Transport for Wales translation mix-up tells passengers to board two sports coaches

A Transport for Wales Rail translation mix-up told passengers to board two sports coaches rather than carriages.

Signage at Welshpool told passengers to board ‘2 hyfforddwyr’ rather than ‘y 2 gerbyd’ – that is, ‘coaches’ in the sports sense rather than the transport one.

The message appeared on Friday and was posted online by actress Lynwen Haf Roberts.

“Is it possible for someone at Transport for Wales Rail to amend the Welsh signage at Welshpool station and any other that makes this mistake?” she asked.

“’Coach’ in a train sense is ‘cerbyd’/’coaches’ being ‘cerbydau’. ‘Hyfforddwyr’ is the word for a sports coach or similar. Diolch!”

Is it possible for someone at @tfwrail to amend the Welsh signage at Welshpool station and any other that makes this mistake? ‘Coach’ in a train sense is ‘cerbyd’/’coaches’ being ‘cerbydau’. “Hyfforddwyr” is the word for a sports coach or similar. Diolch! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 #sgymraeg pic.twitter.com/uSEG95sKM8

— Lynwen Haf Roberts (@LynwenHaf) September 10, 2021

Transport for Wales Rail responded to say: “Hi Lynwen. Thanks for pointing this out, I’ll pass on your comments to our Head of Welsh Language.”

Actor Steffan Rhodri, who plays Dave Coaches on Gavin and Stacey, responded to say “Dave Hyfforddwyr”.

Lynwen Haf Roberts offered to help with the translation, which prompted Dylan Richards to quip: “….and if you don’t engage her for her translation skills at least engage her to cerbyd your translation team!”