New Customer Information Systems

[whole diary]

[argg]

On the subject of customer information screens but slightly off at a tangent.  Can someone please explain the "next fastest train to..." screens on the main concourse at Paddington.

They appear to alternate between two screens, alphabetically listed destinations but only as far as about "L".  Haven't quite worked out is there is a M-Z screen elsewhere.

[Louis94]

New screens at Charlbury froze then blanked out this morning with a failed connection, just what you need with a 19min delay and other trains also delayed.

Cant see a system relying on a web based connection working reliably for long periods, ours seems to need manual rebooting or connecting on a regular basis
and given that the office is only staffed part time it is often not working during the evenings.

Are we talking about Next train indicators, train departure summary screens or help point screens?

What do the screens say when they blank out?

"Welcome to Charlbury" or "First Great Western Customer Information System" as the current screens at HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) stations says.

Also do you know if Charlbury has any form of announcements from the new system?

[IanL]

The charlbury screen is a slave computer monitor (we have 2) with a summary of the next few departures. Usually when it fails it goes blank or shows a windows error message about the secure host disconnecting or unavailable
and even gives the web address which I keep meaning to write down.

We dont have a screen in the help point as Hanborough does but it is a similar screen. We dont have the next train displays (as at Oxford) yet.

[Louis94]

I see! If you do manage to write it down, please share it, could come in handy!

[Ollie]

On the subject of customer information screens but slightly off at a tangent.  Can someone please explain the "next fastest train to..." screens on the main concourse at Paddington.

They appear to alternate between two screens, alphabetically listed destinations but only as far as about "L".  Haven't quite worked out is there is a M-Z screen elsewhere.

There is a M-Z should flicker between the 2. Will check when I'm next in Paddington and see in case it's froze or something.

[IndustryInsider]

New screens at Charlbury froze then blanked out this morning with a failed connection, just what you need with a 19min delay and other trains also delayed.

Cant see a system relying on a web based connection working reliably for long periods, ours seems to need manual rebooting or connecting on a regular basis
and given that the office is only staffed part time it is often not working during the evenings.

Charlbury is on the list for the 'proper' system as at Kingham and Moreton isn't it?  Though I expect they'll wait until the new platform is built before installing it.

[Louis94]

I'd imagine FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will wait until the new platform is built, as the system will need configuring to know there is 2 platforms. I would imagine the current screen is a temp until the new system has been configured.

[James Vertigan]

How long is the rollout expected to take? No sign of anything new at AML so far.

[IndustryInsider]

I think Louis94 said that it was supposed to be completed by the end of this year, though there's no chance of that happening - there still in the process of installing the help point monitors at some stations - for example, Tackley has just had it's monitors installed but they're not working yet.

Does anyone know if, apart from Oxford, Slough, Kingham and Moreton-In-Marsh, anywhere has got the new full system installed yet?

[willc]

Charlbury is on the list for the 'proper' system as at Kingham and Moreton isn't it

Yes. Listed building consent was obtained earlier this year. See http://www.charlbury.info/cgi-bin/dnews.cgi?id=642 for a drawing, showing the scrolling display in the same place as the existing monitor.

[Louis94]

I think Louis94 said that it was supposed to be completed by the end of this year, though there's no chance of that happening - there still in the process of installing the help point monitors at some stations - for example, Tackley has just had it's monitors installed but they're not working yet.

Does anyone know if, apart from Oxford, Slough, Kingham and Moreton-In-Marsh, anywhere has got the new full system installed yet?

Yes, I did, although even in August i could see it not happening by the end of the year! FGW^▸ (First Great Western) clearly dont have the "get up and go" like FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect) have!
Apparently the system is/was being delayed by something, I have no idea what, but must be something serious to stop installations going ahead as planned!

My view on the whole installation would be that they are waiting for after the reading diversions at certain stations, as I would imagine Reading would be installed during the time, when the station will be empty, I would imagine they are replacing some of the Thames system as that is a totally different system to what is being installed, where as the wessex system is just an older versions of the new system we are getting, except with extremely old hardware, which is what makes is unreliable, although recently it has not been doing to bad.
How does everyone else think the wessex system has been recently? its supposed to have had work done to it, to make it more reliable.

Yes. Listed building consent was obtained earlier this year. See http://www.charlbury.info/cgi-bin/dnews.cgi?id=642 for a drawing, showing the scrolling display in the same place as the existing monitor.

I do wish that the planning documents were more openly available!

[ChrisB]

Have you tried Werst Oxfordshire council's website?....

[paul7575]

Are FGW^▸ (First Great Western) fitting new PIS^▸ (Passenger Information System) displays and comms facilities at Dean and Mottisfont/Dunbridge (or even at Romsey where they at least call regularly)?

IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) a couple of years back someone suggested one of the main reasons SWT^▸ (South West Trains) didn't want to take over the stations was the cost of integrating the PIS into SWT's. 

Paul

[Louis94]

Have you tried Werst Oxfordshire council's website?....

Was refering to more down here in Devon and Cornwall, but still no I havent, have looked through Devon and cornwalls various councils websites, and have only found Dawlish.

Are FGW^▸ (First Great Western) fitting new PIS^▸ (Passenger Information System) displays and comms facilities at Dean and Mottisfont/Dunbridge (or even at Romsey where they at least call regularly)?

IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) a couple of years back someone suggested one of the main reasons SWT^▸ (South West Trains) didn't want to take over the stations was the cost of integrating the PIS into SWT's. 

Paul

Romsey is due the "full system" consisting of announcements, next train indicators and departure summary screens I believe.
I would imagine Dean and Mottisfont/Dunbridge will get new help points with a yellow 'next train' announcement button.

[willc]

I do wish that the planning documents were more openly available!

But in most cases involving the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System), there is no need for planning applications, as the railways can pretty much do what they like on their own property - courtesy of 19th century Acts of Parliament authorising their construction. It is only in cases where there are listed buildings, such as Charlbury, that they have to make a formal application.