Really good Train/Rail/Tube apps and gadgets

[anonymous-user]

Firstly I want to stress that I have no affiliation whatsoever with this app or the developers, and I came across it by accident, and I think it is genius so thought I would share.

It's in the iOS App Store called NexTrain (I think it was free but I can't remember). It is also for Android/Google phones.

Shows the live departures (and associated info) of all trains at your chosen station, in the same style as a platform departure board. You can store favourite stations, search by name, or it will list all the nearest stations to where you are.

It's actually much handier than using the official National Rail app.



Of course, the one I really want for my desk is this one, but its £165. Still tempting though!

https://ukdepartureboards.co.uk/store/product/desk...




Anyone else got any useful or fun rail or tube apps?

[12TS]

Not an app. But this is excellent

https://www.opentraintimes.com/maps

I use it often to see where my train is

[Krikkit]

Lord Marylebone said:

Of course, the one I really want for my desk is this one, but its £165. Still tempting though!

https://ukdepartureboards.co.uk/store/product/desk...

That seemed expensive until I looked at what it can do, incredibly impressive.

Setting up a single one of those links to an API isn't that hard, or throwing it to a TFT in a box, but doing it all so comprehensively, impressive.

I use this tube map and it's excellent - light and iodine available

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com....

[Simpo Two]

Bah. I used to ring my local station and say to the nice man 'Hello, I need to be in Liverpool Street for noon, what train do I need to catch?' and the nice man would give me three departure and arrival times to choose from. Now he's gone I don't bother anymore.

[anonymous-user]

Simpo Two said:

Bah. I used to ring my local station and say to the nice man 'Hello, I need to be in Liverpool Street for noon, what train do I need to catch?' and the nice man would give me three departure and arrival times to choose from. Now he's gone I don't bother anymore.

Don’t bother with the phone call, or don’t bother with the train?

[Simpo Two]

Lord Marylebone said:

Don’t bother with the phone call, or don’t bother with the train?

I don't think British Rail have a phone any more, so I don't bother with either I went to Swansea by train a few years ago; it was a nightmare, not least because every underground line I wanted to use was closed. I went to London by train about the same time but ended up on a bus to Southend because something was broken. I hate trains. Luckily - unlike some poor bds - I don't need them. Sorry, rambling OT.

[Rich1973]

Realtimetrains.co.uk

[UnluckyTimmeh]

I use the RailBoard app. It’s good for everything except the London Tube, in which case I just use their own app

[Riley Blue]

When O/H was commuting from Sheffield and I picked her up from Chesterfield station I used mostly Raildar:

http://raildar.co.uk/depart/SHF

and if I was feeling really 'train nerdy':

https://traksy.uk/live/M+34+/M+38+SHEFFLD+-14

[Boatbuoy]

I saw this one about a year ago. It's more entertaining/arty than useful. A PCB with a map of the London Underground that displays real time locations of trains.



....and a review of it by transport vlogger; Geoff Marshall:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=676xnII2OZg

[megaphone]

Lord Marylebone said:

Of course, the one I really want for my desk is this one, but its £165. Still tempting though!

https://ukdepartureboards.co.uk/store/product/desk...




Anyone else got any useful or fun rail or tube apps?

You can build your own using a Pi. https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/real-time-train-s...

[Starfighter]

If you even need to chase up a refund then this is useful.
http://raildar.co.uk/
They have a history page where you can search up journeys by data and it shows actual departure and arrival time and confirms which are elegance for a delay claim.

[anonymous-user]

Boatbuoy said:

I saw this one about a year ago. It's more entertaining/arty than useful. A PCB with a map of the London Underground that displays real time locations of trains.



....and a review of it by transport vlogger; Geoff Marshall:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=676xnII2OZg

I've seen those and I am tempted by one! But I would have to have it put in a nice picture frame and hung on my wall with the cable hidden somehow.

[48k]

Rich1973 said:

Realtimetrains.co.uk

Another vote for RealTimeTrains.

It uses the network signalling data in real time - very very handy for telling you which platform your train will be departing from before it's being show on the departure boards. Handy for beating the crowds.

[Truckosaurus]

Simpo Two said:

Bah. I used to ring my local station and say to the nice man 'Hello, I need to be in Liverpool Street for noon, what train do I need to catch?' and the nice man would give me three departure and arrival times to choose from. Now he's gone I don't bother anymore.

In my youth in the mid/late 80s my local station had an enquiries desk staffed by this chap who seemingly had the whole timetable memorised and knew all the secret fares, split tickets etc - eg. there was one train on a Wednesday that had super low fares as it was once a holiday makers special and they didn't cancel the offer on the system.

Sadly long gone.

[Truckosaurus]

Starfighter said:

If you even need to chase up a refund then this is useful.
http://raildar.co.uk/
They have a history page where you can search up journeys by data and it shows actual departure and arrival time and confirms which are elegance for a delay claim.

One advantage on using the SWR Smartcard for regular commutes (I assume something similar applies for other franchises as well) is that it automatically sends you the refund 'paperwork' if your train is late.

The trick with using the real time tools is to spot a late running train that fits your planned hometime and get on that, you get home as normal and can claim the delay refund.

[anonymous-user]

48k said:

Another vote for RealTimeTrains.

It uses the network signalling data in real time - very very handy for telling you which platform your train will be departing from before it's being show on the departure boards. Handy for beating the crowds.

Interesting!

I shall have a look.

[dundarach]

I spent ALL day thinking how I could justify £160 to Mrs D.....

Then it came to me people - I'VE AN OLD AMAZON FIRE TABLET THAT THE KIDS HAVE GROWN OUT OF.....

I give you NexTrain





The app is free (you have to install play store first, however that's easy)

So I make that £50 new for one

Or much cheaper via facebook market place if anyone else wants one!!!

[anonymous-user]

dundarach said:

I spent ALL day thinking how I could justify £160 to Mrs D.....

Then it came to me people - I'VE AN OLD AMAZON FIRE TABLET THAT THE KIDS HAVE GROWN OUT OF.....

I give you NexTrain





The app is free (you have to install play store first, however that's easy)

So I make that £50 new for one

Or much cheaper via facebook market place if anyone else wants one!!!

Nice work! As per my first post, I use NexTrain all the time and it's great. Love the accurate yellow font departure board look.

I still can't stop thinking about the £160 desktop display though!

[dundarach]

Lord Marylebone said:

Nice work! As per my first post, I use NexTrain all the time and it's great. Love the accurate yellow font departure board look.

I still can't stop thinking about the £160 desktop display though!

Me too - really, really want one