Who diagrams the timetables?

[MythTrain]

Hello everyone!

I was looking at possible railway careers, and how timetables are made suddenly caught my attention, since it could be a very interesting career (if it's not done by a computer that is).

If anyone knows, it would be super great if anyone knows anything about this role, who they work for (is it based on the operators or network rail) and anything else that could be relevant.

I hope you all are having a nice evening!

Best wishes,

Myth

P.S - Sorry if this is a double post, or I have formatted it wrong, I'm new to this website so I'm still learning how things work

 

[Bald Rick]

Welcome to the forum.

There are several answers to your question!

But the short and summary version is that Network Rail and all TOCs have timetabling teams.

Network Rail are responsible for the timetable process overall, and have a large team based in Milton Keynes who do the timetabling work. There are regular intakes of entry level positions, but living somewhere that is relatively easy to get to Milton Keynes is a must.

All train and freight operators also have timetabling and resourcing teams. The size of the team depends on the size of the operator - c2c have a small team (easy timetable, small network), Northern have a large team (the opposite!). The timetabling teams prepare draft timetables which are then sent to Network Rail for collating, deconflicting, processing and publishing; the resourcing teams devise the diagrams (schedules) that provide rolling stock and train crew to each timetabled service. There are also rostering teams who devise the rosters that allocate individual drivers / train managers to the train crew diagrams.

And yes there are several computer systems that assist, or at least claim to.


If you want more info on what the timetabling process entails, then google ‘Network Code, Part D’. It’s a long document, written in a language that is a cross between legalese and timetabling, and is often prescribed as a remedy for insomnia. But it does explain who does what, if not in simple terms.

Good luck!

 

[Harpo]

Timetabling and diagramming are very different. Timetables are schedules while diagrams are a work plan for resources such as trains and their crews.

The bit that diagrams do have in common with timetables is historical. Diagrams were originally drawn up as a time/distance graph much like a timetable graph.

Some continental diagrams still use graphs but with time on the x-axis and multiple single horizontal lines, one for for each resource, noting their origin and destination against time.

 

[whoosh]

@MythTrain

An old post, and it's getting on for a quarter of a century now rather than ten years, but hopefully gives an idea of what's involved in train planning:

Train Planners

I'm interested in this role, is there any members here who do this as their job who can give me some insight into the role? Looks challenging and would certainly be different to anything I've previously done in any job role.

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Horizon22]

@MythTrain

An old post, and it's getting on for a quarter of a century now rather than ten years, but hopefully gives an idea of what's involved in train planning:

Train Planners

I'm interested in this role, is there any members here who do this as their job who can give me some insight into the role? Looks challenging and would certainly be different to anything I've previously done in any job role.

www.railforums.co.uk

Don't think the fundamentals of train planning have changed though (or indeed really will), although the software and interfaces will obviously be different.

 

[LickeyIncliner]

Don't think the fundamentals of train planning have changed though (or indeed really will), although the software and interfaces will obviously be different.

I agree that the fundamentals of passenger train planning have remained the same - trying to make sure that a finite amount of stock can operate an appropriate timetabled service without trains getting in each other's way or attempting anything impossible. But it must have got enormously simpler over the last 60-70 years with the elimination of steam (and the need to take on water, or for a succession of engine on long journeys), the move to fixed formation trains, and most recently the near-complete use of multiple units - so the most complicated thing a train can now do en route is to couple to or uncouple from another unit. Then again, over the latter part of those decades it's got much more difficult with (in most places) increased services operated by smaller fleets over reduced infrastructure (singled lines, simplified junctions etc).

Getting back closer to the OP, it's an interesting question how the task may change in future decades. I for one would keen (on social and economic grounds) to see a greater diversity of places linked by some direct trains, for people who have difficulty with changes or simply prefer an uninterrupted journey (e.g. to work en route). To an outsider it seems very odd that - to take a random example - Edinburgh has an hourly service to Plymouth, but no through trains to Liverpool (apart from one TPE stopping service that arrives after midnight!). Whether that will improve remains to be seen.

 

[MythTrain]

Welcome to the forum.

There are several answers to your question!

But the short and summary version is that Network Rail and all TOCs have timetabling teams.

Network Rail are responsible for the timetable process overall, and have a large team based in Milton Keynes who do the timetabling work. There are regular intakes of entry level positions, but living somewhere that is relatively easy to get to Milton Keynes is a must.

All train and freight operators also have timetabling and resourcing teams. The size of the team depends on the size of the operator - c2c have a small team (easy timetable, small network), Northern have a large team (the opposite!). The timetabling teams prepare draft timetables which are then sent to Network Rail for collating, deconflicting, processing and publishing; the resourcing teams devise the diagrams (schedules) that provide rolling stock and train crew to each timetabled service. There are also rostering teams who devise the rosters that allocate individual drivers / train managers to the train crew diagrams.

And yes there are several computer systems that assist, or at least claim to.


If you want more info on what the timetabling process entails, then google ‘Network Code, Part D’. It’s a long document, written in a language that is a cross between legalese and timetabling, and is often prescribed as a remedy for insomnia. But it does explain who does what, if not in simple terms.

Good luck!

Wow, thank you so much - I was not expecting anyone to be as knowledgeable as this! This is super interesting, I'm currently reading Network Code Part D, thank you so much for the advice!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Feb 2025 ==

Timetabling and diagramming are very different. Timetables are schedules while diagrams are a work plan for resources such as trains and their crews.

Ah! I'd always wondered what the difference it, but never put my finger on it. Thanks!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Feb 2025 ==

@MythTrain

An old post, and it's getting on for a quarter of a century now rather than ten years, but hopefully gives an idea of what's involved in train planning:

Train Planners

I'm interested in this role, is there any members here who do this as their job who can give me some insight into the role? Looks challenging and would certainly be different to anything I've previously done in any job role.

www.railforums.co.uk

Thanks, I'll read through this once (or if...) I finish Network Code Part D.

Don't think the fundamentals of train planning have changed though (or indeed really will), although the software and interfaces will obviously be different.

Yes. Is it done using computers now them, as opposed to by hand a few decades ago?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Feb 2025 ==

I agree that the fundamentals of passenger train planning have remained the same - trying to make sure that a finite amount of stock can operate an appropriate timetabled service without trains getting in each other's way or attempting anything impossible. But it must have got enormously simpler over the last 60-70 years with the elimination of steam (and the need to take on water, or for a succession of engine on long journeys), the move to fixed formation trains, and most recently the near-complete use of multiple units - so the most complicated thing a train can now do en route is to couple to or uncouple from another unit. Then again, over the latter part of those decades it's got much more difficult with (in most places) increased services operated by smaller fleets over reduced infrastructure (singled lines, simplified junctions etc).

Getting back closer to the OP, it's an interesting question how the task may change in future decades. I for one would keen (on social and economic grounds) to see a greater diversity of places linked by some direct trains, for people who have difficulty with changes or simply prefer an uninterrupted journey (e.g. to work en route). To an outsider it seems very odd that - to take a random example - Edinburgh has an hourly service to Plymouth, but no through trains to Liverpool (apart from one TPE stopping service that arrives after midnight!). Whether that will improve remains to be seen.

Yes definitely.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Feb 2025 ==

@MythTrain

An old post, and it's getting on for a quarter of a century now rather than ten years, but hopefully gives an idea of what's involved in train planning:

Train Planners

I'm interested in this role, is there any members here who do this as their job who can give me some insight into the role? Looks challenging and would certainly be different to anything I've previously done in any job role.

www.railforums.co.uk

Wow, seems like an interesting job that you did! Do you still do it nowadays, or have you moved on?

 

[whoosh]

Wow, seems like an interesting job that you did! Do you still do it nowadays, or have you moved on?

I drive trains these days. Train Planning was an interesting job though.

 

[MythTrain]

I drive trains these days. Train Planning was an interesting job though.

Ah nice!