To enhance the experience for travellers on the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways (FfWHR), they have launched an app that will provide visitors with a personalised guide on their phone to accompany them on their journey along the line.
The “FfWHR Explore App” has been made possible through the generosity of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Lottery players, the Ffestiniog Railway Society and the FfWHR Trust, and forms part of the railway's Interpretation and Boston Lodge Project.
To provide enjoyment for everyone, the FfWHR Explore App uses a locomotive icon to mark the user's location on their route, accompanied by descriptive and historical information about the stops and points of interest along the line.
Each app also includes 'Out the Window' games for each railway, highlighting things to look out for along the route.
These include a tank of rubber ducks to be spotted as the train travels through the forest between Penrhyn and Tan-y-Bwlch stations, Wagyu Cows – a herd of black cattle between Dinas and Waunfawr, and trees and landmarks.
Items of interest on the railway and people who work on it are also waiting to be spotted.
Every FfWHR railway station has free Wi-Fi access, making it easy to download the App, and QR codes at ticket offices make it even easier to find the download site.
The ‘FfWHR Explore' App is free to download from either the Apple Store or Google Play Store and is available in both Welsh and English versions.
Tours of the FfWHR Interpretation and Boston Lodge Project will be available later this summer.
We want our visitors to enjoy a chat and the wonderful scenery. The app has been designed by our NLHF Project team to enhance the journey and to be a conversation starter.
Our On-Train staff and volunteers are always more than happy to tell you about our wonderful locations and railway – and may even help you spot that family of rubber ducks and the toy alligator who joined them last season!
Stephen Greig, FfWHR Visitor Experience Manager
Thank you Andrew, the photo was to show the token exchange happening but we had already realised it was confusing and so the photo, or wording, will be changed.
My wife and I absolutely love the ffWHR and often visit despite disability problems. Firstly, the staff are do helpful, making using our mobility scooters no problem at all. I could go on praising the whole enterprise but one thing can spoil the journey and that is someone trying to sound knowledgable and speaking in loud tones. He even ‘shouted’ from the front of the observation carriage to me at the rear about my photography skills. I am a semi professional photographer of many years experience and I know nothing can be done about it but as said already, mobile phones seem to encourage thoughtless behaviour everywhere.
Let’s hope they correct the errors, such as the Dinas page featuring a photo of Beddgelert.
Not sure that this is a good idea.One of the things that seems increasingly prevellent on trains , since COVID, is people of all sorts using phones on speakersphone, often even when the users have earbuds speakers.To possibly enable people to act thus on Ffestiniog trains is not appealing.Often many people travel on Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland service for a peaceful trip.
Thank you Steven, there is no sound on this app.