How many UK trains run on average day?

[OldandRambling]

A news item on the BBC said that "hundreds" of trains are cancelled over Covid staff infections. Said to be around 5%. Got me wondering just how many passenger trains does the UK have running each average weekday?
(I started bragging with some chums on an Amtrak website, where hundreds of cancellations would amount to a national shutdown...)

 

[Dr Hoo]

A news item on the BBC said that "hundreds" of trains are cancelled over Covid staff infections. Said to be around 5%. Got me wondering just how many passenger trains does the UK have running each average weekday?
(I started bragging with some chums on an Amtrak website, where hundreds of cancellations would amount to a national shutdown...)

It used to be between 20,000 and 24,000.

 

[zwk500]

Today, as of 11:23, over 5,900 trains had terminated (reported PPM). So I'd expect by the end of the day between 12,000 and 15,000 to have run given the covid reductions.
That number includes Passenger services only. A further 200+ freights have already run today.

 

[station_road]

And to add to that, ORR figures for 2021/22 Q2 (July - September 2021) show 1,714,206 passenger services planned for those 3 months - that's 92 days at an average of 18,633 trains per day planned (ignoring that Sundays will be quieter and bring the average down), plus freight services.

https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/performance/passenger-rail-performance/

 

[RailAleFan]

Staffing related / short-notice timetable alteration cancellation attributions (may be full or part cancelled) for yesterday (24H) vs ~1 month ago...

2021-12-21 (1013 of ~21000)
+-------+------+--------------------------------------------+
| total | code | cancReason |
+-------+------+--------------------------------------------+
| 395 | 525 | a shortage of train crew |
| 311 | 522 | a member of on train staff being taken ill |
| 140 | 526 | a shortage of train drivers |
| 137 | 918 | a short-notice change to the timetable |
| 24 | 531 | the train driver being taken ill |
| 5 | 530 | the train conductor being taken ill |
| 1 | 901 | a shortage of station staff |
+-------+------+--------------------------------------------+

2021-11-25 (122 of ~20800)
+-------+------+------------------------------------+
| total | code | cancReason |
+-------+------+------------------------------------+
| 103 | 525 | a shortage of train crew |
| 9 | 526 | a shortage of train drivers |
| 4 | 916 | signalling staff being unavailable |
| 3 | 531 | the train driver being taken ill |
| 2 | 524 | a shortage of train conductors |
| 1 | 523 | a shortage of on train staff |
+-------+------+------------------------------------+

(National Rail Enquiries)

 

[Bald Rick]

Pre covid - Weekdays 24,000

Currently, weekdays around 20,500 (before on the day cancellations).

Numbers vary day to day due to engineering works etc.

 

[OldandRambling]

Thanks to all for the replies!

 

[Annetts key]

19202 passenger trains actually ran on Network Rail infrastructure up to 00:48 just now (this is for the previous day and the trains since midnight today 24th Dec).

 

[Bald Rick]

19202 passenger trains actually ran up to 00:48 just now (this is for the previous day and the trains since midnight today 24th Dec).

and there were 5.4% cancellations on the day, which means the base timetable for the day was 20,300 or so. Plus freight.

 

[OldandRambling]

It is great to have such precise information. Is it publicly available anywhere, or is it a case of "knowing the right people to ask"?

 

[Bald Rick]

It is great to have such precise information. Is it publicly available anywhere, or is it a case of "knowing the right people to ask"?

Well, you could spend a few hours counting up all the trains on Real train Times....

 

[Moonshot]

Trains.im website is the one for that

 

[Annetts key]

It is great to have such precise information. Is it publicly available anywhere, or is it a case of "knowing the right people to ask"?

Some railway employees have access to various official information sources including a live (updated every couple of minutes) feed of trains that have run, number of station stops, cancellations figures, delay figures, and some other information. But this is not publicly available as far as I know.

Some of the information is available at the website pointed out by Moonshot above. Here’s a link

 

[Robert Ambler]

I think the original query was how many passenger trains does the UK have running each day.
I think all the figures quoted are for those running on Network Rail. Lets not forget that London Underground alone would add a substantial number to that total, Northern Ireland is part of the UK and there are various other light rail and metro systems etc.

 

[OldandRambling]

I think the original query was how many passenger trains does the UK have running each day.
I think all the figures quoted are for those running on Network Rail. Lets not forget that London Underground alone would add a substantial number to that total, Northern Ireland is part of the UK and there are various other light rail and metro systems etc.

You are quite correct, but it was regular train numbers that I was interested in. I was trying to check whether the "hundreds of trains" cancelled through covid was actually around 5% of the total. I am actually surprised by the huge numbers that have been revealed in answers!

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Live Ppm (both company and national) is certainly available to all crew at my TOC, whether any of them bother looking or not is up to them.

Off the top of my head I can't remember the website it's on but pretty sure you don't need a login

 

[SynthD]

Can I broaden the question: what number of trains of any sort moved, on and off NR rails, within GB in a 24 hour block of your choice?

 

[Neo9320]

Can I broaden the question: what number of trains of any sort moved, on and off NR rails, within GB in a 24 hour block of your choice?

Probably a chance for a new thread. Be intrigued to find out the results…

 

[MKB]

Just one train today, a Santa special. Ran up to 8 minutes late at some stops:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:S73184/2021-12-24/detailed#allox_id=0

 

[Neo9320]

Just one train today, a Santa special. Ran up to 8 minutes late at some stops:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:s73184/2021-12-24/detailed#allox_id=0

Love it!!!! Lmao!!!

Edit: notice he used the Leicester to Burton line, about time it got some use!

 

[SteelWeelApeal]

Can I broaden the question: what number of trains of any sort moved, on and off NR rails, within GB in a 24 hour block of your choice?

One question there is how small do you go? Narrow gauge, model railways, children’s toys?