Headcodes and train IDs: ongoing discussion.

[whole diary]

[Electric train]

All of the head codes I have come across and still do are in the 1A23 2B45 etc formate I have never come across head codes without the second digit  being a letter

This site is useful http://headcodes.info/index.php

[inspector_blakey]

EBrown, like I said it's possible that some timetabling departments call the RSID a headcode, but in my opinion they do so in error. It is simply not correct to state "definitively" that the digits of the RSID are the headcode because in the real world of the operating railway that's just not true.

However, I only work in operations for one of the biggest rail companies in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), all of whose briefing and training materials refer to headcodes exclusively as the 1A23 working timetable number. I obviously can't be expected to know as much on the subject as amateur internet armchair experts.

[EBrown]

EBrown, like I said it's possible that some timetabling departments call the RSID a headcode, but in my opinion they do so in error. It is simply not correct to state "definitively".

You cannot accept you are wrong can you? Here are the facts:
Your opinion is wrong
It is definitive. It's in the ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here)/NR^» (Network Rail - home page) data feeds - go get them yourself and check, or check with one of the names/company I've provided.

I'm well aware of who you are and for whom you work. I don't care.

I obviously can't be expected to know as much on the subject as amateur internet armchair experts.

Personal attacks are banned on this forum, need I remind you of that, since you so quickly publicly remind me?

[grahame]

I know I started this thread - but I'm getting rather tired of the back and forth which I hadn't meant to start, and I suspect others may feel a bit uncomfortable too. It's sad to see an argument over semantics and naming bringing people to loggerheads;  I'm locking the thread.

Personally, I think of a "headcode" as the thing that used to be on the front of many trains, and you still see occasionally - it consists of a digit, a letter and 2 digits.   I saw a reference to "2M11" the other day ...


and from http://www.atoc.org/clientfiles/File/RSPDocuments/20070801.pdf

"RSID is used by NRS (New Reservation System) ^ it is in the format aa (TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) Id), nnnn (Train number derived from Headcode field), nn (portion number). This field will be populated downstream and will not appear in CIF files from TSDB."

And also

"Headcode, Size 4, Format A"

[grahame]

At about 7pm, we saw activities from a login that resulted in the deletion of large numbers of posts. My apologies to our other 1292 members not involved at the loss of service ... the word "removed" for half of the conversation in various places wasn't clever, making the threads look less useful and rather silly.

Update at 22:26 - posts restored

[grahame]

In order to maintain continuity across the forum (and I hate attempts rewriting history too), I have restored the posts that were amended to their form before an automated script was run against them earlier this evening. You will find that their "updated at" timestamps show the time that the script ran - but that's a much smaller issue than leaving holes!  Sorry about the disruption.