Doncaster PIS: logic of where the train currently is

[mm333]

I had time to kill at Doncaster on Saturday and I was trying to work out the logic of between which stations the new PIS says a train currently is:

At around 0913-0915, the boards said the following (and I've looked up each train's location now on RTT):

0946 HT to Hull, currently between Lincoln Central and Doncaster
- it didn't call at Lincoln, and had gone past Gainsborough Lea Road
0916 LNER to Edinburgh, currently between Lincoln Central and Doncaster
- it didn't call at Lincoln, and had gone past Gainsborough Lea Road
0920 LNER to Kings Cross, currently between Durham and Darlington
- had called at Durham and was due to call at Darlington
0920 Northern to Sheffield, currently between Kirk Sandall and Doncaster
- the previous call was Goole, it wasn't scheduled to call at Kirk Sandall, then next stop was Doncaster
0924 Northern to Hull, currently between Swinton and Doncaster
- it didn't call at Swinton, and had already passed Mexborough and possibly Conisbrough at that point
0932 HT to Kings Cross, currently between Selby and Doncaster
- had called at Selby and was next stop Doncaster
0930 TPX to Cleethorpes, currently between Stockport and Sheffield
- had gone past Dore & Totley (didn't call) and was approaching Sheffield
0942 TPX to Manchester Piccadilly, currently between Scunthorpe and Hatfield & Stainforth
- had called at Scunthorpe and was next stop Doncaster. At that point had only just left Scunthorpe so probably hadn't got to Althorpe.

So it's not calling points as trains hadn't called at Lincoln, Kirk Sandall, Swinton et al
It's not only stations where TRUST had data about its passing as most stations have passing data - some between Stockport and Sheffield don't, but a good number do.
It's not only stations that are regularly used by trains passing though Doncaster as Gainsborough Lea Road is used often.

I can't work out what logic lies behind what stations are used.

 

[greyman42]

I had time to kill at Doncaster on Saturday and I was trying to work out the logic of between which stations the new PIS says a train currently is:

At around 0913-0915, the boards said the following (and I've looked up each train's location now on RTT):

0946 HT to Hull, currently between Lincoln Central and Doncaster
- it didn't call at Lincoln, and had gone past Gainsborough Lea Road
0916 LNER to Edinburgh, currently between Lincoln Central and Doncaster
- it didn't call at Lincoln, and had gone past Gainsborough Lea Road
0920 LNER to Kings Cross, currently between Durham and Darlington
- had called at Durham and was due to call at Darlington
0920 Northern to Sheffield, currently between Kirk Sandall and Doncaster
- the previous call was Goole, it wasn't scheduled to call at Kirk Sandall, then next stop was Doncaster
0924 Northern to Hull, currently between Swinton and Doncaster
- it didn't call at Swinton, and had already passed Mexborough and possibly Conisbrough at that point
0932 HT to Kings Cross, currently between Selby and Doncaster
- had called at Selby and was next stop Doncaster
0930 TPX to Cleethorpes, currently between Stockport and Sheffield
- had gone past Dore & Totley (didn't call) and was approaching Sheffield
0942 TPX to Manchester Piccadilly, currently between Scunthorpe and Hatfield & Stainforth
- had called at Scunthorpe and was next stop Doncaster. At that point had only just left Scunthorpe so probably hadn't got to Althorpe.

So it's not calling points as trains hadn't called at Lincoln, Kirk Sandall, Swinton et al
It's not only stations where TRUST had data about its passing as most stations have passing data - some between Stockport and Sheffield don't, but a good number do.
It's not only stations that are regularly used by trains passing though Doncaster as Gainsborough Lea Road is used often.

I can't work out what logic lies behind what stations are used.

I thought it was just a bit of a gimmick to re-assure passengers that their train is on its way.

 

[WizCastro197]

I had time to kill at Doncaster on Saturday and I was trying to work out the logic of between which stations the new PIS says a train currently is:

At around 0913-0915, the boards said the following (and I've looked up each train's location now on RTT):

0946 HT to Hull, currently between Lincoln Central and Doncaster
- it didn't call at Lincoln, and had gone past Gainsborough Lea Road
0916 LNER to Edinburgh, currently between Lincoln Central and Doncaster
- it didn't call at Lincoln, and had gone past Gainsborough Lea Road
0920 LNER to Kings Cross, currently between Durham and Darlington
- had called at Durham and was due to call at Darlington
0920 Northern to Sheffield, currently between Kirk Sandall and Doncaster
- the previous call was Goole, it wasn't scheduled to call at Kirk Sandall, then next stop was Doncaster
0924 Northern to Hull, currently between Swinton and Doncaster
- it didn't call at Swinton, and had already passed Mexborough and possibly Conisbrough at that point
0932 HT to Kings Cross, currently between Selby and Doncaster
- had called at Selby and was next stop Doncaster
0930 TPX to Cleethorpes, currently between Stockport and Sheffield
- had gone past Dore & Totley (didn't call) and was approaching Sheffield
0942 TPX to Manchester Piccadilly, currently between Scunthorpe and Hatfield & Stainforth
- had called at Scunthorpe and was next stop Doncaster. At that point had only just left Scunthorpe so probably hadn't got to Althorpe.

So it's not calling points as trains hadn't called at Lincoln, Kirk Sandall, Swinton et al
It's not only stations where TRUST had data about its passing as most stations have passing data - some between Stockport and Sheffield don't, but a good number do.
It's not only stations that are regularly used by trains passing though Doncaster as Gainsborough Lea Road is used often.

I can't work out what logic lies behind what stations are used.

Why does it matter if the station listed is or isn't a calling point.

In addition Lincoln Central is a major station, people know where Lincoln is. At a quick glance not all of the travelling public will know where Gainsborough Lea Road.

Sure to be more accurate, they could've said Durham and Darlington etc.

 

[30907]

Is it linked to timing points in the WTT?
I would expect Gainsborough Trent Jn to be one, but not Lea Road, while Dore and Swinton are.
But so is Mexborough, while Kirk Sandall isn't but Hatfield and S is, so bang goes my theory!)

 

[johnnychips]

No, it does have its idiosyncrasies: why between Swinton and Doncaster rather than, say, Conisbrough and Doncaster? But I welcomed it tonight when it said ‘this train is between Brough and Goole‘, and, ‘this service is delayed because of a problem with a swing bridge’. That meant I knew the problem hadn’t been resolved, so I could go for a pint in The Draughtsman, RTT being unusually unhelpful.

 

[YorksLad12]

We have this at Huddersfield as well, mainly during delays. I've been on P8 heading back to Leeds of an evening and heard along the lines of: "The xxxx service to xxxx is running xx minutes late and is currently between... Marsden and Slaithwaite." I'm usually waiting for a TPE train which calls at neither. There will be a delay between finding out the train position and reporting it but, as mentioned upthread, at least you know it's coming.

 

[PG]

There will be a delay between finding out the train position and reporting it but, as mentioned upthread, at least you know it's coming.

[Pedant Alert] All well and good but telling me the train is between x and y doesn't tell me if its on the move or not?
If I think it's likely to be along in a few minutes I'll stay put whereas 10-15 minutes gives time to do other things, and if its more then perhaps replan my journey.

 

[YorksLad12]

[Pedant Alert] All well and good but telling me the train is between x and y doesn't tell me if its on the move or not?
If I think it's likely to be along in a few minutes I'll stay put whereas 10-15 minutes gives time to do other things, and if its more then perhaps replan my journey.

I see your pedantry, and call it - you do have to wait for the next announcement to be sure it's on the move. I'd hope the situation of the train - running, stopped, broken - would be obvious from other messages though.

In my example it would normally say something along the lines of "the 21.17 being delayed by approximately 5 minutes and is currently between/at..."