Disabled visitors

I have a blind friend, and a restricted-mobility friend, and a wheelchair-bound friend, and many variously-disabled acquaintances. Our wheelchair-bound friend made, with our guidance, a hugely-enjoyed visit to the railway with his wife on gala weekend. It is possible for visitors of just about any disability to enjoy a visit to our railway, by forward planning and prior arrangement.

http://www.disabledholidayinfo.org.uk/ironbrid.htm is a very helpful website with loads of info and links. SVR features fairly well, although it is not currently included in a linked site at http://www.wsr.org.uk/wheelchair/home.htm - we are, as we speak, putting that right!

So, what did the researcher say about us? "Also in the town [of Bridgnorth] is the Severn Valley Railway which has specially adapted carriages for wheelchairs and a disabled toilet on the train. The staff are on hand to offer assistance if required. There is a tearoom with a steeply ramped entrance and a shop at Bridgnorth station.

It takes about an hour and a quarter to travel the line from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster. There is a three quarter of an hour turn around at Kidderminster during which you can visit the small museum and have a cup of tea in the tea room there, before travelling back to Bridgnorth. It is necessary to contact the railway beforehand to check what time the adapted carriages are running, in order to avoid a long wait. There is disabled parking immediately outside the station ticket office.

The latest addition to the Severn Valley Railway is the new Engine House Visitor Centre at Highley. This can be reached from Highley station but please note until 2009 access for wheelchair users is via a very steep ramp at the end of the platform and across a crossing point on the line. The station staff will be pleased to assist you to negotiate this if requested.

The new facility is excellent and access to the exhibits is really good for those with limited mobility. Unlike many similar exhibitions visitors are encouraged to indulge in touching the trains which makes it excellent for those with visual impairment. Access to the cafe which serves meals and light snacks and also has an outside viewing area is via a lift to the first floor. There are several video shows in the centre but please note that the one at the far end of the centre has a display of fast moving images between showings and for those who might have a problem with this it would be best to wait away from the area until the commentary starts. The designated toilet is on the ground floor and there is also a small shop on site."

Fairly complimentary, eh? As it should be able to be - confinement to a wheelchair is not normally by choice, so the least we can do is make such visitors as welcome and comfortable as possible. To update some of the data in that report: we now have no less than four adapted carriages, with a fifth in the pipeline. The footbridge at Highley is scheduled for construction in January 2009.

So if you have disabled relatives and/friends - SVR is a great place to come!