Great Western Coffee Shop

Has anyone else noticed this on NR enquiries, since about a week ago?

If I set the "Live departures & arrivals" to automatic refresh, it garbles the displayed data, showing part of the URL for each "details" link. When manually refreshed with the "Update" button, it's OK (though not with the "Update now" link).

Yep I've had the same thing for a few days.. Before that it used to garble it but not as badly.. Not sure if it's a Window 8 issue or a settings on my PC issue or what.. Clicking the update button sorts it out though.. Until the next Automatic refresh that is

National Rail Enquiries is, and perhaps always has been, a bit of a dog's breakfast.

As the 'official source' for all rail information, be it; train times, fares, disruption, etc, it fails on so many levels.

Over the years it has become more and more important as a tool for passengers to use prior to travelling. Not just for general information but also for providing pertinent information in relation to the contract between passenger and train operator.

When there was disquiet over the lack of information on ticket validities, NRE stepped up and nominally began including ticket validity information following a journey/fares search. Sadly the facility went live before it was tested, and it was many months before it was working correctly. Even now, ticket validity information is somewhat hidden, and requires three clicks before you get to read the information relevant to your proposed journey/fare.

Recently, National Rail Enquiries has supposedly become the arbiter and official source for permitted routes. A new engine has been coded to provide this, but again it appears to not have been beta tested before going live on the website, and currently doesn't work at all.

Much else is wrong. A couple of examples. The 'special offers' section has much information that is either out of date or just plain wrong. When there is major disruption the website falls down completely.

The major problem is that NRE is provided by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC). This is an industry body representing the interests of the Train Operating Companies. I suspect that there are too many vested interests. Too many cooks, and all that. In my opinion, what is needed is a national online resource that is wholly independent of those interests.

While we're at it, let's have that same independent body take over responsibility for setting, regulating and controlling fares and revenue distribution. ATOC are failing miserably in their role as the modern day Railway Clearing House.

And there I was thinking it was just an implementation issue, presumably down to Thales UK rather than ATOC's direction.

Still, I'm sure you feel a bit better after that.

Always healthy to get things off one's chest.  ;)

My apologies, stuving, for using your OP as an excuse to rant at ATOC.