Toy train set to pull into The Log Cabin thanks to £25,000 grant from GWR

GWR’s funding means The Log Cabin Charity can provide a train for children to sit in, drive and be passengers at its base in Ealing.

The train will be adapted so it is accessible to every child and will encourage group play and socialising as well as allowing children to run free with their imaginations.

As part of GWR’s franchise agreement with the Department for Transport, the train operator is committed to supporting schools, colleges, community and other not-for-profit organisations by aiding a number of initiatives.

The Log Cabin caters for 250 children and young people with additional needs and disabilities who live or go to school in Ealing.

Head of Service Sharon Flynn said:

“Many of the children are excluded from ordinary parks and playgrounds, which cannot cater for their individual needs, and we encourage them to encounter experiences to which there are barriers in the outside world.

“50% of the children need one-to-one support from our keyworkers. Many of the children are on the autistic spectrum and are fascinated by transport: we are situated right next to Northfields tube station and many children spend time watching the trains.

“On a simpler level, children love pretend play, and the costumes, so ticket-buying and train driving will be hugely popular.”

The chain-linked train will sit at a station on a safety surface, allowing several children to board at the same time. There will be a ticket office in a playhouse which doubles up as a signal box. An awning over a platform with bench and clock will allow ‘passengers’ to wait for their train.

Ealing Central & Acton MP Rupa Huq said:

“As someone who has used the Log Cabin myself as a mum for a kid’s birthday – all my son’s friends called it ‘the best party ever’ – I know what an important part of the community it’s been for many years so I’m delighted to see the project has been the recipient of GWR community and cohesion investment schemes. This is a very valuable resource for disabled children and their families and it is great to see them included. 

GWR Community Manager Emma Morris said:

“We have a specific pot of money designed to help support schools, colleges and community or other not-for-profit organisations.

“Some autistic children struggle with real-life stations and transport routes as they are too noisy and overwhelming for them to enjoy. Others love to travel on trains, so the Log Cabin Railway should provide great, interactive fun.”

To find out more about The Log Cabin Charity please visit logcabin.org.uk

Notes to editors

First Greater Western Limited, trading as “Great Western Railway” (GWR), operates trains across the Great Western franchise area, which includes South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, across southern England and into London. GWR provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services, and before the covid-19 pandemic helped over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year. GWR was recently awarded an extension to its direct award franchise (called DA3), which shall run up to 31 March 2023 with an option to extend for a further year. 

Find out more here: https://www.gwr.com/about-us