Accessible Britain

the extent to which they permeated society from transporting royalty in sumptuous
elegance to providing work for the masses. Observation galleries allow you to watch
restoration work in progress, observe the neighbouring train station and get an
overview of the main displays. You’ll be impressed by the sheer quantity of objects
on display and the knowledge, enthusiasm and helpfulness of the staff and volunteers.
There are about ten designated Blue Badge bays at the museum entrance, with a
large drop-off area alongside. Check the website beforehand to locate the free accessible
parking – it’s easy to overshoot (poor signage) and end up at the main car park, which
has awkward gradients and no accessible spaces so you’ll have to pay full price to get out.
Electric doors lead into the museum’s comfortable reception area with plenty of space
and seating: there are several counters at the reception desk, some with low sections.
The museum consists of two main sites either side of a road linked by an underpass:
both sites are large so you never feel crowded, and access to all areas is excellent,
completely level and under cover. There is plenty of space around the exhibits with
decent lifts to negotiate the underpass. Much of the floor on the Station Hall side is
raised (due to its engineering maintenance past) which greatly enhances views of the
exhibits. The Great Hall has several ramps up to the most interesting trains and an
Observation Gallery – even the inaccessible motion simulator has a static version
alongside so you can experience the sights and sounds. Lighting is subdued on the
Station Hall side, and brighter in the Great Hall with lots of natural light. The road train
around historical York (caught outside the main entrance) has an accessible coach, and
a wheelchair space is planned on the miniature railway. There are accessible toilets on
both sites, all clean, spacious and with appropriate grab rails and drop downs. The shop
is slightly crowded for some tastes, but well lit with high and low shelving and surfaces.
FOOD & DRINK aa The museum has many eating outlets, all accessible: a dedicated lift
leads to the top-end Dining Car Restaurant. Alternatively, stop off for afternoon tea in
the Countess of York, sausage rolls in the Mallard Café or pizza in the Container Café.
THE NORTHEAST AND YORKSHIRE
123–124 Roundhay Park and Tropical World,
West Yorkshire
Address: Princes Avenue, Roundhay, Leeds LS8 2ER Web: www.leeds.gov.uk/roundhaypark, www.leeds.
gov.uk/tropicalworld Tel: 0113 2145715 Hours: summer (BST) daily 10am–6pm; winter (GMT) daily
10am–4pm; last entry 30 mins before closing Dates: Closed 1 Jan & 25–26 Dec Entry: park free; Tropical
World [D]£3.40 [C]free [A]£5 [15–17s]£2.50 [under 15s] free, Leedscard holders £3, Extra cardholders £2.
Breezecard holders £2
Spread over 700 acres on the outskirts of Leeds, Roundhay Park is one of the world’s
largest urban parks. Wide, level pathways provide good access around its parkland,
woodland, gardens and lakes, and link its key sites. Among them is Tropical World,
a family attraction with an impressive collection of plants and animals.
A good place to start a visit to Roundhay is pretty Waterloo Lake, the site of a lakeside
café and with an accessible pathway skirting the water’s edge. About half a mile north
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