Tourists are travelling on a train line to try out its innovative system which allows passengers access to the internet.

Computer buffs, including a group from Norway, have been making journeys on the Brighton line to and from Victoria just to go online.

It has turned an ordinary commuter run into a tourist attraction.

Some have not even bothered to get off the train at Brighton and remain in the carriages which have the world's first moving high-speed broadband internet connection.

They sit firmly in their seats in front of their laptops, accessing the internet for virtually the entire journey.

There are still one or two blips along the route - such as Clayton Tunnel, north of Preston Park, and close to East Croydon - where the internet access goes down.

Many business commuters are also making use of the service and working on the train before they get into the office.

The project was highly commended at the recent Communications in Business Awards, where it had been nominated as the best wireless project for 2005.

An article from The Argus about the world's first newspaper article being filed from a train was presented as part of the nomination.

The category was won by Londonderry, in Northern Ireland, which has a comprehensive internet service within its city walls, including hand-held devices which can be used by tourists to find out about attractions and the city's history.

Southern Railway has been pleased with the take up of the in-carriage internet service. The number of commuters buying £5 internet access vouchers is increasing each week.

Sam Hodder, head of communications for Southern Railway, said: " It has been a commendable effort to get the service up and running and we are proud to have it operating on the Brighton line."

The broadband service is operated by the phone company T-Mobile.

Graeme Lowdon, who runs Nomad Digital, the company which installed the system, said: "We are above our expected usage. One group from Norway made four journeys up and down from Victoria and did not get off the train at Brighton. Others are getting on the trains to Brighton just to try out the service with their laptops.

"It was good for all those involved to be highly commended at the awards. We expect to expand it on to other routes."

Monday, September 12, 2005