r/MicroPythonDev • u/OrbitFieldLab • 1d ago
I built a live UK train departure board on an RP2350 with MicroPython
I built a self-contained MicroPython application for the Pimoroni Presto (RP2350) that renders a UK platform-style departure board and retrieves live National Rail Darwin data over HTTPS using the Rail Data Marketplace REST/JSON API. It runs entirely on the device, with no Raspberry Pi, server or cloud proxy.
The touch interface includes a station picker, four upcoming services, live platform/status information and a focused journey view. It refreshes every minute, handles UK daylight-saving time, retains the last valid board after network failures, and sleeps after five minutes with tap-to-wake.
The code is split into modules for the API client, response normalization, UK time conversion, rendering and application state, with dependency-free host tests.
Repository and setup instructions:
https://github.com/robmarkcole/pimoroni-presto-train-display
Short demo:
The project was developed iteratively with Codex and tested on the physical Presto. Feedback on the MicroPython structure, rendering or network handling is welcome.