Neil Williams wrote:
On 14 May 2005 16:07:02 -0700, wrote:
What about the backlit (LCD?) type displays that are in use in other
parts of Europe? These give really superior contrast to either the
front-lit flipdot type or LEDs (which, IMO, always look too dark.)
Albeit with a slight drop of contrast when viewed at extreme angles.
They do work, but suffer from very slow refresh rates, are more
expensive to maintain and less robust. They are used on some trains
(e.g. Networker Turbos), but seem to be a mid-late 90s fad and are
rare in new railway equipment these days.
Actually Network SouthEast went through a real fad for this type of
displays in the 90s - as well as the Networker generation of trains
already mentioned, the Class 321 and 456 got them, and there were
several 'static' installations - examples I can remember include above
the ticket windows at Liverpool St and Cambridge (both of which became
illegible very quickly), above the platform entrances at Liverpool St
(in varying states of legibility but all still there) and on some
platform indicators (Barking seems to ring a bell). On Networkers they
were replaced with LCD displays, and on Class 456s they were replaced
with old-fashioned blinds (still in use)!