We got a very late train home from Town Hall station. While it was most likely the second last train home, it was actually quite empty since on a Saturday night, many people were still heading in for a night (or should I say morning) out. The indicator boards said that it was a Lidcombe via Bankstown train, and therefore for myself and another, we would have to walk from Reagents Park station home.
When the train pulled in though, the announcement said that it was a Lidcombe train but the train itself said Liverpool. The three of us got on (one of the others gets off at Canterbury so it was the same line) and took a seat. The indicators inside the train still said it was a Liverpool train. Had it gone to Liverpool and not Lidcombe wouldn't have been a problem since it would have stopped at our train station and we would have walked less to get home.
We got on, and we stopped at Museum. The doors shut but the train failed to move and an announcement came over the intercom from the guard on duty. She sounded very irate. She said that the train would not move until the people in the first carriage allowed the doors to shut. Basically someone had propped the door open with their feet, or a bag, or something. She repeated this a few times and we sat there on the train wondering why and what they were doing, before closing door noise went off, and then the train moved on.
A little further down the track, an automated message began to play. CityRail would like to remind customers that smoking is not permitted on this train. Two seconds later, CityRail would like to remind customers that smoking is not permitted on this train. The message kept going and going on a loop. Someone was smoking on board and totally ignoring the train guards not so subtle prompting to stop smoking. The guard was a female and with the assults and bashings on trains from people either on alcohol or drugs, I was not surprised that she chose to stay in her little workspace and not confront whoever it was. The train was a Millenium train and had the cameras installed throughout so she knew they were smoking through the cameras easily. It must have been a good six or so stops before the message finally stopped and then an automatic message of Thank you for travelling with Cityrail. By then, they probably finished their cigarette already.
Our friend got off and we continued down the track with the indicators still saying it was a Liverpool train, but now there were no stations listed after Birrong. After Yagoona, which is the stop before Birrong, the announcement of This train will terminate at Birrong came over the speakers. We book liked at each other with a WTF moment. We walked up to the vestibule area ready to get off if it actually terminated and the doors opened. I stuck my head out and saw no-one. No-one getting off, and no guard, but I could hear her talking because we had moved up to where the guards space was. There was no notification of termination as they normally do, no repeat as they normally do to ensure a civilian doesn't end up at the depot and the doors closed.
Well, we peered through the glass at the darkness while the train continued on. There were no further notifications of what the next stop was and the indicators didn't show anything. For us, thankfully it stopped at Reagents Park. So while the train was indeed a Lidcombe via Bankstown service, nothing had been updated properly. As we got off at Reagents Park station, I saw that the guard was talking on a mobile phone. What was interesting and nice to see was that at least on the Regents Park station office was a member of staff still manning the station at that time of the night.
We set off on foot and walked back home. The Playhouse carpkark was full as usual, and by the time I got to bed, it was about two twenty in the morning. A long day and night.
Cityrail, you should make your announcements clearer, and fire people who aren't doing their jobs right.
When the train pulled in though, the announcement said that it was a Lidcombe train but the train itself said Liverpool. The three of us got on (one of the others gets off at Canterbury so it was the same line) and took a seat. The indicators inside the train still said it was a Liverpool train. Had it gone to Liverpool and not Lidcombe wouldn't have been a problem since it would have stopped at our train station and we would have walked less to get home.
We got on, and we stopped at Museum. The doors shut but the train failed to move and an announcement came over the intercom from the guard on duty. She sounded very irate. She said that the train would not move until the people in the first carriage allowed the doors to shut. Basically someone had propped the door open with their feet, or a bag, or something. She repeated this a few times and we sat there on the train wondering why and what they were doing, before closing door noise went off, and then the train moved on.
A little further down the track, an automated message began to play. CityRail would like to remind customers that smoking is not permitted on this train. Two seconds later, CityRail would like to remind customers that smoking is not permitted on this train. The message kept going and going on a loop. Someone was smoking on board and totally ignoring the train guards not so subtle prompting to stop smoking. The guard was a female and with the assults and bashings on trains from people either on alcohol or drugs, I was not surprised that she chose to stay in her little workspace and not confront whoever it was. The train was a Millenium train and had the cameras installed throughout so she knew they were smoking through the cameras easily. It must have been a good six or so stops before the message finally stopped and then an automatic message of Thank you for travelling with Cityrail. By then, they probably finished their cigarette already.
Our friend got off and we continued down the track with the indicators still saying it was a Liverpool train, but now there were no stations listed after Birrong. After Yagoona, which is the stop before Birrong, the announcement of This train will terminate at Birrong came over the speakers. We book liked at each other with a WTF moment. We walked up to the vestibule area ready to get off if it actually terminated and the doors opened. I stuck my head out and saw no-one. No-one getting off, and no guard, but I could hear her talking because we had moved up to where the guards space was. There was no notification of termination as they normally do, no repeat as they normally do to ensure a civilian doesn't end up at the depot and the doors closed.
Well, we peered through the glass at the darkness while the train continued on. There were no further notifications of what the next stop was and the indicators didn't show anything. For us, thankfully it stopped at Reagents Park. So while the train was indeed a Lidcombe via Bankstown service, nothing had been updated properly. As we got off at Reagents Park station, I saw that the guard was talking on a mobile phone. What was interesting and nice to see was that at least on the Regents Park station office was a member of staff still manning the station at that time of the night.
We set off on foot and walked back home. The Playhouse carpkark was full as usual, and by the time I got to bed, it was about two twenty in the morning. A long day and night.
Cityrail, you should make your announcements clearer, and fire people who aren't doing their jobs right.
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