To bring to life the creativity that rail travel can inspire, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has teamed up with BAFTA-nominated writer and bestselling author Nathan Bryon (Rye Lane, Look Up!) to launch a new short story, ‘Clouds’. 

With research showing that 42% of UK adults say train journeys spark creativity, the collaboration brings to life GTR’s brand positioning, ‘every stop is a story’. 

‘Clouds’ is inspired by a rail journey Bryon took from London Blackfriars to Brighton and Lewes. From Brighton beach to Lewes Castle, looking out the window at the scenery was the creative fuel for the narrative. Mirroring Bryon’s own journey, the story follows a young ‘cloud-walker’, 11 year old Oscar, who discovers the magic of rail on an adventurous journey.

Oscar’s head is quite literally in the clouds. His obsession with trains distracts him at the wrong moment when he misses his cloud alarm and plummets down to earth. Oscar lands at London Blackfriars station and what could have been a disaster turns into an adventure. 

His journey takes place outside of the clouds and on the railway tracks. He is met with kindness from his fellow passengers and discovers new places that can only be found by train. At every stop there is something new. His journey brings to life the joy and excitement of rail travel and the stories that can be found along the way.

The story celebrates the power of imagination and its ability to be unlocked via train travel. Research from GTR shows that two in five (42%) of UK adults believe travel ignites creativity, while 7 in 10 of us (71%) are inspired by the scenery we pass through while on a train journey. Young people (51%) are more than twice as likely to be inspired by fellow passengers while on a train journey than those aged 35+ (20%).

Nathan Bryon, Author,  shared: “There’s something so special about being on a train. You see the world differently, meet people you wouldn’t otherwise, and let your imagination run free. That’s exactly what I wanted to capture with Oscar’s adventure in “Clouds.”

The campaign uses the power of long-form to bring to life GTR’s brand story. Audiences can read Clouds for free on GTR station screens, train screens, social media channels as well as in Departures magazine’s December issue. There will also be a limited edition of the story available as an audiobook on Spotify.

Through the power of storytelling, the campaign inspires audiences to imagine the possibilities of rail.