Barry Doe in the latest RAIL, which just arrived today, gives a link (www.fabdigital.uk/gbrtv1) to a new publication, digital only for now, which aims to provide a national rail timetable in a clearer format than NR's production. I have checked table 101, Manchester-Southport, and found it very much clearer than Northern's pamphlet. Indeed, I have printed it out at 2 pages per sheet and printed on both sides, using 8 sheets of A4 paper - very convenient and still legible. I urge everyone to have a look and send feedback to the designers.
The tables also give train reporting numbers at the head of each column, and fuller information on connections than the NR book/file.
The table numbering is anti-clockwise from London as before, but differs from NR, and not all tables include the same stations as in the NR book.
My only regret is that it did not go the whole hog and adopt UIC rules for table numbering, with each main line being given a number such as 100,200, 300 etc. and related groups of lines being fitted into numerical sets of ten. I once worked this out for Britain after being impressed with the ease of reference of the old DB timetable, which worked in this way. It was a fascinating exercise (begun to while away the time in the departure lounge at Düsseldorf airport). The BR radial system lent itself to the idea, so that 100-199 was the SE, 200-299 the South Central, 300-399 the SW, 400-499 the Western, 500-599 the WCML, 600-699 the Midland , 700-799 the ECML, 800-899 the Great Eastern and 900-999 Scotland; the 2-digit numbers 10-99 were available for long distance summaries, especially of some cross-country routes. Tables 1- 9 could have been used for international trains via HS1. It all seemed much more logical than what we have now.
The tables also give train reporting numbers at the head of each column, and fuller information on connections than the NR book/file.
The table numbering is anti-clockwise from London as before, but differs from NR, and not all tables include the same stations as in the NR book.
My only regret is that it did not go the whole hog and adopt UIC rules for table numbering, with each main line being given a number such as 100,200, 300 etc. and related groups of lines being fitted into numerical sets of ten. I once worked this out for Britain after being impressed with the ease of reference of the old DB timetable, which worked in this way. It was a fascinating exercise (begun to while away the time in the departure lounge at Düsseldorf airport). The BR radial system lent itself to the idea, so that 100-199 was the SE, 200-299 the South Central, 300-399 the SW, 400-499 the Western, 500-599 the WCML, 600-699 the Midland , 700-799 the ECML, 800-899 the Great Eastern and 900-999 Scotland; the 2-digit numbers 10-99 were available for long distance summaries, especially of some cross-country routes. Tables 1- 9 could have been used for international trains via HS1. It all seemed much more logical than what we have now.