A train company wants to know if it's been saying the name of your station wrong. Northern's new on-board announcers have pledged to correct any place names that have been previously mispronounced.
But first they need passengers to point out where they've been getting a bit tongue-tied. New announcers Peter Corley, a conductor based in York, and Laura Palmer, Northern’s cyber security and compliance manager, say they will re-record any announcement which passengers believe 'doesn't respect local pronunciation'.
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"Whilst every effort was made to get them right first time, we know how proud people across the North of England are of their regional dialect," Peter and Laura said. "Who knows how long these recordings will be in the system – so now’s your chance to correct us if we’ve got it wrong."
The notoriously tricky Hall i' th' Wood near Bolton is among the announcements which have already been changed. Other stations which have also baffled announcers in the past include Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire ( pronounced Sowby Bridge) neary Slaithwaite (pronounced Slouwit) Roose in Cumbria (Ruse).
Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said: "Some of the stations on our network are pronounced very differently to how they appear in writing. As a local, there's nothing worse than someone mis-pronouncing your hometown – especially when you have to hear it every time you use the station.
"Peter and Laura have done a fabulous job – but it never hurts to check with the people that matter the most."
Passengers are asked to contact Northern on Twitter (@northernassist) or via Facebook Messenger (m.me/northernassist).
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