Train headcodes

[david252]

As a relative newcomer to this site could someone tell me where to find out this information.

Frequently you see references such as 1S19 but I would like to know the train to which this refers. Thanks

 

[GW43125]

Look no further than www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Type either a station or a "train code" into the search box and it will bring up the departures at that station or all the matches for that day for the code you've entered

For example, this is the only 1S19 running today: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y60081/2017/11/09/advanced

 

[Lrd]

Real Time Trains and Open Train Times are both very useful, especially the maps on OTT.

Please be aware that freight train headcodes are scrambled so you wouldn't be able to search for these.

 

[Lukespenceruk1]

Real Time Trains and Open Train Times are both very useful, especially the maps on OTT.

Please be aware that freight train headcodes are scrambled so you wouldn't be able to search for these.

Out of interested why are these scrambled?

 

[Lrd]

Out of interested why are these scrambled?

I believe it was a request by the freight companies due to commercial sensitivity reasons.

 

[A Challenge]

If you find a scrambled code you can search for it, for example type in 165B into RTT quick search* and will come up.
with http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H20144/2017/11/09/advanced. Could I ask why a Class 1 working is scrambled, and also why it is an ECS HST move (normally 3 and 5)? I saw it at Derby on the OTT maps and was wondering why there was a scrambled Class 1, so looked it up by searching the code



* as shown here:

 

[221129]

If you find a scrambled code you can search for it, for example type in 165B into RTT quick search* and will come up.
with http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H20144/2017/11/09/advanced. Could I ask why a Class 1 working is scrambled, and also why it is an ECS HST move (normally 3 and 5)? I saw it at Derby on the OTT maps and was wondering why there was a scrambled Class 1, so looked it up by searching the code

View attachment 39303

* as shown here:
View attachment 39304

Because it is a Colas working. So it would be scrambled due to that.

 

[Master29]

As a relative newcomer to this site could someone tell me where to find out this information.Frequently you see references such as 1S19 but I would like to know the train to which this refers. Thanks

Wikipedia gives you some info on number and letter definitions but as you will eventually find out these rules don`t always apply.

 

[GB]

If the train is running under a FOCs safety case (ie is run or operated by a FOC) it will still be scrambled....Unless the FOC is GBRf.

Think of it as company scrambled rather than class scrambled.

 

[PHILIPE]

You may find this thread useful

www.railforums.co.uk/threads/headcodes.119739

 

[Lrd]

You may find this thread useful

www.railforums.co.uk/threads/train-headcodes.144775vv

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/train-headcodes.144775/

 

[E_Reeves]

I find traksy.uk handy as you can pop a headcode in and it'll immediately list all services with that headcode but only for unscrambled. Also, what's the point in scrambled headcodes. I've heard that they're randomly scrambled but I've seen where services that follow each other have a sequence for example 454V, then the next freight will be 455V for example.

 

[221129]

I find traksy.uk handy as you can pop a headcode in and it'll immediately list all services with that headcode but only for unscrambled. Also, what's the point in scrambled headcodes. I've heard that they're randomly scrambled but I've seen where services that follow each other have a sequence for example 454V, then the next freight will be 455V for example.

But that sequence bares no significance to reality.

 

[GB]

I've heard that they're randomly scrambled but I've seen where services that follow each other have a sequence for example 454V, then the next freight will be 455V for example.

Thats definitely just a coincidence.

 

[hooverboy]

Out of interested why are these scrambled?

due to the nature of the goods they may or may not carry.
could be anything from fertiliser to nuclear fuel rods.

 

[GB]

While this was the reason banded about by operators when open data started coming out, anyone that wants to know what the train is wont have to look very far as the schedules (with their origin and destination) are widely accessible to anyone with an Internet connection.

The only thing scrambling does is hide the operator slightly. But again, anyone that wants to know probably already does.

 

[221129]

due to the nature of the goods they may or may not carry.
could be anything from fertiliser to nuclear fuel rods.

That has nothing to do with it at all.

 

[Freightmaster]

I've heard that they're randomly scrambled but I've seen where services that follow each other have a sequence for example 454V, then the next freight will be 455V for example.

The 'scrambled' headcodes are issued incrementally in order of activation each day,
so to use the example above, 454V might have been activated at 1022, and 455V
at 1026 (with no other class 4s activated in the intervening four minutes).

That's definitely just a coincidence.

True, but because far fewer class 4s run each day than class 6s, and because many
of them operate on the same routes (particularly the WCML) it's certainly possible for
consecutive 'headcodes' to be running around the same time in the same area - I have
seen it happen myself on several occasions!

Also, what's the point in scrambled headcodes...?

To keep me in business!!



MARK

 

[A Challenge]

If the train is running under a FOCs safety case (ie is run or operated by a FOC) it will still be scrambled....Unless the FOC is GBRf.

Think of it as company scrambled rather than class scrambled.

Thanks for that - I assumed it was only 4 and 5-8 that got scrambled! Despite that being very useful, its not answering the question completely, why is an ECS running Class 1?

 

[FGW_DID]

Thanks for that - I assumed it was only 4 and 5-8 that got scrambled! Despite that being very useful, its not answering the question completely, why is an ECS running Class 1?

If it’s COLAS operated and and timed for an HST, it’s more than likely the Network Rail NMT and would probably be running as a 1Qxx, so not ECS.

 

[E_Reeves]

due to the nature of the goods they may or may not carry.
could be anything from fertiliser to nuclear fuel rods.

You can tell that most of the time anyway from the origin and destination. E.g Crewe Coal Sdgs to Dungeness British Energy and vice versa

 

[Freightmaster]

If it’s COLAS operated and and timed for an HST, it’s more than likely the Network Rail NMT and would probably be running as a 1Qxx, so not ECS.

The train in question was actually 1Z17 - I understand that due to limitations of the Train Describer system,
test trains to/from the former Western Region cannot run as 1Qxx or 3Qxx.


MARK

 

[221129]

The train in question was actually 1Z17 - I understand that due to limitations of the Train Describer system,
test trains to/from the former Western Region cannot run as 1Qxx or 3Qxx.


MARK

They can and do on a regular basis...

 

[Freightmaster]

They can and do on a regular basis...

In that case, it must have be a specific (older) PSBs which have (or had!) this limitation,
rather than the entire WR, and some of the 1Zxx headcodes still in use are almost certainly
no longer necessary, but are kept for the sake of continuity?


MARK