Oxford station story machine aims to keep children reading

Great Western Railway (GWR) has installed a short-story dispensing machine at Oxford station, one of five across its network, offering young travellers free printed folklore tales.

Each story is drawn from Line to Legend Land, a collection of 100-year-old myths and legends from the South West and Wales and includes titles such as The Ghost of Gloucester Cathedral, The White Horse of Uffington, and Herne the Hunter of Windsor.

Dan Panes, head of external communications at GWR, said: “There’s nothing like adventuring by train to a new place, while also discovering new adventures within the words on a page.

“These Short-Story Dispensers will make the journey as much of an adventure as the destination, giving children the opportunity to explore new landscapes before they’ve even left the carriage.”

The scheme follows research commissioned by GWR revealing that one in five parents notice a drop in their children’s reading levels and confidence during the summer holidays, with only half of children reading more than three hours a week.

A loss of school routine means reading often competes with television, mobile phones, and other distractions.

Story dispensers build on the recent launch of Little Libraries at 10 GWR stations, including a live onboard reading event hosted by children’s author Michael Rosen.

The scheme aims to keep children engaged with reading during the summer months, supporting their confidence and learning ahead of the new school term in September.