My first No Star Review
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Date of visit: September 2018
I have experience of challenges around: moving around
Overall Rating
Bad
Steam Rail from Paignton to Dartmouth.
Disabled Access In and Around
0Unable to travel, see comments from staff below.
Parking & Transport
Excellent
The steam railway station is adjacent to the main Paignton railway station. There are several buses that stop nearby.
Accessible Toilets
0Unable to travel, so unable to comment
Staff
0I was wanting to travel from Paignton to Greenway, Agatha Christie's former home, on Agatha's birthday, as there was special events planned. I asked if I could get a ticket for the train and then use the "disabled friendly" shuttle bus from Churston. The man in the ticket office told me that there was no shuttle bus as it wasn't an orange day. I asked him how do disabled people get to Greenway. He replied by taxi. I said I was surprised that they were not running the shuttle bus as it was Agatha's birthday and special events were planned. He replied by blaming the National Trust, who manage the property, rather than accept responsibility that his company who run the transport were not providing it. While he was polite throughout his conversation with me, he didn't apologise that I was unable to use the train and he wasn't helpful, such as directing me to where I could get a taxi. I feel maybe some disability awareness training would be helpful. I had planned on the Monday to do the entire steam train ride to Dartmouth, however given staff attitude and unhelpfulness, I did not want to give them my custom.
Additional Information
I ended up going to the taxi rank outside the main railway station. Big thank you to Bob for driving me to Greenway and collecting me later in the afternoon. The train journey would have cost £10.50 return. The taxi cost £26 return.
