Community Rail Lancashire has recently published two Project Reports (Best Practice Papers) which can be downloaded on this link: https://communityraillancashire.co.uk/best-practice/
Paper One is called Platform Portraits and is a project funded by Avanti West Coast Project Fund and at its heart, Platform Portraits was about opening up rail travel in a way that felt safe, engaging and personal. The project aimed to:
+ Build confidence and familiarity with trains and stations
+ Help SEND learners explore journeys through creativity and storytelling
+ Encourage positive and accessible perceptions of rail travel
+ Connect young people with destinations across the Avanti West Coast network
+ Create opportunities for pupils to see themselves as confident future rail users
This creative project invited pupils from Pear Tree School to explore the world of trains, stations and journeys through something more familiar, their own experiences. Working with artist Gosha Gibek, pupils began by talking about where they go, how they travel, and the places that matter to them. Conversations quickly filled with excitement, with stories of day trips to Blackpool, visits to parks and museums, favourite foods from Greggs or the chippy, and the simple joy of getting the bus or train with friends and family.
These conversations became the starting point for a series of creative workshops, where pupils transformed their ideas into colourful portrait artwork. Each piece reflected not just who they are, but how they connect to the world through travel. Their artwork was later developed into professionally designed postcards, stickers, badges and notebooks, creating tangible outputs that celebrate both the young people and their experiences of travel.
Paper Two is called Sensory Bags and was funded by Avanti West Coast Project Fund and was designed to:
+ To encourage confidence in rail travel for neurodivergent passengers and those with sensory needs
+ To provide practical support to help manage sensory overwhelm during journeys
+ To develop a co-produced resource shaped by people with lived experience
For many people, rail travel can feel overwhelming – particularly for those who are neurodivergent or experience sensory sensitivities.
Community Rail Lancashire and Avanti West Coast worked together to develop sensory bags designed to make journeys more comfortable and accessible. Each bag contains simple, practical items to help reduce sensory overwhelm and support passengers to travel with greater confidence.
The project was shaped through co-production with a SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) group from Bury College, ensuring the contents reflected real experiences and needs. In total, 500 sensory bags have been produced and are now being introduced across the Avanti West Coast network.