Oxford CIS screens

[whole diary]

[Btline]

Let's face it, the improvements in passenger information over the last few years have been huge. I can imagine it would be a major job to try and allow for this, and as has been noted, would be prone to error. You'd be the first to complain if your service was predicted to be 20 down, but turned up on time because unbeknown to the system a unit had been stepped up or similar.

You do need to be careful. One morning a very late running HST^▸ (High Speed Train) missed Weston. But the predicted arrival time at Nailsea failed to take into account it using the avoiding line. So it suddenly made up 10 mins once it arrived at Worle. I was expecting that to happen, but many passengers would not have and may have then missed it (which would have been even more galling since it was 30 down).    

I think that is why NR^» (Network Rail - home page) live boards are so optimistic. It means there is no chance of you missing a late running train because it has made up even more time.

It would be nice if the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) as Worcester was also improved.

Yes, there are several software glitches! At least the staff have a button to shut Digital Doris up! (when she is speaking..... rubbish)

[Oxman]

Late arrival of an inbound train does not always mean a late departure for the next working - it depends just how late the inbound is. The practice at Oxford is often to bring a late running terminator from London into platform 1 and turn it round in the platform to form the next up service, so cutting out the time taken going down to the sidings and back. No computer system could predict this - it needs human intervention to keep the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) updated.

[Timmer]

Welcome to the forum Oxman

[Not from Brighton]

No computer system could predict this - it needs human intervention to keep the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) updated.

I think it is often forgotten that computers can never replace people, they just make them more efficient.

[willc]

Glad to see that the spirit of the old system still lives on somewhere in all the new kit.

Tonight as I was waiting for the train home, Annie - and she is frightfully posh in her new incarnation, think 1940s black and white film received pronunciation - burst into life as a train from Bicester approached platform 3, a dead-end bay for those not familiar with Oxford, announcing that passengers should stand well back from the edge of platform 3 as the approaching train would not be stopping! Happily, the driver seemed to know where to find the brake controller.

[Oxman]

Still some problems on platform 3 - trains disappearing etc. Probably down to the interaction between signaller and CIS^▸ (Customer Information System).

Most of the additional screens now running (eg. in the waiting room on platform 2)

Train proximity sensors (which turn up the volume of PA^▸ (Public Address) announcements when a train is at the platform) appears to be working.

Hearing induction loops still to be commissioned.

[IanL]

Glad to see that the spirit of the old system still lives on somewhere in all the new kit.

I am just waiting for the display screens on the concourse to display 'Thames trains apologise this screen is not working' in sympathy for the removal of the old one! :-)

[inspector_blakey]

Glad to see that the spirit of the old system still lives on somewhere in all the new kit.

Tonight as I was waiting for the train home, Annie - and she is frightfully posh in her new incarnation, think 1940s black and white film received pronunciation - burst into life as a train from Bicester approached platform 3, a dead-end bay for those not familiar with Oxford, announcing that passengers should stand well back from the edge of platform 3 as the approaching train would not be stopping! Happily, the driver seemed to know where to find the brake controller.

This happens elsewhere with empty stock running into bay platforms, e.g. platform 2 at Swindon. I'm told it's because the announcing system uses train reporting numbers to track trains. Passenger trains will be either class 1 or class 2 (so would have a reporting number something like 1A23* or 2B34) but empty coaching stock is class 5 (so the headcode would be of the form 5C67). The automated announcer recognizes the reporting numbers of class 1 and 2 trains that are due to call at the station. Any other train (including passenger trains not booked to call, plus *all* freight and ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) workings) is announced as "please stand clear, the approaching train is not scheduled to stop at this station".

*For a fuller explanation of reporting numbers, see for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headcode. As an aside, if a conductor or train manager cancels you ticket using the "official" Zifa ticket stamper rather than a biro or old-fashined set of nippers, the last four characters of this are the reporting number of the train you were travelling on (or should be). THis enables any refund claims due to delays to be verified after the event. RPIs^▸ (Revenue Protection Inspector (or Retail Price Index, depending on the context)) seem to cancel just using the last four characters set to 0X00 or 0X01 though.

[willc]

But this was a passenger working - though sometimes it's hard to tell the difference from empty stock with the Bicester branch trains.

[Chris from Nailsea]

     

[IanL]

New dot matrix screens on all three platforms not working this morning, just blank with the time showing below. LCD summary screens still working.

Also 'new' lcd departure board on some Cotswold line stations not working since last friday, just showing title bar and a blank screen.