London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

London PA Voice Fired for Slamming Tube
November 26, 2007 12:39 PM EST

LONDON - The woman behind the gentle, even voice which warns London's subway
commuters to "Mind the gap" was fired after telling a newspaper she thought
the transit network was dreadful.

Emma Clarke has been recording messages for London's sprawling subway
network, popularly known as the Tube, since 1999. In addition to warning
passengers to watch their step in walking between subway cars and the
platform, she also reads the trains' stops, tells Londoners how long they
have to wait until their next ride, and delivers service updates.

Transport for London, the body responsible for running the subway, said
Monday that Clarke, 36, was fired for telling The Mail on Sunday she avoided
using the subway whenever possible.

"The thought of being stuck in the Tube with strangers for minutes on end
and having to listen to endless repeated messages of my own voice fills me
with horror," she told the paper.

She said using the service every day had been "dreadful."

The paper also featured Clarke's Web site, which hosts a series of spoof
Tube announcements, including one warning a passenger not to stare at a
woman's chest and another telling American tourists, "You are almost
certainly talking too loud."

Transport for London noted that some of the spoof announcements were quite
funny, but spokesman Dan Hodges said Clarke's attack on the subway itself
had crossed the line.

"We wouldn't employ somebody to promote our services who simultaneously
criticizes those services," Hodges said.

Clarke's voice will continue to fill London's subway cars until a
replacement is needed, he said.


--
Arguing on the internet is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you
win, you're still retarded. -- Anon.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

"Rev. CMOT TMPV" wrote in message
t
London PA Voice Fired for Slamming Tube
November 26, 2007 12:39 PM EST

LONDON - The woman behind the gentle, even voice which warns London's
subway commuters to "Mind the gap" was fired after telling a
newspaper she thought the transit network was dreadful.

Emma Clarke has been recording messages for London's sprawling subway
network, popularly known as the Tube, since 1999. In addition to
warning passengers to watch their step in walking between subway cars
and the platform, she also reads the trains' stops, tells Londoners
how long they have to wait until their next ride, and delivers
service updates.

Transport for London, the body responsible for running the subway,
said Monday that Clarke, 36, was fired for telling The Mail on Sunday
she avoided using the subway whenever possible.

"The thought of being stuck in the Tube with strangers for minutes on
end and having to listen to endless repeated messages of my own voice
fills me with horror," she told the paper.

She said using the service every day had been "dreadful."

The paper also featured Clarke's Web site, which hosts a series of
spoof Tube announcements, including one warning a passenger not to
stare at a woman's chest and another telling American tourists, "You
are almost certainly talking too loud."

Transport for London noted that some of the spoof announcements were
quite funny, but spokesman Dan Hodges said Clarke's attack on the
subway itself had crossed the line.

"We wouldn't employ somebody to promote our services who
simultaneously criticizes those services," Hodges said.

Clarke's voice will continue to fill London's subway cars until a
replacement is needed, he said.

It was interesting hearing her being interviewed last night on TV using
her real voice, which is quite different to the voice we all know.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

On Nov 26, 11:21 pm, "Rev. CMOT TMPV"
wrote:
London PA Voice Fired for Slamming Tube
November 26, 2007 12:39 PM EST

LONDON - The woman behind the gentle, even voice which warns London's subway
commuters to "Mind the gap" was fired after telling a newspaper she thought
the transit network was dreadful.

Not many people could get away with publically slagging off the
company they do contract work for, even if in jest, and not get the
boot. She was rather naive IMO.

What I don't understand is why companies bother using recordings when
speech synthesizers cost buttons, are about the size of one and can
say anything you want - you don't have to pay some actor to record new
phrases if things change , you just type it in. Even in the 70s Texas
Instruments could do a 1 chip version and they sound a lot better
these days.

B2003

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

"Boltar" wrote in message
...
On Nov 26, 11:21 pm, "Rev. CMOT TMPV"
wrote:
London PA Voice Fired for Slamming Tube
November 26, 2007 12:39 PM EST

LONDON - The woman behind the gentle, even voice which warns London's
subway
commuters to "Mind the gap" was fired after telling a newspaper she
thought
the transit network was dreadful.

Not many people could get away with publically slagging off the
company they do contract work for, even if in jest, and not get the
boot. She was rather naive IMO.

What I don't understand is why companies bother using recordings when
speech synthesizers cost buttons, are about the size of one and can
say anything you want - you don't have to pay some actor to record new
phrases if things change , you just type it in. Even in the 70s Texas
Instruments could do a 1 chip version and they sound a lot better
these days.

because better is still crap

tim

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

Boltar wrote:

What I don't understand is why companies bother using recordings when
speech synthesizers cost buttons, are about the size of one and can
say anything you want - you don't have to pay some actor to record new
phrases if things change , you just type it in. Even in the 70s Texas
Instruments could do a 1 chip version and they sound a lot better
these days.

Because 99% of the time speech synthesisers are utter crap. Take the one
at King's Cross St. Pancras for example, which used to announce a Good
service on the Pick-addle-y Line when first installed. (Though that's
now been fixed).

The main problems being either mispronunciation or a complete lack of
inflection where you'd normally expect it. At least where there's a
(human) automated announcer it generally sounds more "natural"...Though
you can't beat a *properly trained* "live" announcer.

Cheers,

Barry

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

On Nov 28, 1:37 am, Barry Salter wrote:
Boltar wrote:
What I don't understand is why companies bother using recordings when
speech synthesizers cost buttons, are about the size of one and can
say anything you want - you don't have to pay some actor to record new
phrases if things change , you just type it in. Even in the 70s Texas
Instruments could do a 1 chip version and they sound a lot better
these days.

Because 99% of the time speech synthesisers are utter crap. Take the one
at King's Cross St. Pancras for example, which used to announce a Good
service on the Pick-addle-y Line when first installed. (Though that's
now been fixed).

The main problems being either mispronunciation or a complete lack of
inflection where you'd normally expect it. At least where there's a
(human) automated announcer it generally sounds more "natural"...Though
you can't beat a *properly trained* "live" announcer.


A bizarre thing I heard on Southern recently was an obviously
synthesised voice saying "London Underground have informed me ...".

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 01:37:41 +0000, Barry Salter
wrote:

The main problems being either mispronunciation or a complete lack of
inflection where you'd normally expect it. At least where there's a
(human) automated announcer it generally sounds more "natural"...Though
you can't beat a *properly trained* "live" announcer.

Right. The recorded announcements on the Tube have major inflectional
problems.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:37:00 -0800 (PST), MIG
wrote:

On Nov 28, 1:37 am, Barry Salter wrote:
Boltar wrote:
What I don't understand is why companies bother using recordings when
speech synthesizers cost buttons, are about the size of one and can
say anything you want - you don't have to pay some actor to record new
phrases if things change , you just type it in. Even in the 70s Texas
Instruments could do a 1 chip version and they sound a lot better
these days.

Because 99% of the time speech synthesisers are utter crap. Take the one
at King's Cross St. Pancras for example, which used to announce a Good
service on the Pick-addle-y Line when first installed. (Though that's
now been fixed).

The main problems being either mispronunciation or a complete lack of
inflection where you'd normally expect it. At least where there's a
(human) automated announcer it generally sounds more "natural"...Though
you can't beat a *properly trained* "live" announcer.


A bizarre thing I heard on Southern recently was an obviously
synthesised voice saying "London Underground have informed me ...".

Oh, that winds me up, along with "I am sorry for the delay to this
service". You can't be sorry, you're a computer. "We are sorry" would
be far better.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

James Farrar (James Farrar ) gurgled happily,
sounding much like they were saying:

A bizarre thing I heard on Southern recently was an obviously
synthesised voice saying "London Underground have informed me ...".

Oh, that winds me up, along with "I am sorry for the delay to this
service". You can't be sorry, you're a computer. "We are sorry" would be
far better.

"On behalf of all the computers in this server room..."

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

On 28 Nov 2007 09:50:28 GMT, Adrian wrote:

James Farrar (James Farrar ) gurgled happily,
sounding much like they were saying:

A bizarre thing I heard on Southern recently was an obviously
synthesised voice saying "London Underground have informed me ...".

Oh, that winds me up, along with "I am sorry for the delay to this
service". You can't be sorry, you're a computer. "We are sorry" would be
far better.

"On behalf of all the computers in this server room..."

ISWYM... but the computer is the company's representative, and is
programmed to speak for the company. It doesn't speak for itself!

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

On 27 Nov, 20:46, "tim \(not at home\)"
wrote:
"Boltar" wrote in message

...



On Nov 26, 11:21 pm, "Rev. CMOT TMPV"
wrote:
London PA Voice Fired for Slamming Tube
November 26, 2007 12:39 PM EST

LONDON - The woman behind the gentle, even voice which warns London's
subway
commuters to "Mind the gap" was fired after telling a newspaper she
thought
the transit network was dreadful.

Not many people could get away with publically slagging off the
company they do contract work for, even if in jest, and not get the
boot. She was rather naive IMO.

What I don't understand is why companies bother using recordings when
speech synthesizers cost buttons, are about the size of one and can
say anything you want - you don't have to pay some actor to record new
phrases if things change , you just type it in. Even in the 70s Texas
Instruments could do a 1 chip version and they sound a lot better
these days.

because better is still crap

tim

Blunt, to the point and spot on.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

James Farrar wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:37:00 -0800 (PST), MIG
wrote:

On Nov 28, 1:37 am, Barry Salter wrote:
Boltar wrote:
What I don't understand is why companies bother using recordings
when speech synthesizers cost buttons, are about the size of one
and can say anything you want - you don't have to pay some actor
to record new phrases if things change , you just type it in. Even
in the 70s Texas Instruments could do a 1 chip version and they
sound a lot better these days.

Because 99% of the time speech synthesisers are utter crap. Take
the one at King's Cross St. Pancras for example, which used to
announce a Good service on the Pick-addle-y Line when first
installed. (Though that's now been fixed).

The main problems being either mispronunciation or a complete lack
of inflection where you'd normally expect it. At least where
there's a (human) automated announcer it generally sounds more
"natural"...Though you can't beat a *properly trained* "live"
announcer.


A bizarre thing I heard on Southern recently was an obviously
synthesised voice saying "London Underground have informed me ...".

Oh, that winds me up, along with "I am sorry for the delay to this
service". You can't be sorry, you're a computer. "We are sorry" would
be far better.

Maybe it was Stephen Hawking.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

Mizter T wrote:
On 27 Nov, 20:46, "tim \(not at home\)"
wrote:
"Boltar" wrote in message

...



On Nov 26, 11:21 pm, "Rev. CMOT TMPV"
wrote:
London PA Voice Fired for Slamming Tube
November 26, 2007 12:39 PM EST

LONDON - The woman behind the gentle, even voice which warns
London's subway
commuters to "Mind the gap" was fired after telling a newspaper she
thought
the transit network was dreadful.

Not many people could get away with publically slagging off the
company they do contract work for, even if in jest, and not get the
boot. She was rather naive IMO.

What I don't understand is why companies bother using recordings
when speech synthesizers cost buttons, are about the size of one
and can say anything you want - you don't have to pay some actor to
record new phrases if things change , you just type it in. Even in
the 70s Texas Instruments could do a 1 chip version and they sound
a lot better these days.

because better is still crap

Blunt, to the point and spot on.

Crap at passing the Turing Test, but not crap at being understood, which is
its purpose. Since Emma can't say Highgate properly, and obviously belongs
to a certain class, I would think a synthesised voice would be superior, so
long as it's programmed with the correct phonemes (and isn't allowed to say
Green-witch or War-wick).

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

Boltar wrote:
On Nov 26, 11:21 pm, "Rev. CMOT TMPV"
wrote:
London PA Voice Fired for Slamming Tube
November 26, 2007 12:39 PM EST

LONDON - The woman behind the gentle, even voice which warns
London's subway commuters to "Mind the gap" was fired after telling
a newspaper she thought the transit network was dreadful.

Not many people could get away with publically slagging off the
company they do contract work for, even if in jest, and not get the
boot. She was rather naive IMO.

But TfL is not a company, it's the government. A government body should be
concerned only with whether she provides the right service at the right
price. Since the Labour Party policy is to gradually draw everyone into the
employ of the government, allowing government employees to be sacked for
criticising the government means that we end up with no-one allowed to
criticise the government.

This decision will cost us money. When Wood Lane station opens and Shepherds
Bush gets renamed, the whole line will now be revoiced instead of just two
stations. Allowing Emma to voice the other stations would be a permanent
reminder of the woman who was sacked for criticising the government. She
will be phased out ASAP on all lines for the flimsiest of excuses, just as
Trotsky was airbrushed out of the official pictures of Lenin.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

John Rowland wrote:
Mizter T wrote:
On 27 Nov, 20:46, "tim \(not at home\)"
wrote:
"Boltar" wrote in message

What I don't understand is why companies bother using recordings
when speech synthesizers cost buttons, are about the size of one
and can say anything you want - you don't have to pay some actor to
record new phrases if things change , you just type it in. Even in
the 70s Texas Instruments could do a 1 chip version and they sound
a lot better these days.

because better is still crap

Blunt, to the point and spot on.

Crap at passing the Turing Test, but not crap at being understood,
which is its purpose. Since Emma can't say Highgate properly, and
obviously belongs to a certain class, I would think a synthesised
voice would be superior, so long as it's programmed with the correct
phonemes (and isn't allowed to say Green-witch or War-wick).

What does "obviously belongs to a certain class" mean? Emma is a Mancunian
which you can tell from her natural voice, but as a good actress will adopt
whatever accent and pronunciation her client wants. On her website she used
to tell of the various ways of pronouncing Marylebone that she had to do,
with LU making the final choice.

Is it in fact Emma on the Northern Line? Her website says she's on "pretty
much everything except the Jubilee Line, the Northern Line and Docklands
Light Railway" (though the PA on the Piccadilly doesn't sound like her).
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

Boltar wrote:
On Nov 26, 11:21 pm, "Rev. CMOT TMPV"
wrote:
London PA Voice Fired for Slamming Tube
November 26, 2007 12:39 PM EST

LONDON - The woman behind the gentle, even voice which warns
London's subway commuters to "Mind the gap" was fired after telling
a newspaper she thought the transit network was dreadful.

Not many people could get away with publically slagging off the
company they do contract work for, even if in jest, and not get the
boot. She was rather naive IMO.

No, it's people who believed the Mail on Sunday who were naive. It's worth
reading her blog entry at
http://www.emmaclarke.com/blogs/2007...as-like-for-me
which includes this:
" I told him the thought of being in a tube carriage, hearing nothing but my
voice would be a dreadful experience for me, sitting with strangers who were
all wishing I'd shut up and give them some peace. I said it's a bit like
when I ring a company only to discover my voice on the on-hold system
telling me to 'press 3 for accounts' or like being woken up by my radio
alarm broadcasting a commercial I've recorded about pre-Christmas
ample-free-parking retail opportunities. Hearing one's own voice slammed
full in one's face is a disconcerting experience, let me tell you.

But that isn't what was published in the press. ... The piece said that I
thought tube trains were 'dreadful' and that I avoided them 'at all costs'.
It also alleged my experience of the tube was practically trauma-inducing."

Apparently TfL haven't bothered to contact Emma. They are prepared to
"fire" someone on the strength of a Mail on Sunday report, or copies of it
that other gullible media have repeated. Disgraceful.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

"Richard J." wrote in message
.uk
Boltar wrote:
On Nov 26, 11:21 pm, "Rev. CMOT TMPV"
wrote:
London PA Voice Fired for Slamming Tube
November 26, 2007 12:39 PM EST

LONDON - The woman behind the gentle, even voice which warns
London's subway commuters to "Mind the gap" was fired after telling
a newspaper she thought the transit network was dreadful.

Not many people could get away with publically slagging off the
company they do contract work for, even if in jest, and not get the
boot. She was rather naive IMO.

No, it's people who believed the Mail on Sunday who were naive. It's
worth reading her blog entry at
http://www.emmaclarke.com/blogs/2007...as-like-for-me
which includes this:

Thanks for posting that -- her blog is quite a good read. I suspect that
she'll probably do quite well out of all the attention she's getting,
and good luck to her. Hopefully TfL will see sense.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

John Rowland wrote:

Since Emma can't say Highgate properly, and obviously belongs
to a certain class,

Snobbery is never attractive.

--

Stephen

I haven’t been this excited since Madonna just dropped by
Total Request Live.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007, John Rowland wrote:

Boltar wrote:
On Nov 26, 11:21 pm, "Rev. CMOT TMPV"
wrote:
London PA Voice Fired for Slamming Tube
November 26, 2007 12:39 PM EST

LONDON - The woman behind the gentle, even voice which warns
London's subway commuters to "Mind the gap" was fired after telling
a newspaper she thought the transit network was dreadful.

Not many people could get away with publically slagging off the
company they do contract work for, even if in jest, and not get the
boot. She was rather naive IMO.

But TfL is not a company, it's the government. A government body should be
concerned only with whether she provides the right service at the right
price. Since the Labour Party policy is to gradually draw everyone into the
employ of the government, allowing government employees to be sacked for
criticising the government means that we end up with no-one allowed to
criticise the government.

This decision will cost us money. When Wood Lane station opens and Shepherds
Bush gets renamed, the whole line will now be revoiced instead of just two
stations. Allowing Emma to voice the other stations would be a permanent
reminder of the woman who was sacked for criticising the government. She
will be phased out ASAP on all lines for the flimsiest of excuses, just as
Trotsky was airbrushed out of the official pictures of Lenin.

One of your best yet, John!

tom

--
Caps lock is like cruise control for cool.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

On Nov 28, 1:37 am, Barry Salter wrote:
Because 99% of the time speech synthesisers are utter crap. Take the one
at King's Cross St. Pancras for example, which used to announce a Good
service on the Pick-addle-y Line when first installed. (Though that's
now been fixed).

That wasn't a synthesizer , that was just reassembling pre recorded
words and phrases. Theres a difference between synthesising a voice
and just playing back a sequence of .wav files. Modern synthesizers
admittedly don't sound truly natural but for train announcements who
gives a toss - its to provide information , not audition for Macbeth.
Half the time I can't even understand them anyway when they're done by
the station staff or driver. A computer couldn't do any worse. "This
hmmftta is delahhmfffdff behhmmmfhfhfh hmmfmmfmfm...".

B2003

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

In article ,
Barry Salter wrote:

Because 99% of the time speech synthesisers are utter crap.

The ones in the ticket payment machines at all the council carparks in
Cambridge are deeply, deeply irritating.

"Bleasea pay the barking feeeee by quoins, bankanotes ora gredita garda."

Anyone got a sledgehammer?

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

The main problems being either mispronunciation or a complete lack of
inflection where you'd normally expect it.

This issue can be fixed for most modern speech synthesis engines -
either by providing dictionary of special words or using special way
to writing texts (with inflection and unusual pronunciations
indicated).

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

Stephen Farrow wrote:
John Rowland wrote:

Since Emma can't say Highgate properly, and obviously belongs
to a certain class,

Snobbery is never attractive.

I wasn't suggesting that there is anything wrong with speaking like that, or
that her accent wouldn't be suitable for a private company's recordings,
merely that a more class-neutral accent would have been more suitable for
publicly funded transport.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

Richard J. wrote:

Apparently TfL haven't bothered to contact Emma. They are prepared to
"fire" someone on the strength of a Mail on Sunday report, or copies
of it that other gullible media have repeated. Disgraceful.

Emma Clarke For Mayor!

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

Sarah Brown wrote:
In article ,
Barry Salter wrote:

Because 99% of the time speech synthesisers are utter crap.

The ones in the ticket payment machines at all the council carparks in
Cambridge are deeply, deeply irritating.

"Bleasea pay the barking feeeee by quoins, bankanotes ora gredita
garda."

Does it also ask if you want to change your internet service providings?

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

John Rowland wrote:
Stephen Farrow wrote:
John Rowland wrote:

Since Emma can't say Highgate properly, and obviously belongs
to a certain class,

Snobbery is never attractive.

I wasn't suggesting that there is anything wrong with speaking like
that, or that her accent wouldn't be suitable for a private company's
recordings, merely that a more class-neutral accent would have been
more suitable for publicly funded transport.

ITYF that the Northern Line voice is "Celia", said to be Celia Drummond, NOT
Emma Clarke, unless they've changed the announcements on the 1995 stock
recently.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

In article ,
John Rowland wrote:
Sarah Brown wrote:
In article ,
Barry Salter wrote:

Because 99% of the time speech synthesisers are utter crap.

The ones in the ticket payment machines at all the council carparks in
Cambridge are deeply, deeply irritating.

"Bleasea pay the barking feeeee by quoins, bankanotes ora gredita
garda."

Does it also ask if you want to change your internet service providings?

It doesn't, but the deekeet is reeguired when egzeeting.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

On Nov 28, 10:15 pm, "Richard J." wrote:
John Rowland wrote:
Stephen Farrow wrote:
John Rowland wrote:

Since Emma can't say Highgate properly, and obviously belongs
to a certain class,

Snobbery is never attractive.

I wasn't suggesting that there is anything wrong with speaking like
that, or that her accent wouldn't be suitable for a private company's
recordings, merely that a more class-neutral accent would have been
more suitable for publicly funded transport.

ITYF that the Northern Line voice is "Celia", said to be Celia Drummond, NOT
Emma Clarke, unless they've changed the announcements on the 1995 stock
recently.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

Is she the one who says "the next station is Spank" and "this is
Spank", which used to be the same on the Central but seem to have been
rerecorded?

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 13:17:16 GMT, "Richard J."
wrote:

On her website she used
to tell of the various ways of pronouncing Marylebone that she had to do,
with LU making the final choice.

Ah, so it was LU who chose the wrong pronunciation. I did wonder.

At least she gets Plaistow right.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

John Rowland wrote:
Stephen Farrow wrote:
John Rowland wrote:

Since Emma can't say Highgate properly, and obviously belongs
to a certain class,
Snobbery is never attractive.

This:

I wasn't suggesting that there is anything wrong with speaking like that, or
that her accent wouldn't be suitable for a private company's recordings,

Doesn't entirely go with this:

merely that a more class-neutral accent would have been more suitable for
publicly funded transport.

As I said, snobbery is never attractive.

--

Stephen

Veronica: I don't know if I like the idea of you running around a place
full of armed, drunk businessmen.
Keith: That's why I rarely go to Texas.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

Better still let's get rid of her recorded announcements and all the
rest of the non-stop aural intrusion and pollution LUL passengers are
subjected to seemingly every 30 seconds or so....

When I wait for a train I'd want to know where it is, not be told
instead that "busking" is illegal (it's not, if authorised) or the
smoking is "not allowed" on any "LRT" bus station (it's not, if it's
open air - e.g. Becontree Heath, and what's LRT, pray?), or that I
should "stand behind the yellow line at all times" (in which case how
can I ever board at train?).

Probably the "best" of all is the totally unwarranted or asked for
patronising female "welcome to London Underground" just broadcast at
random.

Why can't these people just shut up?

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

James Farrar wrote:

Oh, that winds me up, along with "I am sorry for the delay to this
service". You can't be sorry, you're a computer. "We are sorry" would
be far better.

You know what, that bothers me too.
--
Michael Hoffman

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

Hi All,

Is it in fact Emma on the Northern Line? Her website says she's on
"pretty
much everything except the Jubilee Line, the Northern Line and Docklands
Light Railway" (though the PA on the Piccadilly doesn't sound like her).

The Jubilee Line has the distinction of having two different voices in its
announcements.

"The Next Station" and "This Station Is" is a new voice, with the "This
Train Terminates At" announcement being a different woman together - one who
used to do all the announcements on the 96 stock.

Of course, that was back in the days when the dot matrix displays on the 96
didn't scroll, but had annoying static messages that couldn't say very much
at all.

Best Wishes,
LEWIS

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

Hi All,

Probably the "best" of all is the totally unwarranted or asked for
patronising female "welcome to London Underground" just broadcast at
random.

Why can't these people just shut up?

Perhaps... I actually like most of the Underground's announcements. And if
anyone ever got rid of the automated platform announcements on the Picadilly
line stations at Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Holborn etc... then I
would write to LU to demand them put back. Its annoying enough when some
incomprehensible staff member cuts over them to say exactly the same thing.

Best Wishes,
LEWIS

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

On Sat, 1 Dec 2007 20:23:21 -0000, "Lew 1"
wrote:

Perhaps... I actually like most of the Underground's announcements. And if
anyone ever got rid of the automated platform announcements on the Picadilly
line stations at Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Holborn etc... then I
would write to LU to demand them put back. Its annoying enough when some
incomprehensible staff member cuts over them to say exactly the same thing.

I find that the manual ones are more annoying in a lot of cases.
While it is in some ways a nice aspect of the Tube that you get to
hear a bit of your driver's personality, it is not necessary to say 20
permutations of "mind the doors" before hitting the close button, nor
indeed to say anything at all bar perhaps where the train is going.
The warning bleeper performs that job quite adequately.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the at to reply.

London PA Voice Emma Clarke F ired for Slamming Tube
 

Tom Anderson wrote:

One of your best yet, John!

Thanks. This little one-liner of yours was repeatedly enjoyable too!