London Northwestern Railway has teamed up with Digital Urban to develop a rail safety game to educate young people about the importance of keeping safe at train stations, and to increase confidence for first-time train users.
Our interactive game teaches young people to be aware of risky behaviour and develop hazard-spotting skills. Gamifying rail safety content helps create an effective learning environment that enables young people to practice real-life scenarios and challenges in a safe space. It also brings a dose of healthy competition to things!
We created complementary classroom activities aimed at helping young people to develop a range of skills on topics including, the importance of staying with an adult, behaving safely, decision making, and the impact of peer pressure.
Why should we teach rail safety?
The mainline railway has over 2,500 stations, covering a total of 9,864 miles of routes with 3,754 miles of electrified route. There are approximately 13,500 incidents of trespassing on railway lines each year.
It is essential to educate and recognise both hazards and unsafe behaviours to ensure the safety of young people in this country.
What is in the game?
The Rail Safety Game is an engaging and interactive experience designed for young people to learn how to navigate train stations. Players complete quests and challenges that guide them through the process, from purchasing a ticket to boarding the train. Students can identify hazards and risks associated with train station use within the game, such as riding bicycles near the platforms.
How will my students be able to play and access the game?
If you are interested, a representative from the London Northwestern Railway team can visit your school to facilitate the session. The game runs remotely, which is accessed through your school’s own hardware via a HTTP link. This requires IT staff in school to test that the appropriate network port is open. The game can then be played by students within school using a standard monitor, keyboard and mouse.
What area of learning can the game be linked to?
Our resources link to areas within the curriculum, including PSHE and English. Session objectives include is the identification of rail hazards and their risks, understanding how to keep themselves and others safe and understanding what to do in emergencies and where to get help.
What is included within the session?
The session features the Rail Safety Game, along with lesson plans, activity packs, and an expert from London Northwestern Railway who will join you and your class. If your school signs up for a session, these would be sent over beforehand.
How long would a session be?
Each session would be around an hour. However, we can be flexible to the needs of your school and students.
What is the cost for the session?
At the moment these offered sessions are free, however this could change in the future.
Quotes from students after playing the Rail Safety game.
We have had the privilege to take the game into schools already, we had such an enjoyable experience. It was great to witness the students engage and interact with the Rail Safety game and gain valuable benefits from playing.
Here are some quotes from the students we visited.
‘I think playing the game improved my confidence quite a lot.’
‘It improved my confidence because I never knew how to use a ticket machine.’
‘Identifying the hazards was really fun because even though it’s teaching you a lesson, it proves lessons can be fun.’
It was realistic, I felt like I was there!’
Register your interest today
We aspire for our game to reflect and demonstrate real life experiences that students and young people may face when they come to using trains. This includes real life practical scenarios such as purchasing tickets and navigating platforms, as well as emphasising how to be safe and the precautions they should undertake to protect themselves and those around them. If you or your school would like to be involved, please feel free to reach out to us on the email listed above where a member of the team will get back to you with more information.
For more information regarding the game or deliverable sessions, please contact [email protected] .