Live arrivals and departures

At the recent Winter Steam Festival, an internet-based version of the standard "special event" control log was trialled. The controller entered arrival and departure times and delay information, along with any other comment about the day's events, into a browser-based form, rather than the Word documents previously used. As such, the trial was a success, and the feedback now being received will help hone the system if and when it is adopted for full use at special events. Trains ran to time at the WSF and there were no major incidents, so it is difficult to determine the full worth of such a system. The next event is the six-day Spring Steam Gala with plenty of scope for things to go (slightly) wrong.

However, being internet and database-based, the system is capable of considerable additional uses. During the WSF trial, emails and text messages were sent out to a few volunteer receipients, some staff, some linesiders, when a train left one of the signalled places along the line. Over 500 texts were sent. The information was also made available on a read-only webpage and on a cut-down webpage suitable for mobile phones. The idea behind the additional dissemination is to provide current train running information to station staff, travellers and linesiders. Feedback as been very favourable.

The system was the idea of one of the WSR's signalmen, and developed by www.wsr.org.uk It runs on www.wsr.org.uk but if adopted for futher use, it will be transferred to the WSR Plc website in due course.