New Customer Information Systems

[whole diary]

[Louis94]

Does anyone have any further updates to add?

Can add that Newton Abbot is now complete with New Screens and PA^▸ (Public Address).

Also Bristol Temple Meads has had some new speakers installed.

Does anyone have any further updates, particularly on Swindon, Chippenham and Bath Spa?

[JayMac]

Also Bristol Temple Meads has had some new speakers installed.

But the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) failed completely the other day.

See: http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2012/02/pointless-signs-bristol-temple-meads.html

 

[Louis94]

Also Bristol Temple Meads has had some new speakers installed.

But the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) failed completely the other day.

See: http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2012/02/pointless-signs-bristol-temple-meads.html

 

Blame the old HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) CIS for that!

[tramway]

Last week's update, delayed by annual leave....

Installations completed last week:
PA^▸ (Public Address) at Frome, Trowbridge, Hayes & Harlington, Westbury.

Installations planned this week:
CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) at Ealing Broadway, Hayes & Harlington and CIS and CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) at Trowbridge

One thing I seem to have forgotten to mention wrt the Trowbridge CIS is that, on Platform 1 at least, it is virtually useless to probably 50% of passengers as it isn't visible beyond the footbridge in the Bath direction.

In the event of any delay PAX have to return to the ticket office area and relay current running info to everyone standing on that end of the platform when they get back.

Not sure what they did to the PA as it doesn't seem really that much better than it was originally as station staff regularly have to walk up and down making announcements that could readily be made via the PA if it was adequate.

At least the ridiculously bright light at the top of the steps was removed fairly quickly.

[ellendune]

Swindon now has its new CIS^▸ (Customer Information System).  Works fine, announcements much easier to hear, though an anoying pause between the time and the word service.  System does not announce that trains have arrived so no phantom arrivals.

[bobm]

May be its me but the male voice at Swindon seems to have longer pauses between words than the female one.  Might explain why he always seems to be on the London bound platform where trains only have two or three calls to make after Swindon.  If he was on platform 4 and announced the 08:27 to Penzance it might be halfway to Chippenham by the time he had finished announcing the calling points! 

[IanL]

Bobm,

Not sure but have also noticed new pauses between words at Oxford, seems to have started with the new timetable. The pauses previously were almost un-noticeable, now they are almost painful, affects both male (P1) and female (P2) announcements.

Also related to the 'new' CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) installation, the help point with integral departure board screen at Finstock has never worked, has a white screen with 'this does not currently work we are working on it' (paraphrased) since installation.

Ian L

[bobm]

Having just mentioned long announcements I am perhaps contradicting myself but as a child I used to like the manual announcements at Reading where not only did they announce the calling points but things like "change at Exeter St Davids for stations to Exmouth and Barnstaple, change at Liskeard for Looe" etc etc.  I used to go home and look these places up in an atlas.  Did wonders for my geography!

[Louis94]

"change at Exeter St Davids for stations to Exmouth and Barnstaple, change at Liskeard for Looe" etc etc.

Go to Paddington, you can hear the women there announce all the connections there.

Not sure but have also noticed new pauses between words at Oxford, seems to have started with the new timetable. The pauses previously were almost un-noticeable, now they are almost painful, affects both male (P1) and female (P2) announcements.

Yes, that will be the same new male and female voices as at Swindon.

May be its me but the male voice at Swindon seems to have longer pauses between words than the female one.  Might explain why he always seems to be on the London bound platform where trains only have two or three calls to make after Swindon. 

Should try listening to the male voice announce all stations from Tiverton Parkway to Aberdeen - thats fun! The reason for the longer pauses on the male voice is because it is a brand new voice, where as the female one has been around for a while!

[d5351]

Swindon now has its new CIS^▸ (Customer Information System).  Works fine, announcements much easier to hear, though an anoying pause between the time and the word service.  System does not announce that trains have arrived so no phantom arrivals.

Shame the new screens are positioned such that unless you're right under them they're unreadable on Plat 3.

[JayMac]

New CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) is starting to appear at Bristol Temple Meads:





I wonder if the 25+ year old platform number indicators are staying?

[IndustryInsider]

I wonder if the 25+ year old platform number indicators are staying?

I expect so, they've done a sterling job over the years and mentioning the word 'Platform' is useful as well as some stations would just have a '7' - which can get confusing if there's other signs on the station with numbers on, stop car markers for example.  That one pictured could do with a lick of paint though!

If they do get rid of them then tell them to send the one for Platform 12 to Paddington.  I walked down it recently and when you're actually on the platform there is no visible sign actually saying that it is Platform 12.

[JayMac]

If they do get rid of them then tell them to send the one for Platform 12 to Paddington.  I walked down it recently and when you're actually on the platform there is no visible sign actually saying that it is Platform 12.

Agreed. Just don't go asking for one from Bristol TM^‡(resolve) labelled 'Platform 14'. Despite BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) having platforms numbered up to 15, I've yet to find Platform 14. Obviously a mythical platform like King's Cross's Platform 9^. I've tried running at various walls on P13/15 at Temple Meads to find this missing Platform 14. All I got was a headache. 

[phile]

Good to see some screens now actually in operation at Bristol Temple Meads.  At the moment, there are 3 on Platforms 9,10,11 & 12, one at the East End, 1 in the middle, and 2 at the West end side by side or virtually back to back.    There is also one in the Pumpkin which is a very useful location.   How nice to be able to see legible screens without having to peer hard at them or shield your eyes from sunlight.
Passengers arriving early for their trains or making connections do not have to hang around for the screens to update if more than 20/25 minutes to go.   These, of course, scroll over Pages 1 and 2.     A little slow changing pages perhaps but better than some I have seen at some stations where they scroll over while one is still trying to focus on it..
Notice today there are 2 Screens now at Bristol Temple Meads on 9/10/11/12 in the middle side by side, the one permanently on Page 1 and the other Page 2 so there is no wait waiting for the page to turn over.   On Platforms 5 & 7 also now.

[johoare]

I know it's not the system's fault (I don't think) but the information does seem to be made up as it goes along and changes rapidly.. For example.. Each morning the 7.42 to Bourne End leaves Maidenhead from the down relief platform (so going in the opposite way to which you would expect for that platform)..

This is ok until it is a tiny bit late..As it was this morning.. So then the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) decides to change it's mind and says it's the 7.45 to London (which is the next train through that platform).. People wanting the 7.45 then get on... The train driver announces which train it is.. most of those people get off again.. A minute or two later.. more people get on.. the train driver announces yet again that it's not a London train.. Most of those people get off..(this is repeated several times depending on how long the train is in the platform for).. I am pretty sure it must take people towards Bourne End who are hoping to actually head towards London...

Does anyone know if this will be sorted out?