Case Study: The Trail of Discovery
The Trail of Discovery for the S&DR 200 is a guided route that helps people explore the places, stories and engineering behind the Stockton and Darlington Railway. It marks key spots along the original line and shares short pieces of history about how the railway was built, who worked on it and why it changed transport forever. The trail is designed to be simple to follow, with signs and stops that let you take in the landscape and understand what happened there two hundred years ago.
Augmented Reality
AR helps people visualise historically accurate parts of the Stockton and Darlington Railway as they were two hundred years ago. By pointing a phone at markers along the trail, visitors can see clear digital representations on screen that bring the original railway to life.
The
Collection
The digital collection for the Trail of Discovery brings together posters, paintings and 3D models linked to the Stockton and Darlington Railway. It gives a clear look at items connected to the sites on the route and offers a straightforward way for people to explore the history in more detail online.
Travel Companion
It also works as a simple travel companion. It includes a map of the route, highlights key locations and gives short background notes for each stop. It also offers podcasts for people who want extra context while walking. The whole experience is narrated by Steph McGovern
The Trail of Discovery is a walking route created for the S&DR 200 anniversary. It guides people through key locations along the original Stockton and Darlington Railway and uses light digital tools to explain why each place matters. The route can be followed on foot or explored from home through the travel companion app, which includes a map, short podcasts and narration from Steph McGovern. AR points show historically accurate views of how parts of the railway once looked, keeping the experience focused on place and history rather than heavy interpretation boards.
The project took two years to co create and manage. It was designed, concepted and directed by our team with input from local partners, and more than twenty students helped bring it to life. The whole trail was built with the public in mind, from railway fans to people simply out for a walk. A light collecting game adds a bit of interaction without getting in the way of the route. Together, the physical trail and the digital tools offer a simple and modern way for people to understand and enjoy the story of the first public railway
