To improve accessibility in one of the region’s most-loved visitor attractions, Stage One was commissioned to create a doc-m compliant ramp for the National Railway Museum in York. The 11-piece unit wrapped around one of the most popular attractions, the Shinkansen bullet train, previously only accessible by steps and was fabricated with the user experience at the centre of the project.

Using steel as the main resource allowed the team to build an accessible ramp that was sympathetic to its surroundings. Due to the scale of the ramp, the structure was built in 11 sections, including three level platforms, for function and for ease of transportation, and was levelled and bolted together on site.

The steel handrails and mesh infill delivered a sleek industrial finish, as well as being a practical aid, providing safety for the user. Usability was high on the criteria for this item; therefore, we introduced anti-slip phenolic plywood for the flooring in two colours to highlight change between ramp levels and landing strips. The landing strips were manufactured wide enough to accommodate turning circles of wheelchairs and motorised scooters, as well as handrails for ambulant users as per Doc M guidelines, and to hold information stands.

To ensure a high degree of finesse between the intersection that connected the ramp to train, the team scribed the join on site, and provided scenic touch-ups, to ensure the platform would seamlessly fit inline with all the nooks and angles of the exterior of the train.

In addition, the team incorporated casters in the steel framework so it could be easily moved to other displays, if required, to be more sustainably minded for future usage.