This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Train planning and operational data request'.


 
 
 
Peter Hicks 
Network Rail  
By email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 
Freedom of Information 
 
The Quadrant  
 
Elder Gate 
Milton Keynes  
MK9 1EN 
 
01908 782405 
E xxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xx.xx 
 
 
 
 
6 November 2020 
 
 
 
Dear Mr Hicks, 
 
Information request  
Reference number: FOI2020/01189 
 
Thank you for your email of 11 October 2020. You requested the following information: 
 
Could you please supply the following train planning and operational related data: 
 
1. A copy of the Timetable Planning Rules in XML format, also called the 'Assurable 

Database' or Attune - along with an XML Schema Definition (XSD) if available.  For 
clarity, these are not the PDFs published on the Network Rail website, but the data 

used to calculate compliance with junction margins and minimum platform 
reoccupation times, etc. 
 
2. A list of all train Service Codes, their descriptions, their Service Group and the 

description of the service group for any date in the 2020-21 financial year - this 
may be readily available from the PSS Data Warehouse via SAP BI 

 
3. A copy of the TOPS table D4021 containing a list of STANOX (station number), 

STANME (station name) and STAABB (station abbreviation) for all current TOPS 
Responsibility Areas (TRAs) - this may be readily available from an AB enquiry on 

TOPS 
 
4. A copy of the relevant source code of, and any referenced data used in 

calculations for, the TSBU (Mileage Enquiry) transaction within the TOPSCICS 
environment 
 
I can confirm that we hold some of the information you have requested, however 
I need more time to consider your request. I will explain this below. 
Network Rail Infrastructure Limited Registered Office: Network Rail, 2nd Floor, One Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN Registered in England and Wales No. 2904587 www.networkrail.co.uk 
 

 
We have a duty to respond to your request as soon as possible and in any event within 20 
working days after receiving your request.  However, the FOIA allows us to extend this 
deadline for a reasonable time if a ‘qualified exemption’ applies and we need a little more 
time to consider the public interest in disclosure. The qualified exemption here is section 
31(1)(a) and 38(1)(b) of the FOIA. This exemption applies when public disclosure of the 
information would or would be likely to prejudice the prevention and detection of crime or 
the safety or any individual. In this case, we believe that some of the data requested has 
the potential to aid those with nefarious intentions to target our infrastructure.  
 
I am now looking at the public interest factors both for and against disclosure. I will send 
the response to you as soon as I have completed these public interest considerations and 
no later than 7 December 2020.  
 
Clarification of question 4 
 
In relation for question four of your request.  I need to ask you to provide a little 
clarification on what documents it is you are interested in for this part of your request. On 
sending your request round to the various teams in the business there has been some 
confusion – essentially different people having different interpretations of what you are 
looking for. Rather than us basing our response on a potentially incorrect assumption, I 
thought it best to clarify this part with you.  
 
Mileages are input into TOPS TSBU by the business systems support team, but they do not 
calculate the mileages. Passenger mileages are calculated by Operational Planning Route 
teams or the Freight National Passenger Operator teams using information such as the 
National Electronic Sectional Appendix (NESA)1 or diagrams held by our National Records 
Group. By ‘source code of, and any referenced data’ do you mean the information used to 
calculate mileages such as that which I have mentioned or something else? 
 
If you require something else, please provide as much explanation as possible on the type 
of data you require. If you require the information used to calculate mileages, I can advise 
you that NESA is available on our website (link provided above). In relation to the 
diagrams, although I cannot take a definitive view at this stage, if you require all track 
diagrams it is likely to result in your request being refused on a cost basis due to the time 
it would take to locate and extract the thousands of documents which cover our entire 
network. 
 
While I wait to hear back from you on question four, I will close this part of your request. 
In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the 20 days we have to 
                                                 
1 https://www.networkrail.co.uk/industry-and-commercial/information-for-operators/national-electronic-
sectional-
appendix/#:~:text=The%20National%20Electronic%20Sectional%20Appendix%20%28NESA%29%20contains
%20detailed,include%3A%20search%20tools%20for%20locations%2C%20routes%20and%20keywords.
  
Network Rail Infrastructure Limited Registered Office: Network Rail, 2nd Floor, One Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN Registered in England and Wales No. 2904587 www.networkrail.co.uk 
 

 
respond will start only once we have received your clarification. Once we do receive your 
response, however, we will do everything we reasonably can to get back to you as 
promptly as possible. I will continue to process questions one to three of your request as 
outlined above.  
 
If you have any enquiries about this response, please contact me in the first instance at 
xxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xx.xx or on 01908 782405.  Details of your appeal rights are below. 
Please remember to quote the reference number at the top of this letter in all future 
communications. 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
Danielle Stratton 

Information Officer 
 
Appeal rights 
If you are unhappy with the way your request has been handled and wish to make a 
complaint or request a review of our decision, please write to the Head of Freedom of 
Information at Network Rail, Freedom of Information, The Quadrant, Elder Gate, Milton 
Keynes, MK9 1EN, or by email at xxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xx.xx. Your request must be submitted 
within 40 working days of receipt of this letter.  
 
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply 
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner 
can be contacted at: 
 
Information Commissioner's Office 
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane 
Wilmslow 
Cheshire SK9 5AF 
Network Rail Infrastructure Limited Registered Office: Network Rail, 2nd Floor, One Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN Registered in England and Wales No. 2904587 www.networkrail.co.uk