Bletchley Upper (BLU)

[Bletchleyite]

Does anyone know why platforms 7 and 8 at Bletchley are in the system as a separate station rather than as part of the existing one? I've not seen this done before, and it isn't the case at stations like Tamworth and Lichfield which have upper and lower parts.

Is it so additional interchange time can be added to these two platforms (as it's a longer walk to them) without messing up the standard 5 minutes at the rest of it?

If that is the case, how come Earlestown isn't in as two stations as that has a fairly long walk between the two parts of the station?

 

[150219]

This http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/crs/crs2.shtm broadly covers it.

IIRC there was a problem with the original code allocated, but that might be incidental.

 

[DarloRich]

Does anyone know why platforms 7 and 8 at Bletchley are in the system as a separate station rather than as part of the existing one?

De facto one station though surely?

 

[Horizon22]

Does anyone know why platforms 7 and 8 at Bletchley are in the system as a separate station rather than as part of the existing one? I've not seen this done before, and it isn't the case at stations like Tamworth and Lichfield which have upper and lower parts.

Is it so additional interchange time can be added to these two platforms (as it's a longer walk to them) without messing up the standard 5 minutes at the rest of it?

If that is the case, how come Earlestown isn't in as two stations as that has a fairly long walk between the two parts of the station?

My initial question will be which “system”? Because there are multiple stations that technically have differentials but for front facing systems are treated as the same.

For instance Paddington (EL) and Liverpool Street (EL) are treated as the same station as the NR equivalents for journey planning purposes (PAD / LST), but in many others are not (PDX&PAD, LSX&LST)

 

[Bletchleyite]

My initial question will be which “system”? Because there are multiple stations that technically have differentials but for front facing systems are treated as the same.

Realtime Trains is where I've seen it. The signage however does just say Bletchley. That is, it has a separate CRS code.

 

[Supercoss]

A train routed via fenny stratford or Milton Keynes can serve either high level or low level (BLY) so different code required To signify route .

 

[swt_passenger]

I remember this dual CRS thing was discussed in the main EWR thread about last October, and I think it’s just because they haven’t got round to linking the codes together for public facing information purposes. There’s the same underlying two code setup at Tamworth and Lichfield for example, but they’ve been tweaked for customer facing information.

 

[SargeNpton]

There are around a dozen stations that, for operating purposes, are split into 2 parts - which requires them to have 2 NLCs and 2 CRS codes. However, in all public-facing systems that use the rail industry supplied fares and location code data they should be managed in the background so that all the constituent parts are treated as being part of the main station.

Those systems that create their own lists of locations would need to implement their own workaround so ensure that Bletchley's high-level platforms are treated as part of the existing station.

 

[RGM654]

A train routed via fenny stratford or Milton Keynes can serve either high level or low level (BLY) so different code required To signify route .

Fair enough if that is the case, but how is it different from incoming trains having a choice of platforms at any station?

 

[Robski]

Separate CRS codes for the same station are nothing new. For example in some data feeds the CRS code for the Elizabeth line platforms at Paddington is "PDX".

Public facing systems will probably be updated closer to time of opening to group the separate TIPLOCs under one CRS code.

A train routed via fenny stratford or Milton Keynes can serve either high level or low level (BLY) so different code required To signify route .

CRS codes are not used to indicate route. A significant proportion of non-station locations do not have them.

 

[Bald Rick]

My initial question will be which “system”? Because there are multiple stations that technically have differentials but for front facing systems are treated as the same.

For instance Paddington (EL) and Liverpool Street (EL) are treated as the same station as the NR equivalents for journey planning purposes (PAD / LST), but in many others are not (PDX&PAD, LSX&LST)

Realtime Trains is where I've seen it. The signage however does just say Bletchley. That is, it has a separate CRS code.

As others have said, lots of examples of stations having different CRS codes in railway systems that are merged for Real Train Times etc. Including Tamworth and Lichfield! St Pancras has 3 - STP for Platforms 1-4, SPX for 5-11 and SPL for the Thameslink platforms.

 

[Supercoss]

Fair enough if that is the case, but how is it different from incoming trains having a choice of platforms at any station?

The 3 letter code also has an associated ‘stannox’ numner used for scheduling it might just be different platform numbers 7 and 8 but the end route is what is important
choice of platforms not an issue if on same route, no good scheduling something say to Watford junction via Bletchley high level as end route not achievable.
internal systems such as trust can be interrogated by CRS code or stannox
( station name number or x + code)

 

[The Planner]

The 3 letter code also has an associated ‘stannox’ numner used for scheduling it might just be different platform numbers 7 and 8 but the end route is what is important
choice of platforms not an issue if on same route, no good scheduling something say to Watford junction via Bletchley high level as end route not achievable.
internal systems such as trust can be interrogated by CRS code or stannox
( station name number or x + code)

Unless someone has messed up royally, you wouldn't be able to plan to High Level from a non achievable route.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Waterloo comes to mind as officially one station with two codes (WAT, WAE).

Are there any other examples of one station with two codes? None of the stations I can find with separate low level platforms (Glasgow Central, Glasgow Queen Street, Liverpool Street, Liverpool Lime Street, Liverpool Central, Moorfields, Paddington, Shotton) have separate codes for upper and lower

 

[Bletchleyite]

Waterloo comes to mind as officially one station with two codes (WAT, WAE).

Waterloo East is shown in retail systems as a different station.

 

[SargeNpton]

Waterloo comes to mind as officially one station with two codes (WAT, WAE).

Are there any other examples of one station with two codes? None of the stations I can find with separate low level platforms (Glasgow Central, Glasgow Queen Street, Liverpool Street, Liverpool Lime Street, Liverpool Central, Moorfields, Paddington, Shotton) have separate codes for upper and lower

Waterloo and Waterloo East are two separate stations, so the two CRS Codes are necessary.

To add to your list: Farringdon, Whitechapel, Tamworth, Lichfield Trent Valley, Retford, Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International (though the Eurostar side of those last three are not currently used).

 

[Sheddyone]

Waterloo and Waterloo East are two separate stations, so the two CRS Codes are necessary.

To add to your list: Farringdon, Whitechapel, Tamworth, Lichfield Trent Valley, Retford, Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International (though the Eurostar side of those last three are not currently used).

Smethwick Galton Bridge used to list High Level and Low Level separately on some apps. Not seen that for a while though.

 

[JB_B]

...

To add to your list: Farringdon, Whitechapel, Tamworth, Lichfield Trent Valley, Retford, Stratford International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International (though the Eurostar side of those last three are not currently used).

Railway codes ( http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/crs/crs2.shtm ) helpfully provides this list and a fairly plausible explanation for the existence of dual CRS codes:-


"Some stations running over two separate lines have a different CRS code for each line. Normally only one works for national rail enquiries.

The reason for most of these stations having two codes was for the old Disabled Passenger Reporting System (DPRS), which allowed staff assisting disabled passengers to know to which part of the station to direct their attention. DPRS no longer exists.


Ebbsfleet International EBD EBF
Glasgow Central GLC GCL
Glasgow Queen Street GLQ GQL
Heworth HEW HEZ
Highbury & Islington HHY HII XHZ
Lichfield Trent Valley LTV LIF
Liverpool Lime Street LIV LVL
Liverpool South Parkway LPY ALE
London St Pancras STP SPL SPX
Retford RET XRO
Tamworth TAM TAH
Willesden Junction WIJ WJH WJL
Worcestershire Parkway WOP WPH


Additionally, for this station there is some doubt over the existence of dual codes:

Smethwick Galton Bridge SGB GTI

The first code shown above defines the whole station for all passenger ticketing and train enquiries. The subsequent code(s) in each group are recognised by most retail systems but are converted to the first code in the background."


I think that this was at one point the case at Richmond too - but not any longer it seems.