"Check before travelling" they say - but where is best for that?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I get so used to checking trains via the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) site a day or two ahead, journey check feeds on the day, Real Time Trains to see where they are and departure board feeds to supplement that close to that I sometimes forget the "simple stuff". There are numerous "next trains" feeds too - National Rail, ours at places such as http://www.mtug.org.uk/bri.html and http://melksh.am/trains and a number (too many to list, I'm sure) and even lots of links for any stations via (MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains) example) http://www.passenger.chat/MKM for example.

But it's all split between many sources and perhaps too complicated.

Question for me at the Melksham River and Food Festival yesterday - "Where can I check my train for later in the day" - looking for a quick, one-stop, easy to understand solution.  Typical journeys from my enquirer -
1. local return trips (so end of day coming back data would be useful)
2. longer distance journeys with multiple connection and perhaps X London.

Edit - Typo in URL correction

[ChrisB]

First thing to always advise is that changes can be, and currently are being, made within a couple of hours prior to departure from first station. So for example, little point checking in the middle of the morning for an evening return. Staff shortage changes can be very short notice, something I’ve taken up with TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) recently. I guess staff can notify sickness up to shift start? Thus TOCs may not know they are short of driver(s) until then?

I have a modicum of sympathy if this is the case, but in which case, advise your customers of a good time to check I guess?

[grahame]

So for example, little point checking in the middle of the morning for an evening return.

I appreciate that late changes can and do happen and you should recheck... but are you really suggesting that if I'm headed from Melksham to Weymouth on a Sunday for a day trip, and check at (say) 07:00 when I wake, that there is little point in taking note of the 20:06 Westbury to Swindon cancellation that was announced at 3 a.m.?  If you are suggesting that ... what's the point in it being on public JourneyCheck?

I have a modicum of sympathy if this is the case, but in which case, advise your customers of a good time to check I guess?

Indeed but
* Check where
* Not much good suggesting a time to check AFTER they have made their outward journey on a day trip. Please note, ChrisB, that there's the context of an infrequent service in play at Melksham (and Newquay and Weymouth) where a single cancellation cannot realistically be answered by "never mind - there sill be another along in half an hour"

[eightonedee]

Point well made Grahame

The anxious passenger who checks early in the morning to see if their afternoon train is running and sees that it is cancelled will immediately assume that is correct and plan accordingly. They would not think about checking again to see if its reinstated. They will only be checking AA Roadwatch to see if there are any traffic problems on their route...

[ChrisB]

I was making the reverse point - that if you chevk at 7am that a train is running, say at 7pm for a return, my advice currently is to NOT bank on that being the case, and to check again say, after 2pm, in case the driver allocated is no longer available. That way if it is cancelled, you generally have time to rearrange & catch an earlier train