Timetable for freight services

[Skidderwolf]

Hello everyone - first post on this forum. I have always had a fascination with trains especially freight and have recently started visiting stations to watch and record them passing through. I am midlands based so Water Orton one of the stations that I visit for watching freight but I end up standing around not knowing when the next train will pass through - Is there a published freight timetable that I am able to get hold of to enable me to plan my visit for a busy time?

 

[zwk500]

Hello everyone - first post on this forum. I have always had a fascination with trains especially freight and have recently started visiting stations to watch and record them passing through. I am midlands based so Water Orton one of the stations that I visit for watching freight but I end up standing around not knowing when the next train will pass through - Is there a published freight timetable that I am able to get hold of to enable me to plan my visit for a busy time?

Welcome!
Not as such - most freight will be variable on which days it runs. However if you switch to the detailed view on Realtimetrains and look back over a few days you can generally identify those paths more likely to run.

 

[py_megapixel]

Go to https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/, enter your station in the "Location" section, select "Custom Times" under "When?" and enter a time/date, and under "Service Type" choose "Freight Services".

This shows what freight paths are timetabled. However not all of these will run. Working out which ones will actually run is a bit difficult and varies from day to day - the best advice is probably just to look back over the past few days, as @zwk500 has already said.

 

[Skidderwolf]

Welcome!
Not as such - most freight will be variable on which days it runs. However if you switch to the detailed view on Realtimetrains and look back over a few days you can generally identify those paths more likely to run.

Thankyou for the reply, I will take a look at this site. It is quite nice waiting around for the next train to arrive - I find a quiet station platform oddly relaxing but it would be useful to have some idea of the next arrival.

 

[jfollows]

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/the-timetable/working-timetable/ includes freight working timetables; unfortunately the decision has been made to hide the latest and current version of the timetables but you can probably infer a lot from the previous versions. As above, the timetable shows paths which may not be used; it also shows the real reporting numbers of freight trains.

 

[Skidderwolf]

Go to https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/, enter your station in the "Location" section, select "Custom Times" under "When?" and enter a time/date, and under "Service Type" choose "Freight Services".

This shows what freight paths are timetabled. However not all of these will run. Working out which ones will actually run is a bit difficult and varies from day to day - the best advice is probably just to look back over the past few days, as @zwk500 has already said.

Thanks for this, Have just been on the site and it shows a fair few timetabled services - any idea what the columns STP and TOC mean on the timetable?

 

[D6975]

STP - an indication of the planning of the service WTT = working timetable, VAR = Variation on WTT, STP = Short term planning etc.
TOC = Train Operating Company

 

[Skidderwolf]

STP - an indication of the planning of the service WTT = working timetable, VAR = Variation on WTT, STP = Short term planning etc.
TOC = Train Operating Company

Thanks

 

[GB]

You can also look at the time the schedule was activated to further see what is expected to run. For example if the train is due to depart origin at 1323 but the schedule was activated at 0930 then the schedule would have been manually activated in the railway system so will be expected to run.

 

[55002]

Thanks

Have a look at the traksy website too, This actually shows you trains that are around. It’s a signalling diagram map. ZZ in the TOC section of real-time trains are the freight workings

TRAKSY.UK

Live train maps and timetables

traksy.uk

 

[30907]

You can also look at the time the schedule was activated to further see what is expected to run. For example if the train is due to depart origin at 1323 but the schedule was activated at 0930 then the schedule would have been manually activated in the railway system so will be expected to run.

...and if it has actually started its journey it will reach you, and you will have some idea when!

 

[Freightmaster]

Hello everyone - first post on this forum. I have always had a fascination with trains especially freight and have recently started visiting stations to watch and record them passing through. I am midlands based so Water Orton one of the stations that I visit for watching freight but I end up standing around not knowing when the next train will pass through - Is there a published freight timetable that I am able to get hold of to enable me to plan my visit for a busy time?

Yes!

Water Orton is one of over 100 manually curated (to remove spurious/non running paths) freight timetables that is part of the Freightmaster Online subscription service;
In addition to the timetables, there are also over 100 accompanying 'Realtime Maps' which show live train movements with real headcodes.

In addition to the use of real headcodes, the main 'selling point' of the Freightmaster timetables are the unique details provided for each train,
including type of train, operating FOC, usual motive power, usual (as opposed to timetabled) running days, etc.

Finally, FMonline also provides access to exclusive info such as daily loco TOPS lists and test train diagrams via a subscribers-only forum.


I currently have over 700 satisfied subscribers, but because FMonline is a paid for service, I realise that people reading this may be
somewhat unsure whether they can justify the cost, so I offer a monthly payment option whereby you can 'give it a try' for just £7.95.



If anyone has any questions, give me a shout!




MARK