'All aboard': Special educational needs school transforms old train into learning facility
Report by Emily Reader
A pacer train donated to a school in Northumberland and converted into a learning facility has been unveiled.
Pupils and teachers at The Dales School for children with special educational needs have been eagerly awaiting the transformation of the retired Metro coaches into a library and rail safety learning tool since the project began last year.
Donated by the train leasing company Porterbrook and converted by the industrial service provider TEXO, the train now stands on an accessible 'station' platform, which was unveiled on Wednesday.
Although not quite finished, pupils were excited to see the project chug one step closer to its completion.
"I think it is pretty good, yeah," one said. "I've never been on a train before, so I'm looking forward to it."
Teacher James Groundwater said the pupils are "absolutely thrilled" with having a life sized train in their playground.
"From day one they've been asking when they can get on, it's just an absolutely brilliant project for them," he said. "Just for them to be able to see it outside gives them so much inspiration and it shows the younger generation what is out there."
Once completed, the driver's cab will serve as a simulator to let pupils see what it is like to drive a train. The front carriage will become a library where children can hop onboard to learn to read before heading down to the bottom coach where they'll run rail safety lessons.
Head teacher Dr Sue Fisher believes teaching the children rail safety and allowing them to familiarise themselves with independent travel will enhance self-confidence.
"To support children with things like independent travel and to know how to get on things like train to go somewhere exciting and different and to feel comfortable and confident and to do that safely is so important, particularly with a station coming up to Blyth as well," she said.
"When we learned about this wonderful project, we immediately realised that it was something for the TEXO Foundation to look at supporting," said Alan Conway, Divisional Director of TEXO Port Services.
"Involved in such community projects, and hope that by taking this project from concept to delivery, we are able to positively affect the lives of others in our local area. I hope this unique library is enjoyed by many for years to come."