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Flickering Boards

4398 Views 15 Replies 14 Participants Last post by  Saab
Do they still exist in your cities? These historic relics make a very nice sound as hundreds of letters constantly flick.



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Yeah, they're still in Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport as well as Flinders St Station.

Both would date from around the 70s. I think the Flinders St station ones have entire destinations rotating instead of individual letters though, since it's only for suburban lines.
Seen them mostly in Germany and Eastern Europe train stations, I think Victoria Station in London still has them. Pretty sure on Frankfurt Airport aswell.
Liverpool Street, London



Gare de Lyon, Paris



They recently replaced them all with electronic displays at Frankfurt's main train station.

Although the electronic displays are very nice, show more information and probably better, I still miss the sight and sound of all the letters flipping over to update the display. There was something special about the sound of flipping timetables, it reminds me of holidays and travels.
Utrecht central station, Netherlands
Boston is getting rid of their (sorry, no pic). But they want their new electronic sign to still make the ticking sound.
My city's station has flickering clocks, but not a board. In fact, we dont have a board at all :(
zaqattaq said:
Seen them mostly in Germany and Eastern Europe train stations, I think Victoria Station in London still has them. Pretty sure on Frankfurt Airport aswell.
Victoria's has been replaced the only ones left I think are at liverpool st and charing cross but as i dont frequent these stations fell free to correct me.
Justme: I agree, I love the old flicker boards as they have more "character" and i love that sound they make. But of course the new electronic displays are much easier to use and can display much more information, all the new electronic displays in UK stations have really made travel easier since they display things like how much you train has been delayed by etc...
Yes, there is one in a Museum here in Roanoke ;)
Pretty standard for airports here before but have long been replaced except in terminal 1 i think. And yes I do agree the sound they make while changing the letters is quite pleasing:)
The old waterloo station flicking board was the best, im so sad that they replaced it.
Here in Philadelphia we have a flickering board at Amtrak 30th Street Station, the main train station.

http://personalwebs.myriad.net/lruback/Philly/AMTK/TrainArrivalBoard2_Philly.jpg


In Newark, New Jersey they have one at Union Station.
^^ 50 min late! if that would happen in the Netherlands everybody wants their money back ;)
got them at Melbourne Airport.
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