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

[whole diary]

[John R]

Thanks, John R, shadow and Graz! 

I agree with John - I think we are indeed referring to different kinds of announcements here.  The pre-recorded 'standard' announcements (whether by 'Ruth', 'Celia', 'Doris' or 'Phil'!) are clearly not the same thing as the 'real-time' announcements by 'a male voice' (whether it's the live Phil, or someone else!) at Bristol Temple Meads.  Can anyone, perhaps from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) staff at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)), clarify this for us, please?

By the way, just as a comparison, my 1753 yesterday was subject to a last-minute change, and this was announced 'live' over the tannoy by someone I shall have to refer to as 'male voice #2'.  He was very enthusiastic, saying "attention please, attention please ..." in repeated announcements, but he didn't have the clear and authoritative delivery of 'a male voice'.  (By the way, if 'male voice #2' is reading this, it's honestly not a personal criticism: rather, ask 'a male voice' for some coaching!) 

Yes, he's been on a couple of days this week, and he doesn't have the same weight to his voice, so it's actually quite difficult to hear.

[shadow]

Thanks for that, Lee!

Having listened to the voice samples on that website, it is now absolutely clear to me that the voice of the 'live announcements' at Bristol Temple Meads is not Phil Sayer.

The question remains: what name can we now give to the excellent, clear and precise 'a male voice' at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI))?  I'm rather tempted to go up to that door on platform 5 at BTM, hammer on it loudly, and shout "You in there: what's your name?"

 

Charlie?
I like the name Charlie
I give it a day before someone with a strange sense of humour makes a poll on here to choose his name...wouldn't surprise me, stranger things have happened on the net

[Btline]

hang on - i'm confused!

Does Phil do any announcing at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI))?

[Phil]

Only to myself 

[ldf1985]

I've noticed that the new information 'flatscreen' at Westbury, in the new waiting room, has completely different software (which looks ten times better and shows more train services), than the rest of the screens on the station.

Will this new style of software be rolled out to the rest of the station?

Regards

[Timmer]

I've noticed that the new information 'flatscreen' at Westbury, in the new waiting room, has completely different software (which looks ten times better and shows more train services), than the rest of the screens on the station.

Will this new style of software be rolled out to the rest of the station?

Regards

Hopefully the below link will go some way to answering your question regarding information screens at Westbury ldf1985:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=2901.0

I believe that all the old Wales and West customer information screens are being replaced as part of FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s franchise commitment to improving customer information at ex-Wessex Trains stations.

[swlines]

I don't actually think it's new software - just a new version of the interface that displays information to passengers.

Understandably, using that display on the CRT^‡(resolve) screens on the platforms would look rather horrendous due to flicker...

[Super Guard]

The "Cross Country" recording isn't too bad though, unlike Phil's "CROSSCUNTRY SERVICE TO!!! Bournemouth"

Phil's CrossCuntry is better than DD's "First Great Western Service" which sounds like someone's just shoved something where the sun don't shine as she says it.... following by the London Paddingtunnnnnnn which sounds like object has now been removed from place where sun does not shine and all is well again.... sorry to be crude, but it does my friggin head in every time. 

[Graz]

I can't say I like the flatscreens too much at Westbury at all. For one thing they're much smaller and you can't easily view them from an angle (you can with the CRTs^‡(resolve)), you have to look at them pretty much 'dead-on'.

Another thing about that system I dislike is it switching from page 1 to page 2 every five seconds. Problem is, page 2 usually only has one train on it! I much prefer the old system.

[Btline]

I can't say I like the flatscreens too much at Westbury at all. For one thing they're much smaller and you can't easily view them from an angle (you can with the CRTs^‡(resolve)), you have to look at them pretty much 'dead-on'.

Another thing about that system I dislike is it switching from page 1 to page 2 every five seconds. Problem is, page 2 usually only has one train on it! I much prefer the old system.

I absolutley hate the page 1 and 2 system (new to Worcester a year or so ago).

It spends a few secs on page 1 (the page that 99% of people need). I often do not have enough time to find what I m looking for - there is a heck of a lot of info on those screens and it takes time to adjust.

It them moves to page 2 (where all trains except the ex-Londons are "No Report") and spends at least twice the time.

It then scrolls through waste of time pages (No smoking - I know that as its the law; don't leave bags around, mind the gap.....)

And then returns to page 1.

I often have to wait 3 cycles before I can be confident about what I have read. I don't have slow reading problems, so I wonder how difficult it for slow readers....

[TerminalJunkie]

It spends a few secs on page 1 (the page that 99% of people need). I often do not have enough time to find what I m looking for

Perhaps they should put a bit of slack in the system...

[Btline]

It spends a few secs on page 1 (the page that 99% of people need). I often do not have enough time to find what I m looking for

Perhaps they should put a bit of slack in the system...

[Graz]

I also think it spends much longer on page 2! Fourtunately though we don't get any dopey 'no smoking' or 'no unattended luggage' screens down here. Not yet anyway!

For anyone not in the know of Westbury (The only station I know which has screens that look like this), the old system is...



I certainly don't have any problems interpreting it!

Phil's CrossCuntry is better than DD's "First Great Western Service" which sounds like someone's just shoved something where the sun don't shine as she says it.... following by the London Paddingtunnnnnnn which sounds like object has now been removed from place where sun does not shine and all is well again.... sorry to be crude, but it does my friggin head in every time. 

Have you heard DD saying 'CrossCountry'? Sounds like she's in the middle of another sentence! Take a visit to Gloucester / Cheltenham Spa and you hear her in all her glory

[Btline]

That is a good screen. Quick and easy to use due to the different colours and use of capitals here and there.

The Worcs ones are hard to decipher.

[John R]

Note the Trans-Wilts cancellations on the picture if you look carefully!