RealTimeTrains website

[BrettSy96]

I see the new Avanti west coast units are now appearing on kyt, looking good!

 

[ainsworth74]

Has anyone else found that the time zones on Railmiles are now completely scrambled? They used to be, I think, alphabetical but now they're just a mess. Real pain to use but I'm not sure if it's just me!

 

[MrJeeves]

Has anyone else found that the time zones on Railmiles are now completely scrambled? They used to be, I think, alphabetical but now they're just a mess. Real pain to use but I'm not sure if it's just me!

Yes, was mentioned on the Discord and seemingly related to a dependency update/change many weeks ago.

 

[ainsworth74]

Yes, was mentioned on the Discord and seemingly related to a dependency update/change many weeks ago.

Ah good not just me then! Just the first trip in a while where timezones have been relevant.

Do we know when it might be fixed?

 

[Class 800]

@Tom Let me also thank you for this amazing site. I really don’t know what I’d do without it.
I use it almost every time I travel on the railway and would be really keen to know exactly how it works and interacts with the signalling system.

Now even CrossCountry are recommending on their website that folks use it when there is disruption or to check the planned train formation.

Anyway, I do have a question however. Why is it not always possible to show the Know Your Train for some operators eg GTR?

And how come Track Your Train is only possible for Greater Anglia? Are there any plans for further rollout?

 

[Benjwri]

Anyway, I do have a question however. Why is it not always possible to show the Know Your Train for some operators eg GTR?

Data for KnowYourTrain is supplied from the TOCs to RealTimeTrains. It relies on individual operators making agreements with them to provide the data, and some operators decide they don’t want such an agreement for various reasons, vandalism and security are often quoted ones.

 

[skyhigh]

and some operators decide they don’t want such an agreement for various reasons, vandalism and security are often quoted ones.

Fairly vacuous reasons as far as I can see, but if they don't want to supply RTT with the data there's little anyone can do.

 

[Robski]

some operators decide they don’t want such an agreement for various reasons, vandalism and security are often quoted ones.

I am aware of one TOC which is against it on the basis of principle (it should be open data).

 

[class444 fan]

ive really enjoyed the webstie escilly know your train

 

[Adam Williams]

I am aware of one TOC which is against it on the basis of principle (it should be open data).

Well, back in the real world it's not open data currently.

This logic doesn't make a great deal of sense to me - "let's make passenger information worse by not sharing it with provider X, who happens to perhaps be the most popular dedicated live train information source that members of the public use, because we don't think it should be closed". Great pragmatism there!

Do I think it should be open? Sure. Do I think championing open data and working with services like RTT are mutually exclusive? Of course not.

I suspect some of it is simply rooted in RTT not being seen as "part of" National Rail in the same way that Darwin and other initiatives are. I find it quite entertaining that such a small entity has done a decidedly better job than RDG when it comes to what passengers actually want, and find useful.

 

[OscarH]

I am aware of one TOC which is against it on the basis of principle (it should be open data).

Why don't they make theirs open data if they really care about that principle then? I would love to see it, but I'm very sceptical

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Why don't they make theirs open data if they really care about that principle then? I would love to see it, but I'm very sceptical

I think @Robski_ is saying he thinks it should be open data rather than the TOC saying it should be open data?

...and I have a pretty good idea which TOC it is because the MD is known to be against Know Your Train...

 

[RailWonderer]

Small detail here but this pair of ex-Anglia 170s is still in GA white with red doors with EMR regional branding yet both units are shown as EMR purple.

Realtime Trains | 1051 Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich | 29/06/2024

Real-time train running information for 1051 departure from Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich on 29/06/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[ThameslinkUser]

...and I have a pretty good idea which TOC it is because the MD is known to be against Know Your Train...

Which MD/TOC are you referring to? Obviously since it is known, you should be able to say

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Which MD/TOC are you referring to? Obviously since it is known, you should be able to say

By "known" I means he's said more than once he's opposed to it - but I'm not sure how public that is. I'll DM you...


Edited - actually I can't; your profile is restricted...

 

[Tom]

I think it's fairly well known that Southeastern are said TOC, and have said on the record multiple times to journalists et al from multiple levels in the organisation that they are fairly against third party applications in general and want everyone to go through their own channels for all TOCs.

(And yes, it should be open data. But it isn't - yet, and frankly I think that getting it out into the public domain even if not open for so many TOCs in the first place has demolished the arguments against it.)

 

[35B]

I think it's fairly well known that Southeastern are said TOC, and have said on the record multiple times to journalists et al from multiple levels in the organisation that they are fairly against third party applications in general and want everyone to go through their own channels for all TOCs.

(And yes, it should be open data. But it isn't - yet, and frankly I think that getting it out into the public domain even if not open for so many TOCs in the first place has demolished the arguments against it.)

All the more so given the quality of what's possible without 3rd parties - planning a trip to Switzerland, open data information is readily available but rendered largely superfluous by the KYT equivalent information built into SBB's websites.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

All the more so given the quality of what's possible without 3rd parties - planning a trip to Switzerland, open data information is readily available but rendered largely superfluous by the KYT equivalent information built into SBB's websites.

If you want people to not use 3rd parties, you've got to provide better information than they do (or the same data formatted 'better'), simple as that.

 

[Tom]

All the more so given the quality of what's possible without 3rd parties - planning a trip to Switzerland, open data information is readily available but rendered largely superfluous by the KYT equivalent information built into SBB's websites.

Nothing can be all things to all people, there are always openings for things to be shown in a different way. The railway(s) restricting clever people from accessing information because they think they can do better themselves is naive.

 

[35B]

Nothing can be all things to all people, there are always openings for things to be shown in a different way. The railway(s) restricting clever people from accessing information because they think they can do better themselves is naive.

I completely agree. If non-KYT operators met the standard of SBB, then I’d think their case much more credible. As it is…

 

[Trainfan2019]

Any hope of London Northwestern unit allocations appearing on real time trains yet?

 

[kemal]

Morning

When you search for a unit number in RTT some show up with the train they are on but the majority do not show up at all. Is there a reason for this please?

Thank you Kemal

 

[Class15]

Morning

When you search for a unit number in RTT some show up with the train they are on but the majority do not show up at all. Is there a reason for this please?

Thank you Kemal

Some operators allow this; some don’t.

 

[Freightmaster]

Morning

When you search for a unit number in RTT some show up with the train they are on but the majority do not show up at all. Is there a reason for this please?

Assuming that you are searching for a unit operated by a TOC which supplies allocation data to RTT
such as Northern or TPE, if a unit number doesn't produce a 'hit' that usually means that particular
unit is on a stabling point or depot, not allocated to a specific diagram at that moment in time.

Other than that, vSTP movements and other last minute schedule changes can also lead to
allocations not appearing in some cases.




MARK

 

[kemal]

Some operators allow this; some don’t.

Thank you Class15

Assuming that you are searching for a unit operated by a TOC which supplies allocation data to RTT
such as Northern or TPE, if a unit number doesn't produce a 'hit' that usually means that particular
unit is on a stabling point or depot, not allocated to a specific diagram at that moment in time.

Other than that, vSTP movements and other last minute schedule changes can also lead to
allocations not appearing in some cases.




MARK

Thank you Mark

 

[Freightmaster]

Some operators allow this; some don’t.

Here is the official list showing the 20 mainline TOCs/FOCs which provide unit/loco allocations:

Realtime Trains | Know Your Train

Realtime Trains is an independent source of live realtime running information for the Great British railway network.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

MARK

 

[800Travel]

What time are LNER unit allocations normally uploaded please? I can see other operators for today, but all LNER seem to have nothing assigned. Thanks

 

[class444 fan]

Normally i think around 2am for morning services but sometimes it can be later for afternoon services.

 

[Peter0124]

On occasion, allocations can be put in before midnight, particularly common with XC. LNER are a bit later though.

 

[greaterwest]

Now there are services operated by 458/4 units on the SWR network, will there be a Know Your Train graphic added to RTT for these?