He said his inbox has “blown up” after he launched the idea for other Tube enthusiasts
A 22-year-old has solo-developed a free app to help fellow London Underground enthusiasts see how just how many stations they’ve ticked off. James White launched Tube Trackr a fortnight ago, and has already received more than 15,000 downloads from across the capital.
The computer science graduate told MyLondon the positive response to what was at first a ‘personal project’ has been entirely overwhelming. He said: “I didn’t think so many people would care but my inbox has blown up. It’s gone miles further than I thought.
“I came up with the idea as I commute on the Tube every day and obviously the lines go down all the time. I find it quite fun to try and navigate round when that happens because you get to visit all these stops to get where you need to go.
“It got me thinking ‘how many stations have I actually been to?’ People like to collect things and note places they’ve been and I thought there should be an app that tracks it so I’ve just done it myself.”
Using his IT knowledge and personal laptop, the tech whizz spent seven weeks trialling the beta on friends and family before taking the leap and going public. Whilst station tracking is the main attraction, the app also allows users to leave ratings, rate the cleanliness and phone signal strength, make notes, and see which tourist attractions are on each line.
James added: “There are achievements to unlock for visiting say the deepest or busiest station on the network for a one-time payment. I’m also hoping to add quiz questions with fun facts – there is lots more to come.
“Some people have even asked me to make one for other transport modes in London, or train stations across the UK. Who knows, maybe I’ll jump on the Tokyo Metro next.”
The developer has since discovered a new found love for the Transport for London network, especially as he learns more about its illustrious history. The app will soon include information about filming locations, how each station was used in wartime and the former post office line. James continued: “I was always interested in trains but I’ve definitely become an enthusiast myself now. It’s just all so fascinating.”
Thankfully, TfL is yet to get in touch with any copyright complaints despite concerns raised by James himself. He’s now looking ahead at how best to help passengers amid the Tube strikes.
He said: “I think they’re [Tube strikes] annoying obviously as they are naturally going to affect a lot of people. But, I actually want to create a notifications system so if there are tube strikes, or a line is down for whatever reason, then the app will let you know. Then you can plan your journey accordingly without any headaches.”
But, which line is the best of all in the eyes of London’s newest expert? Well, there’s only one obvious answer in James’ heart.
He said: “It is without a doubt the Metropolitan line which I know not many people would say. It’s my home line so there’s some bias but it’s handy, actually nice to be on and it’s the quietest. It’s my favourite by far.”
You can download Tube Trackr on the Apple app store.
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