ketech-llpa-announcements

Note

Please remember to use these files with courtesy. Information released under Freedom of Information retains its copyright status and protections even after being released into the public domain, and you could face penalties for using these files without prior permission, particularly for commercial purposes.

• segs/ contains the raw data from the FOI to Irish Rail
• wavs/ contains decoded audio from the .seg files
• mp3s/ contains the decoded audio in MP3 format for wider compatibility and lower file size
• renamed/ contains the MP3 files for each voice, renamed and grouped using their transcriptions csv file

Contents

Each of the above folders contains various voice packs supplied or managed by KeTech.

The most well-known are likely Phil Sayer and Celia Drummond due to their extensive coverage of the UK railway network during their time as announcers for the KeTech, Amey and Ditra customer information systems.

Folder name	Common name
Male1	Phil Sayer
Male3 and default	Michael Comyn (Irish Rail)
Female1	Celia Drummond
Female2	Alison McKay (ScotRail)

Transcriptions

We're currently working to transcribe all announcements within CSV files in this repository.

Voice	Progress
Phil Sayer (Male1)	✅ Complete (11382/11382)
Michael Comyn (Male3)	❌ Not yet started
Michael Comyn (default)	❌ Not yet started
Celia Drummond (Female1)	✅ Complete (10570/10570)
Alison McKay (Female2)	✅ Complete (1989/1989)

Decoding .seg files

A kind user on RailForums managed to work out a method of decoding the "proprietary" format.

On Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install sox
find -iname "*.SEG" -exec bash -c "tail -c +48 '{}' | sox -t raw -b 8 -r 16000 -e a-law -X - '{}.wav'" \;

This command:

1. Iterates over every .SEG file
2. Provides the content of each file, skipping the first 48 bytes, to sox
3. sox then converts the audio into a more widely used .wav format

Converting to mp3

On Linux:

sudo apt install parallel
find "$(pwd)" -type f -name "*.wav" | parallel 'ffmpeg -y -hide_banner -loglevel error -i "{}" -q:a 0 "$(dirname "{}")/$(basename "{}" .wav).mp3"'

Renaming files to remove .seg/.wav

On Linux:

sudo apt install rename
rename 's/\.SEG|\.seg//' *
rename 's/\.WAV|\.wav//' *

.seg file format

Most seg files start with a 48 character header, e.g. 1483 12FF

The first four characters are a space padded ID (which may be absent, or padded with zeroes instead of spaces), the last four characters are mandatory, are in hexadecimal range, and may be uppercase or lowercase. The ID will usually (but not always) match the filename.

A very small number also include a transcription.

Examples:

• 1483 12FF
• 130 FFFF
• 12ff
• 2456 a security alert.04FF
• 0400 FFFF
• 2439 FROM8440

Unusual .seg files

A small number of the .seg files contain strange header contents that don't match this pattern in some way, or have odd file descriptions.

File	Description
segs/default/306.seg	FFFF\x9d only
segs/default/1871.seg	ffff only
segs/default/199.seg	FFFFt only
segs/Male3/306.seg	FFFF\x9d only
segs/Male3/199.seg	FFFFt only
segs/Male1/399.seg	399ader->End,HeaderEnd,3); /*RecoFFFF, ...
segs/Female2/0.seg	Header is correct length, but is padded with null bytes instead of spaces, ends FFFF
segs/Female2/1400.seg	Has no header

Missing files

For Phil and Celia, some modern-day stations are missing from their announcements. Many of these opened after their recordings were made.

Some of these stations have been bodged by combining clips from other snippets together, but some are still unrecorded.

Missing stations for Male1 (131)

Station name	CRS code	Bodged?
Abercynon	ACY	❌ 0/2
Alloa	ALO	❌ 0/2
Apperley Bridge	APY	✅ 2/2
Ashfield	ASF	✅ 2/2
Aylesbury Vale Parkway	AVP	✅ 2/2
Barking Riverside	BGV	✅ 2/2
Barry Links	BYL	✅ 2/2
Bearley	BER	❌ 0/2
Belfast Central	BFC	❌ 0/2
Bermuda Park	BEP	❌ 0/2
Bicester Village	BIT	❌ 0/2
Blackridge	BKR	❌ 0/2
Bow Street	BOW	✅ 2/2
Braintree Freeport	BTP	❌ 0/2
Brent Cross West	BCZ	✅ 2/2
Brunstane	BSU	❌ 0/2
Buckshaw Parkway	BSV	❌ 0/2
Caldercruix	CAC	❌ 0/2
Cambridge North	CMB	❌ 0/2
Capenhurst	CPU	❌ 0/2
Cardiff International Airport	XCF	❌ 0/2
Castleton	CAS	❌ 0/2
Chapleton	CPN	❌ 0/2
Chatelherault	CTE	❌ 0/2
Clacton-On-Sea	CLT	✅ 2/2
Coatdyke	COA	❌ 0/2
Conon Bridge	CBD	❌ 0/2
Coombe	COE	❌ 0/2
Corby	COR	❌ 0/2
Coulsdon Town	CDN	❌ 0/2
Coventry Arena	CAA	❌ 0/2
Cranbrook (Devon)	CBK	❌ 0/2
Creswell (Derbys)	CWD	✅ 2/2
Crosskeys	CKY	❌ 0/2
Cynghordy	CYN	❌ 0/2
Dagenham East L.T.	ZDE	❌ 0/2
Dereham Market Place	DEB	❌ 0/2
Dinas Rhondda	DMG	❌ 0/2
Drayton Manor	DRY	❌ 0/2
Dunfermline Queen Margaret	DFL	❌ 0/2
Dunfermline City	DFE	❌ 0/2
Dunoon	DUO	❌ 0/2
Duns	DUU	❌ 0/2
Ealing Common	ZEC	❌ 0/2
Earl's Court L.T.	ZET	❌ 0/2
East Linton	ELT	❌ 0/2
Ebbsfleet International	EBD	❌ 0/2
Ebbw Vale Parkway	EBV	❌ 0/2
Ebbw Vale Town	EBB	❌ 0/2
Edinburgh Gateway	EGY	❌ 0/2
Energlyn & Churchill Park	ECP	❌ 0/2
Eskbank	EKB	❌ 0/2
Exhibition Centre	EXG	❌ 0/2
Fellgate	FEG	❌ 0/2
Fishguard & Goodwick	FGW	❌ 0/2
Frinton-On-Sea	FRI	✅ 2/2
Gartcosh	GRH	❌ 0/2
Garve	GVE	❌ 0/2
Gilshochill	GSC	❌ 0/2
Gorebridge	GBG	❌ 0/2
Gourock Pier	GXX	❌ 0/2
Hayle	HYL	❌ 0/2
Headbolt Lane	HBL	❌ 0/2
Heathrow Terminal 4 Rail	HAF	❌ 0/2
Heathrow Terminal 5 Rail	HWV	❌ 0/2
Heathrow Terminals 1-2-3 Rail	HXX	❌ 0/2
Horden	HRE	❌ 0/2
Ilkeston	ILN	❌ 0/2
Imperial Wharf	IMW	❌ 0/2
Inverness Airport	IVA	❌ 0/2
James Cook University Hospital	JCH	❌ 0/2
Kelvindale	KVD	❌ 0/2
Kenilworth	KNW	❌ 0/2
Kintore	KTR	❌ 0/2
Kirkstall Forge	KLF	❌ 0/2
Langwith - Whaley Thorns	LAG	✅ 2/2
Larkhall	LRH	❌ 0/2
Laurencekirk	LAU	❌ 0/2
Lea Bridge	LEB	✅ 2/2
Lea Green	LEG	❌ 0/2
Llanharan	LLR	❌ 0/2
Llanhilleth	LTH	❌ 0/2
Llantwit Major	LWM	❌ 0/2
Maghull North	MNS	❌ 0/2
Marsh Barton	MBT	❌ 0/2
Meridian Water	MRW	❌ 0/2
Merryton	MEY	❌ 0/2
Newbridge	NBE	❌ 0/2
Newbury Park	ZNP	❌ 0/2
Newcastle Airport	APN	❌ 0/2
Newcastle Central (Metro)	NCZ	❌ 0/2
Newcourt	NCO	❌ 0/2
Newcraighall	NEW	❌ 0/2
Newton Heath and Moston	NMM	❌ 0/2
Newtongrange	NEG	❌ 0/2
North Fambridge	NFA	✅ 2/2
Oxford Parkway	OXP	❌ 0/2
Pickering Eastgate	PIZ	❌ 0/2
Portway Park & Ride	PRI	❌ 0/2
Pye Corner	PYE	❌ 0/2
Reading Green Park	RGP	✅ 2/2
Reston	RSN	❌ 0/2
Rhoose Cardiff Airport	RIA	❌ 0/2
Risca & Pontymister	RCA	❌ 0/2
Robroyston	RRN	❌ 0/2
Rogerstone	ROR	❌ 0/2
Shawfair	SFI	❌ 0/2
Shirebrook	SHB	✅ 2/2
Shoreditch High Street	SDC	✅ 2/2
Smallbrook Junction	SAB	❌ 0/2
Soham	SOJ	❌ 0/2
South Woodham Ferrers	SOF	✅ 2/2
Southampton Town Quay	STQ	❌ 0/2
St Peters	STZ	❌ 0/2
Stadium of Light	STI	❌ 0/2
Stow	SOI	❌ 0/2
Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway	STY	❌ 0/2
Tan-Y-Bwlch	TYB	❌ 0/2
Thanet Parkway	THP	❌ 0/2
Tottenham Court Road	TCR	✅ 2/2
Tweedbank	TWB	❌ 0/2
Warrington West	WAW	❌ 0/2
Waterloo (Merseyside)	WLO	❌ 0/2
Wavertree Technology Park	WAV	❌ 0/2
Wedgwood Lane	WER	❌ 0/2
Wells Next The Sea	WEN	❌ 0/2
Westcliff	WCF	✅ 2/2
Westerton	WES	❌ 0/2
Whitwell	WWL	❌ 0/2
Woolwich	WWC	✅ 2/2
Worcestershire Parkway	WOP	✅ 2/2

Missing stations for Female1 (160)

Station name	CRS code	Bodged?
Abercynon	ACY	❌ 0/2
Alloa	ALO	❌ 0/2
Apperley Bridge	APY	❌ 0/2
Aylesbury Vale Parkway	AVP	❌ 0/2
Balloch Central	BHC	❌ 0/2
Barking Riverside	BGV	❌ 0/2
Barry Links	BYL	❌ 0/2
Bearley	BER	❌ 0/2
Belfast Central	BFC	❌ 0/2
Bermuda Park	BEP	❌ 0/2
Bicester Village	BIT	❌ 0/2
Blackridge	BKR	❌ 0/2
Bond Street	BDS	❌ 0/2
Bolton-On-Dearne	BTD	❌ 0/2
Bow Street	BOW	❌ 0/2
Braintree Freeport	BTP	❌ 0/2
Brent Cross West	BCZ	❌ 0/2
Brighouse	BGH	❌ 0/2
Brunstane	BSU	❌ 0/2
Buckshaw Parkway	BSV	❌ 0/2
Burneside	BUD	❌ 0/2
Burnside	BUI	❌ 0/2
Burscough Bridge	BCB	❌ 0/2
Caldercruix	CAC	❌ 0/2
Cambridge North	CMB	❌ 0/2
Canary Wharf	CWX	❌ 0/2
Cardiff International Airport	XCF	❌ 0/2
Cark	CAK	❌ 0/2
Cartsdyke	CDY	❌ 0/2
Chapleton	CPN	❌ 0/2
Chatelherault	CTE	❌ 0/2
Chorley	CRL	❌ 0/2
Clacton-On-Sea	CLT	❌ 0/2
Conon Bridge	CBD	❌ 0/2
Coombe	COE	❌ 0/2
Corby	COR	❌ 0/2
Cottingham	CGM	❌ 0/2
Coulsdon Town	CDN	❌ 0/2
Coventry Arena	CAA	❌ 0/2
Cranbrook (Devon)	CBK	❌ 0/2
Creswell (Derbys)	CWD	❌ 0/2
Crosskeys	CKY	❌ 0/2
Croy	CRO	❌ 0/2
Cynghordy	CYN	❌ 0/2
Dagenham East L.T.	ZDE	❌ 0/2
Dereham Market Place	DEB	❌ 0/2
Dinas Rhondda	DMG	❌ 0/2
Drayton Manor	DRY	❌ 0/2
Dunfermline Queen Margaret	DFL	❌ 0/2
Dunfermline City	DFE	❌ 0/2
Dunoon	DUO	❌ 0/2
Duns	DUU	❌ 0/2
Ealing Common	ZEC	❌ 0/2
Earl's Court L.T.	ZET	❌ 0/2
East Linton	ELT	❌ 0/2
Eastrington	EGN	❌ 0/2
Ebbsfleet International	EBD	❌ 0/2
Ebbw Vale Parkway	EBV	❌ 0/2
Ebbw Vale Town	EBB	❌ 0/2
Edinburgh Gateway	EGY	❌ 0/2
Edinburgh Park	EDP	❌ 0/2
Energlyn & Churchill Park	ECP	❌ 0/2
Eskbank	EKB	❌ 0/2
Exhibition Centre	EXG	❌ 0/2
Falkirk Grahamston	FKG	❌ 0/2
Fellgate	FEG	❌ 0/2
Fishguard & Goodwick	FGW	❌ 0/2
Frinton-On-Sea	FRI	❌ 0/2
Gartcosh	GRH	❌ 0/2
Garve	GVE	❌ 0/2
Gathurst	GST	❌ 0/2
Gatley	GTY	❌ 0/2
Giggleswick	GIG	❌ 0/2
Gilberdyke	GBD	❌ 0/2
Gilshochill	GSC	❌ 0/2
Glasshoughton	GLH	❌ 0/2
Golf Street	GOF	❌ 0/2
Gorebridge	GBG	❌ 0/2
Gourock Pier	GXX	❌ 0/2
Haltwhistle	HWH	❌ 0/2
Hayle	HYL	❌ 0/2
Headbolt Lane	HBL	❌ 0/2
Heathrow Terminal 4 Rail	HAF	❌ 0/2
Heathrow Terminal 5 Rail	HWV	❌ 0/2
Heathrow Terminals 1-2-3 Rail	HXX	❌ 0/2
Horden	HRE	❌ 0/2
Ilkeston	ILN	❌ 0/2
Imperial Wharf	IMW	❌ 0/2
Inverness Airport	IVA	❌ 0/2
James Cook University Hospital	JCH	❌ 0/2
Kelvindale	KVD	❌ 0/2
Kenilworth	KNW	❌ 0/2
Kingsknowe	KGE	❌ 0/2
Kingussie	KIN	❌ 0/2
Kintore	KTR	❌ 0/2
Kirk Sandall	KKS	❌ 0/2
Kirkby	KIR	❌ 0/2
Kirkstall Forge	KLF	❌ 0/2
Langwith - Whaley Thorns	LAG	❌ 0/2
Larkhall	LRH	❌ 0/2
Laurencekirk	LAU	❌ 0/2
Layton	LAY	❌ 0/2
Lea Bridge	LEB	❌ 0/2
Lea Green	LEG	❌ 0/2
Llanharan	LLR	❌ 0/2
Llanhilleth	LTH	❌ 0/2
Llantwit Major	LWM	❌ 0/2
Lockwood	LCK	❌ 0/2
Maghull North	MNS	❌ 0/2
Marsh Barton	MBT	❌ 0/2
Meridian Water	MRW	❌ 0/2
Merryton	MEY	❌ 0/2
Milngavie	MLN	❌ 0/2
Newbridge	NBE	❌ 0/2
Newbury Park	ZNP	❌ 0/2
Newcastle Airport	APN	❌ 0/2
Newcastle Central (Metro)	NCZ	❌ 0/2
Newcourt	NCO	❌ 0/2
Newcraighall	NEW	❌ 0/2
Newton Heath and Moston	NMM	❌ 0/2
Newtongrange	NEG	❌ 0/2
North Fambridge	NFA	❌ 0/2
Outwood	OUT	❌ 0/2
Oxford Parkway	OXP	❌ 0/2
Pickering Eastgate	PIZ	❌ 0/2
Portway Park & Ride	PRI	❌ 0/2
Pye Corner	PYE	❌ 0/2
Reading Green Park	RGP	❌ 0/2
Reston	RSN	❌ 0/2
Rhoose Cardiff Airport	RIA	❌ 0/2
Ribblehead	RHD	❌ 0/2
Risca & Pontymister	RCA	❌ 0/2
Robroyston	RRN	❌ 0/2
Rogerstone	ROR	❌ 0/2
Selkirk	SKK	❌ 0/2
Shawfair	SFI	❌ 0/2
Shepley	SPY	❌ 0/2
Shirebrook	SHB	❌ 0/2
Shoreditch High Street	SDC	❌ 0/2
Snaith	SNI	❌ 0/2
Soham	SOJ	❌ 0/2
South Woodham Ferrers	SOF	❌ 0/2
Southampton Town Quay	STQ	❌ 0/2
St Peters	STZ	❌ 0/2
Stadium of Light	STI	❌ 0/2
Stow	SOI	❌ 0/2
Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway	STY	❌ 0/2
Tan-Y-Bwlch	TYB	❌ 0/2
Thanet Parkway	THP	❌ 0/2
Tottenham Court Road	TCR	❌ 0/2
Tweedbank	TWB	❌ 0/2
Warrington West	WAW	❌ 0/2
Waterloo (Merseyside)	WLO	❌ 0/2
Wavertree Technology Park	WAV	❌ 0/2
Wedgwood Lane	WER	❌ 0/2
Wells Next The Sea	WEN	❌ 0/2
Westcliff	WCF	❌ 0/2
Whitwell	WWL	❌ 0/2
Woolwich	WWC	❌ 0/2
Worcestershire Parkway	WOP	❌ 0/2