Audio guide promotes Settle-Carlisle Railway (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Audio guide promotes Settle-Carlisle Railway

1:30pm Sunday 13th November 2011 in Yorkshire Dales news

Passengers on the Settle-Carlisle Railway are set to benefit from cutting-edge technology to enhance their enjoyment of England’s most scenic line.

A new free iPhone app has been launched which will encourage tourists to visit communities and businesses along the railway and provide travellers with an audio guide giving an insight into the line’s history.

The Settle-Carlisle Railway Guide was launched by Carlisle MP John Stevenson in a ceremony at the Citadel Station, Carlisle, last week.

“It’s important that we do as much as possible to help businesses,” he said. “This app will reach millions of people around the world and encourage them to travel on this magnificent railway. It also provides an opportunity for passengers to explore the towns and cities the Settle-Carlisle railway serves.”

Inspiration for the app came from Richard Morris, chairman of Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line, which was pivotal in saving the line from closure in the 1980s.

“Building this railway in the 19th century was an astonishing engineering feat,” he said.

“Thousands of navvies toiled to carve a route through some of England’s most inhospitable countryside and many lost their lives in the process. This app recognises their achievements by drawing attention to some remarkable challenges they overcame.”

A central feature of the app is the GPS-driven audio guide, written by Mr Morris and narrated by BBC Radio 4 presenter Mark Holdstock.

“Some 40 sections of commentary are played at specific waypoints along the line, synchronised with your GPS location. It’s uncanny to hear Mark tell you to look out to the left of the train to see a particular feature at exactly the right place. We believe this feature is unique in a railway app,” added Mr Morris.

The app has been developed by Cumbrian multi-media company Creative Apps and is available in Apple’s App Stores around the world. It runs on both the iPhone and iPad.