Tim Roll-Pickering wrote:

Interestingly, although I'm a regular rail user, I've *never* seen anyone
with a
wheel chair use a train.


And yet millions have been spent just in case one should ever want to.


I have a few times at Clapham Juncttion and occasionally on long distance
routes. But at the moment frankly a lot of stations are utterly inaccessible
for wheelchair users, leaving only a few combinations of routes viable.

So they may need help on some routes.

Earlier this year, I changed train at Castle Cary, a middle-of-nowhere
station that gets trains stopping because it's a junction. The main
line train stopped several minutes, longer than scheduled, while the
guard helped a wheelchair user on (a nontrivial job because the platform
is only accessible by footbridge). A _good_ reason for a modest delay,
and by the time I got off (Plymouth), it had made up the lost time.

Oh, and I've seen many wheelchair users on trains. One or two were
quite memorable people.

--
Nick Kew

Peter Masson wrote to uk.transport.london on Sun, 19 Jun 2005:

and the wheelchair passengers in a
4VEP had no access to a toilet.

Given how often they're locked out of use, or the condition they are in
when they are not, have things actually improved much?
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 23 May 2005

Steven wrote to uk.transport.london on Sun, 19 Jun 2005:

Interestingly, although I'm a regular rail user, I've *never* seen anyone
with a
wheel chair use a train.

And yet millions have been spent just in case one should ever want to.

I've seen one try - he was winched up the steps at Clapham Junction on a
most interesting machine designed for the purpose.

But alas, the train he was after was cancelled (my mother was hoping to
catch the same train), and the following one was only 4 coaches, not 8.
My mother got on, and was given a seat, but the poor wheelchair user was
left fuming on the platform (and he WAS furious, too!).
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 23 May 2005

(uk.rec.cycling removed)

Mrs Redboots wrote:
Steven wrote to uk.transport.london on Sun, 19 Jun 2005:


Interestingly, although I'm a regular rail user, I've *never* seen anyone
with a
wheel chair use a train.

And yet millions have been spent just in case one should ever want to.


I've seen one try - he was winched up the steps at Clapham Junction on a
most interesting machine designed for the purpose.

But alas, the train he was after was cancelled (my mother was hoping to
catch the same train), and the following one was only 4 coaches, not 8.
My mother got on, and was given a seat, but the poor wheelchair user was
left fuming on the platform (and he WAS furious, too!).

Aha I have seen that very same machine in use at Clapham Junction
myself, now you mention it! I stood on the footbridge at the top of the
stairs to 11/12 watching a wheelchair user being moved up, and was
absolutely petrified he was about to roll off backwards down the stairs,
considering the angle it was operating at. It worked though.

Related note: I often see a young female wheelchair user on my 455 to
work in the morning. She's very adept at "jumping" into the train while
in her lightweight chair, refusing all offers of help! I just wish I was
that fit myself... /lardarse

Cheers,

Steve M

Brian wrote:
On Sun, 19 Jun 2005 13:02:13 +0100, Colin McKenzie
wrote:


The bike and wheelchair space should, of course, be flexible, with
tip-up seats. It would be easy and cheap to provide more flexible
space, allowing more bikes to be carried when necessary, and more
bums on seats the rest of the time.

Oh, No! Tipup seats should be banned - I don't want to stand because
someone is sat on a seat AND blocking a seat with their bike. If
you've got a bike, get on it, sit on that and let me sit down!!!

Well, when I'm on a Turbostar with my bike, then I'm in the tipup seat next
to my bike.

Or more likely in a tipup seat in the vicinity of the flexible space with my
bike placed as unobtrusively as possible near the flexible space which is
being used by someone else, either because they have a buggy which is
justifiably using the space, or because they've reacted unpleasantly to my
polite "I'm sorry, but could I use that seat, I need to park my bike by
it.". I do try and ask firmly, but in a fashion that shows I understand that
it is somewhat unreasonable to ask someone to move.

Generally I do the same journey (once or twice a week, return) on Voyagers
nowadays. I don't buy a ticket/reservation for the bike because it's just
too much effort, and no one's ever shown any interest in seeing one. Also,
it saves me £3 a journey leg on a £12 return ticket, so it's worth the
saving, too.

--
Ambrose

Steven wrote:
On Sun, 19 Jun 2005 17:05:54 GMT,
(Neil Williams) wrote:

The seating is not "reserved for wheelchair passengers and their
companions". Anyone may sit there, but should be fair to disabled
passengers who can't safely position themselves elsewhere by moving
in the rare event that such a passenger does board.

Interestingly, although I'm a regular rail user, I've *never* seen
anyone with a wheel chair use a train.

And yet millions have been spent just in case one should ever want to.

Strangely enough, on the suburban line I use most frequently, where all
stations (but one) have easy ramp access (with the line generally running in
a cutting), I see wheelchair users fairly often. Say, 1 journey in 5. Also I
see them boarding at New Street not infrequently.

Of course, if it were possible for a wheelchair user to board a train
without the humiliating assistance of staff, like it is with buses, then
maybe it would be more common to see wheelchair users using trains.

--
Ambrose

Ambrose Nankivell wrote:
Steven wrote:
On Sun, 19 Jun 2005 17:05:54 GMT,
(Neil Williams) wrote:

The seating is not "reserved for wheelchair passengers and their
companions". Anyone may sit there, but should be fair to disabled
passengers who can't safely position themselves elsewhere by moving
in the rare event that such a passenger does board.

Interestingly, although I'm a regular rail user, I've *never* seen
anyone with a wheel chair use a train.

And yet millions have been spent just in case one should ever want to.

Strangely enough, on the suburban line I use most frequently, where all
stations (but one) have easy ramp access (with the line generally running in
a cutting), I see wheelchair users fairly often. Say, 1 journey in 5. Also I
see them boarding at New Street not infrequently.

Of course, if it were possible for a wheelchair user to board a train
without the humiliating assistance of staff, like it is with buses, then
maybe it would be more common to see wheelchair users using trains.

And if they didn't have to give 48 hours' notice (which I think they
still do down my way). I assume that for most people that means
calling in on Saturday to say "I'm going to work again on Monday".

In message , Dave Larrington
writes
When the old British Snail stopped charging for bikes on trains
twenty-something years ago, weekend trains out of London were suddenly
awash with cyclists heading out to the country...
Here we go again, "I want something for nothing, or I'll condemn the
operator".
--
Clive

On Tue, 21 Jun 2005 21:41:34 +0000 (UTC), "Ambrose Nankivell"
wrote:

Of course, if it were possible for a wheelchair user to board a train
without the humiliating assistance of staff, like it is with buses, then
maybe it would be more common to see wheelchair users using trains.

Indeed. It is perhaps odd that effort has not gone into making
lower-floor rolling stock instead of what has happened, which is the
exact opposite, with stepped entrances even more common than ever.

OK, platforms are not of uniform height, but typically there is still
a step of over 6 inches.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

On Tue, 21 Jun 2005 21:41:34 +0000 (UTC), "Ambrose Nankivell"
wrote:

Steven wrote:
On Sun, 19 Jun 2005 17:05:54 GMT,
(Neil Williams) wrote:

The seating is not "reserved for wheelchair passengers and their
companions". Anyone may sit there, but should be fair to disabled
passengers who can't safely position themselves elsewhere by moving
in the rare event that such a passenger does board.

Interestingly, although I'm a regular rail user, I've *never* seen
anyone with a wheel chair use a train.

And yet millions have been spent just in case one should ever want to.

Strangely enough, on the suburban line I use most frequently, where all
stations (but one) have easy ramp access (with the line generally running in
a cutting), I see wheelchair users fairly often. Say, 1 journey in 5. Also I
see them boarding at New Street not infrequently.

I've often wondered if the lack of wheelchair users on some lines is down to the
difficulties getting to the correct platform.

There are still stations with island platforms that require the use of steep
steps to use an underpass. I believe it's no longer allowed for staff to push a
wheelchair accross the tracks.