Cambrian Railway Partnership (CRP) have partnered with Window Seater to bring its passengers geolocated, localised audio stories as they travel along the route from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and along the Wales Coast to Pwllheli.

The Window Seater app connects rail travellers to the world outside their window with place-based audio guides that draw on stories from communities along the line. Guides cover a wide variety of subjects from history and geography to art and culture – always focused on the local area. You can find some of Window Seater’s previous audio guides, with community rail partnerships in GWR region, on Scenic Rail Britain here.

The Cambrian Line Window Seater Guide will enhance passenger experience in a fun and engaging way, making for a more satisfied and sentimental journey. The guide will be available to listen to in English and Welsh, promoting the country’s culture and identity.

Claire Williams, Community Rail Officer for the CRP said: “We are very grateful for the funding we have received from the Community Rail Development Fund and Transport for Wales’ Challenge Fund to partner with Window Seater and bring our passengers a unique experience.

“The Cambrian Line is an attractive route with spectacular views making it difficult not to look out the window and admire the landscape. The audio guide will only enhance this journey by connecting rail travellers to communities and encouraging onward activities, strengthening the drive for modal shift to greener travel and supporting social and economic development of the locality.”

Marcus Allender, Window Seater Business Development Director said:

“We are delighted to be working with the Cambrian Railway Partnership to create a Window Seater guide for this iconic railway.

Window Seater’s tech harnesses the passion and knowledge of locals into an easy-to-use app, allowing Cambrian line passengers to connect to the people who know the stories along the railway best – getting beneath the surface of the most famous sights and uncovering hidden gems of history, geography, culture and more.”

The project has been funded by the Community Rail Development Fund, Transport for Wales Challenge Fund and the Cambrian Railway Partnership.

The CRP is looking for members of the community to support this project with their historical knowledge of the line and its connection to the shape of the landscape as we know it today. The Partnership would like to speak to anyone who has a ‘story to tell’ about the Cambrian Line which can contribute to the audio guide. Please contact Claire Williams by e-mailing cambrianrailway@icloud.com.

Find out more about the work of the Cambrian Railway Partnership on their website here.