• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Using Traincam & open data sites

Status
Not open for further replies.

alecras234

On Moderation
Joined
9 Jun 2015
Messages
37
Location
gwynedd
Hi my name's Ash and I live in north Wales. I'm disabled and use a wheelchair. I have recently started watching the crewe webcam on youtube and I like watching trains coming in and going out. I go onto realtime trains.com to find what's coming in at certain times, I look at Crewe station. I find it confusing and frustrating because people in the chat say train numbers and things and I'd like to know what a 60 is a 90 and a 390. I'm using the simple view on the realtime trains site. I want to know about Dbs and freights that pass through.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Horizon22

Established Member
Associate Staff
Jobs & Careers
Joined
8 Sep 2019
Messages
7,443
Location
London
They are generally referring to their rail TOPS classification. Anything with 2 numbers will be a locomotive, whilst any multiple unit will have 3 numbers. If you are interested in freight, it would generally be the diesel locomotives you want to follow up.

You can see a list here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_Rail_classes
 

alecras234

On Moderation
Joined
9 Jun 2015
Messages
37
Location
gwynedd
When i look at realtime trains i see the times trains come in but how do i know when freights are coming in? i've looked in detailed view, thats even more confusing, what is ZZ, AT, NT, LM? Also where can i find out their numbers, whether they are 66, 390 or 175?? i saw someone had typed this, what does it mean? 0Z42 90024 ( Malcolm Livery ) and 67013 left EMD into station P10.
 
Last edited:

Peter C

Established Member
Joined
13 Oct 2018
Messages
4,514
Location
GWR land
When i look at realtime trains i see the times trains come in but how do i know when freights are coming in? i've looked in detailed view, thats even more confusing, what is ZZ, AT, NT, LM? Also where can i find out their numbers, whether they are 66, 390 or 175?? i saw someone had typed this, what does it mean? 0Z42 90024 ( Malcolm Livery ) and 67013 left EMD into station P10.
Freight trains on RealTime Trains are, as far as I'm aware, identified by [ZZ]. What this means I don't know but I'm sure someone else can help.
AT, NT, and LM are all TOC (Train Operating Company) codes. However, a look on RTT shows nothing for AT or LM, which I presumed to be Avanti and LNR respectively, but it does show that NT is Northern Trains.
You can find engine or unit numbers on RTT if the service is run by LNER, Northern, ScotRail, Caledonian Sleeper, or GBRf. c2c now provide train information on RTT but not unit numbers (yet).

Decoding the example you provide:
0Z42 - this is a headcode, or more formally, train reporting number. See this Wikipedia page for more information.
90024 - this is the engine hauling the train. "Malcom livery" refers to the specific livery applied to that engine.
67013 - another specific engine number.
EMD - 3-letter code for East Midlands Parkway Station.
P10 - platform 10.

Hope this helps.

-Peter
 

StephenHunter

Established Member
Joined
22 Jul 2017
Messages
2,118
Location
London
LM is West Midlands Trains/LNWR. Avanti still use the old VT code, LNER using GR from GNER days.
 

Peter C

Established Member
Joined
13 Oct 2018
Messages
4,514
Location
GWR land
ZZ = "Anything else"
Ah brilliant - thanks :)
It is worth pointing out, therefore, that [ZZ] could be anything from a long container train to a light engine move.

LM is West Midlands Trains/LNWR. Avanti still use the old VT code, LNER using GR from GNER days.
Excellent - thanks for clarifying. I'd wondered why LNER was GR so thanks for that bit of info as well!

-Peter :)
 

Blockman

Member
Joined
19 Dec 2007
Messages
28

alecras234

On Moderation
Joined
9 Jun 2015
Messages
37
Location
gwynedd
I have just joined Railcam.uk so i have been watching the cameras at Crewe mainly. Theres a timetable telling you what's due in and out, their headcodes and various information. I dont use realtime trains anymore. What fascinates me are headcodes, can you explain headcodes simply please? I've understood i think that 1 means a fast moving passenger train, 2 im not sure, 4 is freight, 9 is freight i think. I like to get these headcodes and tell people in the chat that, 4M45 is passing crewe cam 4 at 14:21 or something. I like freight engines.
 

30907

Veteran Member
Joined
30 Sep 2012
Messages
17,864
Location
Airedale
I have just joined Railcam.uk so i have been watching the cameras at Crewe mainly. Theres a timetable telling you what's due in and out, their headcodes and various information. I dont use realtime trains anymore. What fascinates me are headcodes, can you explain headcodes simply please? I've understood i think that 1 means a fast moving passenger train, 2 im not sure, 4 is freight, 9 is freight i think. I like to get these headcodes and tell people in the chat that, 4M45 is passing crewe cam 4 at 14:21 or something. I like freight engines.
This Wikipedia article
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Train_reporting_number
seems reasonably accurate to me (scroll down to the current list, though!).

You also need to read the detailed explanation of class 9 still further down - it is used for passenger trains that need differentiating from the majority for some reason; at Crewe this is Avanti (VT) services to/from London via Birmingham, when the majority run via the more direct Trent Valley route.

PS Welcome to the forum!
 

Roverebbw

Member
Joined
22 Jul 2019
Messages
24
Could suggest a site on you tube who sometime had live streaming is mini. Wistaston juction around Crewe there will normal give you the numbers and you can write comments there
 

alecras234

On Moderation
Joined
9 Jun 2015
Messages
37
Location
gwynedd
1M15 is passing Crewe cam 4, what does that mean? I just want to learn about headcodes. I know that the first number tells you whether it's a freight or a passenger train. So 1 means it's a passenger train but i don't know what the rest means. Everytime i log on to railcam.uk can i go to a cam and see that 4S47 is passing, should i think to myself that's a freight loco thats passing, or 1F18 is approaching should i think that's a passenger train approaching. Thanks.

Ash
 

Peter C

Established Member
Joined
13 Oct 2018
Messages
4,514
Location
GWR land
Please see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Train_reporting_number for more information regarding headcodes; it will take a while to understand but after learning the basics, you'll find everything else you see on Railcam to fit in with this system. This Wikipedia article will give you plenty of information on what the first number in a headcode means.
Your answers to your examples are correct I believe.

-Peter
 

alecras234

On Moderation
Joined
9 Jun 2015
Messages
37
Location
gwynedd
I have recently joined Railcam.uk which i enjoy using because i get to see trains coming in and going out but what am i on there for, is it just to see the trains and getting the numbers? There is a chat room but i dont understand what they are saying about trains. I say to them, theres 4M45 coming in at 16:35 for instance, that feels good because i've told them the headcode and i know 4 means freight. Is that all people do just get headcodes and class numbers, 66, 47 37 88?

Ash
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top