, or damaged or destroyed by the security services"...what security services, if the station's unmanned?!

Hmmm.  Yes, I'm becoming convinced that the friendly lady who runs the little coffee van on the roadside at Nailsea is in fact also SAS-trained and has body armour, a balaclava and Heckler & Koch ready in her glove compartment ... 

[John R]

And such announcements are (or were) broadcast at Nailsea and Backwell: "any unattended articles will be removed without warning."  Oh, yes: removed by who, exactly?  As Nailsea is an unmanned station, is this yet another job opportunity for the civilian lady who runs the coffee van at the foot of the steps to platform 2, perhaps???

It's even funnier that she says "...may be removed without warning, or damaged or destroyed by the security services"...what security services, if the station's unmanned?!

Hmmm.  Yes, I'm becoming convinced that the friendly lady who runs the little coffee van on the roadside at Nailsea is in fact also SAS-trained and has body armour, a balaclava and Heckler & Koch ready in her glove compartment ... 

Maybe I'd better not criticise her coffee then.

[smokey]

Digital Doris makes a lovely anouncement at St Erth in the mornings,

"The next train from platform 3 is the 08.17 First Great Western service to Penzance calling at Lelant, Carbis Bay, St Ives, St Erth and Penzance. Platform 3 for the 08.17 First Great Western service to Penzance."*

Nice makes sense.

Yes I know it's the way the St Ives line is time-tabled.
For the rest of the Day Digital Doris ignores the St Ives Services.

* Or wording to that effect.

[Conner]

Yes I know it's the way the St Ives line is time-tabled.

It is not actually the way it is timetabled it is because it is one train working. It is a train from St Erth-St Ives-St Erth-Penzance

[Graz]

Digital Doris seems to vary per station. At Frome she announces just once a few minutes before the train's due, Warminster it's twice, and larger stations like Westbury/Gloucester she says when the train's approaching the platform and when it's arrived. And there's the somewhat tinny voice from those information points!

One thing in common though- she's always saying First Great Western are apologising for every delay over 3 minutes!

[devonian]

Anyone know why at Newton Abbot the lovely digital voice informs us that "The train now standing at platform one is the 0806 FGW^▸ (First Great Western) service to London Paddington".

Now, unless you have a VERY vivid imagination, there is no train to be seen and it is about 20 seconds later that the train comes into view around the corner.

Also, this morning, apparantly FGW were running up to Manchester rather than XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)).

[Jim]

Digital Doris seems to vary per station. At Frome she announces just once a few minutes before the train's due, Warminster it's twice, and larger stations like Westbury/Gloucester she says when the train's approaching the platform and when it's arrived. And there's the somewhat tinny voice from those information points!

One thing in common though- she's always saying First Great Western are apologising for every delay over 3 minutes!

The approching ones ARE NOT automated.

[Jim]

Digital Doris makes a lovely anouncement at St Erth in the mornings,

"The next train from platform 3 is the 08.17 First Great Western service to Penzance calling at Lelant, Carbis Bay, St Ives, St Erth and Penzance. Platform 3 for the 08.17 First Great Western service to Penzance."*

Nice makes sense.

Yes I know it's the way the St Ives line is time-tabled.
For the rest of the Day Digital Doris ignores the St Ives Services.

* Or wording to that effect.

Please, it's PenZANCE

[Jim]

Anyone know why at Newton Abbot the lovely digital voice informs us that "The train now standing at platform one is the 0806 FGW^▸ (First Great Western) service to London Paddington".

Now, unless you have a VERY vivid imagination, there is no train to be seen and it is about 20 seconds later that the train comes into view around the corner.

Also, this morning, apparantly FGW were running up to Manchester rather than XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)).
[/quote

It's just the timings, it will say it a set time after the train hits the "Newton Abbot Arrival" tracker thingy.