The LNER Encyclopedia

I was at Didcot today and noticed one chap had an App on his phone which was being constantly updated on all the rail traffic from all the companies passing through Didcot station. I forgot to ask him the details.

Would anyone be able to help, which would be the best phone to use such an App on and would it be UK wide.

Many thanks.

NG

There was something in Railway Magazine a few months back on the topic. The information is available in a public API (programming interface) so there are probably multiple apps that can present this information. A web search should find them but I've no idea how you'd determine the "best" without trying them?

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Google knows....

A lot of those gricer's are bang up to date with all train movements in a particular location and are also texting one another all the time at different locations around the country regarding loco and train movements at a given location.

Yes Micky a driver who often drives test trains for network rail gives my mate the latest gen as he is a serious photographer and they are both surprised how quick movements get known.

You would be surprised the amount of times you see maybe 3 or 4 guy's show up at my station out of the blue to watch a passing special train that isn't even advertised?. They usually show up about 10 minutes before it passes and once it's gone through they're all gone!!.

Those guy's are very well informed about any train movements around the country at anytime day or night.

limitofshunt wrote:http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Google knows....

I used it the other day to prove it was unlikely i'd get a line blockage on nights on the Lickey Incline...

I have one of these Apps on my IPAD and it is invaluable if you a rushing to catch the next train at - say, Birmingham New Street.
However, I was nearly caught out last year. I had a return ticket to north Wales via Crewe.
My IPAD told me there was a train to Chester (further along the line) leaving in a few minutes.
Rushing down the stairs on the correct platform I looked up and saw CHESTER and jumped onto a very crowded commuter train - and the doors closed.
I managed to find a seat amongst all the regulars buried in the books and newspapers and composed myself, congratulated myself on catching an earlier train than I had planned.
After a few minutes I looked out of the window and I didn't recognise the countryside going by. Fearing the worst, I turned to the person next to me asked, "where is this train going?"
Suddenly I had everyone's attention. Huh, this old fart has got on the wrong train. Ha HA.
"Chester," my neighbour declared. "Oh Good," I said "but which way?" Via Shrewsbury and Wrexham was the reply.
What a lovely journey that was in the evening sunshine, but it took twice as long, the outcome being that at Chester, I caught the train from Birmingham that I would have got if I hadn't used the IPAD.