Global mobile game players raise more than £30,000 for Exmoor heritage railway

North Devon’s Lynton and Barnstaple Railway has starred in a global mobile game with players raising more than £30,000 for the heritage railway.

Players from around the world took part in the special ‘in game’ event in the Train Station 2 and Train Station 3 games created by Pixel Federation as part of its Save the Rails programme.

As part of the feature, gamers were able to discover the history of the Exmoor steam railway, based at Woody Bay Station and the volunteers who work to restore it.

The game sees players develop their ‘stations’ and collect iconic rail locomotives and engines from across history.

In this case, they were able to unlock and purchase a digital copy of the Lyn locomotive which runs on the L&B Railway, with all proceeds going to the railway and raising more than £30,000 in the process.

The collaboration sparked an astonishing response from the global player base, many of whom shared messages of support, interest in visiting Exmoor and their appreciation for the volunteers behind the railway.

Pixel Federation is an independent gaming studio based in Slovakia and has more than 140 million players of its games worldwide.

Above: Scenes from the Train Station game. Credit: Pixel Federation

Save the Rails is an ongoing initiative by the studio that partners with volunteer-run heritage railways and brings their stories into the game.

By combining storytelling, education and gameplay, the initiative helps railways reach new audiences while generating meaningful financial support.

Giles Perkins, vice chair and trustee of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Trust, as well as a fireman on Lyn, said: “We are hugely grateful to Train Station players around the world who’ve kindly supported us through this exciting initiative. Their generosity will help us further improve the iconic Lynton & Barnstaple Railway.

“We hope that Train Station players come and visit us soon at Woody Bay on glorious Exmoor where they too can experience Lyn for real.”

Below: Giles Perkins shares what the donation by Train Station players means for the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway

Pixel Federation worked closely with the railway to ensure Lyn and its story were represented with respect and authenticity. The collaboration aimed not only to raise funds, but also to recognise the hard work of volunteers and share their story with a new global audience.

One of the game’s producers commented: “We hoped players would enjoy a new locomotive in the game. What we didn’t expect was messages from gamers around the world saying they now want to visit Exmoor or support heritage railways in their local area.

“That kind of reaction is better than any in-game achievement.”

Above: The Slovakian game development team for Pixel Federation. 

The iconic narrow gauge Lynton to Barnstaple Railway opened in 1898 but sadly closed in 1935. Today there is a mile of reopened track from the restored Woody Bay Station to Killington Lane and the trust’s goal is to eventually reopen the line all the way to Barnstaple.

It is the only steam railway in the UK where visitors can travel in Victorian railway carriages and enjoy some stunning views during the two mile around trip.

Following the Train Station in game event, Pixel Federation says it has received positive feedback from players across Europe, the US and Asia.

Many players said they loved discovering the story of the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, admired the work of the volunteers and said the event inspired them to visit Exmoor and Lynton in the future.

Others have begun sending tips for other heritage railways in need of support for future rounds of Save the Rails – Pixel Federation would like to hear from anyone who can suggest other heritage railways that might benefit.

Anyone wishing to find out more or suggest other railways can visit https://www.trainstationgame.com/trainstation-save-the-rails

The Train Station games are free to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play, with in-app purchases.