New Customer Information Systems

[whole diary]

[centralman]

"New" announcements now at Reading 

Reading screens also show "Arrived" under the "Expected" column when the train rolls in.

Also new PA^▸ (Public Address) announcements are active at TVP.

Does that mean that Phil has been removed from his duties?

[bobm]

Yes - along with Celia.  Both still at Swindon - for the moment at least.

[Btline]

Oh dear, why are they still getting rid of Phil? Let me guess, ATOS Anne...

Surely First Group have learnt since the FAIL of replacing Phil with Anne on North Thameslink stations!

[JayMac]

As long as the information is clear, correct and timely, then surely it matters not one jot whether it is spoken by Phil, Celia, Annie, Tom, Dick or Harry?

[bobm]

I agree.  However as already pointed out elsewhere the new system has its drawbacks - there are unnatural gaps between some words and the showing of trains as "arrived" when they are still 500 yards outside the station.  Another issue is the updating of the tv display screens.  Personally I am not a fan of the yellow on blue nor the thinner font they now employ - but it is made worse because where it is now shown on the old screens the monitors have suffered from "burn in" and images of the previous layout are still visible both on the platforms and the displays above the information point on the concourse.

[Btline]

As long as the information is clear...

That's the problem. I find it harder to hear Anne, especially at busy stations - many others (esp Thameslink and GN routes agree). The way her system does announcements is also more clunky and wordy compared to Phil's clear and concise words.

[Visoflex]

Let me guess, ATOS Anne...

Yes, the existing Amey Datel system at Reading has been removed, and the new FGW^▸ (First Great Western) ATOS system has been commissioned.  However, the displays and speakers are still the existing ones (burnt and distorted as they are).  The new displays and speakers will be installed as the new canopies and platform buildings are installed.

[smokey]

Oh no !!
The Bodmin Parkway 'voice' has leaked out somehow and infected other stations - everyone will now be able to join the guessing game - where is 'LostWhistle' Station

And where the Heck is St Germains?

Spoke to Dispatcher at St Erth today - he tells me the folk who did the recording were assured that the correct pronunciation of St Germans 'is' Saint Jer Manz - he didn't know their excuse for 'Lost Whistle'.
The recordings are to be re-done.
That could be interesting.

I notice that St Germans is now announced correctly, but Lostwithiel has also been redone but is announced as Lostwithl
oh well I reckon 50% correct is about as good as FGW^▸ (First Great Western) ever get.

[Btline]

What else can you expect.

I wonder how many times poor Anne has been rushed back to the studio to re-record stations. They can't even get the sound levels right for the new files.

The system is a disgrace and should be axed in favour of Ditra. I cannot believe they are expanding it. Could it be written into the franchise requirement for the system to be replaced?

[Wolvercote Wanderer]

The system is a disgrace and should be axed in favour of Ditra. I cannot believe they are expanding it. Could it be written into the franchise requirement for the system to be replaced?

I agree... the quality of the announcements is retrograde. As well as incorrect or dodgy pronunciation, the sound level and spacing between station names is inconsistent. I've also heard incomplete announcements and noticed incorrect 'next train' information. Whilst the old system wasn't perfect, it seems that passenger information provision is taking a step backwards at the HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) stations.

[old original]

The old wessex girl has finally disappeared from Truro.

[johoare]

This morning at Maidenhead it had all gone slightly awry..

I was there when the 7.42 to Bourne End was waiting to go from from platform 4 (the "to london" relief platform - I do wonder how many people go in the wrong direction daily because of this.. however that is an aside.. :-))

Just after it had left there was an automated announcement that the next train on platform 4 would be the 7.45 to Paddington so the people waiting for the "delayed" 7.42 to Bourne End should wait on the platform for further announcements.. Hopefully no-one affected heard this as they were all on the way already..

Then the 7.45 and 7.49 departures to Paddington spent the next few minutes taking turns between being the first and second train on platform four.. With a nice big "CORRECTION" flashing up in between.. Despite the fact both trains were advertised as being on time and were, in fact, on time, and in the right order.

It kept me amused and hopefully didn't confuse anyone into getting on the wrong train 

[Henry]

 New CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) arrived at Totnes a few weeks back.

 We now get no announcements at all.

[Louis94]

We now get no announcements at all.

You should do! It has been doing 3 announcements per a train everytime i've been there since the new installation.

Before the new installation the system only gave one announcement per train on platform 2, which was not great considering the destinations are so varied.

[ellendune]

Lots of wires being threaded on platforms 1 & 3 at Swindon today.  Mind you they were threading wires on platform 4 a couple of weeks back.