John & Anne’s grand day out…
Fancy a day out on the train… but nervous about wheelchair access? John and Anne Leighfield have been testing out their disability friendliness
Fancy a day out on the train… but nervous about wheelchair access? John and Anne Leighfield have been testing out just how disability friendly they are.
It’s a Wednesday morning in June. And while the weather has, for weeks, been dry and baking hot, today the sky is full of ominous looking rain-filled clouds scudding overhead.
Not the most auspicious start for John and Anne Leighfield to act as our valiant guinea pigs to test out the disability friendliness of our local train services… by taking a day trip from Bristol to Weston-super-Mare!
But, undaunted by the elements, we make our way to the platform armed with our tickets and ready to make the very most of the “Days Out By Train” initiative kindly organised by Severnside Community Rail Partnership
This is a scheme open to community groups whose members would benefit from an accompanied (and free of charge) trip out.
As their website explains: “As well as having a great day with their friends and peers, they’ll learn how to make use of their local railway station, to access new social, employment and leisure opportunities.”
John and Anne’s stroke story
John had his stroke six years ago at the height of the Covid lockdown. It came completely “out of the blue”.
“We’d just started getting ready for bed,” recalls Anne. “Fortunately, we recognised what was happening & called the ambulance straight away.”
John had suffered a severe bleed on the brain and was left disabled - with weakness on left side. John received emergency treatment at Southmead hospital.
The timing was particularly cruel: John had just retired and was looking forward to spending more time on his bellringing hobby. Anne was still working as an NHS administrator at Southmead but eventually had to take early retirement to care for John.
Months of rehabilitation followed. John was fortunate not to have any cognitive or communication symptoms, but has been left permanently disabled with no use of left arm. He now uses a quad stick & wheelchair.
Dealing with the aftermath
One of the immediate impacts on the couple was getting about: John had always done the driving & Anne now has to drive including motorways!
So while the two could start going out together in their car, one obstacle remained: taking the train.
Armed with her senior railcard, and preferring to “let the train take the strain” wherever she could, Anne has been making some trips on the train on her own.
“I really wasn’t confident enough to try it,” confirms John. “Today is all about finding out whether I can start using the train too.”
Went the day well?
The first test was using the lifts linking Platform 3 to the other platforms. That proved a doddle, and when the train pulled into Platform 8, a guard was ready with the ramp.
“Letting the railway operator know that you are planning to take the journey with a wheelchair is the first, important stage,” says Faye Keane, Community Development Officer with Severnside Community Rail Partnership.
“It means they can have a reserved place for your wheelchair and ensure there is someone available to accompany you to and onto the train.
“They can also make sure you won’t be arriving at a station or platform with no wheelchair access.”
It’s also worth noting that, by buying a disability railcard (£20 for one year, £54 for three years) you are entitled to 1/3 off your train tickets for both you and your travelling companion.
Reaching our destination
There to meet us as we pulled into Weston-super-Mare was a guard ready with a ramp, who also guided Anne and John safely out of the station – this particular one currently has no platform lift but one is going to be installed.
And, after a day sampling the delights of Weston, in between flurries of rain, we made the reverse journey… with a test on the system’s resilience: our booked train had been cancelled.
The guard who had been expecting us was able to rearrange disabled access and a place on the next train.
And the verdict?
“I think it was quite illuminating, to be honest, ,” says John. “it was a bit busy at Temple Meads, but with someone helping you through, it was fine.
“And actually, getting onto and off the train itself was very easy using the ramp.
“I would definitely recommend coming on the train to other people from the Bristol After Stroke community. I was definitely on a learning curve, but it was much more straightforward than I’d imagined.
“The only thing I’d add is that you do need to do your research before you travel and check out each stage of the journey.”
“I think it's been great,” adds Anne. “I just needed to do this to get the confidence to book and get on a train with John… but it's just opened up our eyes.”
If you want to travel in John and Anne’s train tracks, you can find out more on the link below:
