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Text Alerts?

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by buseng, Jun 7, 2010.

  1. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    Posted a bit on this on the 35028 thread. Does anyone know anything about this Railtour Live text service apparently run by Nat-Pres? I can find the login page, but no means of registering. Only gives you a mobile number to ring. Seems to have been kept quiet although there are links on uksteam.

    http://railtours.national-preservation.com/uksteam.php?tour=t0610a
     
  2. svr-rodgers

    svr-rodgers Member

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    I have tried putting in my mobile number with my Nat res password but just gives a phone number to ring when this is done as it throws up an error :/
     
  3. wehaveaproblem

    wehaveaproblem Member

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    I registered this morning. trying it out on Thursday. I just followed the link on UKSTEAM.info. I eventually found a page that allowed registering. Will see how it goes. Exciting Stuff. I am not sure if your nat press password will work. Need to register as a new user to this service with a new login and password, I think your login is your cell phone number? Have had a go at logging in again... can't seem to be able to. I guess it will work sometime soon.
     
  4. svr-rodgers

    svr-rodgers Member

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    Have just registered and logged in first time :) seems like there is a charge for each text you recieve/send though
     
  5. Alberta 45562

    Alberta 45562 Part of the furniture

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    Why not just join a gen-group/create one on Yahoo,at least we dont get charged!!
     
  6. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Go to the Nat Pres home page and you should be able to follow the link from there. You will need to register even to send in updates, this is just to prevent abuse of the system.
    This system is a text based one which members can update by sending a text message to a special number folowed by natpres. There are several reasons it is text based, the main ones being, not everybody has a suitable phone for web access and in the more remote areas of the country web coverage is non existant anyway.
    Updates sent in will then be forwarded to all those who wish to subscribe to the system. Each tour will have a code, so before you go out you log on, select the tour you want and using the phone number plus start or stop, you will receive as many or as few updates as you want. UKSteam are involved in this, at all the tours to be covered you will see a small phone icon, click on this and it will take you to the page to set that tour as your option.
     
  7. BillR

    BillR Well-Known Member

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  8. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    It wasn't really kept quite as you put it, Glyn has been working on it for several weeks now and has decided to roll it out and see how it goes.
     
  9. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    But that system is web based and whilst it may be OK if you are at a PC or have a suitable phone, this system is for a more rapid update from and to members at the lineside and hopefully from those on board as well. On one of my recent trips I was sending updates to 10 people from six locations on the way from Crewe to Carlisle.
     
  10. belle1

    belle1 Part of the furniture Moderator

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    Link to the registration page:-

    http://railtours.national-preservation.com/register.php

    The idea behind this is to enable people travelling/linesiding to update the forum by text. The second part enables you to subcribe to updates whilst lineside.

    It is free to update the forum or whatever your mobile provider charges you per text.

    It costs 12p per text to recieve an update whilst lineside to your mobile.

    At the bottom of the front page there are some FAQ's

    We have done a few tests with the system and spent a Glyn has spent a good deal of time ironing out the bugs such as being able to start/stop updates from your mobile whilst out and about.

    We will be around to answer some of your questions as you come up with them!

    Oh, and it is free to register.

    Neil.
     
  11. belle1

    belle1 Part of the furniture Moderator

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    When you send in your text it takes a couple of minutes to update the forum. The text to a lineside subscriber takes a few seconds.

    Probably the simplest way to update would be as I did this weekend for the Flyde Coast Express would be to send:-

    6233 Passed Golborne 10.15.

    Short but with the info needed for someone waiting further along the line.

    If you are subscribing to the updates and you dont want anymore once the tour has passed you you text:-

    Natpres tour code stop

    For example for the Flyde coast it would have been:-

    Natpres t0605a stop

    You then stop recieving any more updates for the tour sent to your mobile.
     
  12. wehaveaproblem

    wehaveaproblem Member

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    I am looking forward to the text based syatem working as I try and use the internet on my phone (Samsung Tocco) and it is cr#p. Takes about 30 minutes to actually log in, find the post and reply to it. This will be much simpler. And hopefully works better. Although a bit worried about getting 100 texts in one day... have a chance of running out of credit quickly???? Will see how it goes. Perhaps a one off payment for each day used, could recieve 1 text or 100. Or charges you to a maxamum of 10 texts (£1.20) in one day? Look forward to trying it.
     
  13. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    I meant there has been no "official" announcement from Nat-Pres. I only discovered it by clicking on one of the mobile icons on uksteam out of interest.
     
  14. belle1

    belle1 Part of the furniture Moderator

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    This was one of the main concerns. If for example I was going out locally to see say 6233 on the Royal Scot but not chasing it northwards I wouldn't want to be updated when it departs Carnforth water stop for example. You would want the updates to start say 45 minutes before she would be due to pass where you are linesiding and then stop as soon as it passes (when you might update others yourself) You can then restart them later in the day for the return if you want to, again by text.

    This system will obviously depend on people sending in texts in the first place!!
     
  15. Steve from GWR

    Steve from GWR Well-Known Member

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    Seems like a good idea to me, I have gone and paid my £5 and will try it out chasing Lizzie around on Thursday. Hoping to see the planned times for that soon.

    I hope to be able to provide updates from at least Ascot and Bracknell, if Ascot is the water stop. If it's not, well some places along the line anyway! Hope there'll be some updates coming through for the journey from London to Ascot (but not too many, it could get expensive if everyone on the train is suddenly doing this!!)
     
  16. wehaveaproblem

    wehaveaproblem Member

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    I will be near Victoria or Clapham. Will be a good test of the system Thursday. :)
     
  17. wehaveaproblem

    wehaveaproblem Member

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    The possible problem is turning the service on half an hour before it is due could lead to no texts as there may only be 1 person out who text'd at the start of the trip to say it is on time. You may never get a message. Also someone may text it is cancelled or running early or diverted and when you switch on you receive no information.

    I must say it would be funny standing at a gallery of photographers and all you can hear is stupid ring tones going off as the train goes passed... all the video-ers would have the right hump!
     
  18. buseng

    buseng Part of the furniture

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    As long as your phone is switched on, you should get the text messages like any other text message, even if your phone is off at the start, as soon as you turn it on, any "backlog" of texts should come through. You can cancel the alerts any time "on the day". Regarding ringtones, you can set your phone to silent/vibrate.
     
  19. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Don't forget you will also be able to look at the Railtours Live section at the top of the forum sections list, all texts will be posted there as well, so you can check before you go out to see if anyone has sent in any updates.
     
  20. Steve from GWR

    Steve from GWR Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Ralph, excellent, I hadn't spotted that.
     

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