Where to find out freight workings?

[F2002]

Hi All,

Can someone tell me where they are able to find out information on various freight workings?

Or is it just a case of waiting and hoping?

 

[Tim R-T-C]

There are a variety of places.

Freightmaster is a quarterly book and/or subscription website that gives you info on scheduled freight working, including headcodes and likely traction.

RealTimeTrains is great for finding short planned workings, although it displays all working timetabled freight paths even though many never run.

 

[F2002]

There are a variety of places.

Freightmaster is a quarterly book and/or subscription website that gives you info on scheduled freight working, including headcodes and likely traction.

RealTimeTrains is great for finding short planned workings, although it displays all working timetabled freight paths even though many never run.

I'm looking for traction/freight workings around Earlstown/Newton-le-willows

 

[455driver]

If you are serious about it (IE not just going out occasionally) then Freightmaster is well worth the money especially the online version which is kept as up to date as possible.

Disclaimer-
No connection except as a subscriber etc etc.

 

[F2002]

If you are serious about it (IE not just going out occasionally) then Freightmaster is well worth the money especially the online version which is kept as up to date as possible.

Disclaimer-
No connection except as a subscriber etc etc.

I contract so my work patterns are forever changing, this is only for casual sightings really.

 

[Freightmaster]

If you are serious about it (IE not just going out occasionally) then Freightmaster is well worth the money especially the online version which is kept as up to date as possible...

...and as of today only costs £12 for access through to the end of September!

http://www.freightmaster.net/payment.html


MARK

 

[Domh245]

If it is for casual spotting then RTT will be best for you: I've done an example of tomorrow (4th August) at Newton-le-willows, having selected the time period that I'm interested in (all day in this case) and have put in the services column to only find freight services.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...8/04/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=freight&order=wtt

You can then do similar things for any other station, and by clicking on each train listing, you can see more details, such as what type of loco will be hauling the train, and track its progress in real time

 

[F2002]

If it is for casual spotting then RTT will be best for you: I've done an example of tomorrow (4th August) at Newton-le-willows, having selected the time period that I'm interested in (all day in this case) and have put in the services column to only find freight services.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...8/04/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=freight&order=wtt

You can then do similar things for any other station, and by clicking on each train listing, you can see more details, such as what type of loco will be hauling the train, and track its progress in real time

Awesome that's what I was looking for. Shame the mobile app doesn't have the same functionality

 

[Boothby97]

If it is for casual spotting then RTT will be best for you: I've done an example of tomorrow (4th August) at Newton-le-willows, having selected the time period that I'm interested in (all day in this case) and have put in the services column to only find freight services.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...8/04/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=freight&order=wtt

You can then do similar things for any other station, and by clicking on each train listing, you can see more details, such as what type of loco will be hauling the train, and track its progress in real time

It's doesn't show what is hauling what on RTT

 

[Condor7]

Awesome that's what I was looking for. Shame the mobile app doesn't have the same functionality

If you use your internet connection on your phone instead of the app you will get all the functionality you need.

Choose the advanced option and then under 'Location' click 'Show extra search options' (in blue)

 

[FQ]

FMI is definitely best as it shows what loco is running it, the real head code (unlike the mumbo jumbo of RTT), gives you timetables for hundreds of stations and every single freight working. Also on the forum there is a TOPS list to show you what is running what.

 

[Freightmaster]

If it is for casual spotting then RTT will be best for you: I've done an example of tomorrow (4th August) at Newton-le-willows, having selected the time period that I'm interested in (all day in this case) and have put in the services column to only find freight services.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...8/04/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=freight&order=wtt

Good luck to see any of those running!!

As pointed out by others, RTT only shows paths,
so it often gives a hopelessly optimistic impression
of what is likely to pass a particular location.

Now, that's not such a problem if the location in question
is your regular 'haunt' and you know off by heart which trains
are not likely to run, but for the majority of enthusiasts who
don't have such knowledge, RTT can be misleading when used
to try and predict in advance what is likely to pass a particular
location; although it is excellent for doing what it is designed
to do: tracking the progress of trains 'on the day' once they
have set off...

you can see more details, such as what type of loco will be hauling the train

????? :roll:

RTT cannot (and does not) show the loco class (or unit class
in the case of passenger trains) which is booked to operate
a particular service.


MARK

 

[87019Chris]

On RTT you are best off if you look very close to the time as you will be able to then see if they running or not. also many of the paths are either Q trains or runs as required but they are activated close to the time of departure. Also the type of locomotive is specified by means that it will say that it is a diesel or an electric or a form of multiple unit. Not a class of locomotive.

HTH
correct me if I'm wrong
Chris

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Also the type of locomotive is specified by means that it will say that it is a diesel or an electric or a form of multiple unit. Not a class of locomotive.

Although even that does not mean too much. Most of the WCML intermodals are listed for electric locomotive but show up behind a 66, while I frequently see 1Qxx test trains listed as being the HST but showing up as 67s.

Personally I use it in advance only to look for STPs, for that it is invaluable and does away with the painful "secret insider gen" on such workings. Seen loads of stuff locally that I would not have known about by just selecting STP only passing Keighley.

 

[Condor7]

Good luck to see any of those running!!
MARK

As you correctly point out Mark, in the end only one of the eight shown actually ran.

 

[87019Chris]

Although even that does not mean too much. Most of the WCML intermodals are listed for electric locomotive but show up behind a 66, while I frequently see 1Qxx test trains listed as being the HST but showing up as 67s.

Personally I use it in advance only to look for STPs, for that it is invaluable and does away with the painful "secret insider gen" on such workings. Seen loads of stuff locally that I would not have known about by just selecting STP only passing Keighley.

If I'm being totally honest in an ideal world I would have a FM subscription but I can quite afford it so RTT does the job I need it to its simple but still useful also you can tell what usually doesn't run by looking back at past workings and its origin and departure if it a place you wouldn't associate with freight and in the dead of night then its likely not to run. Also the STP search function on this is very good as Tim says.