Disabled access at preserved railways

Peak Rail

There is disabled access / toilets at Rowsley South and Darley Dale, and i think that they have facilities on-board for people in wheelchairs. With the construction work at Matlock access to Matlock Riverside is limited even for able bodied people.

 

Re:

If Ely staff are told there is a disabled passenger travelling, they will go and help every time. One of the Best stations there are to offer help that I know of.

Re the main topic, when the Wisbech & March Bramley Line finally gets re-opened, those in Wheelchairs will get priority consideration in design of station access. Our coaching stock already have disabled facilities, but will need checking further before using them.

 

Nice to hear so many railways are disabled friendly.
My qualifications, almost 40 years in a wheelchair due to a spinal injury.
Someone commented that mainline steam is a complete waste of time.
Not exactly true Vintage trains have excellent disabled facilities on their train and they are most helpful.
As to the rest I just don't undestand.
Back in the late 70's 80's and 90's I used to travel regularly in the brake van or some notably Brell Ewart would put you in the support coach. I have ended up blacker than FC and have thoroughly enjoyed myself.
As previously stated a complete waste of time (don't know about PMR tours though).
I have never minded travelling in the brake van so cannot see the difficulty unless it's to do with some of these idiotic safety rules.
Before someone goes on about this I am a big boy now and quite capable of making a decision about what is safe and what is not.

Dave

 

Sorry to hear of you being in the wheelchair Big Dave and good for you in speaking up.

 

Yes my Mum is also confined to a chair due to spinal injury, and mainline tours are one thing that she has never been able to do with us.

The one problem with VT access is no toilet. She would not be able to cope with the times between suitable length stops on many tours. Having no mobility it is impossible to get her into a normal toilet cubicle. As she isn't a die hard steam fan although she's been used to brake vans since the 80s, on preserved lines, I doubt 10 hours plus in one would appeal

Sadly this seems to be an EU thing stating that if a toilet is rebuilt that much then it is enough to require retention tanks, so Rolling stocks providers don't seem too excited about doing it.

Some tours using ex XC mk2s (so not steam) do include the old wheelchair carriages with larger toilet and wheelchair space but cannot guarantee that these will be in the set.

Sadly I'm of the opinion if the preserved lines can do it so well, its a disgrace that WCRC, Riviera and EWS have made no effort whatsoever to make steam charters more accessible. The fact that the SVR can convert a Gresley and the MHR a bulleid kind of shows up the 'we can't its a historic vehicle' argument, especially as we're only discussing mk1s

 

Suprised at WCRC, normally a much more enterprising company with skills in specalist rolling stock fitting and a desire to offer somthing useful to the market...

 

i beleive that at the spa valley we have ramps to let wheelchair users to get into the guard compartments. i do know that we have a purpose built rampo at TTW to let disabled passengers up to the platform. groombridge isn't a problem as the entrance is at the same level of the actual platform. im not sure about eridge atm though

 

Bodmin,

We have a wheelchair friendly coach with easy access, we also have wheel chair access to the male toilets, unfortuanately the ladies is not as good. Bodmin General Station is accessable, however the various station rooms are not too good as they are all original and not built with disabled access in mind. Boscarne Junction has good access to the Camel Trail adjacent to it. Coleslogget Halt is accessable but not much point as there is only there for countryside walks. Bodmin Parkway is also tricky, access to the B&WR platform is via the Network Rail station footbridge. Wheelchair access via the foot crossing must be done by passengers weeks in advance. Be aware!

Now to my work railway, Paignton...
We have ramps on all trains to allow easy access, and Paignton and Kingswear stations are easily accessable, the Up platform (paignton bound) at churston is usually accessable by footbridge, although a foot crossing is usable if accompanied by a member of staff, if no booking clerk is on site then members of the engineering depts may be around, if not please phone Paignton on our normal number and they can arrange for the train to wait whilst a member of train staff help you accross. Goodrington Sands station has no disabled access.

 

Thanks, folks, for the steady supply of information. As a general comment, I'd say the best way to see how accessible is a Railway would be to just go try it...

WSW

 

Hi

Notice to mods if you think this worthy of a new subject then please do so.

The thing I can't get my head round is the regression from relatively easy access on main line steam in the 70's 80's and 90's to the problems experienced now trying to book on mainline steam tours wit the exception of Vintage Trains.

This only seems to have happened since the demise of BR.

Can anyone throw any light on this as I am beginning to think the health and safety morons are behind it.

The one line I really love to travel on is the Central Wales line no great speeds but plenty of noise from the front end.

I enquired about travelling on last years Cambrian Coast Express was asked to leave my number so that they might provide an answer but no-one had the courtesy to reply.

Could it be that they are in breach of recent legislation regarding disabled access.

It would be nice to discuss this in an open and friendly manner.

Dave

 

Mid-Norfolk Railway

All trains carry disabled ramps. The Class 101 DMU sets have been modified to allow wheelchair access to the main saloon. The blue-grey Mk2 set has at least one coach with disabled access. The maroon set (the older vacuum braked coaches) is more limited, with wheelchair passengers having to be carried in the brakevan at the moment.

Boarding at Dereham and Wymondham is not a problem, and with careful positioning of the train boarding is possible at Yaxham and Kimberley Park, but Thuxton had its entire platform width reduced by BR after passenger closure, so the ramps cannot be used at this station. It would be best to check with the railway before starting a journey at Kimberly or Yaxham, as only half of these platforms remain at full width.

There is a disabled toilet provided at Dereham. There are no public facilities at Wymondham Abbey station. The station building at Dereham seems easy to access - I've not heard any complaints, anyway.

The inactive station at County School also has a disabled toilet facility, and level access to the platforms and ticket office. The age of the building means that most doors are wide enough for most chairs to pass through. The DMU display coach in the platform is fitted with a ramp, but is not suitable for wheelchair access due to the width of the doors. The same is true for the GER coach body under restoration on site as a second display area. Most photographs displayed in these areas are duplicated in a book kept in the Tea Room to allow disabled customers to access the information.

 

They may very well be but only if you can prove that they didn't return your call because they couldn't provide disabled access.

I would say that was near impossible - unless you got a number of abled and less abled people to phone around a similar time and only the abled were phoned back.

 

There is a DPPP on the West Coast Railways website

 

The Spa Valley Railway offers disabled access to all of its stations. Although High Rocks is reached via a gravel path, which was laid by the owner of the pub and banqueting complex there.

Both Tunbridge Wells West and Groombridge have disabled access toilets with Groombridge actually having both toilets equipped to facilitate this. Access to the shed, shop and ticket office is all on the level and the platform at Tunbridge Wells can be reached via ramp. Unfortunately our buffet is located in a former electric car coach and cannot be accessed. Although staff are always willing to purchase something for any disabled passenger requiring refreshments.

New for 2008, our Carriage and Wagon department have converted on Mark 2 BSO into a disabled friendly carriage, to an extremely high standard. This has been accomplished by modifying the interior of the coach so that wheelchair passengers can now access the passenger saloon and sit with their friends. Here there is space for 3 wheelchairs to sit at tables and enjoy the same surroundings as our other passengers. In the past wheelchair passengers had to ride in the luggage area which was not very nice at all. This coach is normally available in all passenger trains, but if you wish to make use of it, please ring the railway prior to your visit, just in case it is out of traffic for any reason. The railway can be contacted on 01892 537715.

 

The Welsh Highland Railway, as with many of the Heritage Railways, provides facilities, and is fitting wide doors into their coaches for improved access.
Please remember though the railway is still under construction and the facilities may not yet be on a par with others
Cheers, Bernard

 

Foxfield:

The station building at Caverswall Road is on carpark level, oh and the carpark is well surfaced in front. All the public areas within the building are easily accessed by wheelchair users including the accessible toilet. Unfortunately the only way to get to the platform is up a ramp from carpark to platform level which is a little bit of a push for some, although there are usually plenty of volunteers around to help if requred. On the train it's the old brake coach again, with the cages removed obviously. The Mk2 brake has seats for the able bodied accompanying the wheelchair user, the Mk1 brake hasn't had them fitted as yet. Dilhorne park can only be accessed from the train as it is surrounded by private land although there are footpaths nearby but these are the muddy field type. The deelopment in Foxfield Colliery, which should be opening 2009, will be fully compliant.

We like to think we make everyone visiting us welcome, be nice to get some feedback folks!

 

At the South Devon Railway we have level access for wheelchairs at the two terminus stations. Disabled parking close by at Buckfastleigh. Totnes is via a wheelchair accessible route from the Totnes side of the river - a bit of a push. Staverton its via the end ramp of the station. Most of the time GW carriage 6515 provides the on train accommodation in an open plan arrangement with large windows via the usual station ramps that are provided at all three stations. When there is more than one train then BS 43147 has a converted baggage area with extra windows and end windows. 6515 can take up to 6 or 7 wheelchairs, 43147 up to 3 or 4. (Depends on the of chairs - some of the motorized ones and special needs ones can be very large these days). Then there are auto coaches with suitable space in the luggage areas if needed.
What we are doing, though, as 6515 is getting a bit long in the tooth, is overhauling and converting a Mark 1 SO 4802. Much like the one at the Bluebell with double doors on both sides at one end. In addition it will have a buffet facility as well. One half where there would have been 24 seats will have the wheelchair space with seats for accompanying passengers and helpers. The buffet takes up a quarter of the space and will have a serving hatch accessible to the wheelchair passengers. The other quarter will have the original seating where we will serve cream teas from the new buffet. Are there any other buffet vehicles with disabled access?

 

The Talyllyn have ramps toilets and other facillities for disabled people at Tywyn Wharf and Abergynolwyn and ramps to get into the trains (normally a saloon at the front of the train)
my other railway the Vale of Rheidol on the other hand does not have anything however the railway cant do anything about this at present
cheers
AT

 

I think I put this somewhere else as well but regarding WCRC they did reply some time afterwards to say that they were perfectly happy to carry wheelchair bound passengers on the Cambrian's this summer.

Dave

 

We also noticed the Taly Llyn has a lovely observation type coach adapted for wheel chair use, My wife and I, neither of us disabled, travelled in it recently, fantastic sounds and sights of the engine going uphill, lovely views of the track and countryside returning downhill to Towyn.
At Blaneau next day, the Ffestiniog Railway appeared to manage extremly well with two coach loads of elderly people they had brought up from Portmadog.
As far as we could see both railways looked after their 'special' passengers extremely well.
Cheers Bernard