FGW timings not always true...

[D2022]

I've been studying this for a few weeks now so before anyone says different it is TRUE.

The station departures and arrivals boards often show the train as being on time, yet use the Blackberry or Android app and they say completely different. As does National Rail Enquiries.

So here's a scenario I've noticed...

Train is is due in at say 12:35

Station board says...12:35

National rail says 12:36

Android app from FGW says 12:39

Blackberry app shows 12:37


What do you believe?

I've noticed the android app always, without fail has the correct time of arrival on the live times section. So why don't the station boards have it? The data is obviously there ...

 

[Lrd]

Are they expected departure times? Each app may have different ways of working out when the train is likely to depart.

 

[D2022]

Are they expected departure times? Each app may have different ways of working out when the train is likely to depart.

I believe so, just seems odd FGWs app is always bang on yet their boards aren't.

 

[richw]

Is it possible fgw app uses an internal arrival/ departure system, whereas the other programmes use a external source?

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk 2

 

[PT]

Could be the WTT and GBTT times,as working times and public times sometimes differ.

 

[Lrd]

Could be the WTT and GBTT times,as working times and public times sometimes differ.

That's what I thought at first but there are four different times so can't be right.

 

[jimm]

I believe so, just seems odd FGWs app is always bang on yet their boards aren't.

And which boards would these be? Presumably there are particular locations you have in mind, as I refuse to believe it is a universal issue.

There are, certainly issues at Oxford, where the platform screens often seem to update to an accurate expected time only when northbound trains from Didcot reach Kennington (which I think is the edge of the Oxford panel's control area) when trains are a matter of minutes away - I've no idea which location the previous calculation is made, around Didcot presumably. But this situation is presumably something to do with the interface between Oxford panel and the Swindon panel that runs Didcot area at present.

There is also seems to be some sort of built-in factor in the FGW website's estimated arrivals by which late departures of five or more minutes at Reading are supposed to have magically shrunk to two or three minutes by Oxford, which is rarely the case, as late-running trains that need to weave across the layout at Didcot are often likely to conflict with some other service.

At Oxford the 'expected' time on the screens is the expected arrival time in the platform, definitely not the expected departure time, so I take it that is how other locations are set up as well.

 

[GodAtum]

I have the same issue at Maidenhead. i find the boards more accurate then the FGW app as if my train is cancelled the baords say it well before the app does.

 

[adc82140]

On the North Downs Line, the FGW boards are way off, the NRE app is spot on. FGW blame the large signalling gaps, but how come NRE get it right?

 

[The Planner]

There are, certainly issues at Oxford, where the platform screens often seem to update to an accurate expected time only when northbound trains from Didcot reach Kennington (which I think is the edge of the Oxford panel's control area) when trains are a matter of minutes away - I've no idea which location the previous calculation is made, around Didcot presumably. But this situation is presumably something to do with the interface between Oxford panel and the Swindon panel that runs Didcot area at present.

Sounds about right, Kennington Jn is a mandatory timing point and TRUST and the train describers will report a time there, prior to that it is Didcot North Jn.

 

[whhistle]

Preston, Warrington, Wolverhampton, Birmingham International, Crewe, Rugby, Coventry are all using a new system designed by National Rail themselves to eliminate this sort of thing.

Eventually all TOCs will be invited to join the "Darwin" scheme which feeds the station boards and NRE from sources such as TRUST, track circuits/train describers and LDB forecasts. If a change is made by the operator, it'll change across the board instantly.

Apps like the Blackberry app may be wrong depending on where it gets it's info from. It'll be up to the app author if they want to get the "official" timings from the NRE api.

 

[D2022]

And which boards would these be? Presumably there are particular locations you have in mind, as I refuse to believe it is a universal issue.

There are, certainly issues at Oxford, where the platform screens often seem to update to an accurate expected time only when northbound trains from Didcot reach Kennington (which I think is the edge of the Oxford panel's control area) when trains are a matter of minutes away - I've no idea which location the previous calculation is made, around Didcot presumably. But this situation is presumably something to do with the interface between Oxford panel and the Swindon panel that runs Didcot area at present.

There is also seems to be some sort of built-in factor in the FGW website's estimated arrivals by which late departures of five or more minutes at Reading are supposed to have magically shrunk to two or three minutes by Oxford, which is rarely the case, as late-running trains that need to weave across the layout at Didcot are often likely to conflict with some other service.

At Oxford the 'expected' time on the screens is the expected arrival time in the platform, definitely not the expected departure time, so I take it that is how other locations are set up as well.

Mainly Swindon, bath and westbury but to be honest all the boards on the Wessex and GWML

 

[lemonic]

I have noticed at some FGW stations such as Bristol Temple Meads or Swindon the train will display as 'on time' even if it is expected up to 3 minutes late. Only once a train is expected 3 or more minutes late will it change to indicate the delay. I don't agree with this personally, as I think the accurate expected time should be shown even if it is only 1 minute late.

 

[D2022]

I have noticed at some FGW stations such as Bristol Temple Meads or Swindon the train will display as 'on time' even if it is expected up to 3 minutes late. Only once a train is expected 3 or more minutes late will it change to indicate the delay. I don't agree with this personally, as I think the accurate expected time should be shown even if it is only 1 minute late.

My feelings also, the info is there, it should be given. I'm glad someone agrees.

 

[Charlie2555]

This destination board is clearly very wrong! The train shown here is supposedly 7 hours late although the (Warminster to Westbury) journey is normally less than 10 minutes! Even First Great Western aren't that delayed!


Oh dear First Great Western by Charlie Trains, on Flickr