New Customer Information Systems

[whole diary]

[willc]

Installation is now under way at Moreton-in-Marsh. All the old screens had been removed by this evening with a new scrolling display in place on platform 2 and a small flatscreen (about half the size of the Oxford screens) in the booking hall in place of the old Thames Trains monitor. Neither was switched on. On platform 1 the mounting for the VDU has gone as well. It wasn't suitable to be adapted to support the scrolling display unit. There is a stack of sacks of cement and sand in the car park, so I assume its replacement will be going in tomorrow.

[IndustryInsider]

As a nearly daily traveller from Moreton, it'd be useful to hear how the system performs over the coming months compared with the old CIS^▸ (Customer Information System), Will.

[willc]

To be honest, ever since we have had the web-driven screens on the Cotswold Line, the quality of information has rarely been a problem - most regular passengers just seemed to have given up on the Thames system. There were a few problems with the web system during the snow, when the signallers were probably focused on simply keeping trains moving but I would expect that once redoubling is completed, with axle-counters everywhere and digital panels at Ascott and Evesham, that details should be up to date most of the time, with some sort of digital checking most of the way from Oxford to Evesham (and even Moreton may not need manual updates in future, given the large container of electronics now sat behind the signal box).

[willc]

Three days in and all the screens are in place at Moreton, though still switched off. Chris in the booking office said Telent had told her they hoped to have it all working today. One grey area is whether or not it will announce the bus departures from the car park, which the system at Kingham is apparently set up to do.

[IanL]

To be honest, ever since we have had the web-driven screens on the Cotswold Line, the quality of information has rarely been a problem - most regular passengers just seemed to have given up on the Thames system.

I might disagree with this Will, an ongoing problem with the new screens at Charlbury is if a train is delayed past its expected arrival time it vanishes off the screen unless it is manually updated....I suspect all to do with the infrequent updating along the cotswold line. Not been much of a problem with the improved reliability and punctuality but still there inherent in the system.

[James Vertigan]

Actually 10 years isn't as bad as what they did at Paddington.  They replaced the solari there with new plasma screens in 1999 but they only lasted 5 years until 2004.

Oh God, I remember those plasmas - they were useless, they got too hot so had to be switched off regularly if I remember! Whose idea was that?

[Tim]

Whose idea was that?

Railtrack.

[willc]

To be honest, ever since we have had the web-driven screens on the Cotswold Line, the quality of information has rarely been a problem - most regular passengers just seemed to have given up on the Thames system.

I might disagree with this Will, an ongoing problem with the new screens at Charlbury is if a train is delayed past its expected arrival time it vanishes off the screen unless it is manually updated....I suspect all to do with the infrequent updating along the cotswold line. Not been much of a problem with the improved reliability and punctuality but still there inherent in the system.

I will concede that can happen and that at Moreton we do have the advantage of a double shift in the booking office, so there is usually someone there to ask what's going on, but there are still way fewer problems than when the only thing available was the Thames screens. The late-lamented bell at Moreton-in-Marsh linked to the level crossing activation treadle at Chipping Campden was more reliable. And as I say, from next year, manual entry will presumably be pretty much be limited to the Worcester end of the line and perhaps Moreton.

And sadly, I spoke too soon about them switching on at Moreton today. All still wrapped in plastic this evening. That is now a week each to equip Kingham and Moreton. At this rate, they might just finish all the stations by the end of the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) franchise. I dread to think how long Bristol Temple Meads will take if they need a week to install two scrolling platform displays and one small summary screen.

[IndustryInsider]

Took a trip out to Kingham and Moreton to see the new screens briefly this afternoon.  Kingham was quite impressive, the down train showed up 1 minute late, just as it said on the screens and the connecting bus was duly announced as people were getting off.  Less impressive was the 16:21 to Didcot being announced as the next train on the up platform over half-an-hour early and with the 15:51 to Paddington just entering the long straight before arriving at the platform.  Teething problems hopefully!

The screen at Moreton on the up platform isn't exactly well positioned with the roof of the waiting shelter and an 'Information' sign blocking a clear view from both directions.  Hopefully the sign will be moved/lowered at the very least.

[Louis94]

Do you know who the announcements were by IndustryInsider? Male or Female?

[willc]

The screen at Moreton on the up platform isn't exactly well positioned with the roof of the waiting shelter and an 'Information' sign blocking a clear view from both directions.  Hopefully the sign will be moved/lowered at the very least.

I don't think there's anything much else they could do, short of sticking it some distance down the platform. The shelter - really it's big enough and weather-tight enough to merit being called a waiting room - is wide and low, with a canopy as well, so like Thames Trains before them, they have put the screen somewhere you can see it while staying out of the rain under the canopy, though not ideal, I admit.

And what is it with people and the voices doing the announcements? I just don't get it.

[ChrisB]

NO, nor me. What *does* it matter?.....

[IndustryInsider]

Haha - for those that do think it matters, it was a female - the same as used at Oxford and Slough I think. 

[JayMac]

And what is it with people and the voices doing the announcements? I just don't get it.

Each to their own. Interest in railways and their operation can have its niche hobbies. Some folks might 'not get'  forum topics dedicated to the redoubling of bits of railway in the Cotswolds.....

[IndustryInsider]

The shelter - really it's big enough and weather-tight enough to merit being called a waiting room

True, although having once been forced to shelter under the small canopy outside when the waiting room was closed and it was raining like hell one Sunday afternoon, perhaps 'shelter' is sometimes a more apt description?!