The Gunwharf Express

This week Tom and I have been feeling very festive. We are well and truly in the Christmas sprit and we have got lots of very exciting Christmas events lined up in the calendar.

This week we kicked off Christmas by visiting 'The Gunwharf Express'. We initially wanted to go the see Cinderella and the theatre but due to the lack of wheelchair spaces we couldn't get in. We really wanted to go and do something festive so we began searching the internet for something fun for Tom to do. We stumbled across 'The Gunwharf Express' and it looked really interesting. It was described as an immersive Christmas experience.

We decided that this is what we would do and once we called to check it was fully accessible to Tom we managed to book ourselves a slot and we headed down.

Once we arrived we instantly felt the magic of Christmas. You have to follow the footprints on the snowy floor and follow the signs for 'The Platform'. We arrived at the 'platform' It was beautifully done with walls that looked like old brick walls, benches to wait for the 'train' and lots of Christmas trees with beautiful lights.

Once at the platform we were greeted by the Station Master (the manager). He was amazing, he already knew we were arriving and he ensured that all of Tom's need were met. What I found so lovely is that it wasn't just about Tom's needs but it was also about his wants. They made sure that he had just the same experience as every other child and adapted it in any way they could. They asked Tom what his name was and gave him his very own VIP ticket for the 'train'.

The whistle blew and it was our turn to board. We walked around the corner and there was a 'train' waiting for us. We got on the train and inside it had been made to look like an old fashioned steam train. in the 'window' was a projection of the platform so we felt like we really were on a real train. The train attendant was one of the most incredible men. He paid so much attention to Tom, he sat down with him and asked him so man questions, he was making jokes and also explaining everything to him. It was so lovely to see someone taking so much care and ensuring that Tom was having the best experience ever!

That's it, we have arrived at the North Pole. Once we left the train we walked through the Elf workshop and into the Reindeer stables. We met a reindeer called Jingles and Eric the Elf. We had a story with Eric and then we had some time to take in the scenery before meeting Santa. The great thing was that we were able to take photos of the whole thing and capture every moment of the magic.

A head Elf then came out and greeted Tom and took him to meet Santa. Tom spent a really good amount of time with Santa and he was asking Tom lots of questions. He also took a photo with Tom and he was making lots of jokes!

We then arrived back in Gunwharf, our North Pole trip was over. What a trip it was.

I just want to say a huge thank you to all of the team at the Gunwharf Express for making it so memorable and magical for Tom. Everyone was so amazing and made every possible effort to make sure Tom had the best experience. Tom came out there with a huge smile on his face and he had an amazing day. That is all down to the hard work and huge hearts of all of the staff their that day!

Tom is looking forward to more magical Christmas experiences!