Hafter – THE BOOK 1989

Description

The author argues that while British Rail (BR) has improved operationally and commercially, its public timetable remains significantly inferior to continental European counterparts. The timetable fails in presentation, content and accuracy: inconsistent table formats, selective inclusion of named boat trains, missing origins/destinations across tables, “nonsense” timings (eg. multiple trains shown arriving simultaneously or unrealistically short split/join times), and frequent late corrections. BR omits useful conventions used elsewhere—public train numbers, vertical rules for routing, clearer typography (bold/italic), consistent symbols and lists of through coaches—hindering knowledgeable users and agents. Connection information is inadequate: minimum connection times are given without stating which connections will actually be held. The book also appears late and requires many supplements, unlike European timetables. The author urges adoption of UIC practices and European standards (citing Swiss and Dutch examples) to improve clarity and reliability, even suggesting outsourcing compilation to better-performing railways as a radical remedy.