SWR: Train Information (seats available) indicator

[Spongthrush]

How does the ‘carriage occupancy’ display get its data? I asked a guard once and he thought it was based on weight.

Having done a trip yesterday where the first 4 carriages of a 10 coach train were showing ‘plenty of seats’ but actually standing room only, i’d like to know…..

thanks, Ian

 

[Nova1]

Weight sensors in the bogies

 

[lookapigeon]

Complete stab in the dark: I've always thought it is from a sensor mounted on the ceiling or something, and in my experience it only works with certain types of trains mainly the Desiro series. I've not seen it active on the 701s or 455s.

 

[3141]

Information appears on the platform screens at stations on the West of England line, but you can't rely on it.

 

[Nova1]

Information appears on the platform screens at stations on the West of England line, but you can't rely on it.

I believe where it is shown on information screens that is the loading level of reservations?

 

[RobertsN]

I believe where it is shown on information screens that is the loading level of reservations?

It is shown on Southampton to Waterloo services that don't have reservations at all

 

[DelW]

It is shown on Southampton to Waterloo services that don't have reservations at all

Likewise on the Portsmouth Direct. The indications on platform screens often seem to be unrelated to actual numbers in each coach.

 

[Horizon22]

A similar question was asked previously for SWR: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/swr-app.290623/#post-7416627

It’s either historical “average” data, or live data based on weight of each coach continuously reporting back. Not every type of stock can do this reliably though.

 

[Tunnel Bore]

Elsewhere, the Class 700s do this well. I believe it comes from the same data that adjusts the ride height of the bogies. The more load in the carriage, the more air is needed to adjust ride height and this give a decent measure of occupancy.

 

[swt_passenger]

Complete stab in the dark: I've always thought it is from a sensor mounted on the ceiling or something, and in my experience it only works with certain types of trains mainly the Desiro series. I've not seen it active on the 701s or 455s.

AIUI only a relatively small subset of 450/444 got fitted with the IR counters above the doors, but as they generally work on all the different routes they can be used to provide adequate statistics in combination with the load weighing. I think it was also said a few years ago that the normal carriage interior CCTV can also now be used to count passengers.