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RealTimeTrains website

theblackwatch

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Generally, I don't tend to like websites when they get a re-vamp. However, I took to this immediately and after the surprise of something different thought 'that looks good' and found it easy to use without having to scratch my head looking for where things are. (For the record, I tend to go straight into advanced mode which I have bookmarked).
 
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trainmania100

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Looks fine to me, slugs are the same (/search/advanced) so I know where everything is. Only thing I did notice was font inconsistencies on the times on the schedule page.
 

MikeWM

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Ely
The 'simple' view for a station shows far fewer trains than previously at the resolution of a phone screen, resulting in much more scrolling being necessary. Each train now takes at least three lines of text on my screen, often 5, whereas before it was 2. That's a significant regression for me because usually I start there and then drill down as necessary.

Other than that, and the fact I'm no fan of the new colour scheme but will probably get used to it, I'm pleased to see everything I use still appears to be there, and in more-or-less the same way to get to the information.
 

Kite159

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Bit of a dodgy advert positioning when I'm using IE on the work PC
 

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Y Ddraig Coch

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The 'simple' view for a station shows far fewer trains than previously at the resolution of a phone screen, resulting in much more scrolling being necessary. Each train now takes at least three lines of text on my screen, often 5, whereas before it was 2. That's a significant regression for me because usually I start there and then drill down as necessary.

Other than that, and the fact I'm no fan of the new colour scheme but will probably get used to it, I'm pleased to see everything I use still appears to be there, and in more-or-less the same way to get to the information.


I think the simple view is purposely made like that, text and platform numbers are larger and clearer, with less per page to make it ….well..... simple to read ( sorry!!) :lol:
 

MikeWM

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I think the simple view is purposely made like that, text and platform numbers are larger and clearer, with less per page to make it ….well..... simple to read ( sorry!!) :lol:

:) But there was absolutely no difficulty reading it the way it was - the site was an absolute model of clarity compared to pretty much every other website designed in the last 15 years.

The problem now is that if you're using the simple view as a lightweight departures board - which I do, amongst many other things - it is much harder to see at a glance what is going on than it was before, because much less information fits on the screen.

Looking a bit more, I think the main issue is due to the operator now being listed. In the simple view, I don't feel I need a large proportion of my screen estate telling me that a train is a 'East Midlands Railway Service', especially when on my phone screen that wraps to be over two lines in portrait orientation.

(Please note : I think RTT is an absolutely brilliant website, it has made a massive difference to so many people and is to be congratulated. But due to that, I use it so much that I feel unhappy if it takes what seems even a slightly backward step...)
 

Bletchleyite

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I love RTT and don't have a major objection to these changes, though TBH I agree with those saying they preferred the "cleaner" look before. However, I'd love to know how it took 3 years to fiddle with the CSS a bit - that's not something I would show off about in my publicity.
 

Y Ddraig Coch

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:) But there was absolutely no difficulty reading it the way it was - the site was an absolute model of clarity compared to pretty much every other website designed in the last 15 years.

The problem now is that if you're using the simple view as a lightweight departures board - which I do, amongst many other things - it is much harder to see at a glance what is going on than it was before, because much less information fits on the screen.

Looking a bit more, I think the main issue is due to the operator now being listed. In the simple view, I don't feel I need a large proportion of my screen estate telling me that a train is a 'East Midlands Railway Service', especially when on my phone screen that wraps to be over two lines in portrait orientation.

(Please note : I think RTT is an absolutely brilliant website, it has made a massive difference to so many people and is to be congratulated. But due to that, I use it so much that I feel unhappy if it takes what seems even a slightly backward step...)

9 services v 13 services. It's not a huge difference is it really? I never usually look at the simple version. But really like the look of it now.
20191018_121453.jpg 20191018_121435.jpg
 

aal7

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16 Oct 2013
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Just click search and an option pops up simple / detailed
It was nice to be able to switch between modes AFTER you'd done your search. Now, unless I'm wrong, you have to decide BEFORE you do your search.
(Same disclaimer as Mike WM - brilliant website!)
 

03_179

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Not completely happy about the changes.

Yes nice and clear looking.

Now you cannot copy paste to an excel spreadsheet (I usually do when going to an unfamilar location) to "tick off" the services.

Preferred the old format personally.
 

MikeWM

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9 services v 13 services. It's not a huge difference is it really? I never usually look at the simple version. But really like the look of it now.
View attachment 69510 View attachment 69511

Just tried it on my phone (an iPhone SE) for Ely. In the simple view, the initial screen I get has 3.5 services on it - previously I'd get around 8. Scrolling down the most I can get at a time is about 5.5 - previously would have been about 11. So I'm getting about half as much information per screen as before.

The detailed view is less suitable as a plain, easy-to-read departures board, extremely useful as it is in other ways. And I get zero running information on that without scrolling down, as the search boxes at the top take up an entire screen length.
 

louis97

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Tom has handily posted a full list of feature updates here - https://blog.realtimetrains.com/2019/10/the-new-realtime-trains/.

In addition to this list, it appears that the naming of some timing loads seem to have been changed - just to make you aware. Some that I have found so far are:
  • Electric (Class 91/MkIV) LNER services, which now seem to show as a "Diesel Locomotive" instead of Electric. HST services still show as HST.
  • The Class 158 timing load now additionally shows 168/170/175. This appears to be merely a cosmetic improvement.
Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but is Class 172 a new timing load with the new RTT (it exists on WMR Snow Hill services)? I don't recall ever having seen that before.

The opportunity was taken to refine the reference text to each timing load which comes with the timetable. We corrected "Class 0" to "Class 380" and allowed "Class 172" on West Midlands services and "Class 165" on Chiltern services to be presented instead of "Diesel Multiple Unit". I have raised the issue with the Electric services showing a diesel locomotive.
 
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Not completely happy about the changes.

Yes nice and clear looking.

Now you cannot copy paste to an excel spreadsheet (I usually do when going to an unfamilar location) to "tick off" the services.

Preferred the old format personally.

It appears the data fields have changed from <TAB> delimitted to <LF> delimitted which is why Excel doesn't like it. I am guessing <LF> delimitted is more effiecient for data retrieval/updates which is maybe why this change was made (else why change it).

My only minor grumble is that passing trains have been changed from being in grey italics to being in standard font with the exception of their time which is grey standard font, so there is less contrast between them. Obviously selecting Passenger Calls removes through trains but when you want to see both services and quickly look to differentiate between them it is a little harder. As I say, a minor grumble from what is otherwise an excellent website.
 

03_179

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It appears the data fields have changed from <TAB> delimitted to <LF> delimitted which is why Excel doesn't like it. I am guessing <LF> delimitted is more effiecient for data retrieval/updates which is maybe why this change was made (else why change it).

Well I can still copy/paste to excel from Opentrain times ...
 

Muzer

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It appears the data fields have changed from <TAB> delimitted to <LF> delimitted which is why Excel doesn't like it. I am guessing <LF> delimitted is more effiecient for data retrieval/updates which is maybe why this change was made (else why change it).

My only minor grumble is that passing trains have been changed from being in grey italics to being in standard font with the exception of their time which is grey standard font, so there is less contrast between them. Obviously selecting Passenger Calls removes through trains but when you want to see both services and quickly look to differentiate between them it is a little harder. As I say, a minor grumble from what is otherwise an excellent website.
Hmm? Whole train (including the origin/destination) shows in light grey to me for passing trains, in black for stopping ones.
 

greatkingrat

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20 Jan 2011
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Hmm? Whole train (including the origin/destination) shows in light grey to me for passing trains, in black for stopping ones.

The passing trains are grey, but to me it looks like a fairly dark grey with insufficient contrast to the normal black.
 

_toommm_

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As someone whose eyesight isn't very good, I've struggled to pick out the services that stop at a station, as opposed to non-stopping trains.

Take Slaithwaite, where the Huddersfield to Manchester Picc stoppers, well, stop. It's extremely hard to differentiate between stoppers and expresses, even on a phone with a very good Quad HD AMOLED screen. I fear it may be nigh on impossible on IPS or cheap phones...

Screenshot_20191018-131204_Chrome.jpg
 
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Darandio

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paddington

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19 Feb 2013
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I don't like the "search menu" being on the left in a browser, although when you reduce the page width it goes back to the top.

The new design feels a lot more clunky than before. I don't have time to do this any more, but if I did I would write my own CSS and get my browser to apply it.
 

DarloRich

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Fenny Stratford
gosh you lot complain a lot ;) This is a free service and a damn good one to boot!

Perhaps we should turn off all this data stuff and go back to the past. I am sure spotting is harder not knowing what is coming and when. ;)
 

Bletchleyite

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gosh you lot complain a lot ;) This is a free service and a damn good one to boot!

Perhaps we should turn off all this data stuff and go back to the past. I am sure spotting is harder not knowing what is coming and when. ;)

I did used to be quite good at pairing up arrivals and departures to guess platforms at Euston! :D
 

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