Conditions of use

This API is freely accessible as long as these conditions are met.

It's been exposed as the next generation of the sites talk to it rather than the old traditional server model as it provides flexibility on creating new more responsive sites and is less resource intensive server side.

The rules

When accessing this API you must comply by these rules. Any breaches of these rules may result with your access being revoked.

1. Accessing the API
   1. The only permitted entry points to the api are the following:
      • http://api.area51.onl/
      • https://api.area51.onl/
      Older versions of the api may be used (if present) but would be removed at a future specified date.
   2. You should not flood the server causing it to be unavailable to other users
   3. Perform bulk downloading of data.
   4. You should not call the API's more often than one of the following:
      1. The specified limit on a specific endpoint (if defined)
      2. More than once a minute
   5. You must not remove any Header's in any responses. The API does not employ cookies but it does add cache control headers where necessary and these must not
2. Caching data
   1. You should not use any cache bypassing techniques including, but not limited to, the following:
      • Adding query parameters to make a unique URL
   2. For real time endpoints you must not cache data for longer than that specified in the individual API.

      You can use an intermediate cache like squid, apache etc but you must leave those caches to use the provided HTTP Headers as they will be configured with the correct values.

   3. Static data can be cached for longer. Static data is defined as data that doesn't get updated frequently. Examples of these are but not limited to:
      • CORPUS
      • Station information
      • SMART
3. Warranty

   This API is provided as-is with no warranty on it's accuracy. Do not rely on it for critical applications, for those please use the individual operators own information sources - although at times some passengers have found our information more useful.

4. Attribution
   1. When presenting any data from this feed you must include the following attibution:
      ©2011-[current year] Peter Mount, All Rights Reserved.
      Contains data provided by Network Rail, National Rail Enquiries and other public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence.

      National rail data must also comply with the following:

      [Insert additional NRE specific conditions here]

Data Sources

The data is sourced from multiple sources:

• National Rail Enquiries provides the real time departure boards and the timetables for the current day. More info
• Network Rail provides the timetable, signalling, performance and movement feeds. More info
• Ordnance Survey provides some datasets used in the station endpoints, mainly geographic locations and enabling searching for a station by postcode.
• Transport for London provides all data relating to their network not available on the other feeds, including tube departure boards, hire bicycle information and traffic cameras.