RealTimeTrains website

[357]

While that is a welcome improvement it compares poorly with one of your subscription competitors that offers over 5 years of history.

Don't subscribe if it doesn't provide what you need?

 

[bluegoblin7]

Heaven forbid an up till now free service changes its offer that you weren't paying for anyway. The new 14-day look-back is very helpful - look forward to what might be coming with a subscription option! Always found RTT - since its rail staging days - far more intuitive and easy-to-use than some of the alternatives.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I would consider paying if you could filter by calling points on previous days.

 

[XCTurbostar]

The trick of changing the URL data for services within the same Timetable appears to have been plugged. I don't really mind this but this is a removal of a feature which was free - IMO, this should not have been removed/changed unless the subscription was avaliable today.

I am more than happy to support RTT once the subscription features and price(s) are available.

EDIT: The only other thing I would note is that this change has affected some other sites like Freightmaster where links during and post RHTT season and for Test Trains are now broken.

 

[bluegoblin7]

The trick of changing the URL data for services within the same Timetable appears to have been plugged. I don't really mind this but this is a removal of a feature which was free - IMO, this should not have been removed/changed unless the subscription was avaliable today.

So is it a trick or is it a feature? It can't be both - and I'm not sure it was ever something that was officially supported either? Manipulating something into a result for you should be seen as a bonus (or even an extended free trial!) and if you don't like it... make your own?

As I said, heaven forbid a private individual make a change to their free product.

 

[XCTurbostar]

So is it a trick or is it a feature? It can't be both - and I'm not sure it was ever something that was officially supported either? Manipulating something into a result for you should be seen as a bonus (or even an extended free trial!) and if you don't like it... make your own?

As I said, heaven forbid a private individual make a change to their free product.

Other forums and users save links such as THIS which allow users to historically reference test trains for example during the same timetable.

 

[trainmania100]

The trick of changing the URL data for services within the same Timetable appears to have been plugged. I don't really mind this but this is a removal of a feature which was free - IMO, this should not have been removed/changed unless the subscription was avaliable today.

I am more than happy to support RTT once the subscription features and price(s) are available.

EDIT: The only other thing I would note is that this change has affected some other sites like Freightmaster where links during and post RHTT season and for Test Trains are now broken.

What does this even mean? The URL has the train id (eg C12345) and the date, so if the link doesn't work it means the schedule isn't valid
(Imo the links all look how they did before)

 

[Dai Corner]

Other forums and users save links such as THIS which allow users to historically reference test trains for example during the same timetable.

The text on that page reads as below,. It seems to describe the situation perfectly.

More information​

We're in the process of launching a new subscription service to Realtime Trains.

This means that some functionality that unofficially worked before will be officially supported as part of a subscription service. You've accessed one of those pages.

 

[MrJeeves]

What does this even mean? The URL has the train id (eg C12345) and the date, so if the link doesn't work it means the schedule isn't valid
(Imo the links all look how they did before)

You used to be able to view services that ran many months ago, but now you cannot.

 

[bluegoblin7]

Ok... and? You've said it's a trick:

The trick of changing the URL data

...so by your own admission that's not something that's ever been supported? A cursory look at an archived version of RTT (from a while ago so no-one can pretend it's been changed to fit a future subscription model!) doesn't make any mention of services being available past 7 days - but I'm happy to concede if you can prove otherwise.

Evidently if 'other forums and users' save the links they see value to them... so putting that as a paid feature seems entirely reasonable to me. "There's no such thing as a free lunch" comes to mind. Given you've been able to type two messages on the topic I'm sure you're also capable of changing a date in a link.

 

[XCTurbostar]

You used to be able to view services that ran many months ago, but now you cannot.

Yes my exact point.

 

[MrJeeves]

My personal take is that obviously Tom is free to make whatever changes he would like to RTT.

But removing access to these features and telling people they need to pay before they are literally able to pay is a strange choice to make, and just annoys people who would have otherwise happily paid for access.

 

[trainmania100]

You used to be able to view services that ran many months ago, but now you cannot.

Ok I see now. Thanks. I guess it helped for SEO etc keeping the links live.

 

[Class15]

If you want historic train data, try Charlwood House, which goes back roughly 3 years.

 

[XCTurbostar]

Ok... and? You've said it's a trick:

...so by your own admission that's not something that's ever been supported? A cursory look at an archived version of RTT (from a while ago so no-one can pretend it's been changed to fit a future subscription model!) doesn't make any mention of services being available past 7 days - but I'm happy to concede if you can prove otherwise.

Evidently if 'other forums and users' save the links they see value to them... so putting that as a paid feature seems entirely reasonable to me. "There's no such thing as a free lunch" comes to mind. Given you've been able to type two messages on the topic I'm sure you're also capable of changing a date in a link.

It is a trick if you know what you are looking for - for example, A test train which runs every 4 weeks will be accessible after 7 days if you changed the link to read the correct date before this.

As for your point about support, I have no idea if it was intentional.

Apologies if I have confused you but changing the date in a link doesnt work, that is my point.

 

[bluegoblin7]

It is a trick if you know what you are looking for - for example, A test train which runs every 4 weeks will be accessible after 7 days if you changed the link to read the correct date before this.

As for your point about support, I have no idea if it was intentional.

Apologies if I have confused you but changing the date in a link doesnt work, thats is my point.

So, to again use your own words...

The trick of changing the URL data

...you're complaining about something that wasn't supported, wasn't official and didn't do what you said it did anyway?

RTT has never been about historical data anyway - the clue in the name: Real Time. Not Six Months Ago Time Trains.

Again: it can't be a feature if it's a trick.

 

[MrJeeves]

RTT has never been about historical data anyway - the clue in the name: Real Time. Not Six Months Ago Time Trains.

But I want to view my Six Months Ago Time Trains in Real Time.

 

[35B]

But I want to view my Six Months Ago Time Trains in Real Time.

Which is why I print itineraries I'm interested in to PDF to ensure long run access

 

[Tom]

Ok I see now. Thanks. I guess it helped for SEO etc keeping the links live.

No... it was just never actively blocked before and happened to work because of how the archiving works behind the scenes.

But removing access to these features and telling people they need to pay before they are literally able to pay is a strange choice to make, and just annoys people who would have otherwise happily paid for access.

There are various technical and commercial reasons why we had to stage the changes. Subscriptions will be going live quite soon anyway. It's not unusual to have to stage changes as you know.

It is a trick if you know what you are looking for - for example, A test train which runs every 4 weeks will be accessible after 7 days if you changed the link to read the correct date before this.

As for your point about support, I have no idea if it was intentional.

Apologies if I have confused you but changing the date in a link doesnt work, thats is my point.

I think therein lies the point. In order for it to work on general use of the site, you had to change the URL. That would generally suggest that it isn't something that we officially support.

Historical links on forums, etc, used to stop working after a period of time - we only ever guaranteed 7 days - but in practice this was a little longer depending on what datacentre the site was running in. If we switched over or had to recover the database for whatever reason, we got a lot of complaints if links suddenly stopped working.

I am simply now formalising what we are prepared to guarantee to support for free use: that is one month - deliberately chosen to cover the usual allowed claim time for Delay Repay.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

So is it a trick or is it a feature? It can't be both - and I'm not sure it was ever something that was officially supported either? Manipulating something into a result for you should be seen as a bonus (or even an extended free trial!) and if you don't like it... make your own?

As I said, heaven forbid a private individual make a change to their free product.

Oh, have a day off with the sarcasm. It’s perfectly reasonable to give user feedback on changes made to the customer interface.

 

[Adam Williams]

If you want historic train data, try Charlwood House, which goes back roughly 3 years.

Does it support HTTPS yet

 

[trainmania100]

...yes

Does it support HTTPS yet

Although I don't think it matters much. Headcodes are no longer considered sensitive data

 

[Penmorfa]

How about using this dateless link:

Realtime Trains | Live Departures from Rhyl

Live train information at Rhyl. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

...and then just change the [When?] drop down from "now" to "all day"?




MARK

Thay would bring up every train rather than just ZZ for freight. As you probably know freights are as rare as hens teeth on the coast so i'd rather not miss any. The link i'm using now seems to work so panic over

Realtime Trains | Departures from Rhyl all day on 27/08/2025

Train information at Rhyl all day on 27/08/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Tom]

The link @Freightmaster shared actually filters to just freight trains which can operate on more than just the ZZ TOC code.

 

[OscarH]

The link @Freightmaster shared actually filters to just freight trains which can operate on more than just the ZZ TOC code.

You need to include #| too :P

 

[Penmorfa]

How about using this dateless link:

Realtime Trains | Live Departures from Rhyl

Live train information at Rhyl. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

...and then just change the [When?] drop down from "now" to "all day"?




MARK

Thanks Mark but i'm only intersted in frreight workings which show up in RTT as code ZZ.

The link @Freightmaster shared actually filters to just freight trains which can operate on more than just the ZZ TOC code.

That's the link i've been using for several years.

 

[Freightmaster]

Thanks Mark but i'm only intersted in frreight workings

For clarification, that's exactly what my link shows - as per other replies (including Tom from RTT),
it's better practice to use show=freight rather than toc=ZZ

That's the link i've been using for several years.

No it isn't - the The link you originally posted contained a date (April 1st),
whereas the link I suggested will always show freight trains for "today"
as the link is dateless:

Realtime Trains | Live Departures from Rhyl

Live train information at Rhyl. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

The actual, unparsed link is as follows:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:RHL?show=freight

With this link, all you need to do is change the [when] option from "now" to "all day"
or "0600-2000", or a custom timespan of your choosing - simples!



MARK

 

[IanXC]

I am simply now formalising what we are prepared to guarantee to support for free use: that is one month - deliberately chosen to cover the usual allowed claim time for Delay Repay.

Which of course is marginally more than TRUST

 

[ExRes]

Interesting spelling of the destination for tomorrows 1007 6J09 Woking Up Yard Sidings to Sandicare Ballast Sidings, should it not be Sandiacre? someone on one of the gen sites suggested Sandicare may be a retirement home

 

[D6130]

Interesting spelling of the destination for tomorrows 1007 6J09 Woking Up Yard Sidings to Sandicare Ballast Sidings, should it not be Sandiacre? someone on one of the gen sites suggested Sandicare may be a retirement home

Maybe a retirement home for elderly class 20 locomotives?