I noticed it said 'Dim Ond i Penarth' which means 'To Penarth Only' whilst the English announcement says we will be travelling to Penarth (or words to that effect).
Could be wrong but my understanding is that Passenger Information Systems are not just considered essential but are essential (unless you want to break the law) due to the introduction of stricter regulations regarding discrimination on grounds of disability. The fact said information systems are often not functioning correctly is therefore intriguing as you say.I'm sure it would be possible to do better with information systems if the will (and money) was there, and I do find it interesting that fitting such systems is now considered essential, but there appears to be little interest in ensuring that they actually work accurately (or at all).
I'm not a Welsh speaker but in English your translation "only to Penarth" sounds a little ambiguous to me - unlike "calling at Penarth only". "Only to Penarth" could perhaps be interpreted to mean "only as far as Penarth", which wouldn't give any information regarding intermediate stops. The latter interpretation would of course make more sense on a service to Bargoed since Bargoed (unlike Penarth and Rhymney) is not the end of the line.Literally: "only to Penarth"
According to someone I know the same happens the other end - "dim ond i Rymni" (officially it should be "i Benarth" too). Yes it's wrong as this implies a non-stopping service.
I'm not a Welsh speaker but in English your translation "only to Penarth" sounds a little ambiguous to me - unlike "calling at Penarth only". "Only to Penarth" could perhaps be interpreted to mean "only as far as Penarth", which wouldn't give any information regarding intermediate stops. The latter interpretation would of course make more sense on a service to Bargoed since Bargoed (unlike Penarth and Rhymney) is not the end of the line.
I don't know about Welsh language announcements, but in the TfW English announcements the word "only" seems to be used exclusively for services that have no subsequent intermediate stops.
Now I think about it though, on screens I think I've seen "yn unig" rather than "dim ond" under such circumstances. And on trains up to now the passenger information hasn't been in Welsh (apart from the incessent Covid "travel safer advice" one used to have the pleasure of listening to after every stop).
"yn unig" could be translated (in this context) as "solely"*, as in "this train is solely going to Penarth".
They have perfectly good existing translations which are used on the current trains and on the platforms so it's odd that they've chosen to start again for the new trains. It only needs the omission of "dim ond" or "yn unig" for the announcement to make sense; "y gwasanaeth i Benarth, yn galw at..." = "the service to Penarth, calling at..."
And impressed I was.231008 is on diagram today. First day in passenger service
And impressed I was.
Myself and Granddaughter had a decent ride on 231008 Monday 20/02/2023.
12:46 Cardiff Central to Penarth,
13:03 Penarth to Rhymney,
14:24 Rhymney to Cardiff Central.
never late arriving afaikt but up to 2m early at destinations (probably recovery time).
Overall fairly pleasant.
Seats - unnoticeable.
A bit upright but got used to it. Nothing like the immorally nice seats in 175109 we tried later to Bridgend however - are the 175s really for the chop ?. I am 6ft 2" with long limbs. Caveat is we spent most of the time sat facing at table seats at coach ends so cannot comment on legroom. Grandaughter spotted and went straight for the raised areas at coach ends.
Noise - rather calm.
We sat for some time next to the engine unit/loco - noticeable engine noise but more of a low throbbing than the ear piercing scream/whine that fills the interior of a 150. Looking back I think the ambience of the coach is on the quiet side so engine can be more noticeable at times. Most noticeable was the engine noise for a short period just after becoming stationary at a station - probably a period of replenishing air/cooling. I would say that the lack of a continuous battering from the engine noise makes it more noticeable when it can be heard. Bit like being in the leading coach behind a diesel locomotive. Unlike an underfloor DMU the whole coach is not reverberating - due to the lack of an engine attached to it. I was waiting to sample the engine noise on the long uphill grinds up the Rhymney valley - not really noticeable, overlooked even though anticipated !.
Announcements - a few aberrations :-
1) Some of the screens could show both languages simultaneously so one is readable for longer BUT I would strongly suggest a slightly different background colour for each language. I have found it very hard to read bi-lingual road signs in Wales as you get stuck on the wrong language - shows how much we scan and guess words.
2) On arrival at stations the station was mentioned once then we only saw the doors which side arrows and reminders this was a TfW service. Trouble is if you miss the first station announcements prior to arrival then you will not get a further announcement saying where you are. I noticed that the station name-boards where very sparse.
3) On the way from Rhymney to Penarth the next station after Heath HL was announced as Cardiff Central so Cardiff Queeen Street was announced as Central !.
Overall a very nice train. Would have to be a good loco hauled intercity to get better, not claustrophobic like 220s, 221s or 390s.
I agree, there are a number of modern EMUs that make up for lack of engine noise by having a brutal seating layout - 345s and 700s I am looking at you !. As for 390s claustrophobic with the continuous noise (edgy whine) from the AC - its why I go on a 350 and have to pay less !.Pretty much sums up my trip on one on Monday.
I actually enjoyed it.
Then again I liked the 150s, 153 and the HSTs.
Not the 345s or 700s
Yes the 231s (and in that vein the 745/755) are good units.
"Power pack" is the technical termWe sat for some time next to the engine unit/loco ...
Yeah, thanks, I keep forgetting that. I suppose that conjours up the idea of a removable battery on a drill etc. But then these are cordless trains."Power pack" is the technical term
And "Thrash pod" is the enthusiasts term"Power pack" is the technical term
And "Thrash pod" is the enthusiasts term
I've not been down south to hear the 231s in person, but phrasing it that way would be a change in style: the bilingual announcements at stations have long used " yn galw yn X yn unig" for "calling at X only".Also I'd be interested if there are any Welsh speakers on here who have used the trains. It sounds to me as if the PIS describes services throughout the route as e.g, "dim ond i Penarth" which I thought meant "Penarth only". But maybe I'm mishearing or that's not what it means. It's not what appears on the screens but the screens and announcements don't seem to be particularly related
And "Thrash pod" is the enthusiasts term
I've not been down south to hear the 231s in person, but phrasing it that way would be a change in style: the bilingual announcements at stations have long used " yn galw yn X yn unig" for "calling at X only".
Could it perhaps be that they're saying "(yn) mynd i Benarth", for "going to Penarth"?
Or power car...I vary between that and power pod, depends on the mood.
Having travelled on one for the first time today (Queen Street to Caerphilly), noticeable that the "dim ond i Rhymni" thing does grate a bit as does the apparently modern usage of not mutating placenames. On the screens someone had forgotten to add a space after the "i" so the boards actually said "iRhymni", and most amusingly of all, leaving Lisvane & Thornhill, the announcement correctly said (both languages) that Caerphilly was the next stop, then somewhere underground it got confused and upon exiting Caerphilly tunnel, suddenly the next stop was Aber, with Caerphilly shown on the screens with a black dot as if we had already passed it.Perhaps. My Welsh is extremely limited. That's why I asked if any Welsh speakers could offer an opinion.
Or power car...
I'm somewhere between 6ft 1in and 6ft 4in and, since you mention a class 175, I can confirm the legroom in those is really good (probably the best, at least in standard class, in national rail service in Great Britain). Don't know about the 231s though, I haven't been on one yet - I tried to get an overnight booking in a Premier Inn in Barry a while back extended to two nights to give an opportunity to sample both the 769s and 231s but no joy.A bit upright but got used to it. Nothing like the immorally nice seats in 175109 we tried later to Bridgend however - are the 175s really for the chop ?. I am 6ft 2" with long limbs. Caveat is we spent most of the time sat facing at table seats at coach ends so cannot comment on legroom. Grandaughter spotted and went straight for the raised areas at coach ends.
I have noticed MK4s say “Byddwn ni'n teithio i” (and it sounds so ridiculous when rhymning with Holyhead, like a nursery rhyme) but both 197s and 231s say “Dim ond y,” which would probably sound even more ridiculous as two sets of three syllables ending in the same eee sound.Welsh can be quite complex and some words can have several meanings depending on the context they are used. For example the word 'ond' means 'but;. But 'dim ond' means 'only' so it does sound like they are saying 'only to Penarth' as in only calling at Penarth. Really they should say 'Byddwn ni'n teithio i Penarth' if they want the exact translation for 'we will be travelling to Penarth'
They are, in theory, removable, at least on their 755 cousins, to be converted to straight electrics. Or to be replaced by some other independent power source such as hydrogen, batteries, or bionic duckweed.Yeah, thanks, I keep forgetting that. I suppose that conjours up the idea of a removable battery on a drill etc. But then these are cordless trains.
I call it the thrash wagon"Thrash cupboard"
As a matter of fact the 175 standard class seats could be better than all the first class I can think of. I did have to check. Amazing how wide they were as well for 2+2 and obvious amounts of legroom.I'm somewhere between 6ft 1in and 6ft 4in and, since you mention a class 175, I can confirm the legroom in those is really good (probably the best, at least in standard class, in national rail service in Great Britain). Don't know about the 231s though, I haven't been on one yet - I tried to get an overnight booking in a Premier Inn in Barry a while back extended to two nights to give an opportunity to sample both the 769s and 231s but no joy.
In fairness on this particular point, and with apologies for the brief diversion, that decision dates to around 1985 when it was expected that the Mk 4 coach would be the standard design not just for the ECML order but also the WCML, filling the role originally intended for the APT-S order. Even at that point BR had assessed the value of tilt to be negligible on the ECML south of Newcastle, so the primary rationale was one of economy of scale across a much larger order.(future proofing rolling stock rarely pays off - mark 4 stock never had tilt installed, but ECML passxengers had to put up with the narrower body profile that would have allowed it for 30 years)
The situation of the FLIRT is rather different though; it is about having the option to remove a part (the thrash cupboard) that is currently needed, but may not be needed in the future (if electrification happens)They are, in theory, removable, at least on their 755 cousins, to be converted to straight electrics. Or to be replaced by some other independent power source such as hydrogen, batteries, or bionic duckweed.
(future proofing rolling stock rarely pays off - mark 4 stock never had tilt installed, but ECML passxengers had to put up with the narrower body profile that would have allowed it for 30 years)