On good form today with reports of South Eastern services suspended
between Shepherds Bush and Milton Keynes.

Their willingness to repeat nonsense for bulletin after bulletin is
often less obviously workable out than that one, like the time that
they kept announcing that services on the "Lewisham line" were being
diverted, when they meant that services between Dartford and Lewisham
via Bexleyheath were being diverted via Sidcup (rather important for
punters to know that they were NOT going via Bexleyheath, but WERE
going via Lewisham).

They do this sort of thing over and over. The newsreaders just keep
on dumbly reading it out every half hour. You'd think that the London
travel newsroom would have some vague idea about transport in London.

In message
MIG wrote:

On good form today with reports of South Eastern services suspended
between Shepherds Bush and Milton Keynes.

Their willingness to repeat nonsense for bulletin after bulletin is
often less obviously workable out than that one, like the time that
they kept announcing that services on the "Lewisham line" were being
diverted, when they meant that services between Dartford and Lewisham
via Bexleyheath were being diverted via Sidcup (rather important for
punters to know that they were NOT going via Bexleyheath, but WERE
going via Lewisham).

They do this sort of thing over and over. The newsreaders just keep
on dumbly reading it out every half hour. You'd think that the London
travel newsroom would have some vague idea about transport in London.

Blame it on the idiots who put out the press releases.

--
Graeme Wall

This address not read, substitute trains for rail
Transport Miscellany at www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail
Photo galleries at http://graeme-wall.fotopic.net/

MIG wrote:

The newsreaders just keep on dumbly reading it out every half hour.
You'd think that the London travel newsroom would have some vague
idea about transport in London.

Would you? Why? Do you think it is a requirement for people who mention
London in the things they read out to be Londoners?

If you *know* the BBC is broadcasting something that is inaccurate, then
wouldn't it be constructive for you to contact them directly to correct
it? Complaining about it here won't achieve anything.

--
http://gallery120232.fotopic.net/p9683786.html
(150 222 at Cuddington, 28 Jun 2004)

The British Broadcasting Society is controlled by analphabets who can
only just barely speak English. None of them can read, so you can't
blame the man who wrote the press release.

Broadcasting House is constructed from papier-mâché made from chewed-
up diplomas in Art History, Marine Biology and Surf Studies.

On Nov 23, 9:08*am, Offramp wrote:
The British Broadcasting Society is controlled by analphabets who can
only just barely speak English. None of them can read, so you can't
blame the man who wrote the press release.

Broadcasting House is constructed from papier-mâché made from chewed-
up diplomas in Art History, Marine Biology and Surf Studies.

So what are the Daily Mail or ITV made up of? Art History, Marine
Biology and Surf Studies drop outs?

AE

Offramp wrote:

The British Broadcasting Society

The what?

is controlled by analphabets who can only just barely speak English.

"only just barely"?

Broadcasting House is constructed from papier-mâché made from chewed-
up diplomas in Art History, Marine Biology and Surf Studies.

Isn't that what *your* soapbox is made of?

--
http://gallery120232.fotopic.net/p9632903.html
(D7018 (Class 35) at Tyseley, 4 Oct 1987)

"MIG" wrote in message
...
On good form today with reports of South Eastern services suspended
between Shepherds Bush and Milton Keynes.

Their willingness to repeat nonsense for bulletin after bulletin is
often less obviously workable out than that one, like the time that
they kept announcing that services on the "Lewisham line" were being
diverted, when they meant that services between Dartford and Lewisham
via Bexleyheath were being diverted via Sidcup (rather important for
punters to know that they were NOT going via Bexleyheath, but WERE
going via Lewisham).

They do this sort of thing over and over. The newsreaders just keep
on dumbly reading it out every half hour. You'd think that the London
travel newsroom would have some vague idea about transport in London.

But it's not just BBC London and it's not just public transport related. I
reckon the "best" reports are those on Radio 2 for roads. "Sally Traffic"
and her colleagues cover the country from north to south to west and it
doesn't matter if you're local to the area they are reporting on or a
stranger you can get a reasonable idea of what's going on. They're not
perfect by any means but I will admit to listening to R2 when driving purely
for their reports. Things go downhill in two ways. Firstly when they
start talking about PT. It doesn't matter if they're talking about the ash
cloud or something wrong with the the trains they just spout what they're
given. They are capable of questioning and interpreting road information
so why not PT? Secondly don't get me going about BBC local radio when it
cuts in. The traffic reports are all over the place and often meaningless
to anyone who isn't a local. And as Graeme says they must be reading press
releases for PT. Otherwise how can you justify reporting that Cross
Country can't run between Basingstoke and Southampton on a weekend when the
line through Micheldever is blocked and say nothing about SWT? Yes, SWT
should send something out but then I would expect the reporter to put 2 and
2 together, report the line is blocked and then tell me what SWT are doing
and then what XC are doing.

I have complained to the BBC but all I got back was "thank you for your
feedback".

On Nov 23, 8:06*am, MIG wrote:
On good form today with reports of South Eastern services suspended
between Shepherds Bush and Milton Keynes.

Their willingness to repeat nonsense for bulletin after bulletin is
often less obviously workable out than that one, like the time that
they kept announcing that services on the "Lewisham line" were being
diverted, when they meant that services between Dartford and Lewisham
via Bexleyheath were being diverted via Sidcup (rather important for
punters to know that they were NOT going via Bexleyheath, but WERE
going via Lewisham).

They do this sort of thing over and over. *The newsreaders just keep
on dumbly reading it out every half hour. *You'd think that the London
travel newsroom would have some vague idea about transport in London.

Should of course be 'Southern services' suspended between The Bush and
MK, a signal problem in the Watford Junction area was apparently the
reason.

On 2010-11-23 09:37:39 +0000, George said:

On Nov 23, 8:06*am, MIG wrote:
On good form today with reports of South Eastern services suspended
between Shepherds Bush and Milton Keynes.

Their willingness to repeat nonsense for bulletin after bulletin is
often less obviously workable out than that one, like the time that
they kept announcing that services on the "Lewisham line" were being
diverted, when they meant that services between Dartford and Lewisham
via Bexleyheath were being diverted via Sidcup (rather important for
punters to know that they were NOT going via Bexleyheath, but WERE
going via Lewisham).

They do this sort of thing over and over. *The newsreaders just keep
on dumbly reading it out every half hour. *You'd think that the London
travel newsroom would have some vague idea about transport in London.

Should of course be 'Southern services' suspended between The Bush and
MK, a signal problem in the Watford Junction area was apparently the
reason.

So, does anyone believe that the inaccuracy of the BBC report would
have misled a single traveller?

In article ,
Graham Harrison wrote:
Otherwise how can you justify reporting that Cross
Country can't run between Basingstoke and Southampton on a weekend when the
line through Micheldever is blocked and say nothing about SWT? Yes, SWT
should send something out but then I would expect the reporter to put 2 and
2 together, report the line is blocked and then tell me what SWT are doing
and then what XC are doing.

It seems to me that it should really be the job of the industry (via
either ATOC or Network Rail) to put out a single coordinated press
release with complete information, rather than individual TOCs
providing information piecemeal to the media.

-roy