Alfie Ralls // PORTFOLIO

01_MANIFEST

OPERATOR_MANIFEST.md

Hi! I'm Alfie, a Computer Science student at Lancaster University. Welcome to my website :)

First and foremost, I try to be an active contributor to open-source software. I enjoy contributing to the software I enjoy using, and apply what I learn in order to write maintainable, well-documented code.
Similarly, for the past couple of years I have been contributing to Wikipedia by creating and refining articles about the British railway network, with a focus on the sometimes forgotten, and often poorly documented, disused regional branch line network. A particular favourite at the moment is the Glasson Dock branch line, which I have been researching recently.
I am currently developing a web-based open-source interactive map of the UK rail network, which I started in May. I've decided to build this out starting in Lancashire, using React and deck.gl, exploring how best to use the incredible resource of OpenStreetMap to provide a new way of visualising the railway. I will continue to build this out over the next few months.
As of June 2026, I have been elected as the Engineering Manager for the student radio station at Lancaster: 95.3 Bailrigg FM. I manage, maintain, and upgrade the servers and technical equipment that the station uses to operate, and help out elsewhere, where I can.

> LAST_MODIFIED: 2026-07-04

CORE_PROCESSES.bin

> LANGUAGES:

Python Java C/C++ Bash HTML/CSS SQL

> FRAMEWORKS:

React Astro deck.gl

> INFRASTRUCTURE:

Linux/Ubuntu Proxmox VE Docker/Portainer Pi-hole

> HARDWARE_&_RF:

Raspberry Pi Server Maintenance VHF Transmission

> PROTOCOLS_MISC:

Git/GitHub OpenStreetMap Data Realtime APIs Jetbrains IDEs

02_PROJECTS

Project dossiers.

[ADDR_0x00]: PORTFOLIO_V2

UPDATED: [22/06/2026]

STACK // Astro, CSS Variables, Web dev and deployment

This is my portfolio website that I use to track my projects and to teach myself HTML and CSS. You're looking at it now!

It uses a stark, blueprint-esque aesthetic semi-inspired by the old web revival movement, with random elements of things that I am passionate about featured in sections (see the CIS display above). This personal portfolio is built entirely with semantic HTML and CSS, and deployed using cloudflare pages. It avoids client-side JavaScript to ensure immediate load times and backwards compatibility, and to provide a challenge to myself when developing and writing it.

alfieralls.com

[ADDR_0x10]: RAILGRAPH_UK

UPDATED: [01/06/2026]

STACK // React, deck.gl, OpenStreetMap, Git

An open-source interactive mapping project designed to visualise the historical shifts in the United Kingdom's railway network. Utilising React and deck.gl, the map features a timeline scroller allowing users to view the exact state of the infrastructure at specific points in time.

Currently focusing on the Lancashire region, including detailed archival data for closed regional branch lines such as the Glasson Dock branch. The architecture leverages OpenStreetMap and Wikipedia data to increase the quality and precision of available historical railway maps.

The backend for this project required me to write scripts to deal with messy data from Overpass Turbo and consolidate it into large .json files, which then required manual review to add names and opening and closure dates for every station and line present on the map. It took a while, but the result is undeniable. Compared to that, the frontend was relatively easy. Being an individual working on this though - it did take a while!

Very much a work in progress.

railgraph.co.uk

[ADDR_0x20]: PI_DEPARTURE_BOARD

UPDATED: [N/A]

STACK // Raspberry Pi Zero W, Python, Bash, Realtime Trains API

A future physical hardware monitor running a custom Linux environment configured to fetch live train movements from the network. It pings the Realtime Trains API for trains passing a specific geographic coordinate on the British rail network and outputs those exact details directly to a dedicated screen.

The logic handles edge-cases in data fetching via Python, utilising cron scheduling and bash scripts to keep the continuous display running autonomously on lightweight breadboard hardware.

Waiting for hardware prices to stabilise before I purchase the necessary compute for this one.

[ADDR_0x30]: OPTIPLEX_HOMELAB

UPDATED: [22/06/2026]

STACK // Proxmox VE, Samba, Docker

My homelab serves as a personal storage space and home network manager using Nextcloud for files, Immich for my photos, and Pi-hole for DNS and ad-blocking.

It is a legacy Dell Optiplex running a Proxmox hypervisor, an Ubuntu VM manages containerised Docker applications and a Samba file storage system to safely back up heavy university computer science coursework and important documents.

I use Portainer and Uptime Kuma together with Nfty notifications to maintain uptime and to stay informed when things start going wrong

03_EXHIBIT_LOG

Analog capture extraction ledger. Themes include architecture, railways, and infrastructure. All photos taken with my iPhone 17.

[01A] ENGINEERING_TWO.JPG
26mm // ISO 400 // f/1.8

[02A] AUTO_TRAIN.JPG
26mm // ISO 400 // f/1.8

[03A] GLASSON_DOCK_9.JPG
26mm // ISO 40 // f/1.6

[04A] EVENING_STAR_92220.JPG
26mm // ISO 160 // f/1.8

[05A] TURBINE_01.JPG
26mm // ISO 50 // f/1.6

[06A] COLOUR_SIGNALS_08.JPG
26mm // ISO 100 // f/1.6

[07A] PICADILLY_67.JPG
52mm // ISO 400 // f/1.6

[08A] TRAFFIC_LIGHT.JPG
26mm // ISO 32 // f/1.6

[09A] LANE_3.JPG
26mm // ISO 125 // f/1.6

04_CIS_DISPLAY

Do not use for actual train times.

1st 11:16 4 BSc Computer Science On time

Calling at

Software Development, Fundamentals of Computer Science, Digital Systems, Professionalism in Practice, Group Projects, Internet Applications, Data Engineering, Networks and Systems, HCI: Designing for People, Sustainable Computing, Secure Data and Systems, and Applied Security Methods

2nd O6:OO 1 Cairngorms Nat. Park Expected

Calling at

65L Backpack, OS Maps, Jetboil, Phoxx II V2, Sleeping Bag, Lantern, Hiking Poles, Raincoat, Walking Boots, Dry Socks, Water, and Food Packets

05_HOMELAB_SYS

(Not so) live telemetry from the local Dell Optiplex hypervisor.

PROXMOX_VE // [NODE: PVE-OPTIPLEX]

STATUS CONNECTED

UPTIME 42d 14h 08m

CPU_LOAD 14.2%

MEM_USAGE 6.3GB / 8GB

SAMBA_POOL 146GB / 1.0TB

CORE_TEMP 44°C

> UBUNTU_VM // CONTAINER_HEALTH:

pihole_dns nextcloud_app immich_server immich_machine_learning portainer_ce uptime_kuma

[14:02:45] INFO: Nextcloud routine backup completed successfully.

[10:15:12] WARN: High memory usage detected in container [immich_machine_learning].

[08:00:00] INFO: Pi-hole gravity updated. 1,420,051 domains blocked.

[04:30:22] INFO: Uptime Kuma pinged external gateway [OK].

root@pve-optiplex:~# _

06_WEB_RING

External network nodes and corners of the old web.

EXTERNAL_ROUTING_TABLE.txt

> DisusedStations.org // A brilliant archive of photographs and information about (you guessed it) disused stations.
> RailMapOnline // A collection of maps of railways in the UK, the foundation for my RailGraph project.
> NLS Historic Maps // The gold standard for viewing old maps.
> ShaderToy // A really cool way to learn about how shaders work, and to test displays.
> Making Software // All about how computers work.
> Based.Cooking // A simple recipe book.

PORTFOLIO_WEBSITE_v2.0