Find train by unit number

[trient]

Long time lurker and sorry if this is a newbie question, but is there an (easy-ish) way for finding the inbound service (headcode) for a given outbound train unit number? (not the unique UID or reporting number)

Case in point, often times I'm sat at Euston waiting for a delayed train. I know from RTT what the unit number is (say 390xyz). I can't seem to find a way with RTT or any of the open signal websites to find the train that 390xyz is currently running on, without knowing its headcode. I can manually search RTT or the signal websites, looking at similar inbound trains, until I find the right one - but that can be very tedious when my inbound train from Glasgow is stuck somewhere in the Midlands for example.

Most of the websites can only search by headcode (or in the case of traksy the UID) but not by the physical unit number. More broadly speaking, we have this for planes where you can search by tail number and get the full history & upcoming flights - is this available for trains at all?

 

[Trainguy34]

If you go on quick-search on RTT you can search it, or if it's the previous / future working you can just follow the platform to find it

 

[_toommm_]

Long time lurker and sorry if this is a newbie question, but is there an (easy-ish) way for finding the inbound service (headcode) for a given outbound train unit number? (not the unique UID or reporting number)

Case in point, often times I'm sat at Euston waiting for a delayed train. I know from RTT what the unit number is (say 390xyz). I can't seem to find a way with RTT or any of the open signal websites to find the train that 390xyz is currently running on, without knowing its headcode. I can manually search RTT or the signal websites, looking at similar inbound trains, until I find the right one - but that can be very tedious when my inbound train from Glasgow is stuck somewhere in the Midlands for example.

Most of the websites can only search by headcode (or in the case of traksy the UID) but not by the physical unit number. More broadly speaking, we have this for planes where you can search by tail number and get the full history & upcoming flights - is this available for trains at all?

For operators that release their allocations on RTT, you can search the unit in the top right hand search bar to see what its currently on. This should change to what it will next work when its current working arrives at its destination, as long as that unit is allocated to something else.

 

[The exile]

For operators that release their allocations on RTT, you can search the unit in the top right hand search bar to see what its currently on. This should change to what it will next work when its current working arrives at its destination, as long as that unit is allocated to something else.

Though beware of last minute changes!

 

[GordonT]

More broadly speaking, we have this for planes where you can search by tail number and get the full history & upcoming flights - is this available for trains at all?

Apologies for brief off-topicness but what is the best website for accessing such a (plane) search?

 

[FuzzyDuck]

Apologies for brief off-topicness but what is the best website for accessing such a (plane) search?

I use FlightRadar24.com.

 

[trient]

Apologies for brief off-topicness but what is the best website for accessing such a (plane) search?

FlightRadar24 is indeed the golden standard. There's also FlightAware.com and PlaneFinder.net

 

[vidal]

Slightly adjacent to the topic, and I'm sure it's been asked before. Why don't all companies release the unit / loco numbers to RTT?

James

 

[trient]

If you go on quick-search on RTT you can search it

For operators that release their allocations on RTT, you can search the unit in the top right hand search bar to see what its currently on. This should change to what it will next work when its current working arrives at its destination, as long as that unit is allocated to something else.

D'oh, thank you both, never thought of the quick search (maybe because it's hidden by default on mobile).
Any other tools show the unit? None of the maps seem to have it.

or if it's the previous / future working you can just follow the platform to find it

Sorry what do you mean by follow the platform? For delayed trains I find the RTT estimated platform mostly unreliable, but anyway, the platform is only confirmed when the train actually pulls in - I was interested in tracking the train much earlier.

 

[skyhigh]

Sorry what do you mean by follow the platform?

You can normally make a fair guess from the booked platforms.

Hypothetically, if unit X is due to arrive into platform 3 at 17.56, the next departure from platform 3 is probably the same unit if nothing is booked to arrive before then.

 

[Robski]

Slightly adjacent to the topic, and I'm sure it's been asked before. Why don't all companies release the unit / loco numbers to RTT?

James

There is a project somewhere within NR to make one of the data feeds for unit allocations public through open data (so not exclusive to RTT), although as things stand this is delayed.

 

[GordonT]

Apologies for brief off-topicness but what is the best website for accessing such a (plane) search?

FlightRadar24 is indeed the golden standard. There's also FlightAware.com and PlaneFinder.net

Thanks for the gen.

 

[trient]

You can normally make a fair guess from the booked platforms.

Hypothetically, if unit X is due to arrive into platform 3 at 17.56, the next departure from platform 3 is probably the same unit if nothing is booked to arrive before then.

Well yes, eventually maybe, but the point was to first guesstimate how long my train was going to be delayed for. The actual platform (right or wrong) won't be of much relevance if the train is 30-60' away.

Slightly off-topic, if my booked train at say 18:40 is delayed, and the 19:10 is at platform, can I take it on an advance/single ticket (not anytime) ticket?

 

[43096]

Well yes, eventually maybe, but the point was to first guesstimate how long my train was going to be delayed for. The actual platform (right or wrong) won't be of much relevance if the train is 30-60' away.

If you know what the planned departure time/platform is you should be able to work out the arrival time of the incoming working and see how late it is?

 

[Bevan Price]

Make sure that RTT is in detailed mode, and enter, for example London Euston.
You should get a list of all arrivals & departures.
You know what time your train is due to arrive, so, for example if you select the 14:40 arrival from Birmingham today (11 July):

Realtime Trains | Departures from London Euston between 0600 and 2000 on 10/07/2025

Train information at London Euston between 0600 and 2000 on 10/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Click on the column showing the train headcode: 1Y40, and that should give full details about that train, including departure time, and passing times at intermediate locations (up to the time you click the link), e.g.

Realtime Trains | 1Y40 1236 Birmingham New Street to London Euston | 10/07/2025

Real-time train running information for 1Y40 1236 departure from Birmingham New Street to London Euston on 10/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

(Note that RTT links expire after about 7 days)