Help & answers
Questions, answered plainly.
How the data is sourced, what the labels mean, and how to change your account — kept short, and honest about what is live and what is a sample.
Search the answers
Data & sources
Every figure names its source. Live boards read the operator's own feed; where a feed is not available the value is labelled an indicative sample, and never presented as live. See performance for how readings are compiled.
Every reading names its source, so a correction can be traced to a single feed. Send the page and the timestamp through the contact desk and we will fix the source.
Live running
As fast as the operator publishes. Each board carries the timestamp of its last update. A board that cannot say when it was refreshed does not ship.
A departure within 60 seconds of its planned time, measured per departure. Early trains count as on time. The metric is stated on every board that uses it.
A blank is deliberate: the operator has not yet allocated a platform. We would rather show nothing than guess.
Coverage follows what each operator publishes. Where a feed exposes platform, formation or live positioning we show it; where it does not, the board shows only what is certain.
Accounts & privacy
No. Timetables, live running, performance and editorial are open to everyone. An account is only needed for Train Miles, saved journeys and alerts.
Consent is granular and reversible. Preference and account deletion is available from your account, and we do not sell personal data.
Yes — native iOS and Android apps roll out alongside the website and share the same account and Train Miles log.
Browsing, timetables, live running, performance and editorial are free, with no account. A free account adds your Train Miles and My Spotting. Premium (Supporter) unlocks the deeper tools — full history, advanced statistics and submission features — and keeps them free of advertising.
Yes. Any linked account tokens (such as a sim platform link) are encrypted at rest and never leave the server. Your data is yours: you can review, export or delete it from your account at any time, and we do not sell personal data.
Train Miles
Log a trip and its distance is added to your running total, across every operator. Train Miles is a personal record, not a currency or loyalty scheme.
Yes. Add a past journey with its date and the log files it where it belongs. Back-filling a whole lifetime of travel is allowed.
Partnerships
Photography is Creative Commons and credited in place. Operational data is shown for information and attribution; reuse is governed by each operator's terms. Licensed access is arranged through the commercial desk.
Trust & access
Every commercial unit carries an Advertisement, Sponsored or Partner content label as part of the design. Timetables, fares and live running are never influenced by a partner.
The interface works with the keyboard, a screen reader and reduced-motion settings, and colour pairs are contrast-checked. Spotted a barrier? Use the accessibility route.
Use the contact desk for data faults and account issues, or the roadmap to suggest and vote on features. Name the page and the reading for the quickest investigation.
Still stuck?