Accessibility - Keighley & Worth Valley Railway

Our commitment to our visitors

The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway attracts a wide variety of visitors and welcomes all in society irrespective of age, gender or any impairment whether physical, intellectual or sensory. Wherever possible, the KWVR strives very hard to provide access for people of all ages who have a variety of mobility or other special needs. We are committed to making everyone’s visit to the railway as enjoyable as possible.

Facilities on the KWVR

Everyone’s needs are different, and here at the KWVR, we strive to ensure that everyone is catered for. Parking at all our stations (except Damems) has suitable access for disabled passengers, and on most days, we have a specially adapted coach on some of the trains.

However, the railway, its stations, and rolling stock date back many years, and not all facilities can be adapted to meet everyone’s needs. Our staff are very willing and always happy to provide help and assistance whenever we can.

If the information below does not answer any questions you may have, please do not hesitate to contact us, and we will do our best to help you to plan your visit. Call us on 01535 645214 or email admin@kwvr.co.uk. Our Offices are manned seven days a week (except Christmas day) from 09.30 to 16.30.

Tickets & Fares

Visitors who can only visit us with another person’s assistance may claim an Essential Companion Ticket, provided they purchase a standard full-priced Adult or Child Day Rover ticket for themselves. To claim the Essential Companion Ticket, the disabled visitor (or the companion, on behalf of the disabled passenger) must apply/register in advance as below.

Nimbus Disability – Access Card

We are proud to partner with Nimbus Disability, operators of the Access Card scheme, who will now process all requests for ‘Essential Companion’ (previously ‘Carer’) eligibility.

Nimbus Disability will individually assess your needs, with the help of your supporting documentation and statements through their detailed application process, to determine if you qualify for a complimentary Essential Companion Ticket. They will handle all your details safely and securely without us ever viewing the reason why you require additional assistance.

If you don’t have an Access Card, you can apply here (https://app.accesscard.online/apply/kwvr/) for a free Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Access Registration. Or you can upgrade to an Access Card for £15 for three years, unlocked and ready for use across thousands of attractions and venues in the UK and beyond.

We ask that you apply at least seven days before your visit to ensure your application can be processed in time. Remember, this lasts for three years, so you only have to do it once for many enjoyable visits.

Essential Companion tickets:

Visitors with an Access Card or a Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Registration with the +1 essential companion symbol are entitled to one complimentary Day Rover ticket. You will be entitled to two complimentary Day Rover tickets if you have an Access Card or Registration showing the +2 essential companion symbol. We must ensure our Essential Companion tickets remain beneficial for those who could not visit us without them, so all applications will be assessed by Nimbus Disability who is a leading provider of disability-related advice and support, run by and for disabled people and is a recognised authority on accessible tickets in the UK.

Wherever possible, we recommend that tickets be obtained in advance via our website and customer service team.

If you already have an Access Card or KWVR Registration, that’s great; there is no need to register again.

If you do not yet have an Access Card or KWVR Registration, you must register here: www.app.accesscard.online/apply/kwvr/ . We recommend doing this at least seven days before your visit to allow time for your application to be processed.

Once you have your Access Card or KWVR Registration, simply book a ticket for the Disabled Person on our website HERE. Do not book a ticket for the Essential Companion. When you have made your booking, please email bookings@kwvr.co.uk, quoting your booking reference number, and say you wish to add an Essential Companion Ticket to your booking. Email us your Access Card Number or KWVR Registration ID Number, and we will add an Essential Companion Ticket to your booking. We cannot add an Essential Companion Ticket to your booking if you do not send us your Access Card or KWVR Registration Number. We recommend you book your tickets and contact us at least three days before your visit to allow time for our team to respond to your email, verify the validity of your Access Card or Registration, and add the ticket to the booking.

Essential Companion Tickets are only valid in conjunction with Day Rover tickets. They cannot be used if the disabled passenger uses any other ticket type or any form of free ticket or voucher. The Essential Companion Ticket is available for some special events but not on special trains such as Elf Explorer, Afternoon Tea or Haworth Haddock.

If you cannot book online in advance, you can get an Essential Companion Ticket from our Ticket Office at the station when you arrive. You will still need to register in advance if you have not yet done so. You will then need to show your Access Card or KWVR Registration Number at our ticket office when you arrive. If you have not registered in advance and do not have an Access Card or KWVR Registration Number when you arrive, then we will not be able to issue an Essential Companion ticket on the day.

For full details of the Access Card scheme from Nimbus Disability and a full list of participating attractions and venues, you can visit their website here https://www.accesscard.online/

If you have any queries regarding the Access Card scheme or any questions about the application process, please contact Access Card directly.

Wheelchair Users

A wheelchair user travelling in their wheelchair can obtain a 50% discount on the relevant Day Rover. This will also apply to some special events but not on special trains.

One person (whether a necessary carer or not) can travel with the wheelchair user and also receive a 50% discount on their Day Rover or Full Line fare, provided they purchase their tickets together and travel together at all times. Discounted tickets cannot be used for any other ticket type or in conjunction with any other promotional offer, discount or free ticket.

Please be aware that Wheelchair Users may need to travel on some trains in the Guard’s Van.

Our Stations and Parking

The KWVR station is directly adjacent to the part of the national network station managed by Northern. KWVR trains typically arrive and depart from platform 4. The KWVR has a small car park at the far end of the main station car park; this has ramped access onto Platform 4.

Access to Platform 3 – which is usually only used at some notable events – is via a subway and sets of steps, and thus not suitable for those in a wheelchair or with limited mobility.

There is a wheelchair-accessible toilet at the station, located on platform 4.

The station is an integral part of ‘Rail Story’. There is level access for wheelchairs from the car park onto the platform and into the booking hall (from where your train tickets are purchased). There are no wheelchair-accessible toilets at the station. Wheelchair access is possible to the ground floor level of ‘The Loco Shed’ (operated and maintained by the Bahamas Locomotive Society) and to ‘The Carriage Shed’ (operated and maintained by the Vintage Carriages Trust).

Free parking is available to all passengers in our car park. Designated parking bays are situated close to the station building. If these bays are complete, we advise drivers to ‘drop off’ passengers near the station building and then park the car elsewhere. Please note that the main part of the car park is laid with authentic stone setts, so extra care is required.

The main station building is Grade 2 Listed with level access from the car park into the booking hall and onto the platform for wheelchairs. There are no wheelchair-accessible toilet

Very limited free parking is available directly adjacent to the station. However, please note there are no designated parking bays, and the surface is uneven. We recommend that those with mobility difficulties coming by road transport start their KWVR journey from Oxenhope or Ingrow West stations.

There is level access from the car park into the booking hall and onto the platform for wheelchairs, and there is a wheelchair-accessible toilet at the station.

Car parking is available in a car park adjacent to the station, for which a charge is made (£3 per day as of July 2016). Please note that no designated parking bays and parts of the car park surface are uneven. We recommend that those with mobility difficulties coming by road transport start their KWVR journey from Oxenhope or Ingrow West stations.

There is reasonably level access for wheelchairs from the car park onto the platform, where there is a wheelchair-accessible toilet, and into the booking hall Being located in a 1950s-built carriage, there is stepped access to the Station Buffet, though wheelchairs cannot be accommodated therein. There is ramped access to the Exhibition Shed.

Our Coaches

Our historic railway carriages are primarily restored to reflect their original construction; therefore, access is a stepping up from the platform and down to alight to board the train.

Most of our standard daytime timetabled trains are accessible for an individual with a disability, with a ramp to ease boarding from the platform. One of our carriages has been specially adapted to allow wheelchairs, carers, family and friends to travel together. This carriage is usually run on the trains marked with a coffee cup in our timetable leaflet and on our website. You are advised to check if this carriage is in use on the day of your visit; for availability, call our Administration Office at Haworth Station (01535 645214).

Sufficiently mobile passengers are welcome to travel on any part of the train. You can move between the carriages (including the buffet car) on the level. Still, the somewhat narrow connecting doors of our heritage carriages stop you from doing so in a wheelchair or scooter. For those who can walk a short distance, wheelchairs can be folded and carried in the Guard’s Van.

Where a person can alight from a wheelchair and walk a short distance to a seat, their wheelchairs and scooters will generally travel in the Guard’s Van. For safety reasons, wheelchairs and scooters should not be stored in the aisles or vestibules or block any internal or external carriage door on board the train.

Most of our locomotive-hauled carriages were built in the 1950s and, whilst fitted with toilets, access to them is impossible in a wheelchair as they are fitted with traditional narrow doors.

Access between the platform and the train for wheelchairs is via a ramp. There are ramps are available at all KWVR stations (except Damems). While our station and on-train staff are always willing to help, you must board the train when using the ramp.

Some of our carriages, which see occasional use at special events and on ‘Vintage Train Days’, date back to the Victorian and Edwardian eras and on certain special services, we use our classic Pullman coaches from the 1920s.

These fine vehicles have been restored as far as possible to their original condition. Due to their historic design, it is impossible to accommodate wheelchairs on these trains with narrow doors and gangways. Upon request when booking, we will also endeavour to ensure that passengers with restricted mobility are sat as close to the external doors and, when available, the onboard toilets.

It is also important to note that passengers with mobility issues will need to climb up or down a step to board and alight from the train. For those who are able to board/alight from the train and walk a short distance, wheelchairs can be folded and carried in the Guard’s Van.

Some of our timetabled services (including all those in the Yellow timetable) are worked by our heritage diesel multiple unit (DMU) or diesel railbus (DRB). Wheelchair-bound passengers can be accommodated with the Guard in the DMU, but available space is severely restricted in the DRB.

These trains are very popular and busy, frequently selling out in advance. The specially adapted Accessibility Coach is attached to Santa Steam Specials, and all wheelchair users should contact us when booking to seek availability and advice.

Other useful information

Mobility scooters that can be folded entirely down (the user’s responsibility) and carried on board, similar to a piece of luggage, can travel on our trains. Unfortunately, we cannot accept any other type of mobility scooter for safety reasons.

We recognise that these dogs provide valuable assistance for the sight-impaired and those with hearing loss, epilepsy, diabetes, physical mobility problems and more. Assistance Dogs are welcome on ALL KWVR trains, for which no charge is made.

All Dog Tickets: FREE