Try A Train: Southern staff spend time with young Ferring wheelchair user to give him confidence to travel by train

Ryan Horrod, 13, loves trains but as his condition has worsened, he has progressively become more dependent on using a wheelchair and this had made him anxious about travelling.

He can still walk short distances and was using a manual wheelchair for trips from Goring-by-Sea, his nearest station. Ryan would step on board, while his mother, Anne, carried on his wheelchair.

But Ryan recently got his first electric wheelchair and this cannot be lifted on and off Southern services run by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR).

Anne said: "Ryan is a massive train enthusiast but he was anxious about going up and down the ramp. I was worried about what might happen if something did go wrong and someone wasn’t there to meet us."

GTR was keen to help Ryan build back his confidence and he was invited to spend time with accessibility lead Carl Martin and area station manager Graham Thrower at Brighton Railway Station.

Anne said: "Carl and the staff at Southern were so helpful – very knowledgeable, happy to answer all of our questions, and with a smile at all times.

“The fact that he could ask all his questions about all the different scenarios means he is now really confident that whatever happens there is something in place to help.”

The exercise was part of GTR’s Try A Train programme, which it runs across Thameslink, Great Northern and Southern for schools, organisations and individuals.

Carl said: "Here at GTR we want to give everyone the confidence to travel on all our trains, whatever assistance they may need. It was a huge pleasure to be able to help Ryan and his mum."

The programme is designed to give people who might need assistance or are anxious about the rail environment the confidence to make a journey by train.

Ryan was shown how easy it is to find help from station staff to board and exit the train using a ramp. He also learned how to call for help if assistance was not ready on hand – through a station help point or through the train passenger alarm system, which allows you to speak to the driver.

Anne said Ryan had 'a brilliant day' and the station manager gave him a whistle, which Ryan has been using at home to make train announcements.