Schools are currently coping with many innovations, including the requirement that all children should use computers 'across the curriculum'. Primary schools have a long history of using a topic-based approach but for secondary school teachers to break out of subject boxes lablled 'maths' or 'English' and work together on a common project is asking rather a lot!

Even with innovative timetabling and staff who are willing to experiment, lack of software is a major problem: software houses can't afford to develop suitable packages until schools buy them and schools can't buy until there are suitable packages available!

There have been several excellent ones in recent years, including the Mary Rose and Climbing Everest simulations but now a specialist software house has produced a number of linked 'dramas' that cut right across subject boundaries.

Fernleaf Software has added The Railway Drama to its series of simulations and a few minutes with this package shows that a great deal of careful thought and planning has gone into it.

The story is based on the rise and fall of a real railway but set in the fictional Vale of Woolfordshire. The drama is in three acts and covers the years 1870 to 1960, starting with the planning of a Victorian branch line, the day-to-day running of the line and its decay and final death under the Beeching cuts.

The authors are fully aware of the problems of using software in the classroom and have built in considerably flexibility. Up to six groups can have their progress stored on the master disc and other groups' word can be kept on a subsidiary disc. Each group could be at a different place in the drama and, under teacher control, can skip or simplify the problem.

I asked two intelligent 16-year-old girls who made a point of never touching a computer to test the program.

The ample documentation makes it clear that time should be spent in background reading before starting and also that a lot of the work will actually be done away from the computer.

There are three copies of the players' notes (photocopiable), a teachers' booklet and 19 A4 pages in the information pack, all nicely printed in black and white on glossy paper. These give two maps of the area, photos of actual documents such as a solicitor's letter and an Act of Parliament, and a number of background railway scenes such as 'a busy country station', and 'shunting in the station yard'.

The first activity with the computer is to practise using the database by answering sets of graded questions. The databank contains essential information needed to build a branch line and the menu page is well laid out in a matrix.

The first question in the chosen set was 'What time do workers at the brickworks start in the morning?' It was repeatedly emphasised that notes needed to be taken. The girls found a map on the database that showed the position of the main industries and another page which showed the sizes of towns and villages, so they duly made their notes.

Despite searching the databank, however, Naomi and Cathy could not find the answer but they did find a lot of other information which ame in useful later on!

Once they started Act I, they were 'charged' each time they used the databank from the 120 units of money allowed for the project, so they got as much as they could for free!

At last they could start on Act 1. As in real life, the girls were not sure what they needed to know. There was a lot of data available that might be relevant and it needed sifting.

Like most people, they tried to cut corners and get on with the most interesting part, planning the line, but as it turned out, here they made a fatal error.

The program wisely allowed them to practise planning the proposed line on-screen. Where to put the main line junction was obvious and the instructions were clear. Adding a length of line gave a choice of five slightly different directions to move in, using the function keys.

It was quite hard choosing the right key to get the required angle and the line had several surprising wiggles as a result! Just as well it was only a trial run.

Their notes were put to the test when adding sidings for the local industries, as these were not marked on the printed map. Lastly the stations were entered.

After this came the real thing where you were 'charged' for any mistakes you made. There were many factors to bear in ind: where were the main population centres and industries and what were the whims of the landowners?

The plan had to be submitted to the shareholders for their approval. Would it pass? The industries were pleased with the facilities, the local people were pleased with the stations, the plans were within budget, but there was that fatal error - they had upset the local landowners and the plan was rejected.

The error arose because a vital piece of information wasn't found in the databank and had not been included in the plan. This meant that the whole plan had to be redrawn, but this time they passed with flying colours.

Act 1 had now been completed in about 90 minutes, roughly half of it spent on the computer. The girls were completely engrossed in the drama and were using many skills.

They had succeeded in using the written documentation and the databank to acquire information.

They had made notes and maps, filtering out what was needed, arguing and compromising, and then used these intelligently to produce a good plan.

Act 2 was a disappointment after the success of Act 1. The branch line was now running and a timetable had to be designed by the children to meet an assortment of demanding needs.

People had to get to work on time and holidaymakers wanted to visit the seaside for a day out, trains had to be met at the main line junction, and being a single track line with passing places, careful thought was required. In the event this was distinctly tedious.

Having used the databank again to get the required information, they had six stations and 14 trains planned which meant over 150 calculations.

The arithmetic was trivial, but had to be absolutely accurate, otherwise trains would not meet at the passing places, or would miss the main line connection.

This was good discipline, but I query whether the benefits were worth the time that was involved, which was another one and a half hours.

One of the problems with this part of the exercise was that the work could not be split up and delegated, so one person finished up doing it alone.

Entering it into the computer was also laborious, and I feel that Fernleaf missed a great opportunity here.

At no time did we see the completed timetable and yet it was obvious that a spreadsheet could be used, with the formulae pre-entered by the program. The whole timetable could then have been seen, printed out and checked.

Having had it checked by the computer, and found to be wanting, the girls had to start all over again, instead of just amending it, which caused frustration.

However, there was an unexpected joy to come. The second attempt was successful and the reward was some delightful graphics showing two trains starting out, pausing at each station and waiting if necessary until the other train arrived at the passing place.

To give credit to Fernleaf, the teacher can skip the children's planned line and use a simple one which is provided.

This would speed up the timetabling but wouldn't have been quite the same for the girls. Again, this Act had taken one and a half hours, of which about half an hour was spent on the computer.

Act 3 found the line losing money heavily, with competition from other methods of travel including buses and cars.

Cuts were needed so the children tried closing stations and changing some stretches of track to 'goods only' traffic. Sadly every combination proved unacceptable to the computer evaluation.

Now this may have been true in real life but I think there should have been a 'least unacceptable' solution which passed the evaluation. Here the girls found the only example where instructions were not clear. They had to use an X to mark the start of a section to be closed, but were never told how to end the section!

This was the end of the computer involvement but The Railway Drama notes suggest masses of supporting activities. Each Act has a sequel which recommends research into things like the blacksmith's wife, the opening ceremony, or the effect of a proposed motorway.

It was clear that Naomi and Cathy had been completely involved in the simulation and that they found it both enjoyable and stimulating.

This in itself was notable for two non-computer users. When I asked why they enjoyed it, they said, "Because although it was challenging, we felt it was something we could succeed at. It was much better having the computer check our results than going to the teacher."

When I asked what range they thought it was designed for, they felt 14-16 was about right. These two were of above average ability, so less able pupils might take twice as long and I am not sure that 10-year-olds could do much without a lot of help.

So is it worth nearly £40? It promotes a wide range of skills and is particularly strong on interpretation of data, decision-making and communication skills.

It is not so strong, perhaps, on developing mathematical skills. But overall it hangs together well and is accessible to a wide range of ages and abilities, with plenty of backup material across a number of curriculum areas.

The Railway Drama is available from Fernleaf Educational Software Ltd, Fernleaf House, 31 Old Road West, Gravesend, Kent DA11 01H (Tel: (0474) 359037). It runs on the BBC Model B, Master 128 and A3000 and will cost £39.95 to educational users.