Station and on board train announcements - merged topic, ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Graz]

Another announcement ive heard is when the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Swansea service is delayed and the West Wales ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) service arrives before it, they will say "Would passengers waiting for the delayed service to Swansea please wait for further announcements about this train".  Of course everyone just gets on the 3 carriage ATW service as it call at all the same stations as the FGW one!

I used to get this from Doris at Cheltenham Spa when the Virgin trains were late. Strangely enough though not many boarded the FGW local ones, even when the Virgins were very late...

I believe that the No Smoking announcement is Doris, but she sounds really pissed off! AWLLL OUR CHRAINS ANN STAYSHUNS ARE NO SMOKING AIR-RE^▸ (Religious Education)-YAS, WHEN YOU ALIGHT FROM THE CHRAIN PLEASE DO NOT SMOWKE UNTIL YOU HAVE LEFT THE STAYSHUN PREMISES. Both the London (end) announcements are funny - Lundun Padddddingtunnnnnnnnnnnnn and Lundun Waterloooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Odd thing is the continuous versions she is happy with (I am sorry that the 07.55 First Great Western service to London Paddingtun!... is delayyyyed).


Another dodgy station is "Ann" "dover". I mean, if she can't say that right, god help her with Micheldever - which neither Celia nor Phil can say properly. Phil is close with "Mitchell... dever" but you can hear the slight gap.

To me she seriously sounds like someone else in that announcement, as that one's normally after the unattended luggage one and to me it's almost certainly a different voice. Much more nasal and scratchy...

I've yet to hear the London Waterloo one, but another one from DD that sprang to mind lately was York end station. "Wakefield westgate, Leeds...AaYooooooork!"

[Graz]

Another announcement ive heard is when the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Swansea service is delayed and the West Wales ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) service arrives before it, they will say "Would passengers waiting for the delayed service to Swansea please wait for further announcements about this train".  Of course everyone just gets on the 3 carriage ATW service as it call at all the same stations as the FGW one!

I used to get this from Digital Doris at Cheltenham Spa when the Virgin trains were late. Strangely enough though not many boarded the FGW local ones, even when the Virgins were very late...

I believe that the No Smoking announcement is Doris, but she sounds really pissed off! AWLLL OUR CHRAINS ANN STAYSHUNS ARE NO SMOKING AIR-RE^▸ (Religious Education)-YAS, WHEN YOU ALIGHT FROM THE CHRAIN PLEASE DO NOT SMOWKE UNTIL YOU HAVE LEFT THE STAYSHUN PREMISES. Both the London (end) announcements are funny - Lundun Padddddingtunnnnnnnnnnnnn and Lundun Waterloooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Odd thing is the continuous versions she is happy with (I am sorry that the 07.55 First Great Western service to London Paddingtun!... is delayyyyed).


Another dodgy station is "Ann" "dover". I mean, if she can't say that right, god help her with Micheldever - which neither Celia nor Phil can say properly. Phil is close with "Mitchell... dever" but you can hear the slight gap.

To me she seriously sounds like someone else in that announcement. As that one's normally after the unattended luggage one you can compare them, and to me it's almost certainly a different voice. Much more nasal and scratchy...

I've yet to hear the London Waterloo one, but another one from DD that sprang to mind lately was York end station. "Wakefield westgate, Leeds...AaYooooooork!"

Celia also did a memorable one, when Wessex used to do a terminator to Castle Cary, at Bristol TM^▸ (Train Manager, or Ticket Machine, or Temple Meads (Bristol), depending on context) she announced it so gravely and low.  "Frome, Bruton and Caasulecaarey..."

Finally has anyone heard the 'don't feed the pigeons' announcement at BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative))? They don't use that one anymore, but Celia literally shouting "PLEASE DO NOT FEED THE PIGEONS! Thankyou!" in a schoolmistress-style manner must have taught those pigeon-feeders a lesson!

It must be pretty tedious recording all those stations, then doing them all again (they have a "continual" and "end" version), then all the misc announcements, then all the numbers and times and TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company). Not that given the offer, I'd say no.

Yes, DD sounded a bit fed up at times! I wouldn't mind doing it although imagine constantly hearing your own voice at almost every station!

[thefab442]

It's quite good when she announces a Holyhead service, and her mood constantly changes "LLANFAIRPWLL!!! banga, valley and HOLLLLYHEAD!!!".

[WDcommuter]

She sounds slightly disgusted when she says 'West Drayton' - makes me wonder if she's ever been up the stairs to platform 1 

[Jez]

I like the male announcer which gives the announcements in Welsh - the way he says 'Nottingham' makes me laugh. 

Also Holyhead is Caergybi in Welsh. 

[Graz]

I never knew there was a Welsh name for Bath Spa, until I went to Newport and heard the Welsh announcement! Can't remember what it was but it was completely different...

NB, there isn't a Welsh name for Bristol Temple Meads...

[Btline]

Do FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/Virgin announce in Welsh at all, or is it just ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) with the obligation?

[TerminalJunkie]

NB, there isn't a Welsh name for Bristol Temple Meads...

Arlais Meddu Bryste

[Shazz]

Do FGW^▸ (First Great Western)/Virgin announce in Welsh at all, or is it just ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) with the obligation?

iirc for any station in wales its now a legal obligation to do it in welsh as well as english

[Phil]

iirc for any station in wales its now a legal obligation to do it in welsh as well as english

I would imagine they'd see it as being "in English as well as in Welsh"

[Btline]

I mean on board the Virgin/FGW^▸ (First Great Western) trains.

I know that all stations have to have Welsh.

[Graz]

They've never done it on FGW^▸ (First Great Western) or the ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former Train Operating Company)) trains I've been on around Cardiff...though that was only a few times

[Jez]

I never knew there was a Welsh name for Bath Spa, until I went to Newport and heard the Welsh announcement! Can't remember what it was but it was completely different...

NB, there isn't a Welsh name for Bristol Temple Meads...

Bryste Temple Meads?

[Jim]

I never knew there was a Welsh name for Bath Spa, until I went to Newport and heard the Welsh announcement! Can't remember what it was but it was completely different...

NB, there isn't a Welsh name for Bristol Temple Meads...

Bryste Temple Meads?

As anounced - but screens show it otherwise.

[ldf1985]

I use Westbury station daily, which I believe still has the old 'Wessex Trains' announcement system.  Along with the screens, I think the system is very poor and unreliable.

For example...

1. Delayed trains just seem to 'disappear' from the announcments and screens, leading people to be believe that their train has been cancelled, when in fact, it is just running late.

2. Platform alterations announcements aren't announced at all, or are announced very late (usually as the train is approaching the 'altered to' platform).

3. Incorrect train information displayed on a screen (e.g. I've seen a Penzance service displayed as the 'Portsmouth Harbour' service, leading to mass confusion).

4. No 'reason for the delay', via the announcements, why a train is running late (Wessex did a very good job of doing this).

5. Announcement system seems to be incapable of announcing any delays over '99 Minutes'.  There was once a 2 hour late running Cardiff Central service, although she kept announcing 'delayed by approximately 99 minutes.  First Great Western APOLOGISES for this late running, and the inconvenience this may cause you'.