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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2007 15:06:32 GMT
There are posters and maps in the car anyway! I sometimes wonder if people grasp the fact that if they are on the wrong train, they can generally change at the next station - especially on our branch, where the first split is about an hour's journey away. Also, vaguely on topic, I was down on the platform at Oakwood yesterday and heard one of the trains happily announcing that the next station was Hatton Cross as it pulled out.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2007 15:16:28 GMT
Was out the other week and the train was pulling in to hatton cross and the dva announces this is cockfosters this train terminates here.
It seams to be haveing some problems also was nearly at acton town the other week on way to hatton cross and the train was listing all stations from the other end of the line also thought that is said this train is for ealing broadway
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SE13
In memoriam
RIP 23-Oct-2013
Glorious Gooner
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Post by SE13 on Jul 11, 2007 18:42:16 GMT
Am I the only Picc user to have never encountered any problems, other than to be annoyed by The DVA telling me where I am? They always work fine when I am on board. [Thinks twice about mentioning those ruffians from Wet Spam and Tattenham using the line on match days ;D ]
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2007 18:56:37 GMT
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Post by Tomcakes on Jul 11, 2007 19:53:09 GMT
Also, vaguely on topic, I was down on the platform at Oakwood yesterday and heard one of the trains happily announcing that the next station was Hatton Cross as it pulled out. Ah, I had that the other day. *clatter through Ravenscourt Park* "The next station is Turnpike Lane" The idea of a train happily announcing a station is amusing as well ;D!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2007 0:45:49 GMT
Am I the only Picc user to have never encountered any problems, other than to be annoyed by The DVA telling me where I am? They always work fine when I am on board. Depends how frequently you use it, I suppose - I'm more likely to spot a mistake if I'm manning a platform for six hours with over 100 trains going through, just because it improves the odds. To be fair, the number of times I remember hearing very bad announcements could probably be counted on one hand, maybe two. It's just that when it gets it wrong, it gets it.. very wrong!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2007 14:37:39 GMT
I think quite a few Heathrow passengers do get confused by the message "this train terminates at Heathrow T1, 2 and 3", even though it's technically correct. Many won't understand that the train goes via Terminal 4, I think, even though the map indicates that it does. Others won't know what terminal they need to go to yet. It'd probably be easier to have it say this train terminates at Heathrow Airport up until T4, then change it into T123, if that's at all possible. This can't be done unfortunately. If you set up a T4 destination, when the train is between Hounslow West and Hatton X it advises passengers for 123 to change at the next station. This is also the case if you mistakenly set the destination as 123 but not via T4, although in this case it advises you to change for T4. I have seen somewhere that the software experts are looking at a way of getting the indicators to show "Heathrow 123 via T4" (or similar) but I'm not sure if this will extend to the DVA. By the time they get it done T5 will be open and it will all be irrelevant anyway.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2007 14:45:49 GMT
I think probably better would be "This is a Piccadilly Line train to Heatherow Terminals 1,2 and 3 via Heathrow Terminal 4". Some message like this will be necessary when T5 opens as trains to there will go direct from Hatton Cross to T123. When T5 opens I expect trains will be carrying either Heathrow T4 or Heathrow T5 as a destination. Both of these set ups will then advise passengers to change at Hatton Cross for the "other" train. T123 via T4 will not be a viable route to take as we will be taking our turn around time at T4, which will probably be at least 7 minutes. The other problem we have at the moment is that we cannot set an E/B destination from T4. When I go to the airport I set the DVA as Heathrow 123, announce at Hatton Cross manually that the next stop is T4, let the DVA play between HX and T4 and then cancel the destination and set up my eastbound trip to start from 123. This ensures a correct westbound destination along the line and stops passengers at T4 just seeing H123 when the train pulls in.
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Post by cetacean on Nov 4, 2007 23:02:42 GMT
This is also the case if you mistakenly set the destination as 123 but not via T4, although in this case it advises you to change for T4. I was on a train yesterday that said this on the screen. There was at least one confused looking passenger who got off there. No trains actually run this way yet, do they? (Also I noticed the train describers at Hatton Cross say "Cockfosters via Train to central London", which must be the result of some odd software limitations)
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Post by happybunny on Nov 5, 2007 11:45:42 GMT
Has anyone else noticed that if the driver opens the doors before the trains stopped, which happens a lot, the DVA doesn't announce? ANyone know why :S
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2007 19:57:31 GMT
This is also the case if you mistakenly set the destination as 123 but not via T4, although in this case it advises you to change for T4. I was on a train yesterday that said this on the screen. There was at least one confused looking passenger who got off there. No trains actually run this way yet, do they? (Also I noticed the train describers at Hatton Cross say "Cockfosters via Train to central London", which must be the result of some odd software limitations) Trains do run direct to 123 if they are late and are sent that way by the controller. There are also a few timetabled trains late at night after T4 has closed that run direct to 123. The describers at that end of the line have just been commissioned, in readiness for T5. I think that may be what is resulting in the strange wording.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2007 19:59:22 GMT
Has anyone else noticed that if the driver opens the doors before the trains stopped, which happens a lot, the DVA doesn't announce? ANyone know why :S This is because the DVA is linked into the speed sensing circuit ie it will only work if the doors are opened once the train has completely stopped. Another quick press of the buttons will see her do her stuff.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 28, 2007 11:57:35 GMT
The voice is definitely not Kay Alexander.
The announcer on my train last night was playing up a bit - it missed Holloway Road and started announcing Gillespie Road^W^WArsenal as it. I think it had died altogether by the time we got to Turnpike Lane.
I don't often travel the Piccadilly Line these days.
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Post by Alight on Dec 22, 2007 18:36:32 GMT
In my opinion (and I know many may disagree) the Piccadilly Line has by far the most superior DVA system. Its clear; can be heard in all areas of the carriages; does not rabbit on for too much; can have many settings/manual selections; has a nice tone to the voice; uniform layout; stations announced at beginning of journey between stations; uses clear text to ensure everyone understands. When I head how poor the Northern/Jubilee Line ones were I was shocked and havn't written to the JNP to persuade them to change those two lines over to this particular voice-over artist (although the dot matrix destination feature is good on the jub (: )
Someone above asked if London Overground would effect the DVA. It won't as there are no interchanges with the LO but St Pancras international has: This month, the Piccadilly Line added St Pancras International to it's it's dot matrix display and Digital Voice Announcer (DVA). The reading is as follows: "This is Kings Cross St Pancras. Change here for the Victoria, Northern, Hammersmith and city, Metropolitan and circle lines and national and international rail services".
One thing I never understand on the line is why sometimes it goes back to the old format of "This train is for Cockfosters" and in this scenario, the announcer doesn't work to the official functions. Anyone know how this works?
When in the drivers cab, I didn't really get a chance to see specifically how the DVA works, just the different options there are and the "tourist" and "commuter mode"
Anyways I end on a room for improvement for this line: Drop the bloody "Alight here for the Royal National Institute of the blind"! (Victoria Line has thankfully got rid of the bloody "Alight here for University College Hospital" thank goodness - although should still consider dropping the "Please remember to take all ur litter with u" as that always cracks up the tourists!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2007 21:02:04 GMT
I agree with your comments mauve. It is by far the best on the Underground! The drivers have a choice of turning it on/off and up/down. So they could put it on but turn the sound down, meaning you still get the DMI's displaying "the next station is ---, change for ---" etc. Or they can just turn it off completely, but the DMI's still display the destination of the train as its linked to the headcode/destination display on the front of the train, which has to be set manually. As far as I know.
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Post by Alight on Dec 23, 2007 12:53:47 GMT
I agree with your comments mauve. It is by far the best on the Underground! The drivers have a choice of turning it on/off and up/down. So they could put it on but turn the sound down, meaning you still get the DMI's displaying "the next station is ---, change for ---" etc. Or they can just turn it off completely, but the DMI's still display the destination of the train as its linked to the headcode/destination display on the front of the train, which has to be set manually. As far as I know. Okay thought so - Cheers!
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Post by Alight on Jan 9, 2008 18:09:32 GMT
There was a funny driver the other day at Arnos Grove. The standard thing happened where you move to the adjacent platform to whichever train is going first the man was like "Abandon ship everyone!" ;D
On the contrary I find it rather annoying how all drivers sound like clones when they announce "Mind the doors please, mind the doors" or "let customers off the train first please" in some bog-standard tone. Are they asked to this by London Underground officials i.e. the way they phrase sentences?
Another classic is "Ladies and Gentlemen, for your safety and security, please keep all your personal belongings with you at all time and report any suspicious behavior to a member of staff or a police officer." It is always read like this and I always read it off by heart in sinc. Same with "All London Underground Lines have a good service (in operation)"
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2008 18:19:27 GMT
There was a funny driver the other day at Arnos Grove. The standard thing happened where you move to the adjacent platform to whichever train is going first the man was like "Abandon ship everyone!" ;D On the contrary I find it rather annoying how all drivers sound like clones when they announce "Mind the doors please, mind the doors" or "let customers off the train first please" in some bog-standard tone. Are they asked to this by London Underground officials i.e. the way they phrase sentences? Another classic is "Ladies and Gentlemen, for your safety and security, please keep all your personal belongings with you at all time and report any suspicious behavior to a member of staff or a police officer." It is always read like this and I always read it off by heart in sinc. Same with "All London Underground Lines have a good service (in operation)" Indeed, scripts are generated and sent via the Intranet to staff. These are in the forms of general PA guidelines (with a table with which phrase to use in which situation) and also specific scripted PA messages for stations to broadcast. Station staff are being told to record more 'human' PA's now instead of the computer generated (Voice Perfect) ones, so this explains the PA's you will hear over and over again. I believe the full PA above reads this: "Ladies and Gentlemen, please keep all your personal belongings with you at all times and report any suspicious behavior to a member of staff or a police officer. For your safety and security, CCTV is in use throughout the London Underground" - Or something like that ;D ;D
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Post by Alight on Jan 9, 2008 18:51:16 GMT
o yes!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2008 23:33:39 GMT
There's a Good Service announcement at Wood Green still using my voice at the moment, I think. Not that it gets played very often due to the age of the system making it hard to set up recurring PA's. I've occasionally recorded station PA's for supervisors who are aware they have a very strong accent since my voice doesn't hold much of one at all, things like service status and upcoming engineering works. I enjoy it.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2008 13:26:41 GMT
There's a Good Service announcement at Wood Green still using my voice at the moment, I think. Not that it gets played very often due to the age of the system making it hard to set up recurring PA's. I've occasionally recorded station PA's for supervisors who are aware they have a very strong accent since my voice doesn't hold much of one at all, things like service status and upcoming engineering works. I enjoy it. Ooh, I must have heard you a few times at least, then. I'll try and pay attention the next time I'm at Wood Green.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2008 13:35:14 GMT
There's a Good Service announcement at Wood Green still using my voice at the moment Blimey....SA's doing PA's.....different world on your group, on mine it would never, never happen.
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Post by Alight on Jan 21, 2008 19:50:48 GMT
Sort of on topic but recording Dot Matrix Displays on station platforms especially noticed in Central London.
A classic display may read like this:
Northfields 1 min Uxbridge/Hillingdon 3 min
Why do they include the Hillingdon?
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Post by c5 on Jan 21, 2008 19:52:59 GMT
Sort of on topic but recording Dot Matrix Displays on station platforms especially noticed in Central London. A classic display may read like this: Northfields 1 min Uxbridge/Hillingdon 3 min Why do they include the Hillingdon? Must be from when more trains ran and terminated at Hillingdon. Now it is very rare for the Picc to do this as most would require a pilot. Having it on the DMI nowadays (and that far away) is pointless though!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2008 19:59:50 GMT
Is there crossover there? with the new station.
Can't they teach that reversing point with a video, like Dave says on the Embankment reversing thread?
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Post by c5 on Jan 21, 2008 20:05:51 GMT
Is there crossover there? with the new station. Can't they teach that reversing point with a video, like Dave says on the Embankment reversing thread? Detrain at Hillingdon and reverse at Uxbridge sidings or reception road. The Train Op might just be unsure as to the move, of course they are all listed in the Line Supplement, but best to be safe not sorry.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2008 21:02:33 GMT
Is there crossover there? with the new station. The crossover takes the trains directly into Uxbridge sidings and is just outside Uxbridge. Most trains going into Uxbridge sidings just go to Uxbridge then shunt into the sidings, the only reason trains would be shown as Hillingdon is if for some reason it was not possible to use Uxbridge station.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2008 21:14:46 GMT
Are Uxbridge sidings where the station used to be until it was extended to Uxbridge town centre?
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Post by Tubeboy on Jan 21, 2008 21:55:53 GMT
Are Uxbridge sidings where the station used to be until it was extended to Uxbridge town centre? No.
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Post by tubeprune on Jan 21, 2008 22:04:29 GMT
Are Uxbridge sidings where the station used to be until it was extended to Uxbridge town centre? It was on the other side of the sidings. The old station was where the supermarket car park is now.
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