At a glance

• A heritage-based tour throughout Cleethorpes, using AR, minigames, animation and AV content

• A film about the regeneration of Grimsby Docks

• Co-creation with young volunteers throughout all stages of the project

As part of a county-wide regeneration project, Heritage Lincolnshire were keen to use the legacy of Edward Watkin - the “Railway King” - to boost local pride and inspire local people. Running through the project was the idea of accessibility - that regardless of income, tech literacy or device, people should be able to use the tour and get inspired. The tour had to work across multiple screens and devices as it is to be used as an in-classroom educational resource as well as a trail.

Using Watkin as the guide, we anchored the tour in his personal achievements, while looking for parallels in the present and future. Each point of interest on the tour had to adhere to at least one of the core Watkin principals: Dream Big Think Big, Never Give Up, Make Connections and Look Forward. Theme-based activities at each stop drew from a range of options: high energy step counts along the promenade; seeing the last steam train at Cleethorpes Station via the magic of AR; and looking out from the folly into the past with photo matching.

Taking inspiration from madcap kids TV shows like Dick and Dom, and drawing on Watkin’s influence on engineering and Victorian gumption, I designed a visual style that mashes collage and texture with readable, friendly type and eye catching colours. Some of the young volunteers were used to deliver content via the app, and an animated Watkin character oversaw all of the intstructional content.

Credits

Interpretation design, creative direction, workshop design and delivery - Chris Parker

Interpretive design - Mike Oakenful

Copywriting - Deborah Mulhearne

Developer, workshop design and delivery - Rob Presland