Timetable Archive

[Darandio]

I thought this may be of interest to some here, especially as there had been recent discussion about physical timetables and the preference of many to use electronic versions these days. Some foresee the end of printed timetables happening sooner rather than later.

The database is still a work in progress and it wasn't actually created as a means of preserving them as such, it's more of a resource for scenario creation in the world of Train Simulation, it's therefore in a more simplified Summer/Winter format to remove the complications of the many intermediate timetables there have been over the years. However, given there are often requests here for older timetables and the fact that trawling the archive can be a laborious process, I thought i'd take out the legwork.

I am also aware of similar projects elsewhere, but I wanted my own resource.

https://www.dpsimulation.org.uk/timetables.html

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

What an excellent idea. Is there any value in expanding to include old GBTTs, or even Working Timetables? You’ll need a good scanner...

 

[Darandio]

Indeed I would, and a lot more patience than I have already got!

Once i've caught up with all TOC's and identifed which periods i'm missing, i'd certainly welcome submissions from anyone who could fill the gaps though.

 

[railfan26]

Just wondering will this also include GWR?

 

[Darandio]

Yes, at some point soon hopefully.

 

[railfan26]

Thank you for confirming and what a brilliant idea

 

[krus_aragon]

Just wondering will this also include GWR?

I've got a 1902 GWR timetable at home, is that of any use?

In all seriousness, Darandio, when are you targeting with this project?

 

[Darandio]

I've got a 1902 GWR timetable at home, is that of any use?

In all seriousness, Darandio, when are you targeting with this project?

At the moment i'm really targeting post-privatisation but as with many things, it will no doubt snowball once that mission is complete.

 

[Darandio]

Just wondering will this also include GWR?

I've now added GWR and the first batch of First Great Western.

 

[railfan26]

Thank you for the heads up

 

[Darandio]

Thank you for the heads up

No problem.

 

[bramling]

I thought this may be of interest to some here, especially as there had been recent discussion about physical timetables and the preference of many to use electronic versions these days. Some foresee the end of printed timetables happening sooner rather than later.

The database is still a work in progress and it wasn't actually created as a means of preserving them as such, it's more of a resource for scenario creation in the world of Train Simulation, it's therefore in a more simplified Summer/Winter format to remove the complications of the many intermediate timetables there have been over the years. However, given there are often requests here for older timetables and the fact that trawling the archive can be a laborious process, I thought i'd take out the legwork.

I am also aware of similar projects elsewhere, but I wanted my own resource.

https://www.dpsimulation.org.uk/timetables.html

This sounds like a good thing - it’s interesting and sometimes useful to be able to look back at how things used to be.

 

[Darandio]

This sounds like a good thing - it’s interesting and sometimes useful to be able to look back at how things used to be.

I was a bit sceptical about how much interest there actually would be. But since starting the project around a month ago there have now been over 3200 downloads of the various timetables with the Virgin 2005 summer timetable by far the most requested. Old timetables are a lot more popular than I ever envisaged.

 

[Darandio]

For those interested, the archive received an extensive update at the weekend. Additions include TOC timetables for East Midlands Trains, Midland Mainline, ScotRail, Southern and WAGN along with a whole new raft of full Network Rail working timetables stretching back as far as 2007.

https://www.dpsimulation.org.uk/timetables.html

 

[nw1]

I would be really interested to see timetables for the decade or so before I started using railways regularly (late 1982, i.e during the 82/83 timetable), say the years from 1971/2 up to 1981/2.

In this period, the railway would have been using stock still in common use in the 1980s and 1990s (so I could 'relate to it directly', if you will), but the timetables would, I imagine, be different. I did once have an SR May 1972 timetable (from the Watercress line 10-year anniversary event in Sep 1987) but it went missing long ago.

Southern (SW and Central divisions particularly) and XC (including Manchester/Liverpool - Birmingham) would be particularly interesting. Anyone got scans of any of those online?

Or could we start a series of threads organised by region/operating unit (Southern, LM, WR, XC etc) in which people contribute their own knowledge of timetable patterns over the modern (say 1970 onwards) era?

Thanks,
Nick

 

[Darandio]

For those interested, there have now been further updates to the archive which include a selection of timetables from First Hull Trains, London Midland, Greater Anglia, National Express East Anglia and Anglia Railways. The latter also has London Crosslink and Amsterdam Express timetables included where they were available.

https://www.dpsimulation.org.uk/timetables.html

 

[Darandio]

Just another quick update, i've added some further timetables to the London Midland section that takes them back as far as the Summer 2008 timetable.

The archive also passed 20,000 downloads overnight, I never envisaged the resource would be so well used.

https://www.dpsimulation.org.uk/timetables.html

 

[Darandio]

As the new December timetable comes into force I thought it would probably be beneficial to give an overview of what is now currently in the archive. Not much in the way of recent additions other than those mentioned above although I believe I have now added everything from the new December timetable. Not strictly timetables that can be classed as historic at this point but they will be in the future.

The following companies are now covered. In some cases there are only very recent timetables and in some cases they go back to the start of the millenium:

• Anglia Railways
• Arriva Trains Wales
• c2c
• Caledonian Sleeper
• Chiltern Railways
• Crosscountry
• East Coast
• East Midlands Trains
• Eurostar
• First Great Western
• First Hull Trains
• Gatwick Express
• GNER
• Grand Central
• Greater Anglia
• Great Western Railway
• Hull Trains
• LNER
• London Midland
• London Northwestern Railway
• London Overground
• Midland Mainline
• National Express East Anglia
• National Express East Coast
• Northern Railway
• ScotRail
• Southeastern
• Southern
• South Western Railway
• TfL Rail
• TFW Rail
• Thameslink
• TransPennine Express
• Virgin Trains
• Virgin Trains East Coast
• WAGN
• Wales & Borders
• Wessex Trains
• West Midlands Railway
• Wrexham & Shropshire

For our friends over the pond an archive has also started to build with the following companies:

• Alaska Railroad
• Amtrak
• Brightline
• MARC
• Metrolink
• NJ Transit
• SEPTA

Thanks to those who have been in touch so far to help out and give encouragement. The archive can be found here.

https://www.dpsimulation.org.uk/timetables.html

As well as the archive, I have also listed a page that will be updated when needed that lists all current timetables from UK TOC's. Basically all .pdf files that are listed at multiple different sites but all listed on one easy to use (hopefully!) page.

https://www.dpsimulation.org.uk/currentuktimetables.html

 

[MichaelAMW]

You don't seem to have included the GBTT/NRTT. Is this deliberate?

 

[Darandio]

You don't seem to have included the GBTT/NRTT. Is this deliberate?

Please expand on the abbreviations.

 

[krus_aragon]

That'll be the Great Britain Timetable or National Rail Timetable, the equivalent of the books that BR used to publish.

 

[Darandio]

Ah yes. Do you know the link of where were they located when they were available?

 

[krus_aragon]

Ah yes. Do you know the link of where were they located when they were available?

They currently reside here. I'm not sure where they were on Network Rail's website before its recent redesign.

There's also Working Timetables hosted here.

 

[Darandio]

Thanks. In that case the WTT were already on the main timetables page posted above with the oldest from 2007.

 

[gswindale]

The only issue with the National Rail Timetable is that it only seems possible to download a zip of the individual PDFs these days and not a single document containing the whole lot.