Some of your Frequently Asked Questions are answered below.
Car parking is free for visitors at Blunsdon Station. Cars are parked at owner's risk. Click for details of Blunsdon Station Free car parking (subject to Swindon Borough Council's Terms & Conditions) is also available in Mouldon Hill Country Park adjacent to Taw Valley Halt.
We do our best to provide access for wheelchairs. The car park and main circulating areas are all flat ground. We have wheelchair accessible toilets at Blunsdon and Hayes Knoll. There are ramps to station platforms, cafe, shop etc.
We operate a fleet of mainly pre-1960’s heritage railway carriages with narrow corridors. Our standard set of coaches normally includes our specially adapted coach, 'Laura', which has double doors and space for wheelchair users.
Please note: when 'Laura' is not available or when the train service is to be operated by diesel multiple units (DMU’s), we can only accommodate wheelchairs in the guards van area of the train. Visibility through the windows may be restricted in these areas, but the DMU does have seating in the guard's area for people accompanying a wheelchair. Access is achieved via double doors and a ramp - please ask the Guard for assistance.
Because mobility scooters come in many styles, weights and sizes, we are unable to guarantee access for all models.
Well behaved dogs are welcome on site and on trains unless specifically prohibited for some events -see below.
The Railway has a duty of care to its visitors and members to maintain a safe and hygienic site and recognises that not everyone is comfortable with dogs or may have health issues related to the presence of dogs.
With this in mind, dog owners will be expected to adhere to the following :
(a) Where dogs are brought on site as part of a group of visitors, a maximum of 2 dogs may accompany the group;
(b) Dogs should be kept on a short lead when on the site, including when travelling on trains;
(c) When travelling on a train, dogs should be kept under control and, where possible and where it is available, a dog and owner should be asked to travel in the open coach “Laura” rather than in compartments found in other coaches;
(d) For obvious hygiene reasons, dogs are not allowed into any area where food is being prepared, e.g. the kitchen of the Whistle Stop café;
(e) Dogs should not be allowed to sit on any seats or tables, whether on site or in the coaches;
(f) Dogs should not be allowed to cause distress to other people on the site;
(g) Dogs must not block any walkways;
(h) The dog owner must accept full responsibility and liability for any damage or injury done to property or persons by their dog(s);
(i) The dog owner must not allow their dog(s) to foul the site and must make sure any ‘deposits’ are promptly and completely cleaned up and disposed of appropriately.
At all times, behaviour management of the dog is the responsibility of the dog owner or the person that brought, or allowed, the dog onto the site.
Santa Trains: We're sorry, but because of the large number of children in a small area, only assistance dogs are permitted on our Santa Specials. If you need to travel with an assistance dog, please let us know when making your booking.
There are toilets at Blunsdon station and in the engine shed at Hayes Knoll, with disabled facilities in both locations.
Catering is based at the Whistlestop Cafe at Blunsdon Station, offering hot and cold food and beverages. The Whistlestop is licensed, and beers are usually available. Outdoor sitting areas are available. On some special event days, basic refreshments are also available at Hayes Knoll station.
Our standard opening hours are Saturday and Sunday. On these days the site is usually open between 10:30am and 4:00pm. There are additional services on some Wednesdays during the school holidays. Train times are as per our standard timetables. The normal timetable may be replaced or extended during special events on some weekends and Bank Holidays. It is normal to suspend or reduce services early in the year to allow maintenance. Click for details of all major events. Standard fares are shown on the Fares page.
Smoking and vaping is prohibited in the following locations at the Railway:
- Within all enclosed and substantially enclosed premises on railway property including the cafe, waiting rooms and marquees
- Within all rail vehicles
- Within all motor vehicles owned or operated by the Railway
For the benefit of everyone, we would request that visitors also refrain from smoking or using E-cigarettes while in other outside communal areas at the Railway.
Thank you for your cooperation!
The railway is accessible via Swindon Buses Service 15 from the Swindon town centre. Visitors should alight at a stop near the Tawny Owl pub which is within walking distance of Moulden Hill Country Park. The railway's Taw Valley Halt is located just inside the Country Park .
We do occasionally have some old wooden sleepers for sale. When these are available they will be advertised on the website with details of their price, delivery or collection details. Sorry, but at the moment we have none.
If you wish to redeem a Prize Draw Voucher, please send an email to bookings@swindon-cricklade-railway.org to enquire about redeeming it. Bookings will be prioritised and are subject to availability. Please give full details including:
- the number of people in your group
- the date and time you wish to visit
- telephone number
On a normal running day, you may turn up and show your membership card at the Blunsdon shop. You will then be issued with a complimentary ticket to board the train. For some specific named events, the Standard Membership Free Travel concession does not apply.
Please check your spam folder in your email account. Some providers think our confirmation emails are spam. On occasion, third party mail servers may also be thought to send spam and your confirmation email may not delivered. If you can't find it in your spam folder, please send an email to bookings@swindon-cricklade-railway.org giving your name and as much information about your booking as you can.
Registered Carers and people assisting wheelchair users travel free with a fare-paying passenger for whom they provide carer services. Carers will be issued with a complimentary ticket for record and travel purposes when they arrive at the railway.
When booking tickets online from our website, please be sure to fill in the additional needs box to list any needs or accessibility requirements we should be aware of when you visit. This can include letting us know if you have someone with autism in your group, is a wheelchair user, or who needs to be accompanied by a carer. Please speak to our ticket staff when collecting your tickets for travel.
Child Day Rover Tickets and S&CR ticketed events except the Santa Express: Children must be aged 3 years or over, but under 18 years old. (i.e. Children under 3 years old travel for free, except for the Santa Express when they must be 2 and under. For Day Out with Thomas Events a child must be under 2 to travel free )
Senior Day Rover Tickets and S&CR ticketed events: A person should be of an age where they are eligible for a State Pension.