Trains which depart earlier than scheduled

[Envy123]

How common is this?

I saw this a couple of times on GN when I arrived in my local station. I look at the departure board and see "Welwyn Garden City - 13:34" then "Expd: 13:31". Once it arrives, it departs 1 minute later, departing earlier than scheduled.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The "Expected" time always shows an arrival time, not a departure time.

 

[Envy123]

The "Expected" time always shows an arrival time, not a departure time.

In my case, the train arrived earlier and then departed before the scheduled departure time.

 

[furnessvale]

In my case, the train arrived earlier and then departed before the scheduled departure time.

There was a recent thread on this subject. Don't expect too much sympathy from some on here, who will expect you to be stood on the platform 5 minutes early in case they want to get away early.

 

[najaB]

How common is this?

I saw this a couple of times on GN when I arrived in my local station. I look at the departure board and see "Welwyn Garden City - 13:34" then "Expd: 13:31". Once it arrives, it departs 1 minute later, departing earlier than scheduled.

If it's less than 2 minutes then it's within the 'margin of error' so to speak. Trains really shouldn't leave more than two minutes early, though it does happen.

 

[furnessvale]

If it's less than 2 minutes then it's within the 'margin of error' so to speak. Trains really shouldn't leave more than two minutes early, though it does happen.

Agreed at minor stations where the guard may be relying on his watch, but it really is unforgivable where there is a platform clock right next to the guard.

Proviso of course that the platform clock is not well out of sync.

I nearly got caught out by a local bus a couple of months ago running at least 4 mins early. Ran and caught it, but 2 stops later he waited a good 5 mins for time. The point being he should have waited time BEFORE entering the populated area NOT as he was just leaving the town.

 

[hounddog]

If it's less than 2 minutes then it's within the 'margin of error' so to speak. Trains really shouldn't leave more than two minutes early, though it does happen.

Two minutes early is accepatable? Trains should *never* leave before the time shown in the public timetable.

 

[exile]

Two minutes early is accepatable? Trains should *never* leave before the time shown in the public timetable.

Certainly not when the next train isn't for an hour or more.

 

[Panda]

If the quoted train was a real train arrived yesterday, then it did exactly what it was supposed to as per the timetable (arrive at 13:31 and leave at 13:32).

 

[najaB]

Two minutes early is accepatable? Trains should *never* leave before the time shown in the public timetable.

I agree that trains shouldn't leave early. However when you start talking sub-two minutes then you're starting to get into the realm of accuracy of timepieces.

 

[DarloRich]

I agree that trains shouldn't leave early. However when you start talking sub-two minutes then you're starting to get into the realm of accuracy of timepieces.

Agreed: it happens from time to time and assume it is due to misreading the timetable and/or the clock

 

[trainmania100]

Passenger services for me is only up to 10 seconds or so earlier than expected
Its the civil engineers that run 500 early and 300 late often when work is being carried out

 

[Minilad]

Another thread that will go round and round in circles.
If someone could start a thread about DOO trains running early the internet will implode

 

[6Gman]

​

Another thread that will go round and round in circles.
If someone could start a thread about DOO trains running early the internet will implode

Only if they were formed of 442s!

 

[bb21]

Another thread that will go round and round in circles.
If someone could start a thread about DOO trains running early the internet will implode

If some felt so strongly that leaving 2 minutes early is "unforgivable", I worry what would happen to them should they run into the guard who buzzed for his driver to leave 10 minutes early at one of our stations recently due to reading his schedules wrong.

By all means send the TOC the taxi receipt, or claim delay compensation should the passenger be subsequently delayed sufficiently, but some on here make it sound like it were the worst kind of crime ever committed.

Departures more than 2 minutes early is rare in case anyone is wondering.

 

[exile]

I agree that trains shouldn't leave early. However when you start talking sub-two minutes then you're starting to get into the realm of accuracy of timepieces.

Timepieces accurate to 2 minutes have been around for centuries. I suggest TOCs supply some to their guards.

 

[455driver]

Another thread that will go round and round in circles.
If someone could start a thread about DOO trains running early the internet will implode

Na, DOO is the panacea according to some on here!

Perhaps the OP could tell us which train left which station on which day early so we can look at the official data to check if it is correct, I wont hold my breath though, but if the info is not forthcoming then this is just another pointless thread moaning about something without posting any proof! :roll:

If the OP has proof then lets all see it!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

There was a recent thread on this subject. Don't expect too much sympathy from some on here, who will expect you to be stood on the platform 5 minutes early in case they want to get away early.

Perhaps if we saw a link to the suggested service we might have some sympathy, otherwise we have sweet FA sympathy for the OP, is that clear enough for you!

 

[krus_aragon]

I nearly got caught out by a local bus a couple of months ago running at least 4 mins early. Ran and caught it, but 2 stops later he waited a good 5 mins for time. The point being he should have waited time BEFORE entering the populated area NOT as he was just leaving the town.

Buses only wait for a departure time at specified timing point, which would typically be every 10-20 stops or so. These timing points are often stops where a bus can stand in a layby for a few minutes while allowing traffic to pass safely.

Sounds like the solution to your problem is to designate an earlier stop as the timing point.

 

[Minilad]

There was a recent thread on this subject. Don't expect too much sympathy from some on here, who will expect you to be stood on the platform 5 minutes early in case they want to get away early.

Any evidence to back up your statement that train crew want to "get away early"
Unless you can provide it I suggest you stop waffling.

 

[DarloRich]

Its the civil engineers that run 500 early and 300 late often when work is being carried out

Why is that a problem? They run to the requirements of the job. No point having your train turn up with fresh ballast if you haven't dug out the old!

 

[furnessvale]

Any evidence to back up your statement that train crew want to "get away early"
Unless you can provide it I suggest you stop waffling.

No evidence at all except that it occasionally happens.

Accident? When the guard is stood under the clock it seems strange.

 

[tsr]

Usual caveat-esque post that at some locations trains are permitted to leave early. Two examples being Clapham Jn and Battersea Park in the Up direction for Southern services. This applies 24/7 for all trains in passenger service. There are comparatively few such stations, though.

 

[40129]

Here's how it can accidentally happen.

Train leaves first station 2 minutes late but then gets a clear run. After several un-eventful stops at minor stations it is possible that the train will make up more than 2 minutes.

Traincrew suddenly notice train is running early and wait time

 

[grumblingalong]

No evidence at all except that it occasionally happens.

Accident? When the guard is stood under the clock it seems strange.

Said guard probably also got up at the crack of dawn, has passed through that station 3 times already that day and made an error. It happens.

I suggest you become a guard and we'll see how long it takes you to do it, with Mrs Miggins wittering in your ear from the doorway about her connection in two hours time from a station 100 miles away, the PA announcing some irrelevant train on the other platform or something about basic travelling etiquette.

And by the way "Getting away early" is nonsense. Not one member of traincrew would do so, ECS yes, service no.

Two minutes gets lost sometimes, it happens, maybe next time you can burn the guard at the stake there and then to save us all the discussion. In the mean time remember many of us here are staff and will correct you.

 

[Minilad]

No evidence at all except that it occasionally happens.

Accident? When the guard is stood under the clock it seems strange.

Yes. It occasionally happens. But not because the train crew want to get away early. It just doesn't work like that.

 

[Saint66]

Was on an East Coast service the other day at Leeds (To KX) which departed over 30 seconds early, and struck me as a bit unusual (Well, at least I hadn't noticed it happening before ).

Though I'm not complaining!

 

[najaB]

Timepieces accurate to 2 minutes have been around for centuries. I suggest TOCs supply some to their guards.

I'm sure that company-provided timepieces don't gain/lose time, but when setting an analogue watch based on another analogue timepiece you can easily be a couple minutes out without realising it. Even if setting time between a two digital devices, unless they both show seconds you can be up to a minute out.

Edit: It also depends on the accuracy of the source clock. I've seen station clocks that disagree to the time displayed on the PIS by over a minute.

 

[Parallel]

I've seen the departure board at a request stop on the Cambrian Coast line, whereby the train was expected to arrive two minutes before the departure time, which shouldn't really happen at a request stop. I did have a look later on RTT, and the train had left Harlech 2 minutes early, which is probably why the departure board said as such, as none of the request stops give any time reading on the Cambrian Coast. I do have a picture of the board somewhere - I'll have to dig it out.

The guard said (on a later train, that week) that if the train isn't calling at many request stops and ends up running early, they usually stop at a request stop even if nobody wants to get on or off, so as to not run early.

 

[chorleyjeff]

I agree that trains shouldn't leave early. However when you start talking sub-two minutes then you're starting to get into the realm of accuracy of timepieces.

Come on !
Even cheap digital watches are accurate
I suppose there is the usual knee jerk reaction to any slight criticism of railway staff to be taken into account.
If a couple of minutes is neither here nor there why would a Northern train set off from Preston just as passengers with luggage have just reached its platform after dashing from the platform where the Virgin train had arrived late? A thirty second wait would have allowed us to get on and avoid a long wait on a cold dark Preston Station.

 

[najaB]

Come on !
Even cheap digital watches are accurate.

See the post two above yours. Precision and accuracy are not the same thing.