Try the Train

Our brief from Northern in 2023 was to support people of all ages with low confidence levels in accessing rail travel; helping them to become more confident, independent rail passengers. Through delivery of practical and emotional support we hoped those involved would learn about the benefits and joy of rail travel and be able to access the many benefits of using the rail network: social, economic, and health (to name a few).

Community Rail Lancashire (CRL) delivered this in partnership with PWLC, Community Rail Partnerships and a diverse range of others from CRPs, colleges and football clubs to community groups. This ensured a wide reach across Northern’s region, encompassing ages ranging from 14 to 83.

PWLC were responsible for the station maps, social media and the evaluation side of the project. Within CRL, our team members managed the budget and the entire project: liaising with facilitators and other partners, creating the workshop toolkits and resources, training the facilitators in how to run Try The Train, developing the website and more.

Results:Participants from communities across the Northern network have experienced a remarkable increase in confidence when it comes to utilizing trains. Through tailor made workshops and rail experiences participants and facilitators have successfully addressed the concerns and barriers that communities were facing when using the trains. • 86% of those involved became more confident in planning a train journey.• Over 90% became more confident at finding their way around a train station and taking the train independently. • The social value from Operational Impacts is an impressive £625,679.77