Loudspeaker happiness

As it's an entirely prototypical form of operation, I've no problem with it - especially when the platform is on the right and the driver on the left.

 

Earth! It can be done and is done. The guard helping the frail passenger was seen by me personally less than one week ago.

Deliberately I have not named where either IMHO good or bad practice was encountered.

PH

 

Once again your inability to see how in certain circumstances your strict views don't quite work in the real world does you a disservice.

I do agree that some railways do overdo the tannoy. Having one on the train is in my opinion completely unnecessary. The only reason you need one is to inform passengers of delays which is much better done by the TTIs and if necessary catering staff going through the train informing folk. I suspect (though I have little evidence) that this may go down better with passengers than a tannoy as well. One railway I visited decided to use the in train tannoy to give a running commentary of the journey and a history of the line and the engine pulling us which was totally unnecessary.

Equally, they do have a use at stations. I was about to say the GWSR doesn't have any until I remembered, actually we do, which probably goes to show they're hardly obtrusive. All they're used for is one warning of the train leaving in a few minutes, advising passengers to sit in front 2 coaches for Gotherington, and virtually nothing else. Yes, there are staff around, and they're always helpfully asking questions, closing doors etc. but it still helps. I'd far rather have that than an emergency stop as someone's trying to get on as were leaving, it an unhappy customer whose bought their ticket and then missed the train.

You say well where else will it go? But you'd be surprised! The number of times peoole ask me what time the train leaves or where to buy tickets whilst standing next to the departures board or booking office never ceases to amaze me. I believe at the WSR I've heard of folk who don't understand the concept of "one railway" )although arguably some members don't either ) and seem to think trains go in different directions to the different stations.

But yes, they can be overused, and I'd rather they weren't!

 

I don't believe we are talking about the occasions Scotsman, or any other well publicized tour trains arrive Ralph. It is more the everyday heritage/tourist train arrivals.
The Dartmouth line make most announcements on train and before arrival at stations and stops. Generally the only station announcement is one shortly before departure.

 

I do accept it, smile sweetly and move on Paul when it comes to those, as do we all I hope!

Yes you're right, stopping folk joining a moving train is for platform staff, but customers will still be annoyed if they've missed their train as they didn't realise it was about to go. Our platform staff always check the loos before departure as well, and I don't think the tannoy is in there! Platform staff can't be everywhere at once, and sometimes we might only have one person on a 7 coach platform. (And don't tell me out platforms are too long! :O)

With respect your railway is not the only correct way of running things. On your operation it may be less necessary on others, I do wish you'd appreciate this more often; just because you're a volunteer on one line and think they do it best, doesn't mean that's the only way of doing things. (Not saying I'm not guilty of that occasionally!)

 

The worst example of this I've experienced was on the Chinon-Richelieu line in France back in 1997. It was a strange trip that one, very French and memorable for all sorts of reasons. I turned up to find I had to wait for about 2 hours for a train, when it eventually set off the commentary started, "la chateau a droit est..." etc. - very French and far too loud. I retreated to the end verandah for some aural respite and watched as we trundled extremely slowly between several level crossings so that the same crossing keeper could beat the train to the next one on his moped. We then stopped at the intermediate station for about 45 minutes for cheese and wine in the booking hall. The loco, I think a North British 2-8-0, had a faulty whistle that wouldn't shut up so someone was sitting astride the boiler tinkering during this stop. When we eventually got to the far end, where all the interesting stuff was (and some of it really was interesting), there was basically no time left for a proper look around. And when we eventually trundled back to the start point I'd missed the last SNCF train back to civilisation and had to spend about £60 on a taxi.
To round off the story, spent the following day on the Vivarais and the day after that in Paris (night trains between each) and then back to London that evening to learn that Diana had just died in Paris and I'd been wandering round the place all day totally oblivious. As I said, a memorable trip...

 

This thread is not quite the thread to say the following, if any is and I had hoped to keep this one away from specific organisations. No railway is perfect. They can all do better in certain respects. However the platform staff (i'm not one of them) at "my" line have more to do than most. Apart from the normal duties of this job they have to operate gates that prevent access to the foot crossings across both lines when trains are due, check a myriad of compartment doors, not all of which have slam locks, lock and unlock first class compartments as required in all weathers at a site rather lacking in shelter which all says much for them. Oh and show people who have never used a droplight with a leather strap how to do so.

So you can see why I don't think answering the odd question or giving out information on train departures face to face as they do is asking too much generally.

Paul H

 

I think some people get too anal over this issue. All very well looking at it from a purist's point of view but it's the general public that these announcements are meant to inform. A tannoy system is the simplest way of making an announcement to everyone in the station area in one fell swoop. It may not be how things were done on country stations back in the days of yore but times have changed. Using the NVR as an example, on gala and other special weekends, guided shed and workshop tours are available. Notices are displayed around Wansford but an announcement is made over the tannoy a short time before the next tour is due to commence. Is that such a problem or should staff walk around the site informing people in ones and twos? I know which method I prefer.

 

I am going to sum up now my own personal objections

(a) Intrusive e.g. loudspeakers in lavatories

(b) Inauthentic; another stage in the "progression" from country railway to ersatz mainline.

(c) Inept; as in repeated announcements which actually omitted what it would have been handy to know

(d) Incontinent (no not that sort!) e.g. repeated banalities of the "have your tickets ready" sort

(e) Impersonal This is self explanatory

I actually agree with the provision of P.A. systems but not to be used like muzak in a retail shop. For use in connection with out of course happenings or special events like Galas it is fine. Just put a sock in it at other times.

PH

 

In that case you'd better turn away many of the passengers from the IoWSR as I'm sure current passenger numbers far exceed what the line carried in steam days and I presume you'll be cancelling the Santa Specials, sending the Austerities and the air braked Ivatt elsewhere etc. as these are most definitely "inauthentic." I'm sorry Paul but to return heritage railways to the days of the archetypal country railway will mean running fewer trains and ensuring passenger numbers are low enough that they are outnumbered by staff. In the end, it's not you nor me that lines have to attract a passengers, it's the paying public. Try to recreate the past as best as one can but realise also that this is the 21st century and Joe Public will have expectations that will be somewhat different to ours.
One thing I will agree on, P.A. systems can be overdone but that's not restricted to heritage railways.

 

but that's what this thread is about, not all the rest of your list,

 

You are committing I fear, the classic NP sin of the non sequitur. No tourist railway can ever be the same as in its previous existence. Havenstreet, for example, had no electric power until the preservation era. However, I do think railways could be more careful in how they manage change. P.A. systems are a case in point/ They have a use if kept in their place and that is to remain silent for 99% of the time unless really needed.

I was told the other day about the IOWSR figures so far for 2016 but it had better await official release. They are very good though and handled without recourse to any form of routine broadcast message.

No railway can be 100% "Heritage" which is my main reason for disliking the term. Some seem about 15% though and it is as much about their persona as the equipment in use.

PH

 

I don't.

 

The starting bell/Loudaphone Buzzer is used on our DEMU as well as the blinds and Headcodes in lieu of lamps. No secondman rostered so working train Loudaphone/Bells are a requirement and are part of the trains VMIs and daily pre-use checks (as is Deadmans handle)

 

With all due respect, you started the "inauthentic" claim in this thread and I have simply expended on that statement. And yes I do accept that some people like to hear the sound of their own voice and as such overuse the P.A. but I suspect it's more of an annoyance to the purist than it is the the average visitor. Most heritage railways are a world away from the country railways they once were and have a more sophisticated clientele to the days of steam as well as them being a different customer base in the main. Like it or not, most passengers will have higher expectations than the enthusiast and heritage lines will have to cater for that whilst also giving a glimpse into the past.

 

Just read my comment "no tourist railway can ever be the same as in its previous existence" again.. You then proceed to say P,A. is more of annoyance to the purist that it is to the average visitor, before proceeding to another assertion tourist railways have "a more sophisticated clientele to (?) the days of steam". Which is it? I see non sequitur once again

PH

 

Oh dear! Once again someone does not read what was actually said. The instance referred to an elderly man rather than an elderly lady. The context is that P.A. announcements are no substitute for actually getting out there and, literally in this case, assisting hands on.

PH