Heritage railway launches gaming carriage
BBCA heritage railway which runs between Kent and Sussex is planning to attract the next generation of train enthusiasts with a gaming carriage.
The Kent and East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) will be turning part of the train into a video arcade during May half-term.
The Gaming on the Move services will run from 26-30 May, allowing participants to play games whilst their parent, partner or carer enjoys the countryside views.
K&ESR chairman Derrick Bilsby said: "I think it's very important that we involve the younger generation and what better way to do that than to innovate and actually provide on the train the things that they would normally do at home?"
Mr Bilsby hopes that the experiences could spark a new interest in heritage railways for the gamers.
The gaming carriage is provided by Aylesford-based family firm Techzone, which has set up three consoles with 55" screens and two simulators.
The gaming will only be in one direction, from Tenterden in Kent to Bodiam in East Sussex, so "gamers can experience the sights with their other passengers" on the return journey, explained Mr Bilsby.
Daniel Lomass-Harris, from Techzone, said he believed this had never been attempted on a moving train before and was "a new way for children and adults to experience gaming in the British countryside".
The gaming carriage is already proving popular with one K&ESR volunteer.
Gavin Field, from Tenterden, first became interested in railways after playing Train Simulator on his computer as a child and he is now looking forward to combining both of his interests.
"It mixes two generations together and brings two different types of people into one location," he said.
"I'm looking forward to playing on the Formula One simulator, it's excellent!"
The railway runs 10.5 miles (16.8km) between Tenterden and Bodiam and celebrated the 50th anniversary of its re-opening last year.
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