You couldn't make this up. The new c.i.s. has been up and misinforming
passengers for over two weeks - and nothing is being done to correct
the system.

This is a classic case worthy of Private Eye - who have been sent
copies of the photos. It is of two adjacent and supposedly identical
c.i.s. displays in the foyer by the ticket office. Spot the deliberate
mistakes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjb...7627384806727/

When asked why the ticket office staff don't switch the b&w display
off they claimed that they are unable to, like there isn't an on-off
switch on the monitor? Pathetic.

But the new system is one that displays the next three trains on each
platform. So they are having a field day in the evenings when trains
start to use the fast lines AND the local lines for stopping services.
Trains are now being announced in advance as arriving and departing at
fast platforms 2 (to Paddington) and 1 (to Reading / Oxford). However
AT THE LAST MINUTE platforms are being switched resulting in a mad
dash over various bridges to the other platforms. This is kind of OK
from 3 to 4 but the pedestrian route from 1 to 2 involves going
outside the station, over the road bridge and back inside - passengers
with luggage haven't a chance of making it.

This situation has been going on for years. FGW say they know nothing
about it, but that its Network Rail's fault.

Just recently we had this typical - i.e. every night - situation:

On platform 1 these trains were displayed:

* 23.45 Oxford - five passengers were waiting on platform 1. At the
*last* minute this train was suddenly switched to platform 3. I was
there and held the train doors open for customers to run from platform
1 to 3 over the road bridge - not easy for them. One Japanese tourist
with luggage didn't make it. He missed his train - the LAST train to
Oxford. The driver couldn't give a damn and was going to depart on
time regardless.

* 00.10 Reading - there were 7 passengers waiting on platform 1. At my
advice the Japanese tourist with luggage waited at the top of the
stairs in Station Road. The train arrived at platform 1. He ran down
the stairs with his luggage and caught it. I said to him that if the
train arrived on platform 3 I would hold the doors open for him. If I
see this appalling situation again - I WILL *ALWAYS* HOLD THE DOORS
OPEN - THAT IS A PROMISE.

* 00.51 Reading - this train apparently arrived at platform 1 as
announced

====

On platform 2 (& 3) these trains were displayed:

* 23.43 - Paddington (FGW) - about 4 passengers were waiting on
platform 2 /3. Again at the *last* minute this train was suddenly
switched to platform 4. They had to run over the footbridge to catch
this.

* 23.57 - Paddington (FGW) - arrived at platform 2

* 00.13 - Paddington (HC) - this train suddenly was displayed on the
new c.i.s. system on platform 2 but only a few minutes before it was
due. It normally calls at platform 4. Again passengers had to run over
the footbridge from 4 to 2 to catch it.

====

And next week when they close the station foyer at H&H the chaos is
going to get far worse because the only way of getting from the new
entrance on platform 4 is to go outside, along Station Parade, past
Tescos, past innumerable taxi cab offices, up Station Road, then down
the stairs onto platform 1. This will be impossible to achieve if they
suddenly switch platforms - which they will do. It take 10 minutes to
negotiate that street route as a normal pedestrian; with luggage or if
infirm, passengers can forget it - even if I hold the doors open for
them.

CJB.

On Aug 24, 5:54*pm, CJB wrote:
You couldn't make this up. The new c.i.s. has been up and misinforming
passengers for over two weeks - and nothing is being done to correct
the system.

This is a classic case worthy of Private Eye - who have been sent
copies of the photos. It is of two adjacent and supposedly identical
c.i.s. displays in the foyer by the ticket office. Spot the deliberate
mistakes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjb...7627384806727/

When asked why the ticket office staff don't switch the b&w display
off they claimed that they are unable to, like there isn't an on-off
switch on the monitor? Pathetic.


[Snip other stuff]

Er, why would one switch off a perfectly good ARRIVALS monitor? If,
as you say, London departures leave from platforms 2 and 4, there's
nothing wrong with either display!

Look, for example, at the second train shown on both monitors:
- shows on your black and white photo as an **arrival from** Reading
at 11.25 on platform 4
- shows on your colour photos as a **departure to London** at 11.26,
also on platform 4

Or am I missing something here?!

On Aug 24, 5:54*pm, CJB wrote:
You couldn't make this up. The new c.i.s. has been up and misinforming
passengers for over two weeks - and nothing is being done to correct
the system.

This is a classic case worthy of Private Eye - who have been sent
copies of the photos. It is of two adjacent and supposedly identical
c.i.s. displays in the foyer by the ticket office. Spot the deliberate
mistakes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjb...7627384806727/


Am I missing something? Looking at these photos, the b&w one is of
arrivals and the colour one departures, and they correspond; the top
entry on each shows an arrival from Paddington at 1123 going on to
Heathrow, both shown as from platform 3.


(snipped)

This situation has been going on for years. FGW say they know nothing
about it, but that its Network Rail's fault.

Sounds like the standard TOC excuse to me. Still not acceptable,
though.

Just recently we had this typical - i.e. every night - situation:

On platform 1 these trains were displayed:

* 23.45 Oxford - five passengers were waiting on platform 1. At the
*last* minute this train was suddenly switched to platform 3. I was
there and held the train doors open for customers to run from platform
1 to 3 over the road bridge - not easy for them. One Japanese tourist
with luggage didn't make it. He missed his train - the LAST train to
Oxford. The driver couldn't give a damn and was going to depart on
time regardless.

* 00.10 Reading - there were 7 passengers waiting on platform 1. At my
advice the Japanese tourist with luggage waited at the top of the
stairs in Station Road. The train arrived at platform 1. He ran down
the stairs with his luggage and caught it. I said to him that if the
train arrived on platform 3 I would hold the doors open for him. If I
see this appalling situation again - I WILL *ALWAYS* HOLD THE DOORS
OPEN - THAT IS A PROMISE.

* 00.51 Reading - this train apparently arrived at platform 1 as
announced

====

On platform 2 (& 3) these trains were displayed:

* 23.43 - Paddington (FGW) - about 4 passengers were waiting on
platform 2 /3. Again at the *last* minute this train was suddenly
switched to platform 4. They had to run over the footbridge to catch
this.

* 23.57 - Paddington (FGW) - arrived at platform 2

* 00.13 - Paddington (HC) - this train suddenly was displayed on the
new c.i.s. system on platform 2 but only a few minutes before it was
due. It normally calls at platform 4. Again passengers had to run over
the footbridge from 4 to 2 to catch it.

====

And next week when they close the station foyer at H&H the chaos is
going to get far worse because the only way of getting from the new
entrance on platform 4 is to go outside, along Station Parade, past
Tescos, past innumerable taxi cab offices, up Station Road, then down
the stairs onto platform 1. This will be impossible to achieve if they
suddenly switch platforms - which they will do. It take 10 minutes to
negotiate that street route as a normal pedestrian; with luggage or if
infirm, passengers can forget it - even if I hold the doors open for
them.

CJB.

Diabolical. The serious question, though, is "what can you do?" It
seems that complaining to Worst Late Western will only get the "it's
Network Rail's fault" response. Maybe a letter to your MP - letters
from MPs to TOCs tend to get more attention than from the general
public.

"CJB" wrote in message
...
You couldn't make this up. The new c.i.s. has been up and misinforming
passengers for over two weeks - and nothing is being done to correct
the system.

It seems to me that the two monitors are correct - the colour one lists
departures and the b&w lists arrivals - the word 'Arrivals' should be a
clue.

However, I entirely agree with you about last minute platform alterations -
where these are necessary there should be an audible as well as a visual
announcement, then enough time for all passengers to get to the new
platform. If the fault is down to Network Rail FGW should insist that NR
carry the can for any resulting delay minutes.

Peter

"CJB" wrote in message
...
You couldn't make this up. The new c.i.s. has been up and misinforming
passengers for over two weeks - and nothing is being done to correct
the system.

This is a classic case worthy of Private Eye - who have been sent
copies of the photos. It is of two adjacent and supposedly identical
c.i.s. displays in the foyer by the ticket office. Spot the deliberate
mistakes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjb...7627384806727/

When asked why the ticket office staff don't switch the b&w display
off they claimed that they are unable to, like there isn't an on-off
switch on the monitor? Pathetic.

But the new system is one that displays the next three trains on each
platform. So they are having a field day in the evenings when trains
start to use the fast lines AND the local lines for stopping services.
Trains are now being announced in advance as arriving and departing at
fast platforms 2 (to Paddington) and 1 (to Reading / Oxford). However
AT THE LAST MINUTE platforms are being switched resulting in a mad
dash over various bridges to the other platforms. This is kind of OK
from 3 to 4 but the pedestrian route from 1 to 2 involves going
outside the station, over the road bridge and back inside - passengers
with luggage haven't a chance of making it.

This situation has been going on for years. FGW say they know nothing
about it, but that its Network Rail's fault.

Just recently we had this typical - i.e. every night - situation:

On platform 1 these trains were displayed:

* 23.45 Oxford - five passengers were waiting on platform 1. At the
*last* minute this train was suddenly switched to platform 3. I was
there and held the train doors open for customers to run from platform
1 to 3 over the road bridge - not easy for them. One Japanese tourist
with luggage didn't make it. He missed his train - the LAST train to
Oxford. The driver couldn't give a damn and was going to depart on
time regardless.

* 00.10 Reading - there were 7 passengers waiting on platform 1. At my
advice the Japanese tourist with luggage waited at the top of the
stairs in Station Road. The train arrived at platform 1. He ran down
the stairs with his luggage and caught it. I said to him that if the
train arrived on platform 3 I would hold the doors open for him. If I
see this appalling situation again - I WILL *ALWAYS* HOLD THE DOORS
OPEN - THAT IS A PROMISE.

* 00.51 Reading - this train apparently arrived at platform 1 as
announced

====

On platform 2 (& 3) these trains were displayed:

* 23.43 - Paddington (FGW) - about 4 passengers were waiting on
platform 2 /3. Again at the *last* minute this train was suddenly
switched to platform 4. They had to run over the footbridge to catch
this.

* 23.57 - Paddington (FGW) - arrived at platform 2

* 00.13 - Paddington (HC) - this train suddenly was displayed on the
new c.i.s. system on platform 2 but only a few minutes before it was
due. It normally calls at platform 4. Again passengers had to run over
the footbridge from 4 to 2 to catch it.

====

And next week when they close the station foyer at H&H the chaos is
going to get far worse because the only way of getting from the new
entrance on platform 4 is to go outside, along Station Parade, past
Tescos, past innumerable taxi cab offices, up Station Road, then down
the stairs onto platform 1. This will be impossible to achieve if they
suddenly switch platforms - which they will do. It take 10 minutes to
negotiate that street route as a normal pedestrian; with luggage or if
infirm, passengers can forget it - even if I hold the doors open for
them.

CJB.

We've got one of those at Castle Cary - it finally got switched on just
before the Glastonbury festival. It works OK so long as nothing goes
wrong*. It particularly doesn't like trains running out of order; they
just disappear and, with a bit of luck (but not always), reappear when they
finally arrive. I also sometimes wonder if Digital Doris is working from
the same script as the display and she get out of synch for a moment or 2.
Luckily the guys who work the station are learning its' foibles and haven't
given up on the PA and they put us right (to hear you complain you'd think
nobody on FGW cared - these 3 do). We don't have the same problem with
platform changes; they do occur but between 2 and 3 which are opposite faces
of the island.

* Except that non stop trains get announced a couple of minutes before they
pound through - fine so far. Down trains get repeated maybe 20/30 seconds
before an HST at full chat arrives. For up trains the repeat announcement
is made as the train arrives at the start of the platform and because they
are hidden by a road bridge and embankment and a bend until about 10 seconds
before they arrive it would be helpful if up worked the same as down (in my
opinion).

For all its' faults I would argue it's better than what we had before which
was one clapped out b/w terminal on Platform 1 which was difficult to read
at the best of times and in certain lights was illegible. That was it.
If you arrived from the Weymouth line and wanted to head west through
Taunton you used to have to cross the footbridge to P1 and then traipse back
again. We now have next 3 train indicators on all 3 platforms.

I suppose I'm lucky. When I asked one of the guys whether it would do any
good me complaining via the Website he said thank you but we're building a
dossier and our manager is working on getting the technicians back again.

On Aug 24, 6:29*pm, "Peter Masson" wrote:

"CJB" wrote:
You couldn't make this up. The new c.i.s. has been up and misinforming
passengers for over two weeks - and nothing is being done to correct
the system.

It seems to me that the two monitors are correct - the colour one lists
departures and the b&w lists arrivals - the word 'Arrivals' should be a
clue.

Indeed - though I suppose one could question whether or not a station
like H&H actually needs an arrivals monitor.


However, I entirely agree with you about last minute platform alterations -
where these are necessary there should be an audible as well as a visual
announcement, then enough time for all passengers to get to the new
platform. If the fault is down to Network Rail FGW should insist that NR
carry the can for any resulting delay minutes.

Agreed - I've experienced late platform changes at H&H, it's all seems
like a bit of a shambles. My impression is that FGW seem to kind of
regard their London suburban services as a bit of an afterthought -
possibly not helped by some notion that the Heathrow Connect services
aren't really their business.

(As an aside, I recall a red-faced train driver literally bellowing at
me down a platform as I stood obstructing the doors whilst an elderly
couple negotiated the stairs after a literal last minute platform
change - I did explain myself, but he didn't seem to want to know.
Not, I should add, something that happened on FGW territory.)

wrote in message
...

Er, why would one switch off a perfectly good ARRIVALS monitor? If,
as you say, London departures leave from platforms 2 and 4, there's
nothing wrong with either display!

Look, for example, at the second train shown on both monitors:
- shows on your black and white photo as an **arrival from** Reading
at 11.25 on platform 4
- shows on your colour photos as a **departure to London** at 11.26,
also on platform 4

Or am I missing something here?!

I expect we'll definitely be missing a sheepish correction from CJB.

His usual policy is to rant first then ignore reasonable explanations...

Paul S

On Aug 24, 7:56*pm, Mizter T wrote:
On Aug 24, 6:29*pm, "Peter Masson" wrote:

"CJB" wrote:
You couldn't make this up. The new c.i.s. has been up and misinforming
passengers for over two weeks - and nothing is being done to correct
the system.

It seems to me that the two monitors are correct - the colour one lists
departures and the b&w lists arrivals - the word 'Arrivals' should be a
clue.

Indeed - though I suppose one could question whether or not a station
like H&H actually needs an arrivals monitor.



However, I entirely agree with you about last minute platform alterations -
where these are necessary there should be an audible as well as a visual
announcement, then enough time for all passengers to get to the new
platform. If the fault is down to Network Rail FGW should insist that NR
carry the can for any resulting delay minutes.

Agreed - I've experienced late platform changes at H&H, it's all seems
like a bit of a shambles. My impression is that FGW seem to kind of
regard their London suburban services as a bit of an afterthought -
possibly not helped by some notion that the Heathrow Connect services
aren't really their business.

(As an aside, I recall a red-faced train driver literally bellowing at
me down a platform as I stood obstructing the doors whilst an elderly
couple negotiated the stairs after a literal last minute platform
change - I did explain myself, but he didn't seem to want to know.
Not, I should add, something that happened on FGW territory.)

South Eastern avoids this by not announcing them at all. The train
will disappear from the monitor and run unannounced through a
different platform.

I've also known last minute changes happening repeatedly at Finsbury
Park.

I think the winner was at Stratford where the displays showed a train
due in a platform where the line was blocked by one of those red light
things.

The Gardener writes:

Diabolical. The serious question, though, is "what can you do?" It
seems that complaining to Worst Late Western will only get the "it's
Network Rail's fault" response. Maybe a letter to your MP - letters
from MPs to TOCs tend to get more attention than from the general
public.

Or, get a public spirited, wealthy, philanthropic user of the station to
go to court and obtain an injunction requiring any train which has been
subject to a platform alteration to wait for *all* passenger who are
en-route[1] from the originally advertised platform before departing.

[1] who are proceeding at a reasonable speed taking into account their
age, level of (dis)ability, amount of luggage etc.

On Aug 24, 5:54*pm, CJB wrote:

This is a classic case worthy of Private Eye - who have been sent
copies of the photos. It is of two adjacent and supposedly identical
c.i.s. displays in the foyer by the ticket office. Spot the deliberate
mistakes.

Such, for instance, as the word "Arrivals" on one of them?

Yes, I've made that mistake myself before. But it seems pretty
clearly stated at the top, so anyone who misreads it is just having a
bit of bad luck.

Neil