Welcome to TrainSpotting!
Our sister app PlaneSpotting is now available on the App Store! See www.plane-spotting.co.uk
Steam Locomotive 8F
Class 66
Unit 419
Great Western 5239
Class 08 No. 8288 "Phoenix"
Class 13 No. 101
Class 180 No. 18011
Class 26 No. 26020
Class 37 No. 37114
Class 43 No. 43047
About TrainSpotting
TrainSpotting is the ultimate iPhone and iPad app for rail enthusiasts. Keep track of the trains you see, log details, and share with the community. Whether you’re at your local station or traveling across the country, TrainSpotting makes it easy to record and relive your spotting adventures.
For Sightings you only need to save the Number but you can also add:
- Location via three-letter code or plain text
- Photo (camera or library)
- Date
- Notes
For Haulage you only need Origin but you can also add:
- Destination
- Number (adding number automatically generates a spot)
- Photo (camera or library)
- Departure Date & Time (defaults to current date & time for quick save on boarding)
- Arrival Date & Time
- Notes
You can view your data in many ways – see below!
Screenshots & explanations of the Main Pages of the app &
Frequently Asked Questions are shown below
The Options screen
The first time you run the app it starts here and walks you through setup.
Warning: any Import selection on this page will overwrite all existing data on the app!
- Import Spots & Hauls — import a CSV exported from this app or the Android TrainSpotter app.*
- Export Options — this gives you two choices: 'Export CSV Data Only' or 'Export Spot Photos Only'. This allows you to export all data as a CSV file, or export your saved images.
- Refresh Database — refresh after recent updates.
- Manage Locations — add/archive favourites.
- Delete Duplicates — backup first; removes identical duplicates (same number, date & location).
- Optimise Images — resizes images stored by the app only (not Photos library). Make a full-size backup first.
- Set Historic Date — set a historic date (default: the day BR were disbanded) for Historic Spot.
- Support & Forum Website — opens this site.*
- PlaneSpotting — download our sister app.
- We acknowledge the invaluable service from ICRS.
- The current Version appears bottom right (you may need to scroll).
* Internet connection required.
Jump straight to recording a Sighting or Haulage.
Quick access to simple lists of each.
All main pages are available via the bottom tab bar.
We’re proud to partner with the volunteer-run Inter City Railway Society.
After tapping Create a Spot, enter a train number. The app checks our database; if unknown, you can submit details.
Save just the number now and add details later, or choose Full Details to continue.
Add optional details:
- Type a location and save to favourites, or pick from favourites.
- Add a photo (camera or library).
- Edit the date.
- Add notes.
You can change these details anytime.
Only Origin is required. You can also add:
- Train number
- Destination
- Departure Date & Time
- Arrival Date & Time
- Photo (camera or library)
- Notes
Edit later via the View Haulage page.
All haulage trips are listed chronologically.
Tap a trip to open the Haulage Create/Edit page (great for transferring data to railmiles.me).
Search all your sightings by date or location.
Select a result to view or edit individual entries.
Quickly find all sightings on a specific date and drill down to view/edit details. Locations in Red indicate one or more sightings at that location are previously unseen.
Search the database by Type, Operator, Owner, Name or Depot.
View the total numbers by type and sightings. Scrapped numbers are hidden by default (optional to include).
Tap a type to go to the Class Listing. Or search a specific number via the top-right search.
You can also filter to show only locos/units you haven’t spotted.
Lists all classes within the chosen type, with totals and your spotted counts.
Tap a class to open the Class Listing.
Start typing a name or scroll the full list of named locos/trains.
Tap to view, or swipe left to add a Spot.
Shows all trains in the selected class and which you’ve
Spotted
or been
Hauled
by.
Tap a train to open its listing. Swipe left on a number to quickly add a sighting for today or your Historic Date.
Shows all Sightings & Haulage for the selected train.
Edit via the Sighting or Haul page. Set your personal default class image, and tap the top-right to view full screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to the most common questions about TrainSpotting. If you need more help, contact us.
No, this app was indeed inspired by Peter's. I had been searching for some time for a Train Spotters/Rail Enthusiasts app for iPhone without success. All I could find was his for Android. I initially asked Peter if he would help build this one for me but he had too many other commitments. So I decided to build one myself. However, Peter kindly agreed that I could copy his basic design. We now share our database and our intelligence sources! Peter's website: http://trainspotterapp.azurewebsites.net/#
Data Storage
Your Spots, Hauls and any images you add are stored in the app.
Data Backup
The only way to safely backup your data is via the Options page where you can select Export Options.
You can then export your data and/or your images. You choose where you save your Data, your images will be added to your photo library. We strongly recommend you do this regularly, the app will remind you every two weeks.
Sync to other devices
If you have an iCloud account, your data and images will be synched to iCloud. This is only to allow synchronisation to any other devices (such as an iPad) which is logged into the same iCloud account and of course has the TrainSpotting app.
Restoring your data
If you need to restore your data from a previously exported file, on the Options page select Import Spots and Hauls. You can then select Import from iOS CSV and note the warnings that this will replace all the data in the app. Any Spots or Hauls since the last Export will be lost.
The Import from Android CSV option is for users converting from the Android Trainspotter app.
If you enter a train number and the app says "Number Not Found" (and you have an email account on your phone), it will invite you to email details of the train to us. Alternatively you can do it via the Contact Page.
Yes! There are two options; the easiest is via the Class Screen page:
- Set the date you wish to use on the Options page.
- Go to Browse and select the Type and then the Class.
- Scroll to the number you want, swipe left, tap Add Spot and choose Historic Spot.
Or, if you’re comfortable with spreadsheets:
- Add at least one sighting via Create a Spot on the Home screen (choose Full details; add a location and a note; save).
- Add at least one Haulage including Number, Origin, Destination and departure/arrival date & time.
- With internet connection, go to Options → Export Options and save the CSV file.
- Make a copy of the CSV before editing, so you can restore the original if needed.
- Open in Numbers; set column 2 (Spot/Haul number) to Text to preserve leading zeros; fix any affected numbers.
- Enter your spots using the existing format. (You only need Number for Spots; for Hauls you need Location and Date.)
- Export as CSV and save your file where you wish.
- In TrainSpotting, use Options → Import Spots & Hauls and select the file. The app will validate the data and report any errors. Very old/scrapped numbers not in our database won’t import—email us if you believe they should be included.