Train operating companies on the Web

1.

Central Trains

1.1

Presentation

The front page of the Central Trains website shows the company logo and a large, colourful graphic with six links called "The Hub". The names of the six sections are self-explanatory and this gives an immediate indication of what is available inside the site. Disappointingly, "Latest Information" leads only to an undated list of press releases.

Each inside page, with the exception of the route map, has an identical navigation bar at the top with links to the six sections of "The Hub" and the front page, illustrating the structure of the site. Since the navigation bar is not in a frame, it is hidden when the page is scrolled, and it is not duplicated at the bottom of the page.

The main text is black on white and perfectly readable, although the text on the navigation bar is perhaps a little small. Most pages are short with the notable exception of the page of press releases. Information on bus connections and ticket types appears at the end of this long page where it could easily be missed.

1.2

Content

The Central Trains network is represented on an interactive map. Unsurprisingly, this is graphically intensive and requires ActiveX to be running on the browser; it is still accessible without ActiveX, but less smooth. The network runs from west Wales to Norfolk and is fairly complex, so the map is handy for planning a journey. It allows one to select an area of the main map and 'zoom in' to a more detailed map, then move to adjacent sections without zooming out again. Clicking on the name of a station displays any special offer prices for travel to and from that station. The navigation bar is replaced by a link to the timetable which automatically fills in the chosen start and end points of a journey.

The timetable page is a form with spaces for the starting station, destination, date and time. In fact, it is taken without acknowledgement from the well-known Railtrack timetable server, even linking to the Railtrack site to calculate the route. Unfortunately it links to an outdated address so the timetable form fails to work without any indication of why it has failed.

This is a serious flaw which gave the opportunity to test Central Trains' response to feedback about the website. Curiously, clicking on "Feedback" anywhere else gives only telephone numbers and an address for complaints, with no indication that there is a web form, but from the timetable page it is possible to reach a form for delivering comments directly. Over a month since sending a message there has been no reply and the site has not been fixed; mail sent to webmaster@centraltrains.co.uk bounced. This is dreadful customer relations! Timetable information can of course be found directly from Railtrack, but this does tend to reduce the incentive to return to the Central Trains website.

The remaining parts of the site are "About Central Trains", which briefly describes the operations of Central Trains and gives statistics about the company; "Intouch", a link to the press releases mentioned earlier including new services and relevant telephone numbers, and a prize draw which would be an attractive feature of the site except that the small print shows that the draws finished in September 1999.

1.3

Verdict

There is some information of interest on this small site and the network map is a very convenient way of planning a journey in the area. The site is let down by some niggling inconsistencies. It is a shame that the timetable service doesn't work and that it is not possible to book tickets online as it is necessary to visit another site for these services. Combined with being two months out of date, these failings make it unlikely that one would want to return here.