Access Statement

We aim to provide access for all our visitors of all ages to enjoy their time with us at the Cambrian Heritage Railway (CHR). This may be from being able to stow away a pushchair, help with wheelchairs and other mobility devices or other special requirements. Please take a little time to review the advice given below.

Our Locations
Oswestry station
This is where our ticket office is located and where you are able to catch our train services between Oswestry and Weston Wharf. The station building entrance is located on Oswald Road (SY11 1RE) and access into the station building and onto the platform is wheelchair friendly.

Oswestry Museum
The museum is next to Oswestry station and its entrance includes 3 steps without a ramp. For those who are able to navigate a few steps, their wheelchair can lifted the few steps by an accompanying helper or our staff and then used inside the museum. For those with a sight impairment that restricts their ability to read smaller print information, a hand-held magnifier is available for loan within the museum.

Weston Wharf Station
Access into the station, the platform and the site as a whole are wheelchair friendly. There is no public parking at the site but there is pedestrian access.

Oswestry Signal Box – (Open for special events)
Access is via a set steep of wooden steps outside the building to the door at the balcony level, which unfortunately is not suitable for any visitors with mobility issues. Due to the age and design of the building, regrettably we are unable to offer any ease of access facilities in the signal box.

Llynclys South Station – (Presently closed except for special events)
The station entrance is located on the B4396 (SY10 8BX) and the station is down a 100m drive. Access to the station building and onto the platform is wheelchair friendly. The train service is from Llynclys south station out to Pen-y-Garreg halt and back again. There is no parking or pedestrian access or exit at Pen-y-Garreg halt.

On Train Facilities
Wheelchairs and Mobility Aids
We strongly recommend all wheelchair and mobility scooter users to seek advice prior to booking.

All trains are wheelchair accessible, but some of the carriages’ accommodation is not suitable. Suitable disabled accommodation on-train is strictly limited and only available on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to operational difficulties, wheelchair accommodation may sometimes be unavailable at short notice.

We can only accommodate standard designs of wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Unfortunately, some larger vehicles are too wide and heavy to traverse the ramp into our carriages.

We have a specially adapted guard compartment area on one of our carriages, which allows wheelchair access and seating space for any helper to join them. However, this is limited to comfortably accommodate two standard wheelchairs.

When we are running services using our Pacer-type trains there are more wheelchair spaces available. We can accommodate wheelchairs that are within the dimensions prescribed in government regulations covering public transport (700mm wide by 1200mm long).

For those who are able to walk a short distance, wheelchairs can be folded and carried in the brake van.

The train crew and station staff will be happy to assist passengers in wheelchairs if required; they are used to doing this.

Pushchairs and buggies
These can be accommodated on our trains but MUST be stored in the Guard’s Carriage when travelling. It may be necessary to fold these items during busy periods.

Dogs
We do allow dogs on our trains but please keep them off of the seats as the hair etcetera they shed is not welcoming to our other visitors and creates extra work for our carriage cleaners.

Assistance Dogs
Assistance dogs are allowed to accompany their owner in all areas of the site including the Snacks-on-Tracks buffet carriages at Weston Wharf.

Station Facilities
Parking
We have limited car parking spaces at Oswestry Station and there is no car parking at all at our Weston Wharf Station.
There is a good supply of parking spaces in Oswestry town, the following link provides details of car parking facilities in Oswestry

https://www.visitoswestry.co.uk/oswestry/oswestry-car-parks

Toilets
Toilets with full accessibility are available at both Oswestry and Weston Wharf stations.

Due to the age of our coaching stock, we cannot offer toilet facilities on our trains, and we ask that visitors take this into account when travelling with us. The journey between Oswestry and Weston Wharf is around 15 minutes, and toilet facilities are accessible from the platforms at both stations.

Fully accessible toilet facilities are also available at Llynclys South in the station building, and can be reached from the platform.