Live Google Map of UK trains

+
= Realtime UK Rail Map!
Remember Dartmaps, the realtime Dublin commuter mashup that plots the real-time locations of trains on a Google Map? A similar Google Maps mashup has been created for trains in the UK National Rail Network: Live UK Rail Map

The map, created by Matthew Somerville shows all trains which are currently inbound to a particular station. Yellow pins mark station stops and red pins indicate trains in motion. Zoom in close to see them chugging along the tracks and an info-window will tell you the departing and destination stations along with the time if left. Google Maps is being mashed up with real time data from the National Rail website. Those who are just tuning into Google Maps Mania for the first time might not know I get very excited about Google Maps mashups that map real time objects or vehicles. I think it can mean great user applications in the area of transit, sport and even public safety!

[Found Via ProgrammableWeb]

Google Maps adds address search for Australia and New Zealand

Google Maps has added the long awaited address searching for the countries of Australia and New Zealand making the previous released street maps even more useful. When Google released this map data for Australia and New Zealand the maps could only be browsed, but not searched by address. Now this is possible. Local business search and driving directions do not yet appear to be working.

Example (Australia): 5 Lowanna Place Hornsby, New South Wales 2077 Australia

Example (New Zealand): 20 Holly Rd, St Albans, Christchurch, New Zealand

This might also pave the way for Australia and New Zealand geocoding support within the Google Maps API and more mashups from these countries!

Update: Sept.7/06 6:41AM: As expected the folks at Google have announced geocoding support for Australia and New Zealand over on the Google Maps API Blog!

[Thanks to Ed Groenendaal for the tip!]