Live signalling diagrams

[BS56]

And browsing a forum about railways couldn't possibly be conceived as "for geeks"?

To keep yourself safe online it's in your interest to know what a web browser is, and which browser you are using. Easily Googled, five minutes of learning that may save yourself a considerable headache later on.

Anyway - download Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox and use that to access signal maps and see if it works

I have downloaded Microsoft edge and it seems to work now but how do you get the more complex diagrams that show track circuit indications and signal number's etc ? Used to be able to do it some time back forgotten now.

 

[GB]

There are a few hot keys.

S = signals
D = signal berth
P = points
T = location names

A few others that I can't remember

 

[buz33]

E = toggle delay mode
V = show TD

More info is available, if you hover the cursor over trains/signals/points/berths.

 

[IanXC]

There are a few hot keys.

S = signals
D = signal berth
P = points
T = location names

A few others that I can't remember

Which site is this for please?

 

[ainsworth74]

Which site is this for please?

Signal maps

 

[Freightmaster]

As it should be, as everyone have their own preferences.

I've edited the OP to include all mentioned - that's five now - any more?

As nobody else has mentioned it on the thread so far, my website (Freightmaster Online) features
over 120 Realtime Maps, which use the same graphics and feed processing 'back end' as Railcam,
but my maps are all drawn from scratch to provide coverage based on multiple routes converging
on specific freight 'hotspots' to accompany my freight timetables rather than covering individual
routes/lines as the other sites tend to do.

FMonline is a subscription website (running it is my full time job), so my maps are only really
'cost effective' of you are also interested in the other features of FMonline (timetables, loco and
wagon TOPS lists, etc), but if anyone is interested in seeing one of my maps for a specific area,
send me a PM and I'll sort something out...

I'm the first to admit that I don't have the technical/coding skills of guys like takno and Shwam3,
so rather than 'bells and whistles' I instead concentrate on making my maps more geographically
accurate; map-like I suppose!

You won't find any signal maps for areas controlled by Mechanical Signalbox's as I don't think they can generate a useable data feed.

As per other replies, it's possible to have a functional Train Describer on a 100 year old box,
but no data from a panel installed in the 1990s!

Down my way, Manea to Peterborough isn't covered because of that very reason.

As takno has already mentioned, it's technically possible to show data from 'manual' reports
input by signallers into TRUST on signalling maps but by their vary nature, such reports tend
to be so unreliable/delayed that showing them can be counter productive.

Having said that, I have managed to utilise a limited amount of TRUST data to slightly extend
the geographical coverage some of my maps to cover locations such as Grindleford, Ancaster,
Kidwelly, Low House Crossing (S+C), Tutbury and Hatton and last but not least Manea to Stonea!





MARK

 

[takno]

As takno has already mentioned, it's technically possible to show data from 'manual' reports
input by signallers into TRUST on signalling maps but by their vary nature, such reports tend
to be so unreliable/delayed that showing them can be counter productive.

Having said that, I have managed to utilise a limited amount of TRUST data to slightly extend
the geographical coverage some of my maps to cover locations such as Grindleford, Ancaster,
Kidwelly, Low House Crossing (S+C), Tutbury and Hatton and last but not least Manea to Stonea!

The slight extensions are definitely the most successful. Exmouth works like a dream, and I reckon I could probably get places like Morecambe working as well. On the other hand I've never really been happy with Paignton, even though on the face of it it's too simple to go wrong.

In spite of the hours I spent at the station as a kid I totally underestimated the complexity of Worcester, with 5 manual boxes, multiple sidings in continuous use, stabling and depot facilities. I think the map is better than nothing, but not a *lot* better.

The absolute winner though was the Stourbridge Town branch, which I got nicely coded up before I realised that they just dump all the info in as a single batch once every couple of hours.

 

[Mike99]

I'm looking at Signalmaps for the first time, but I can't seem to get much joy moving from one area to the next. For Example, I looked at Elgin and a train I was following moved forwards towards Inverness but I then couldn't find the next map along. Any tips be welcome and thanks in advance of any replies

 

[GB]

Where the line on the map ends look for “To xxxxx” Ie on the map you were looking at look for “TO INVERNESS”. If there is another map available you can click on it and it will go to the next map along. If no other map is available you can’t click it.

 

[Steve Harris]

As per other replies, it's possible to have a functional Train Describer on a 100 year old box,
but no data from a panel installed in the 1990s!

Ok, I will concede, I should of said many rather than any.

As takno has already mentioned, it's technically possible to show data from 'manual' reports
input by signallers into TRUST on signalling maps to by their vary nature, such reports tend to be so UNRELIABLE/DELAYED that showing them can be counter productive.


MARK

Hence why I said "signal maps for areas controlled by Mechanical Signalbox's as I don't THINK they can generate a USABLE data feed. "

If data is unreliable/delayed, it is as you said "can be counter productive" and thereby unusable, as it is no longer accurate.

So I can't really see why you quoted my post, as we are actually agreeing !

Btw, sorry for the CAPS, but for some unknown reason you can't bolden/italic or underline in posts when viewing this forum on a mobile device using firefox. So had to use caps to highlight the important bits.

Obviously as time moves on the current amount of dead area's will get less and less due to upgrades/resignaling/technology etc etc

 

[Rum and Raisin]

Raildar has a "junction map" drawn to scale relative to the geography. It shows Train ID but not Headcode, though.

Raildar - Historic train arrival times

Live and Historic information and statistics

raildar.co.uk

 

[Freightmaster]

The absolute winner though was the Stourbridge Town branch, which I got nicely coded up before I realised that they just dump all the info in as a single batch once every couple of hours.

Whoops!

Although not as extreme as that, this is the main issue I have experienced with 'manual' TRUST reports;
you can look at a train on (for example) RTT after it has run and see numerous reports for manual
signalboxes which show the train in question arriving/departing/passing particular stations and junctions
accurate to the nearest minute, but many of the reports are input retrospectively/in batches, so they can
appear in the data feeds 'out of order', especially near the border of a TD area.





MARK

 

[sw1ller]

I use tracksy and OTT a lot at work. Helps me out massively when I’m on shunt duties, as well as when I’m sat in the loop at mayfield, I can check the signal from my phone so I can sit in the saloon and chat to the guard.
So I’d like to say a massive thank you to the creators for all their hard work, you’ve saved me countless extra walking on a gruelling 9 hour night shift.
If the creator of OTT is here, could you make Chester appear when you type “chester” on the map screen. I have to type “shotton” to bring up Chester. That would be the only slight improvement but it’s very minor.
Also, on all maps I see there’s a crossover between chester and Crewe, between CR24 & CR22 signals. That doesn’t exist. Never understood why it’s visible. It’s even on the system at work so I know it’s nothing to do with the creators. It just confuses people.
Again, great work and thank you.

 

[The Planner]

I use tracksy and OTT a lot at work. Helps me out massively when I’m on shunt duties, as well as when I’m sat in the loop at mayfield, I can check the signal from my phone so I can sit in the saloon and chat to the guard.
So I’d like to say a massive thank you to the creators for all their hard work, you’ve saved me countless extra walking on a gruelling 9 hour night shift.
If the creator of OTT is here, could you make Chester appear when you type “chester” on the map screen. I have to type “shotton” to bring up Chester. That would be the only slight improvement but it’s very minor.
Also, on all maps I see there’s a crossover between chester and Crewe, between CR24 & CR22 signals. That doesn’t exist. Never understood why it’s visible. It’s even on the system at work so I know it’s nothing to do with the creators. It just confuses people.
Again, great work and thank you.

There is rogue infrastructure on a lot of them, including TPS within NR.

 

[kevin_roche]

Does anyone else have the same issue as I do?

Many applications and sites are moving to a black background. It saves power on the display and some people prefer it, but I actually have trouble reading the smaller text on signalmaps for example. So although the information on signalmaps is good I would prefer to look at the page on open train times.

 

[Mcq]

Does anyone else have the same issue as I do?

Many applications and sites are moving to a black background. It saves power on the display and some people prefer it, but I actually have trouble reading the smaller text on signalmaps for example. So although the information on signalmaps is good I would prefer to look at the page on open train times.

Me too - so I use OTT - the new KX area map is really good now - I also prefer OTT's route locking using green.
All personal of course.

 

[GB]

Does anyone else have the same issue as I do?

Many applications and sites are moving to a black background. It saves power on the display and some people prefer it, but I actually have trouble reading the smaller text on signalmaps for example. So although the information on signalmaps is good I would prefer to look at the page on open train times.

You can zoom the page to a level that suits you. I have mine at 175%.

 

[Freightmaster]

There is rogue infrastructure on a lot of them, including TPS within NR.

Absolutely. Having been caught out myself on a number of occasions with sidings/loops/crossovers
which have long since been 'plain lined', whenever I create/update one of my maps now, I always
try and find a recent "drivers eye view" on YouTube - the Hastings DEMU ones are particularly good!





MARK

 

[takno]

Absolutely. Having been caught out myself on a number of occasions with sidings/loops/crossovers
which have long since been 'plain lined', whenever I create/update one of my maps now, I always
try and find a recent "drivers eye view" on YouTube - the Hastings DEMU ones are particularly good!

I quite often do this as well, particularly for areas I'm struggling to visualise. The surprising thing is the amount of completely fictional infrastructure that appears on official documentation.

 

[Aictos]

I loaded up the King's Cross map last night on signalmaps and was surprised to see that it was displaying not only a single yellow aspect on a signal just to the north of Finsbury Park but it was also showing it as a flashing aspect too.

I don't know how long that's been there or how it's possible but it's a good touch.

The only thing with the site in question is the limited maps of the current Thameslink network, the best one for the network I find is Trakys simply because of the area each map covers which must take time to do.

 

[Wychwood93]

I loaded up the King's Cross map last night on signalmaps and was surprised to see that it was displaying not only a single yellow aspect on a signal just to the north of Finsbury Park but it was also showing it as a flashing aspect too.

I don't know how long that's been there or how it's possible but it's a good touch.

The only thing with the site in question is the limited maps of the current Thameslink network, the best one for the network I find is Trakys simply because of the area each map covers which must take time to do.

Just had a look at Finsbury Park and a flashing green at K414 - up slow (or up 1?).

 

[Aictos]

Just had a look at Finsbury Park and a flashing green at K414 - up slow (or up 1?).

Definitely had a flashing yellow on that site, it's the only site that I'm aware of that has any flashing signal aspects.

Do like the delay attribute colours for the services although I personally would like the ability to customise them for my own use, if that's actually possible.

 

[Sunset route]

Just had a look at Finsbury Park and a flashing green at K414 - up slow (or up 1?).

I believe that your only seeing Panel colours is red is red and green is for any proceed aspect ie single yellow, double yellow or green and that flashing green actually represents one of the two yellow signals depending on how many aspects the actual signals show on the ground.

 

[Goldfish62]

One thing Traksy and Signalmaps do have in common is that they appear to be updated promptly when any changes are carried out, and also their diagrams seem to be more accurate than OTT.

I've actually tended to find the opposite with Tracksy v OTT. OTT updated the layout and signals around the new Feltham depot within a week or so commissioning, but it took several months for Tracksy. With the Twickenham/Richmond area resignalling at Easter OTT was updated the same day as it went live while it's only just been updated on Tracksy.

Perhaps timeliness of updates just vary.

 

[takno]

I've actually tended to find the opposite with Tracksy v OTT. OTT updated the layout and signals around the new Feltham depot within a week or so commissioning, but it took several months for Tracksy. With the Twickenham/Richmond area resignalling at Easter OTT was updated the same day as it went live while it's only just been updated on Tracksy.

Perhaps timeliness of updates just vary.

Presumably in the case of the Wessex region Peter has access to advance details of the changes. I don't.

 

[Goldfish62]

Presumably in the case of the Wessex region Peter has access to advance details of the changes. I don't.

Fair enough!

 

[swt_passenger]

Fair enough!

The opposite has occurred with the Southampton Western Docks though. It’s been a couple of months and OTT still gives very odd routes in the vicinity, with many passenger services westbound from Southampton P4 seemingly headed into the docks…

 

[Verulamius]

I note that there is a difference between the new Kings Cross maps between Traksy and OTT.

There is a crossing between line D and E. Traksy has it before the turn off to the canal tunnels (looking up) , whilst OTT has it afterwards. I think that OTT is right?

 

[swt_passenger]

I note that there is a difference between the new Kings Cross maps between Traksy and OTT.

There is a crossing between line D and E. Traksy has it before the turn off to the canal tunnels (looking up) , whilst OTT has it afterwards. I think that OTT is right?

OTT shows what’s present in the various “after” diagrams and more recent photos as seen in the Kings Cross remodelling thread.

 

[Steve Harris]

I've actually tended to find the opposite with Tracksy v OTT. OTT updated the layout and signals around the new Feltham depot within a week or so commissioning, but it took several months for Tracksy. With the Twickenham/Richmond area resignalling at Easter OTT was updated the same day as it went live while it's only just been updated on Tracksy.

Perhaps timeliness of updates just vary.

Presumably in the case of the Wessex region Peter has access to advance details of the changes. I don't.

And the flip side of that OTT had the layout of the exit (to the Up Slow) wrong for months. I sent them an email, and it only got updated when the map also got updated for Kings Cross. (I'm still waiting for the acknowledgement email saying thanks).

Were as @takno promptly replies and updates the map as soon as he is aware of a change/error and doesn't wait around for "other" updates. Tbh, he does well for a one man band.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 May 2021 ==

Just had a look at Finsbury Park and a flashing green at K414 - up slow (or up 1?).

I have just seen that on signalmaps, It seems (to me) to be for showing (in advance) the diverging route into Platform 1 at Finsbury Park (ie Up Slow1 to Up Slow2).