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Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
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. |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
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?! |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
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. |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
"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 |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
"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. |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
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.) |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
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 |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
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. |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
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. |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
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 |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
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. I was astounded once to watch a train at Luton Airport Parkway announced as approaching and then standing at Platform 1 with complete synchronicity. The only problem? The train was actually approaching and then standing at platform 3. Off it went on it's merry way with the CIS still under the impression it had been at platform 1. |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
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. 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. These systems are programmed with the Network Rail working timetable that shows which platform the train is scheduled to use. If that timetable is wrong then the system is going to give out incorrect information. The system has to assume that the train is going to use the timetabled platform until it passes a junction and occupies a track circuit berth from which it cannot run into the timetabled platform. In many cases that is just off the platform end in which case the system will trigger a last minute change of platform announcement. The only way around this is for Network Rail to feed the CIS with either the train's planned route when this is set up or the junction setting but for some reason NR will not do this. They seem to think that it will compromise the integrity of the signalling system. |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
On Aug 25, 1:25*pm, W14_Fishbourne
wrote: 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. 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. These systems are programmed with the Network Rail working timetable that shows which platform the train is scheduled to use. If that timetable is wrong then the system is going to give out incorrect information. The system has to assume that the train is going to use the timetabled platform until it passes a junction and occupies a track circuit berth from which it cannot run into the timetabled platform. In many cases that is just off the platform end in which case the system will trigger a last minute change of platform announcement. The only way around this is for Network Rail to feed the CIS with either the train's planned route when this is set up or the junction setting but for some reason NR will not do this. They seem to think that it will compromise the integrity of the signalling system.- A train that has been diverted via Sidcup on leaving Dartford is, from that moment, incapable of running into platform 3 at Lewisham. But having been on the Sidcup line for half an hour before its scheduled arrival time doesn't stop it being displayed as expected at platform 3 at Lewisham until it just disappears and an unscheduled train shows up at platform 1. But, as I said before, they'll avoid the safety implications of having people rushing through the subways by not announcing the platform change at all. |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
On Wed, 24 Aug 2011 09:54:41 -0700, 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. Could the problem here be being caused by users who don't understand the difference between "Arrivals" and "Departures". 11:23 arrival from London Paddington on P3, departs at 11:23 for Heathrow Airport 11:25 arrival from Reading on P4, departs at 11:26 for London Paddington 11:31 arrival from London Paddington on P3, departs at 11:32 for Reading etc etc etc Looks to me as if the two displays are pretty much in total agreement about what trains are arriving from where, on which platform, and then departing to where. Rgds Denis McMahon |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
On 25/08/2011 12:59, Lew 1 wrote:
I was astounded once to watch a train at Luton Airport Parkway announced as approaching and then standing at Platform 1 with complete synchronicity. The only problem? The train was actually approaching and then standing at platform 3. I've seen this happen quite often there, and sometimes held doors open for those with luggage who are still struggling down the steps (being near an airport, this is often the case at this station). I have, of course, complained to FCC who always say that it's an isolated incident. However many isolated incidents there are, they don't see any need to get it fixed (and for all I know, it may be Network Rail's fault, but they seem to be completely insulated from complaints). Some drivers are equally obnoxious, sometimes shouting at those who helpfully hold the doors open. All you can do, as far as I know, is complain to the train company, and when you don't get a sensible answer (as you won't) take it up with London Travelwatch (or the appropriate consumer body). They won't do anything useful either, but if enough people did the same, eventually someone might get the message. It must cost the train companies a small amount to answer every complaint, and I'm sure they monitor that, so they have a very tiny incentive to fix things that are easy to fix. This ought to be easy for them to fix, they just have to pass the buck to Network Rail, after all. -- Clive Page |
Chaos at Hayes & Harlington - as new C.I.S. mis-informs pax
On 25/08/2011 13:25, W14_Fishbourne wrote:
On Aug 24, 5:54 pm, 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. 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. These systems are programmed with the Network Rail working timetable that shows which platform the train is scheduled to use. If that timetable is wrong then the system is going to give out incorrect information. The system has to assume that the train is going to use the timetabled platform until it passes a junction and occupies a track circuit berth from which it cannot run into the timetabled platform. In many cases that is just off the platform end in which case the system will trigger a last minute change of platform announcement. The only way around this is for Network Rail to feed the CIS with either the train's planned route when this is set up or the junction setting but for some reason NR will not do this. They seem to think that it will compromise the integrity of the signalling system. I think you've got it in one. Looking at the times of the trains concerned, which are towards the ends of the day's service, I would suggest the most likely cause is this. There is a four-track railway at this location - but at this time of night only two are required to run the service. So the engineers get given two tracks for their overnight work and all the service runs on the other two - fairly easy on the GW main line as the tracks are paired by use ("Main" one side and "Relief" the other) not by direction ("Up" one side and "Down" the other). But these variations are not in the standard working timetable, they are entered as "short term plan" workings - and it would seem that they are not being entered in such a way that the CIS can pick it up. So what happens is that when the approaching train finally enters the section for the (wrong) platform, the CIS detects this and then does the platform alteration. There is probably nothing wrong with the CIS. As is all too often the case, anyone who complains will get told about "computer errors" when the truth of the matter is that the poor computer has been stitched up by the humans who are too lazy or too incompetent to give it the information it needs. Does anyone here use Clapham Junction on a Sunday morning? The Sunday morning timetable there is also set up for a "two line railway" so engineering work has a minimal effect on services. Most of the morning SWT service is given "dummy" platforms on the Slow lines - I know because they go on the Departure posters there straight off the Train Service Data Base. I never hear of any issues here, but this may be because the platform number at Clapham Junction is now a required input to TSDB so the departure displays should have the correct platform numbers in if the engineering work alterations have been correctly input to TSDB. At many locations, however (and it was the case at Clapham Junction until a few years ago) platform numbers are not shown in the working timetables unless required for the signaller's information. Where trains on a particular line must pass through a particular platform, the train's route only appears at junction locations where the signaller must switch it from one line to another. The latest CIS are supposed to have the track geography in so they can use this information to calculate the correct platform. But, at the end of the day, the CIS can only tell you what someone else has told it. -- - Yokel - Yokel posts via a spam-trap account which is not read. |
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