Arrival at Derby from Birmingham "via Leeds"?

[zwk500]

The whole ‘via…’ is quite unnecessarily unless there is more than one route.

I disagree. If theres a major station en route then it makes sense to nominate it as a via point to aid customers who have a ticket for the 16.45 and know they need to change at Birmingham but not necessarily know its the train ultimately going to Nottingham.

It’s ok for
‘Via Birmingham New St’ for Glasgow to Euston - or ‘via Northampton’ for New St to Euston- n

Ironically I think the LNR services *arent* advertised as via northampton. Presumably the operator tag is considered sufficient clarification.

 

[mmh]

I disagree. If theres a major station en route then it makes sense to nominate it as a via point to aid customers who have a ticket for the 16.45 and know they need to change at Birmingham but not necessarily know its the train ultimately going to Nottingham.

Ironically I think the LNR services *arent* advertised as via northampton. Presumably the operator tag is considered sufficient clarification.

We were talking about arrivals rather than departures here, though.

 

[zwk500]

We were talking about arrivals rather than departures here, though.

Similar point though. If youre meeting somebody who's told you they're on the 1645 from Birmingham, and they'll be at Derby in 45 minutes (numbers made up), its a lot easier to work out which arrival they are on if it says 'via Birmingham' rather than just 'Bournemouth'.

 

[DelW]

Similar point though. If youre meeting somebody who's told you they're on the 1645 from Birmingham, and they'll be at Derby in 45 minutes (numbers made up), its a lot easier to work out which arrival they are on if it says 'via Birmingham' rather than just 'Bournemouth'.

That would be fine, but I think you're missing the point - all those "via" points are beyond Derby, i.e. they're stations the trains haven't yet reached. For instance, the third one down in the photo is a train arriving at Derby from Bristol Temple Meads, but shown as "via Leeds" - which stop is still a couple of hours in the future. How does that make any sense?

 

[Merle Haggard]

The whole ‘via…’ is quite unnecessarily unless there is more than one route. It’s ok for
‘Via Birmingham New St’ for Glasgow to Euston - or ‘via Northampton’ for New St to Euston- n

LNw Euston trains - which can go either via Northampton or Old Line - do not have a route shown on departure boards at Rugby (Up) .
But LNw do consider it useful to show a route for Euston - Birmingham trains at Northampton - 'via Coventry'...

 

[The exile]

That would be fine, but I think you're missing the point - all those "via" points are beyond Derby, i.e. they're stations the trains haven't yet reached. For instance, the third one down in the photo is a train arriving at Derby from Bristol Temple Meads, but shown as "via Leeds" - which stop is still a couple of hours in the future. How does that make any sense?

I don’t think anyone is disputing that these “via” descriptions are stupid. It’s the general principal of “via” points on an arrivals board or even in a departure board when all trains go that way that is now a subject of debate!

 

[Western Sunset]

"Via" descriptions are useful on arrival boards, provided they get the geography of the route correct. In the OPs example, Bristol TM via B'ham NS would be fine, likewise Newcastle via Leeds (or where ever). Looks like a simple fix.

 

[DelW]

I don’t think anyone is disputing that these “via” descriptions are stupid. It’s the general principal of “via” points on an arrivals board or even in a departure board when all trains go that way that is now a subject of debate!

Ah, standard railforums thread drift then ... it's hard to keep up sometimes

 

[Andyjs247]

I’ve wondered myself why they do this at Derby. The via descriptions on the Arrivals board make little sense. If I am meeting someone from Newcastle I am not particularly bothered if the train subsequently goes to Bristol or Reading. Although it might possibly be useful to know whether it had come from Leeds or Doncaster had I been meeting someone off the same train coming from either Yorkshire city.

If I want to go to Birmingham or eg Oxford I would be looking at the departure board! I’m not interested in where the train is from, but in the latter case I’d want to know if the train is direct to Oxford or whether a change in Birmingham is needed. Unless the final destination is also being specified I don’t see the point.