Blind and partially sighted passengers invited to ‘Try a Train’ with new Avanti West Coast partnership
Merseyside Sight Loss Council is inviting blind and partially sighted people to take part in a special Try a Train event in partnership with Avanti West Coast on Tuesday 30 September 2025.
The free event helps participants build confidence in travelling by train, from navigating stations to getting to know the train layout. Sighted guides will be on hand throughout the day to offer support.
This latest Try a Train event is part of a series of activities taking place in 2025. This is also the year of Railway 200, marking 200 years of the modern railway.
The day will begin at Liverpool Lime Street station at 9:30am, where delegates will board an Avanti West Coast service to Crewe. Furthermore, once there, they will visit the Avanti Training Academy to explore a disused train carriage. This offers a unique opportunity to become familiar with the interior layout in a calm, controlled environment.
North West Engagement Manager, Kelly stands beside a disused Avanti West Coast train
After lunch and light refreshments, the Avanti team will host an interactive session in one of their training rooms, explaining how they make journeys more accessible for blind and partially sighted passengers. There will also be plenty of time for questions before the group returns to Liverpool Lime Street, arriving at approximately 3pm.
Attendees are in discussion at the Try the Train event
Learn more and how to book your place
Why join us?
Kelly Barton, Engagement Manager for the North West at Sight Loss Councils, said:
“We are really pleased about this new partnership with Avanti West Coast – it’s a fantastic opportunity for blind and partially sighted people to gain confidence in train travel and we’re really looking forward to welcoming you to this event.
“We know how important public transport is for blind and partially sighted people regardless of whether it’s travel to work, visiting family or for social activities. But we also know that there are still so many people who are reluctant to get on a train, because of a lack of confidence and sometimes accessibility. We hope this event will help people feel more confident and empowered to travel by train in the future.”
Attendees including North West Engagement Manager Kelly Barton, pose for a photo
Merseyside Sight Loss Council member Mike Wright added:
“Try a Train offers the opportunity for blind and partially sighted people who don’t feel confident with train travel to familiarise themselves with trains and all that is involved, in a safe, controlled environment. Typically, the type of people who might benefit from the experience could be either someone who is at the start of their sight loss journey, or a person who has had a previous bad experience that has caused them to lose confidence when it comes to travelling by rail.”
Holly Hardy-Johnson, Learning and development Trainer at Avanti West Coast, added:
“It’s our mission is to be the transport of choice, connecting our customers and communities along the west coast. Part of this, is that we ensure that we deliver accessibility training to every member of front line staff when they join us during orientation. By hosting the Try a Train day it gives us a refreshed look on how best to support all our customers and aligns our vision to set a new standard of customer experience. During the day we hope to help each individual experience the possibilities of travel on the West Coast Main Line and how we are passionate about wanting everyone to be able to experience the railway.”
The event is free, but places are limited to six participants, so early booking is essential.
The event will start from Liverpool Lime Street Station, Lime Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 1JD, on Tuesday 30 September 2025, from 9:30am to approx. 3pm (lunch and refreshments provided).
Anyone who is interested in attending this event should book their place by following this link or email Kelly.barton@pocklington.org.uk.
Publication date: 19 August 2025