Understanding Codes On Open Train Times?

[phil8715]

My brother has kindly directed me to the Open Train Times dot com and on the maps it gives you a view as if you were in a signal box complete with the 4digit describer box where you can see the trains moving using their 4 digit head codes.

I understand about 1Axx 2Axx and so on but what I don't understand is a code using 3 numbers and a letter at the end such as 422H what are these trains?

Also in the description box there's something DETS, T3, ITDM.

Does anybody have any idea what these codes mean?


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[Temple Meads]

It's basically a randomised "headcode" used for freight and certain other non-passenger services, as far as I am aware, the correct headcode cannot be deciphered from it, but I'm willing to be corrected.

Not sure about the latter codes I'm afraid.

 

[Freightmaster]

what I don't understand is a code using 3 numbers and a letter at the end such as 422H what are these trains?

As Temple Meads says, those codes represent freight services,
where the headcodes are scrambled for commercial reasons.

However, you can still tell the 'class' of each train from the first digit
(class 4 in the example you gave above).

The other more bizarre codes that you mention represent things like
engineering blocks placed on a particular section(s) of line, usually
overnight or at weekends.

MARK

 

[phil8715]

So 422H be actually 4H22 then?


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[Freightmaster]

So will 422H be actually 4H22 then?

Afraid not!!

The last three digits are completely randomised/meaningless
with a new code generated each time the train runs!

MARK