Re: Odd Cityrail announcement

["Derick Wuen" <cullend@webone.com.au>]

Ron BESDANSKY (formerly Ron BEST) wrote in message ...
>Heard on Platform 22 at Sydney Central at 1244h on Monday: "The train at
>platform 22 terminates here and proceeds to the car sidings. First stop
>"Empty".!
>Is this a NULL station? i.e. the computer insists on having SOMETHING as
the
>name of the first stopping station? If so, might it be better to say "first
>stop Nowhere"?!
>
>--
>Rgds
>
>Ron BESDANSKY (formerly Ron BEST)
>
Oh Ron! Sucked me in again!

My entry in this oddity......

Several corporate administrations ago, the equivalent of what is now
cityrail put in recorded announcements at stations to improve the "image"
over what the real people on the platform were capable of. Sort-of cultured,
sort-of Australian voices excruciatingly equally of either gender announced
next trains from most inner city platforms.

All ok until "out of course" running happened and the real people, who by
now were quickly out of practice, had to take over.

Picture now at south end of Redfern, Saturday 3pmish, a mob of steam heads,
overalled in unremitting grime and staggering under the load of 4am start
and continuous diet of nicotine and chocolate wagon wheels since then,
waiting for their charges (12, 30T and 32 classes) to reappear from a trip
Central-Lidcombe-Regents Park-Sydenham-Sydney.

Red rattler grinds to a halt in No6 (I think) platform, displaying
non-specific signs of distress. Crackle, crackle on PA as tape started and
stopped. Bit of a wait. Doors opening and shutting. Potential passengers
milling around in confusion. Cracle, crackle on PA. Now lets see if I can do
the accent....

The treaoin.... ona nummer 6 platform.... she nogo. Do notta geton.

Red rattler grinds into action and limps along down main suburban.

Cracle crackle on PA. The next train on number 6 platform will stop at
Ashfield, Burwood, Strathfield, Homebush thence all stations to ....

At this point our charges burst out of up Illawarra dive, the crews looking
on in wonder at the mob of steamheads rolling around laughing with tears
carving clean streaks down their besooted cheeks....