New Customer Information Systems

[whole diary]

[johoare]

The new System at Slough was broken at about 9.30am yesterday.. I do hope that doesn't mean it's as unreliable as the old one 

I then ended up (I don't know how) being "Chief Information Officer" with my daughter on the phone looking at the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) website as we were all hoping to get a the non-stop train to Paddington.. I even ended up giving out some tube advice to for a Frenchman trying to get to St Pancras.. I did have to explain that there was no way he'd get there in 15 minutes which is all he had..

Hhmm... sorry I digressed 

[ChrisB]

I've done it in reverse in that time - but in the late evening....

[Ollie]

I've done it in reverse in that time - but in the late evening....

What St Pancras to Slough in 15mins? Clearly wasn't by train and tube then.

[ChrisB]

Oh, I thought Jo meant 15 mins from the time that train got to PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains).....ooops

[johoare]

Sorry.. I wasn't particularly clear  but yes I think 15 minutes would be the quickest you could do it from Paddington to St Pancras (at a very quiet time) as that bit of tube line is particuarly slow.. Also that doesn't count the getting to the tube platform at Paddington and also then getting to your train from the tube at St Pancras which is a bit of a trek too..

[ChrisB]

I did my trip in a taxi......

Wouldn't dare try it by tube in that time!

[159jim]

Has anyone found any Youtube vids of the new PA^▸ (Public Address) yet???

If so, could you post links please???


Thanks,
Jim.

[IndustryInsider]

Langley now working, Twyford partially working and Southall imminent.  An LED display is now also mounted on Maidenhead platform 1 (but not yet in use) - not sure if any others are up yet?

[James Vertigan]

The new System at Slough was broken at about 9.30am yesterday.. I do hope that doesn't mean it's as unreliable as the old one 

I then ended up (I don't know how) being "Chief Information Officer" with my daughter on the phone looking at the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) website as we were all hoping to get a the non-stop train to Paddington.. I even ended up giving out some tube advice to for a Frenchman trying to get to St Pancras.. I did have to explain that there was no way he'd get there in 15 minutes which is all he had..

.

I can't tell you how many times I've had  to do this at Acton Main Line recently , Jo, with the information systems still being out of use there including the new information points which are standing there waiting to be wired in. If they take any longer about doing it, it'll hardly be worth it as they'll be making changes to the station for Crossrail!

I've had many a grateful passenger thanking me for my information when they've been waiting for trains thanks to my access to the National Rail IPhone app while the information systems are out of service,  Sadly the chap in the ticket office (who is there for about 4 hours every weekday!) doesn't seem to put the effort in when it comes to offering good customer service, although he has been observed contributing to the station in a small way by gritting the platforms in the recent harsh winters, though I guess this is a priority and he'd get into serious trouble if it wasn't done.

I'm not entirely sure FGW^▸ (First Great Western) would fully appreciate my assistance though as I've cost them a few customers when telling fellow passengers a train has been cancelled, they will then take alternative routes such as heading to North Acton tube - but a few hardy souls will wait it out for the next train, sometimes we don't have to wait too long as we are treated to a rare stopping Heathrow Connect if the Greenford line is up the spout!

To be honest, I think I'd do a better job at running Acton Main Line, at least I'd be able to give people a little more information than is currently available!

[johoare]

Well yes.. It's almost worth them installing a computer screen with the national rail website on (set to the arrival/departures board for that station) at each station isn't it...

[ChrisB]

Oooh, the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) help-point?, maybe?

[johoare]

Not having seen one working before (honest).. How do they work? Do you have to talk to someone or is the info all there for people to see? I don't know if the Maidenhead one is working yet or not or I'd take a look 

[inspector_blakey]

Depends on the location...sometimes there's a National Rail website-style screen displayed, in other places there's no screen but you can push a button for a recorded announcement. I think all such help-points have two other buttons, one so that you can make a call for train information and another that you can press in emergency.

Don't know what, if anything, is installed at Maidenhead currently but it sounds like ChrisB should be able to inform us in the light of his previous comment.

[bobm]

There is a picture of the departure board screen at Melksham in the revolving pictures at the top right of the forum screen. They are random so you might have take pot luck when it appears.

[Chris from Nailsea]

... or you could see a picture, at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=7597.msg75722#msg75722