Virtual Easter egg hunt on the Settle Carlisle Railway

As the Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company celebrates 150 years of passenger service along the iconic line, they are launching a new, free, digital way to celebrate the Easter holidays – with a virtual Easter egg hunt.

The free Traxplorer App which guides passengers through one of the most scenic train journeys in Europe will also offer the online game to spot the eggs as they travel on the railway.

The virtual Easter Egg hunt has been launched in time for the school holidays, to provide families with a fun way of discovering more about the places along the line from Leeds to Carlisle

Named one of the best scenic railway routes in Europe by travel publishers Lonely Planet, the Settle Carlisle Railway is famous around the world. The route, which was saved from closure in the 1980s, has also received the TripAdvisor top 10 places to visit in the world award this year.

Traxplorer is a travel app that makes train journeys more fun and informative by providing information about what people can see through the window of the train, as well as providing live train times, historical information about lines, and user-friendly station guides.

The app also has the train times for when the Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company’s trolley service will be onboard, and details of refreshments available.

It also offers games linked to travel, including achievements, leaderboards, and unlockable content to encourage exploration and interaction with the railway network.

Passengers can log on at any point along the line, collect digital postcards for each station visited, and learn about points of interest along their route.

Chair of Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company, Pete Myers said: “Whilst we celebrate our past we are looking to the future, using new technology to enhance the beauty of the journey. term is the perfect time to launch our Traxplorer app, providing our young passengers with an interactive app on a smartphone showing them the landmarks and places from Carlisle to Leeds.

“Many people travel on our line just to enjoy the views, and this app will help them discover more about the places they are travelling through – and also provide games for the whole family to enjoy en route.”

Traxplorer has been developed by brothers Sam and Joshua Osborne.

Sam said: "Traxplorer is a great app for learning more about the Settle Carlisle line, and the places it goes through, and also a fun place to play virtual games, adults and children can enjoy whilst travelling along the line.”

Joshua said: "The Easter Egg hunt along the 72 miles from the seat of your train is a special seasonal event, and there will be more developed as we go through this special 150th anniversary year for the Settle Carlisle line. And wherever you get off the train, you can send a free e-postcard to your family and friends of where you are from the Traxplorer app."
The Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company was formed in 1992, following the reprieve of the line from closure. The company’s mission is to promote this iconic line and bring more recognition by and involvement of the many communities the line services.
The free Traxplorer app is available to download from the Google Play and Apple Store and the Easter Egg hunt starts Wednesday, April 1.