Thameslink stations receive ‘at-a-glance’ information screens

Thameslink stations in central London are to receive new information screens with ‘at-a-glance’ journey details in preparation for new generation trains and a future high intensity service.

The new Thameslink information screens will be installed at London Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon and London St Pancras stations by August 2016. The design of the screen has been devised by industry experts from Network Rail, Govia Thameslink Railway, InfoTec – the screen supplier – and ATOS WorldLine who will provide the back office systems and supply train running data to the screens.

Thameslink information screens to be installed at stations by August 2016

The screen designs have been verified by various customer and user groups, as well as Transport Focus and London TravelWatch.

The new Thameslink information screens will;

• Replace all the current ‘white on blue’ displays to make it easier and faster for passengers to work out which train to catch; 
• Show, at-a-glance, the next train’s full station calling pattern. Existing screens are much smaller and take a long time to scroll through the list of stations;
• Shows 30 minutes of departures. Current screens show only 3-4 departures at a time;
• Give information on where facilities are within the new train – and where those facilities will stop on the platform for passengers with mobility issues, those travelling first class and passengers travelling with bikes.  

In addition, there will be eight screens on each platform, not four, so that passengers are never more than 20 metres from a screen which will encourage people to spread out. 

The new screens have been design to work alongside the new Siemens-built Class 700 trains which will begin to enter service on the Thameslink route later this spring. By the end of December 2018 they’ll be running every two and a half minutes between Blackfriars and St Pancras.

Passengers never more than 20 metres from a screen

Thameslink’s Programme Director Keith Wallace said: “Our new trains are cutting edge and we need cutting edge station screens to match. Passengers from the outset will be able to see, at a glance, where the next train is going instead of waiting for endless screens of information to scroll round.

“They’ll be shown where to stand on the platform for the new trains’ wheelchair areas, first class and bicycle storage.

“This will be great for our passengers in 2016 – and essential for our passengers in 2018, when frequencies rocket to trains every two and a half minutes and the Thameslink route expands dramatically. At that point, passengers in central London will need to know quickly and easily which service is the one they want.