Arrival data for vehicle incorrectly being returned empty

I have been using:

https://api.tfl.gov.uk/Vehicle/LK66GCZ/Arrivals?app_id=&app_key=

To track the location of a number of buses, replacing the above single plate with a comma seperated list, but the api returns no data for 5 buses, It looks like this began on the 1st August, since then the above plate returns no data, but a cross check with

Is returning data showing this bus in service.

I am aware that the above site uses the live stream api, which I did not feel was needed for my application, but if the data they are able to retreive is more accurate, I may have to look again.

Can you see any reason why my above call should be returning no data when I know the bus is in service.

This problem seems to be affecting buses based out of Clapton bus garage.

Any help apprecited

Looks like this issue is related to route 242 being missing from the system:

Bus does not explain why the lvf data is working correctly

We use the older data feed for LVF, not the Unified feed.

Although the TfL documentation says it shouldn’t happen, sometimes, for example if the vehicle’s radio is replaced, the real registration may be replaced in the feed with a TMP##### registration. We have a network of enthusiasts that can cross-check these TMP identities, often in-person, with the real details of the vehicle which allow us to show the correct registration/fleet number instead of the TMP ID. I’m not sure how the Unified API handles this situation… (Just checked SN11BOU which is Go-Ahead London’s EN40, at the time of writing out on route 353, both feeds are showing this as TMP17990)

Sorry, I’m not able to look back to August to say why we were able to show LK66GCZ and the Unified feed wasn’t.

Simon
Part of the VehicleFinder Admin team.