England by train

Here is the current UK National Rail advice covering this.

[http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/44969.aspx][1]

You would be well advised to contact the rail operating company for each route you want to travel on to ensure that the wheelchair or scooter can be accommodated. You will probably also need to book specific trains to ensure that assistance can be provided in boarding the train (this needs to be booked in advance) and that a wheelchair space is reserved for your husband. Most trains have both a step up from the platform to the train, and also a sizeable gap between the train and the platform edge. I would say that it is not going to be straightforward and will require careful planning.

Assistance is available upon advance requests.

Can you be a bit more specific on planned journeys and routes, and days of weeks if you have planned that far ahead.

Are you bringing his scooter or wheelchair with you or getting something here? How much mobility does he have? Can he leave the chair and walk to a seat or does he need to be in it for the journey?

As a former Guard on the railway I have some specialised knowledge that may help.

Note that there is a difference between an electric wheelchair and a travel scooter, in that the latter will only be taken in the main if it collapses and the person using it can transfer into a regular chair.

As an example you can look at the assisted travel guidance provided by GWR - who would cover much of but not all of the area you describe.

Thank you for your replies. We plan on traveling from Southampton (will be on a cruise) and going to Bath but will probably want to go to Weymouth (Ancestors came from Upwey in 1629). From Bath to Oxford and then to London Heathrow.
We haven't decided on the wheelchair or scooter, his health will decide that as the scooter requires more energy but can be taken apart and placed in the trunk (boot) the wheelchair is massive and would limit us to only train travel.

This is another general link for assistance: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/disabled_passengers.aspx.

Oops Laura's reply includes the link I was actually trying to post in response to the OP! Not sure what went wrong with my post - apologies.

Don't want to offend Nigel, but there have been some recent incidents hitting the press where pre-arranged assistance and advertised facilities for wheelchair users at stations and on trains has been lacking - this could be a particular issue if your husband is unable to stand up or walk at all.

Doesn't offend me, Philip, that's partly why I asked. The detail I asked for is important.

The problems will only increase exponentially as the government forces through the stripping of guards (conductors/train managers) and platform staff/booking office staff.

With specifics the most valuable answers will be forthcoming.

My husband can stand and walk, just not for very long so we could lift the scooter if there is a gap or step up.

There also might be a door width issue on some of the older trains.
I was looking on the internet for a photo of a train door, these are the best I could find, I hope it helps: https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-experience/cps/1024/cpsprodpb/F42A/production/_89460526_southernrail_pa.jpg
And another one: https://businessdisabilityforum.org.uk/public/cms/261/564/1485/1938/vhKlVP_web.jpg

I also found a nice article, a review written by someone travelling by wheelchair, with photos: https://www.simplyemma.co.uk/travelling-first-class-virgin-trains-wheelchair-accessible/

That Simply Emma blog is excellent. Very much focussed on Virgin West Coast because that was the trip she took, but the comments and photos are helpful. As are the comments of those commenting on the blog.

The trains from Paddington to Bath can either be new ones or old ones - the old ones have much more narrow doors but the new ones were designed for many fewer crew. Either way the service at Paddington should be similar to that reported by Emma. In my many years on the railway I have seen passengers left on or have difficulty because the staff due to meet them have been diverted elsewhere, but rarely. In my opinion there is never an excuse and staff should not be short staffed.

Even if platform staff or assistance staff have some how failed the Train Manager/Conductor/Senior Conductor/Guard will have training in the procedure for using the ramp (carried on some trains, usually older ones, on the platform elsewhere) and will assist in that case.

It is worth reminding the Guard that you are there because even though she or he can see you it is easy to forget in the face of so many duties.

As mentioned above the destaffing of trains and stations - being forced through by government - makes traveling as a disabled person much more difficult. I say so from both work experience and because I am married to a disabled person.

The fact that your husband can stand for short moments and perhaps can walk off the train if aided over the step will make the situation much better if you find you don't have time to pre-book assistance (24 hours on most lines) or if somebody fails in their duty.

If you are leaving the train at an intermediate station it is critical to mention this to the Guard and for you to get to the platform and signal to the person in charge of the doors (Guard if the train has one, Driver in other cases) if assistance has not met you on arrival. Trains don't stay long at intermediate stations and you want to neither be separated from your husband nor both trapped inside when the doors close. Learn where the red emergency call button is - there should be one at every wheelchair position at both high and low levels, and in all onboard toilets at high level for able-bodied toilets and both high and low level in disabled or "Universal" toilets and use it if needs be.

You will also find many times that some of the nearby passengers can get help if you can't get on or off. Don't be shy. Use your voice.

Hopefully none of this will be necessary and the trips will pass uneventfully.

Station maps are available for disabled access for most stations at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/

Here's what's available for the stations you mentioned.

Southampton (note the lifts which serve platforms 2 and 3 currently out of use)

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/sou.aspx

and if you click the button towards the bottom labeled Station Map you get the map which I have linked here in the large version

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations-and-destinations/stations-made-easy/southampton-central-station-plan

Similarly Bath Spa http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/BTH/details.html

Oxford http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/OXF/details.html

Bristol Temple Meads (do you have to change there at some point?) http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/BRI/details.html

Weymouth http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/WEY/details.html

Could anyone be more helpful than Nigel? He never fails us.

Be aware that South Western Railway are currently at the pointy end of the dispute with the government about removal of Guards and has frequent strikes because it is the railway doing the dirty work and appearing to force the issue. It is the company at which the staff can strike, not the government, and unfortunately the paying public bear the brunt, especially disabled because strike breakers are usually management who don't deal with the public and their needs every day.

I mention this because Weymouth is a station on their line. There were just more strikes announced for a couple of weeks out.