Where to find Delay/Cancellation Reasons for Services (Live)

[Nicholas B]

Hello, all.

So, with regards to live rail sources online which state the reason a train is delayed/cancelled, there is none, as far as I know. The only place, as fare as I'm aware, to see the delay/cancellation reasons for individual live services is an app - Fasteroute.

Are there any WEBSITES which include this information? And I'm specifically talking about websites which provide live train service information (similar to RTT) and not generic disruption reasons (such as National Rail Inquiries).

Thanks.

 

[jfollows]

For example, https://www.journeycheck.com/avantiwestcoast/

 

[MrJeeves]

The live running information system, Darwin, will provide disruption reasons from a predefined list.

The TrainSplit Android (and soon iOS) app offers a Live Times feature which will show you departure boards and also allow you to view a service, including disruption reasons. Railboard on iOS is another good example.

@Gaelan has a simple website which displays information from Darwin, which includes cancellation/delay info, but I believe this is limited to on-the-day services.

TrainSplit also offers a timetable lookup website, https://timetables.trainsplit.com/, which will include this information too. This can be used to look at services in the past, too.

I'm not aware of any other sites which have user-facing historical Darwin service lookup support if you're interested in viewing journeys in the past.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

There are two main live data sources for train running information, one used by realtime trains comes via Network Rail, and the one used by departure boards, most apps, and most websites including journey check above that ones from National Rail.
At various times these can say different things since they are for different purposes.

E.g. Realtime trains will say cancelled due to "a person hit by a train", but Journeycheck will say "the emergency services dealing with an incident".

 

[Iron_Duke]

There are two main live data sources for train running information, one used by realtime trains comes via Network Rail, and the one used by departure boards, most apps, and most websites including journey check above that ones from National Rail.
At various times these can say different things since they are for different purposes.

E.g. Realtime trains will say cancelled due to "a person hit by a train", but Journeycheck will say "the emergency services dealing with an incident".

Where does National Rail take its data feed from?

 

[Vexed]

Where does National Rail take its data feed from?

A system called Darwin, which itself is connected to the systems TOC controls use to mange things during disruption and normal running like Tyrell.

Darwin Data Feeds | National Rail

Darwin data feeds are openly available to everyone. Darwin is the GB rail industry’s official train running information engine, providing real-time arrival and departure predictions, platform numbers, delay estimates, schedule changes and cancellations.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

 

[Parallel]

I use OnTrainTimes. https://www.ontimetrains.co.uk

You can use the filters to select a departure station, and a location where the train calls at and it will give you a colour shaded calendar. If you select the date you want, it gives you a list of services and if there’s a reason attributed a the delay or cancellation.

So for example I can see the 06:38 Weymouth to Gloucester on 15th January had been cancelled between Westbury and Gloucester due to “a fault on this train.”

 

[TUC]

Not that the reasons given are necessarily accurate....

 

[Nicholas B]

I use OnTrainTimes. https://www.ontimetrains.co.uk

You can use the filters to select a departure station, and a location where the train calls at and it will give you a colour shaded calendar. If you select the date you want, it gives you a list of services and if there’s a reason attributed a the delay or cancellation.

So for example I can see the 06:38 Weymouth to Gloucester on 15th January had been cancelled between Westbury and Gloucester due to “a fault on this train.”

Haha funny you selected 15th January which just so happens to be my birthday.

 

[Mattplans]

I think https://railchecker.app/ is very good. On iOS I use Railboard

 

[Nicholas B]

Thanks guys.

 

[WTT Gremlin]

Excuse the slight pedantry, but it is very important... The reason for a train(s) being delayed/cancelled/missing booked stop, is not necessarily the same, as what the delay minutes will be attributed to per the Delay Attribution Principles and Rules (DAPR).

Is also worth nothing that delay attribution codes do frequently change, and delay minutes are also frequently move between delay incidents. And, particularly at times of significant disruption, do consider that time taken to try ensure the right reason is communicated when not vital, is time which could be spent (likely more usefully) dealing with the incident/service recovery.