Birmingham Central Garage

[V89MOA]

Did the 24 even have announcements? Wasn't it only that 22/23 that had them?

Not very often, I've only ever heard them play between Harborne and Brum so couldn't say for sure if the whole route did, they often didn't work on the hybrids anyway thankfully. Initially it was definitely only the 22/23 that had them though.

[CL]

24 has never had announcements, at all. Well, not until recently. Haven't heard the recent announcements to see if they've changed, but the *interim* new announcer does sound a little feeble - at least in my opinion. Can't quite make out some thing he says at certain stops, is why.

re: next stops announcements; generally speaking, I think it'd be beneficial for all passengers if all services had next stop announcements! It'd be *tidier* if it were all done by the same voice (like TfL has done - with Emma Hignett); but you can't be too picky, I guess. The Black Country voice is a nice gimmick, I find. My reasoning behind my opinion is that it may serve well for those passengers with visual impairments, or perhaps for those who are travelling on a certain route for the first time - and have no clue where/when to get off.

The only downsides I see to implementing announcements everywhere is the complaints that we'd hear from passengers who'd become sick of hearing the repetitive announcements on their daily commute; god knows how many times my sisters had complained about it to and from school, when they used the 22/23! lol... I find, often, the next stop announcements are drowned out by general conversations between passengers anyway; either that or it becomes muffled under people's music these days.

Another point, on par with my last counter-argument, would be the fact that it (in my opinion) dilutes the Platinum brand a bit (by standardising one of their promoted attributes).

[V89MOA]

You raise a good point there CL about the voices, I couldn't stand hearing Phil Upton time after time, his voice used to grate on me, but "Platinum man" doesn't bother me that much, I usually stop noticing after a bit. Let's hope he is the new standard voice!
Yes I can definitely see complaints going in as the current 23/24 announcements don't seem to be calibrated properly and keep replaying several times before the actual stop, as well as cutting off. Hopefully this will be rectified though soon.

[MasterPlan]

Because it doesn't need to.

I thought interworking services were beneficial?

[BK63 YWP]

Is the pride bus still about?

[John]

Is the pride bus still about?

Yes, on the Bristol Road today

[Tony]

We are using the same professional actor to record all new stops, instead of having a mix if voices as there was previously I gave the company a list of all the stops on the X20/1/2, 23/4, 61/3 to record fresh. We are going to correct all the other routes and add a few more like the 60

[Jack]

We are using the same professional actor to record all new stops, instead of having a mix if voices as there was previously I gave the company a list of all the stops on the X20/1/2, 23/4, 61/3 to record fresh. We are going to correct all the other routes and add a few more like the 60

I've been told the 45 and 47 will be done to.

Can the PB announcements be sorted? They are a menace mentioning the stop when you are right on top of it.

[Tony]

I've  just told you We are going to sort the other garages out next and what is the point of doing the Pershore Road when the branded buses don't have the equipment

[Jack]

I've  just told you We are going to sort the other garages out next and what is the point of doing the Pershore Road when the branded buses don't have the equipment

Took them nearly two years...
I meant the Platinums that have made appearances have on there have the onboard displays set up with the next stop.

[Mike K]

I thought interworking services were beneficial?

Inter-working services can be beneficial in some cases. An imaginary example might be if you had 2 routes, each running half hourly at 00 and 30 mins past the hour, and 15 and 45 mins past the hour, each with a round trip time including layovers of 1hr 45 mins. By inter-working, the 20.00 departure on the first route will be back and ready to do the 21.45 departure on the second route. If they didn't inter-work each bus would be sitting around for an extra 15 mins and a higher vehicle requirement would be needed.

In other cases round trip times and frequencies may fit so that there is no benefit to be gained by inter-working.

[SK68MEV]

What was the diversion for the 14 as there was a accident on Adderley Road Steachford

[CL]

Over on the NX Website, the 61 timetable comes up with the 24's!

[B.C Driver]

Regarding next stop announcements - will the actor be told of the correct pronunciation of the stop names?
As Weoley Park Rd for example was pronounced Wholey Park Rd, this doesnt sound professional. 

[Dom]

Just out of curiosity, who is the voice actor @Tony? If you're aware obviously.