NRE mobile site - what happened to it?

[BRX]

There used to be a "PDA" version of National Rail Enquiries which was pretty stripped down; didn't give you many options but it loaded quickly and gave you the basic info.

Then as far as I remember, a year or two it was updated to a slightly slicker version, but still a pared down version of the full site.

But relatively recently, using the same shortcut saved on my phone, I noticed that I was being directed to what seems like the full site. I assumed that maybe the web address for the mobile site had been changed, but now I can't find any kind of mobile site anywhere. Am I missing something?

It's really annoying to use the full site on my phone when I'm on the move and just want some times quickly. By the time the thing's loaded, I've completed the journey anyway....

 

[wintonian]

http://m.nationalrail.co.uk works as long as NRE recognises you device as a mobile device.

What phone are you using?

 

[Crossover]

If you want [Breally][/B] stripped down, I believe there is a wap.nationalrail.co.uk as well

 

[BRX]

http://m.nationalrail.co.uk works as long as NRE recognises you device as a mobile device.

What phone are you using?

It's a Nokia N900.

Obviously it doesn't recognise my mobile device as a mobile device.

This seems to be increasingly a problem, generally. If you've not got an iphone or Android phone, you don't exist.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If you want [Breally][/B] stripped down, I believe there is a wap.nationalrail.co.uk as well

Doesn't work... I just get a weird message asking if I want to download a text file.

 

[mullin]

Sadly its long gone. If your phone supports apps, I'd recommend the CrossCountry app for live departures / arrivals / planning journeys etc

 

[Nym]

It's a Nokia N900.

Obviously it doesn't recognise my mobile device as a mobile device.

This seems to be increasingly a problem, generally. If you've not got an iphone or Android phone, you don't exist.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Doesn't work... I just get a weird message asking if I want to download a text file.

Go into your browser settings, there will be an option for "Use Mobile Sites" or something similar.

In Opera Mobile it's the "User Agent" option under "Advanced" in the "Settings" menu.

See attached...

 

[Barn]

There used to be a "PDA" version of National Rail Enquiries which was pretty stripped down; didn't give you many options but it loaded quickly and gave you the basic info.

Then as far as I remember, a year or two it was updated to a slightly slicker version, but still a pared down version of the full site.

But relatively recently, using the same shortcut saved on my phone, I noticed that I was being directed to what seems like the full site. I assumed that maybe the web address for the mobile site had been changed, but now I can't find any kind of mobile site anywhere. Am I missing something?

It's really annoying to use the full site on my phone when I'm on the move and just want some times quickly. By the time the thing's loaded, I've completed the journey anyway....

Very bottom left of the page in the footer... is there a link to the mobile site there?

 

[Nym]

Sadly its long gone. If your phone supports apps, I'd recommend the CrossCountry app for live departures / arrivals / planning journeys etc

Really??

Has a holding page that you can click past, but it's still very much there...

 

[Nym]

Very bottom left of the page in the footer... is there a link to the mobile site there?

Yes, there is, and once you've clicked it it stores a cookie so you don't need to click it again.

(Spot the guy who did this stuff for his dissertation)

 

[wintonian]

Strange I've just tested it by pretending to be a range of Nokia devices, some new and some not quite so new and I have a 100% success rate in getting the mobile site.

I'm thinking it may be a cookie thing where at some point it has stored one that asks for the desktop site.

 

[CheapAndNerdy]

When I tried to access the mobile site from my Kindle, I was automatically redirected to the main site. I raised the issue via the feedback form and, after a bit of back and forth ("please clear cookies and history"), the issue was passed on to the development team. A week later I received a follow-up informing me that the Kindle is now an "approved" mobile device - and so it is!

 

[Michael.Y]

It also depends on your browser. If you use Opera Mini/Mobile like I do, then you have to make sure it's set to Mobile mode not desktop mode in order to access it.

Weirdly though, in mobile mode, Opera Mobile insists on accessing the full BBC sites etc.

 

[BRX]

Strange I've just tested it by pretending to be a range of Nokia devices, some new and some not quite so new and I have a 100% success rate in getting the mobile site.

I'm thinking it may be a cookie thing where at some point it has stored one that asks for the desktop site.

I emailed NRE and this is what they suggested. Said to try deleting all cookies. I did this, but the same is happening. I type the m.nationalrail.co.uk web address but it diverts me straight to the main site.

Did you try pretending to be an N900?

 

[wintonian]

No I don't know what the 'user agent' for an N900 is, but I did try some newer and some older ones like the N950 and the N95, I think the N900 runs on Maemo dosn't it?

 

[BRX]

It does, yes. Bit of an oddity. Anyway I've emailed back to NRE and will see what the say.

 

[JGR]

Depending on which browser you're using, it should be fairly easy to just fudge the user agent to look like an Android/iPhone/whatever.
Firefox with the user agent switcher or browser masquerade extensions should do for one.

 

[BRX]

When I tried to access the mobile site from my Kindle, I was automatically redirected to the main site. I raised the issue via the feedback form and, after a bit of back and forth ("please clear cookies and history"), the issue was passed on to the development team. A week later I received a follow-up informing me that the Kindle is now an "approved" mobile device - and so it is!

This is pretty much what my experience has been - got an email from NRE today saying it should be fixed, and it is.

So fair play to NRE for responding to my feedback and getting it sorted out!

 

[cointreau_rove]

Really??

Has a holding page that you can click past, but it's still very much there...

That seems to have stopped working since I loaded the new NRE Android App which offers to let me go ad-free for just £4.99

Loved the original app but this new one is rubbish. It is clumsyand bloated with wanting to grab my GPS and other location data. Tried it and the only Bath Spa journeys I can search involve all the little stations around the Bristol area which I will never use. Now a confirmed XC app user along with its near identical FGW app - east interface and quick for live boards too. Bye bye NRE - utterly useless on my Galaxy S2

C

 

[cuccir]

Interesting - I've just switched from XC to new NRE app, though I've stuck with the free version! It runs much better than any rail app I've used before.

 

[snail]

Same here. I find the new NRE app very good.

It is clumsyand bloated with wanting to grab my GPS and other location data. Tried it and the only Bath Spa journeys I can search involve all the little stations around the Bristol area which I will never use.

It defaults to 'Nearest' (ie your geolocation) but one press of the 'Search' tab next to it lets you input any station code. Simples and all that.