Changes to 4-Character Headcode Conventions in recent years

[Bald Rick]

I do wonder if there any use at looking at a total reshuffle of headcode numbers to account for the larger numbers of different priority passenger services and the general reduction in variety of freight.

1, 2, 3 descending order of importance of passenger.
4, 5 for ECS
6, 7, 8 for freights.
9 left for special instructions.
0 as is.

How many Class 8s even run these days? Even class 7s there are not a huge number are there?

Was looked at 10 years ago. I forget the details, but I do remember thinking it was a recipe for disaster.

 

[Geeves]

Someone in Northern land decided they wanted to use O and I as headcodes recently but what often happens is someone puts the O as a 0 and from then on you can forget any tracking from anywhere, all the other associated computer systems have no idea what that train is and the GSMR will not register etc. 1I09 never looks right to me. I saw 5S55 traveling around the other day not going anywhere near Scotland of course.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Someone in Northern land decided they wanted to use O and I as headcodes recently but what often happens is someone puts the O as a 0 and from then on you can forget any tracking from anywhere, all the other associated computer systems have no idea what that train is and the GSMR will not register etc. 1I09 never looks right to me. I saw 5S55 traveling around the other day not going anywhere near Scotland of course.

On RTT the font used makes it hard to distinguish a 1 from an I.

Realtime Trains - 1I06 0734 Crewe to Birmingham International

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[bramling]

Was looked at 10 years ago. I forget the details, but I do remember thinking it was a recipe for disaster.

Wouldn’t every TOC want its trains to be top priority?

Personally the idea of class 1 having priority over class 2 I think doesn’t actually work so badly, though obviously with signallers using their judgement and experience on occasions where this might not be the optimum decision. Difficult to measure and make into a performance regime though!

A very interesting thread BTW.

 

[YorksLad12]

Someone in Northern land decided they wanted to use O and I as headcodes recently but what often happens is someone puts the O as a 0 and from then on you can forget any tracking from anywhere, all the other associated computer systems have no idea what that train is and the GSMR will not register etc. 1I09 never looks right to me. I saw 5S55 traveling around the other day not going anywhere near Scotland of course.

On RTT the font used makes it hard to distinguish a 1 from an I.

Realtime Trains - 1I06 0734 Crewe to Birmingham International

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

But if the first, third and fourth characters are always digits, and the second always a letter, it's less of an issue. And if the people entering the characters are getting it wrong... eesh.

A very interesting thread BTW.

Absolutely!

 

[Geeves]

When you look where the O and the 0 are on a computer keyboard it's just asking for trouble. It happens other way around too. So. 2I09 becomes 2IO9 usually after it's passed through somewhere where it has to be entered again manually. I've also seen 21O9. :/

 

[XAM2175]

Someone in Northern land decided they wanted to use O and I as headcodes recently but what often happens is someone puts the O as a 0 and from then on you can forget any tracking from anywhere

It's amusing considering that's a deliberate choice on Eurostar services: 9O14 to Paris pops out in France as EST 9014, 9I28 becomes 9128, and so on.

 

[Wyrleybart]

There was an Ian Allan book in their usual series in the 1960s, which explained the whole structure quite well. 2 shillings and 6 pence if I recall correctly. Why not send the planning staff down to their shop at Waterloo before it closes and see if they have any left at the back of the stockroom ...

British Railways Headcodes

books.google.co.uk

That would need a very comprehensive rewrite !!!!

 

[Eloise]

When you look where the O and the 0 are on a computer keyboard it's just asking for trouble. It happens other way around too. So. 2I09 becomes 2IO9 usually after it's passed through somewhere where it has to be entered again manually. I've also seen 21O9. :/

Our system prevents you putting anything but NANNAA (number, alpha, number etc). Well it will let you but no way to get it published downstream.

Manually entered into a signalling system on the day is different of course.

 

[IanXC]

Q, X are only used for certain trains. Z you won't (shouldn't) see in the WTT but as ever there are small exceptions. I avoid I where possible but it is used.

I've been in a signal box where 2R89 was on the Up and 2R98 was on the Down and passing each other. Not quite a duplicate headcode!

A couple of years ago at Leeds you'd end up with 2C10, 2V10 and 2B10 all on adjacent platforms for departures in the same hour... Always seemed like a recipe for disaster given a keyboard layout!

Another good one is that at Selby at the same time there is something like 1K13 going east and 2K13 going west, seems like exactly what a signaller wouldn't want!

 

[Bald Rick]

A couple of years ago at Leeds you'd end up with 2C10, 2V10 and 2B10 all on adjacent platforms for departures in the same hour... Always seemed like a recipe for disaster given a keyboard layout!

It’s a common theme where trains are numbered sequentially, with the first in a pattern all start at roughly the same time. Look at Charing X off peak departures, with five consecutive departures in 11 minutes every half hour with the same numbers, or Waterloo Main suburban with 7 consecutive in 24 minutes every half hour (with an eighth off the Windsor side).

There used to be a regular wrong route at London Bridge in the evening peak; all the Beckenham Jn trains are 2Hxx, and the peak Littlehamptons were 1Hxx... except for one which had a different calling pattern somewhere so was a 2Hxx. Solved now of course!

 

[Eloise]

Headcodes are tricky, you can’t please all the people all the time,. You fix a problem at Leeds and risk moving the problem down the line to a ’box 50 miles away.

The big ”no” is exactly the same headcode on the same panel within x hours. Once spotted one is changed asap.

 

[Controller1701]

The confusion with same train reporting numbers (head codes are 2 characters displayed to inform customers the route a train is taking (i.e 02 Charing Cross to Maidstone West or stations short there of via Tonbridge) going different ways is why Hastings to Charing Cross and vv are now given reporting numbers of 1Zxx rather than 1Hxx

 

[LA50041]

The confusion with same train reporting numbers (head codes are 2 characters displayed to inform customers the route a train is taking (i.e 02 Charing Cross to Maidstone West or stations short there of via Tonbridge) going different ways is why Hastings to Charing Cross and vv are now given reporting numbers of 1Zxx rather than 1Hxx

All Hasting - Char X trains today are 1H’s

 

[Controller1701]

All Hasting - Char X trains today are 1H’s

Not when the line is shut between the river Medway Bridge at Tonbridge and the London end of Sevenoaks tunnel and planned diversions take place

 

[IanXC]

The confusion with same train reporting numbers (head codes are 2 characters displayed to inform customers the route a train is taking (i.e 02 Charing Cross to Maidstone West or stations short there of via Tonbridge) going different ways is why Hastings to Charing Cross and vv are now given reporting numbers of 1Zxx rather than 1Hxx

Your definition of "head codes" seems to be entirely based on Southern region practice. 'Head code' elsewhere means absolutely nothing to customers!

Also use of 1Zxx in the WTT is very poor practice.

 

[StephenHunter]

The Southern Region practice was "route numbers" IIRC. It could really do with bringing back.

 

[SargeNpton]

Your definition of "head codes" seems to be entirely based on Southern region practice. 'Head code' elsewhere means absolutely nothing to customers!

Also use of 1Zxx in the WTT is very poor practice.

In train planning systems, the Headcode field is where the Southern 2-digit code is input (in those few instances that it is still in use). What most people refer to as the headcode (e.g. 1A60) is the Train ID.

That Train ID and Headcode are used interchangeably can be the source of some confusion as the train planning Headcode field has been used for 10 years or more to store the Retail Service ID that indexes services for seat reservations.

 

[LA50041]

Not when the line is shut between the river Medway Bridge at Tonbridge and the London end of Sevenoaks tunnel and planned diversions take place

Sorry, misunderstood what you were saying

 

[Eloise]

Sorry, misunderstood what you were saying

I think what is implied is Hasting - Charing Cross running via Sevenoaks is shown as 1Hxx. When diverted via Redhill and East Croydon it runs as 1Zxx. The latter would be a one-off weekend amendment hence the 1Zxx.

 

[LA50041]

I think what is implied is Hasting - Charing Cross running via Sevenoaks is shown as 1Hxx. When diverted via Redhill and East Croydon it runs as 1Zxx. The latter would be a one-off weekend amendment hence the 1Zxx.

Yeah realised that when I read it on a PC, trying to read on a phone with all the () the formatting made it look different.
My bad

 

[Merle Haggard]

I can only half-remember the details now, but I think that looking at Virgin/Avanti trains on Open Train Times there were some apparently duplicated schedules, one with a '1Z--' headcode. I was given to understand that two schedules were entered for 'double' Voyagers, for reservation reasons, but can anyone confirm or explain further?

 

[Eloise]

I always thought this was in case the Up Anglo-Scot via Brum was significantly late they'd bring a set of Oxley and run it right time in the existing path and cancel the later runner at New Street. I may be totally wrong so will let my learned colleague challenge me on that!

 

[Merle Haggard]

I always thought this was in case the Up Anglo-Scot via Brum was significantly late they'd bring a set of Oxley and run it right time in the existing path and cancel the later runner at New Street. I may be totally wrong so will let my learned colleague challenge me on that!

Thanks, that does make sense because it was on up Birminghams that I noticed it.
But catching an up train home at International it's been 'cancelled' when it's actually gone T.V. to make up time...

 

[Eloise]

Thanks, that does make sense because it was on up Birminghams that I noticed it.
But catching an up train home at International it's been 'cancelled' when it's actually gone T.V. to make up time...

Guess any decision would be made on the day assuming unit and crew for the 1Zxx could be sourced. As I said though I could be wrong in my thinking.

 

[IrishDave]

I can only half-remember the details now, but I think that looking at Virgin/Avanti trains on Open Train Times there were some apparently duplicated schedules, one with a '1Z--' headcode. I was given to understand that two schedules were entered for 'double' Voyagers, for reservation reasons, but can anyone confirm or explain further?

The use of WTT 1Zxx schedules on Avanti is strictly limited to trains that divide or join en route, e.g. the 1823 Euston-Shrewsbury is 9J38:

Realtime Trains - 9J38 1823 London Euston to Shrewsbury

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

But there is a duplicate 1Z38 1823 Euston-Wolverhampton in exactly the same path:

Realtime Trains - 1Z38 1823 London Euston to Wolverhampton

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

As I understand it, this is a fudge in order to get the booking system to allocate seats in a particular way: without it, someone travelling from Euston to Birmingham could be allocated a seat in the portion going to Shrewsbury, therefore taking up capacity that could be used by someone going to Shrewsbury. By adding in the 1Zxx schedule, the Euston-Birmingham passenger may be allocated to 1Z38, not 9J38, and thus have a seat reservation for the portion terminating at Wolverhampton.

This is specifically for trains that gain or lose carriages en route, not ones that have two portions with different origins or destinations - e.g. it is not necessary for the 1D92 1810 Euston-Holyhead, which splits at Chester but whose rear portion is then 1J32 to Wrexham.

I don't know why the other InterCity TOCs don't seem to need to do the same, though. I have a feeling XC only ever put reservations in one unit, even when something's booked a double Voyager, but I'm not sure.

 

[Merle Haggard]

I don't know why the other InterCity TOCs don't seem to need to do the same, though. I have a feeling XC only ever put reservations in one unit, even when something's booked a double Voyager, but I'm not sure.

Thank you for the explanation - for once, my source was right!

With regard to your last point (above) I have been in the situation of boarding a Stagecoach EM double Meridian at Derby and found I've chosen the one with every seat in 1st class reserved. Trying to move to the emptier set just resulted in me being shouted at to 'get back on the train', so I had to stand. But then EMT couldn't even say which way round a Meridian would be....
To be fair, when that situation occurred (double Voyagers, one fully reserved) on VWC in my experience announcements were made.

 

[GordonT]

Is there a general attempt (as far as is practicable) to allocate "odd" numbers in the train descriptions for one direction and "even" numbers for the opposite direction or is this not a system-wide "thing"?

 

[306024]

Is there a general attempt (as far as is practicable) to allocate "odd" numbers in the train descriptions for one direction and "even" numbers for the opposite direction or is this not a system-wide "thing"?

Certainly applies for services to and from Liverpool St, up is odd numbers, down even numbers.

 

[Ianno87]

Is there a general attempt (as far as is practicable) to allocate "odd" numbers in the train descriptions for one direction and "even" numbers for the opposite direction or is this not a system-wide "thing"?

Yes, that is frequently done.

Some variations exist, e.g. through London Bridge Southeastern use odd numbers for Cannon Street services and even numbers for Charing Cross services.