It's always been like this since the dot matrix indicators were
installed in the late-80s.

wrote in message
ups.com...
It's always been like this since the dot matrix indicators were
installed in the late-80s.

Fair enough. But how do LT work out their minutes?

On Apr 21, 12:03 am, "Movilla" wrote:
wrote in message

ups.com...

It's always been like this since the dot matrix indicators were
installed in the late-80s.

Fair enough. But how do LT work out their minutes?


There was an old episode of Have I Got News For You where they read
out the press release about the introduction of 'next bus' indicators
at bus stops. It went something like: "Minutes will not always
consist of 60 seconds. Sometimes the indicator will say 2 minutes but
it will actually take longer."

I think its based on "where" the train is in relation to your station.

if it gets held up when its 2 min away then it will still take 2 min to
reach you once it actually departs after being delayed.

see - easy as quantum physics (or trying to spell it even)

Frank Incense wrote:
I think its based on "where" the train is in relation to your station.

if it gets held up when its 2 min away then it will still take 2 min
to reach you once it actually departs after being delayed.

see - easy as quantum physics (or trying to spell it even)

That's what I thought. I understood that it was all transponder based these
days. Train reports position to computer, computer calculates time to
subsequent stations and updates platform displays. I've certainly never
noticed any "standard" LT minute, I've even seen displays adjust from '1
min' to '2 mins' whilst I've been waiting.

"Movilla" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
ups.com...
It's always been like this since the dot matrix indicators were
installed in the late-80s.

Fair enough. But how do LT work out their minutes?

The story I was told was they were designed to make customers feel like they
are getting a better service as people would not notice the difference
between lu and real time.

In article ,
(Andy) wrote:

"Movilla" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
ups.com...
It's always been like this since the dot matrix indicators were
installed in the late-80s.

Fair enough. But how do LT work out their minutes?

The story I was told was they were designed to make customers feel
like they are getting a better service as people would not notice
the difference between lu and real time.

At East Putney it's the other way round. The sign says the next train is
due in 3 minutes as the train appears round the corner and enters the
platform.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

On Sat, 21 Apr 2007 22:17 +0100 (BST), (Colin
Rosenstiel) wrote:

In article ,
(Andy) wrote:

"Movilla" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
ups.com...
It's always been like this since the dot matrix indicators were
installed in the late-80s.

Fair enough. But how do LT work out their minutes?

The story I was told was they were designed to make customers feel
like they are getting a better service as people would not notice
the difference between lu and real time.

At East Putney it's the other way round. The sign says the next train is
due in 3 minutes as the train appears round the corner and enters the
platform.

Hammersmith (Picc westbound) is similar to this. It also annoys me
that it lists the first train, plus the next train to a different
destination. "1. Heathrow 1 min / Next train to Northfields in 5 min"
is not helpful if you're trying to go to Rayners Lane. And in any
case, the next train to Northfields is in 1 min.

James Farrar wrote:
On Sat, 21 Apr 2007 22:17 +0100 (BST), (Colin
Rosenstiel) wrote:

In article ,
(Andy) wrote:

"Movilla" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
ups.com...
It's always been like this since the dot matrix indicators were
installed in the late-80s.

Fair enough. But how do LT work out their minutes?

The story I was told was they were designed to make customers feel
like they are getting a better service as people would not notice
the difference between lu and real time.

At East Putney it's the other way round. The sign says the next
train is due in 3 minutes as the train appears round the corner and
enters the platform.

Hammersmith (Picc westbound) is similar to this. It also annoys me
that it lists the first train, plus the next train to a different
destination. "1. Heathrow 1 min / Next train to Northfields in 5 min"
is not helpful if you're trying to go to Rayners Lane. And in any
case, the next train to Northfields is in 1 min.

I think you'll find it says "Next train to XXXXXX *within* 5 min", so it is
actually correct (though not very helpful, as you say).
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

Richard J. wrote:

I think you'll find it says "Next train to XXXXXX *within* 5 min", so it is
actually correct (though not very helpful, as you say).

Although personally I prefer the (not excessive) inaccuracy of the
Hammersmith display to the the spurious accuracy of those at many other
stations.

What I would really like to see however is the 'next train' information
displayed outside the stations. There are a a few journeys I make where
the choice between modes of transport or between different tube lines
could be effected by the few minutes difference between the train
arrivals. (Admittedly it would only make a few minutes difference so is
probably not worth a lot of money to me and so not worth TfL actually
doing).


--
Each day a man watched a donkey walk past a high wood fence with one
plank removed. Each day he saw a nose, then the ears, then the neck,
forequarters, back and finally the tail. He pondered this for a time
and eventually declared. “I understand now. The nose causes the tail”