Adelaide's New Voice Announcers

Adelaide pioneered the railway passenger information era by introducing "voice enunciators" in the 1980's. A history of that system can be found by at our "Vale Cliff" page.

While the old system was extremely reliable, the decision to modernise was made. The first changes occurred in mid 2005 when blue "Voice Announcer" poles were placed on selected platforms across the Adelaide network. The new announcers were placed on these poles later the same year.

Almost immediately it became apparent that the new announcers were not as resilient as those they were replacing, becoming a target for vandals, with their information buttons being their weakest point. Unlike "Cliff" which was of all metal construction, the new devices had plastic buttons. By early December 2005, all replacement announcers were switched off and disappeared from the network.

In February 2006, the announcers reappeared, this time with a much stronger button. TransAdelaide commenced the rollout of the new system as of February 13, 2006. An official "live date" for the new real time information system was scheduled for March 18 2006.

The presentation of the information is quite different to the old system. Firstly, it's now a female voice. At each station all scheduled stopping stations are announced. The announcement even commences with a "CityRail" style chime.

During 2007, the method in the delivery of the announcements was enhanced. Whereas the system in it's original format would only provide you only with announcements for the platform you were on, announcers will now provide information for all platforms at your location. The order in which the platforms are announced will vary depending on which one you are standing on, but your platform will be announced first.

To assist passengers with late running, delays in excess of three minutes are advised when the button is pressed for next train information.

When trackwork is scheduled, announcements are automatically played on a set schedule, advising passengers of service changes.

Announcements will play approximately two minutes prior to the arrival of a train service, this announcement will give the scheduled departure time, and all applicable stops. As the train arrives at the platform, a final announcement will play, this time it will only give the stopping stations.

Single line station announcers have also been upgraded. Previously only one direction could be handled in an announcement, this lead to lengthy delays in obtaining information for the train in your direction of travel. Now a departure in direction is given, even if the announcer does advise the "next train to depart from platform one" twice, with trains in opposite directions!

Voice Announcer - Emerson (Noarlunga Centre Line) Photo - Glenn Jackson-Bethell

Voice Announcer - Cheltenham (Outer Harbor Line) Photo - Glenn Jackson-Bethell

Voice Announcer - Cheltenham (Outer Harbor Line) Photo - Glenn Jackson-Bethell

Voice Announcer - Parafield (Gawler Central Line) Photo - Glenn Jackson-Bethell

Rail Real Time Changeover sign, these were placed at all stations with enunciators during the changeover period Photo - Glenn Jackson-Bethell

Voice Announcer - Bowden (Outer Harbor Line) Photo - Glenn Jackson-Bethell

The Phonj Another interesting site for South Australian buses and trains can be found at The Phonj's Guide to South Australian Public Transport. The Phonj also has many and varied sound bytes from the former voice enunciators across the Adelaide network. Click on the image to the right, then follow the link to "Media".