Digital timetable screens a first for Swanage Railway
IN a major first for a heritage line, the Swanage Railway has installed digital screens providing passengers with constantly updated live train information.
However, far from imposing a typical trapping of the modern national network on a classic Southern Railway branch line, the screens are housed in traditional 1950s noticeboard-style frames. Not only do they provide times, but they also show information about the locomotive hauling the train and the facilities in its carriages in a visual ‘Know Your Train' form.
The screens have been provided by the Realtime Trains company and the Purbeck Line's £223,200 grant from the Government's Culture Recovery Fund For Heritage, which was awarded last autumn.
Real-time information
So far, they have been installed at Swanage and Corfe Castle stations, with more to follow at Norden and Harman's Cross.
In another national first for the preservation sector, the live Swanage Railway train information will also be available on the Realtime Trains website at realtimetrains.co.uk and on mobile telephones.
The new system uses high-tech global positioning system tracking equipment installed in the carriages which constantly relays the position of the trains thanks to a variety of mobile telephone networks.
Swanage Railway passenger services director Trevor Parsons said: “Housed in traditional frames – the sort that used to display timetables in the days of steam trains, the new digital screens are a very effective blend of old and new; the best of our railway heritage with the very best in up-todate information technology.”
Tom Cairns, the 29-year-old founder and operator of Realtime Trains, who lives in nearby Bournemouth, said: “It's wonderful to see the new system up and running – I wanted to incorporate the visual look of the Swanage Railway's heritage branding with a modern twist that was visually attractive and engaged the public's interest.
“We designed the hardware and software for the new system from scratch. Train passengers everywhere
– whether it's on the main line or on a heritage line – want more information, so finding a way of delivering live, accurate and helpful information to customers is important.
Technical development
“Realtime Trains built a new software package combining the strengths of our main line information platform with the understanding of heritage and private railway train operation to provide passengers with clear and up-to-date information in the same way as the main line train operators can.
“The Swanage Railway has helped in the development of the new system and we are delighted with the results.
“The work is new compared to my national railway network main line train information system currently in operation, and has required me to follow a different technical development path.”
Tom established Realtime Trains in 2012 while studying at Southampton University. It has covered train operations on Network Rail ever since with several upgrades to improve its presentation and ease of use.
During the past 14 months, Tom has been working with main line train operators to improve customer information through the innovative ‘Know Your Train' visual system.