Meaning of flashing platform numbers

[mrcaa]

Bit of a newbie question but I’ve searched the forums and the internet and I can’t find the answer so wondered if anyone can clear this up for me.

When a platform number is flashing on a departure board (standard orange dots on black), what does that actually mean? I’ve always assumed it means the platform is now different from the one that was originally planned but are there times it can flash when the platform hasn’t changed? Missed my train this morning based on this assumption which is why I wanted to understand exactly what it means.

 

[jamesst]

It means the platform has altered from the one normally allocated for that service.

 

[hexagon789]

Bit of a newbie question but I’ve searched the forums and the internet and I can’t find the answer so wondered if anyone can clear this up for me.

When a platform number is flashing on a departure board (standard orange dots on black), what does that actually mean? I’ve always assumed it means the platform is now different from the one that was originally planned but are there times it can flash when the platform hasn’t changed? Missed my train this morning based on this assumption which is why I wanted to understand exactly what it means.

Platform alteration. The number flashing means it's not the original platform essentially.

 

[mrcaa]

It means the platform has altered from the one normally allocated for that service.

That’s what I thought. Yet it was flashing and the platform was the same as the one allocated. I assumed it had changed and misread a 7 as a 4 so went to the wrong platform. I wonder if it flashed if the manager goes into the platform number system and clicks “Save” without changing anything. The system then detects the “change” even though there hasn’t been one maybe?

 

[swt_passenger]

It might also have been changed twice, away from and then back to the “normal” platform, and the first time it happened before you arrived on the station.

 

[mrcaa]

It might also have been changed twice, away from and then back to the “normal” platform, and the first time it happened before you arrived on the station.

I guess that could have been the case. Thanks for confirming for me. It was just unfortunate that the platform i thought it had changed to had a train sitting in it from the same TOC with the same destination and intermediate stations so the only difference was that it departed 30 minutes later than the other one. I'll just have to be extra vigilant in checking the time of departure future.

 

[vlad]

Sometimes you wonder exactly what the change was.

Before the Derby resignalling last year you'd often arrive at Midland station to see the majority of the trains on the board with flashing platforms!

 

[mrcaa]

Sometimes you wonder exactly what the change was.

Before the Derby resignalling last year you'd often arrive at Midland station to see the majority of the trains on the board with flashing platforms!

This was Chester so it’s a regular swap as the Merseyrail trains usually block access to the booked platform for the TfW if there are any delays. Just my luck it wasn’t swapped and the next TfW was sitting at the platform it usually swaps to or I’d probably have realised. The train I planned to get arrived in Manchester bang on time too whereas the later one was about 10 minutes late just to make matters worse. Never mind though, I’ll know not to rely on the flashing in future.

 

[43055]

Sometimes you wonder exactly what the change was.

Before the Derby resignalling last year you'd often arrive at Midland station to see the majority of the trains on the board with flashing platforms!

At weekends the system at Derby didn't pick up A and B ends of the platform's so in the mornings someone had to go through and change all of these to reflect these. I have no idea why and if this still happens.

 

[800002]

At weekends the system at Derby didn't pick up A and B ends of the platform's so in the mornings someone had to go through and change all of these to reflect these. I have no idea why and if this still happens.

It's possible that the NR validating side either didn't fully validate the platforms or didn't put them onto the A/B platforms, and just left them on 4.
It's not best practice, but it saves a lot of time if pushed.
ARS implications though are a different matter.

 

[Surreytraveller]

It might be that the platforms uploaded in the CIS system are wrong, the staff know this, so change them

 

[jamesst]

This was Chester so it’s a regular swap as the Merseyrail trains usually block access to the booked platform for the TfW if there are any delays. Just my luck it wasn’t swapped and the next TfW was sitting at the platform it usually swaps to or I’d probably have realised. The train I planned to get arrived in Manchester bang on time too whereas the later one was about 10 minutes late just to make matters worse. Never mind though, I’ll know not to rely on the flashing in future.

Where you intending travelling to Manchester on the xx52 by any chance?
It is a bit of a known problem as the previous merseyrail (only able to use platform 7) departs 7 at xx45. If theres a delay on that or the tfw service arrives early then normally the tfw service will either be held outside or reallocated to 4.

 

[mrcaa]

Where you intending travelling to Manchester on the xx52 by any chance?
It is a bit of a known problem as the previous merseyrail (only able to use platform 7) departs 7 at xx45. If theres a delay on that or the tfw service arrives early then normally the tfw service will either be held outside or reallocated to 4.

It was the 06:43 in 7A and the front unit of the 07:12 was already sitting in platform 4A. I feel like that’s unusual as it was basically blocking what is effectively the only through platform (given the frequency of the Merseyrail trains) for over half an hour. Not sure what time it was parked there it maybe this is a regular thing as I’ve only taken it infrequently before.