Interpreting Platform Information Screens

[waterboo]

Hello,

Hope you are all having a fantastic summer!

When the platform information display/timetable shows a expected time of 13:42 for instance...

- Is this the expected arrival time of the train?
- Or, is this the actual departure time of the train?
- Or can i be both?

To contextualize this, i often notice on SWT that services will arrive earlier than the 'expected' arrival time. Thereafter, the service will depart from the platform at the 'expected' arrival time.

Of course, this arriving earlier business only works on the rare circumstances of a good service operating.

 

[swt_passenger]

On platforms (the usual overhead 3 line display) they are showing departure times, either as per timetable or increasing if a train is known to be late.

(Different near London where they use the LU style 'next train in XX minutes').

 

[talltim]

My experience in Sheffield and Chesterfield is that they show the Departure time, unless the train is late when it seems to turn into an optimistic Arrival time...

 

[Crossover]

Should be departure time, but it rarely reflects reality!