Footplate Ride 2025

Booking information

Footplate Rides will take place on the 11.50am departure train and the 13.10 departure train. You can arrive anytime from when we open and stay until we close.

Participants must be over the age of 16, if the person on the footplate is aged 16-18 they must be accompanied by an adult who will ride in the carriages behind the engine.  

Footplate Experience participants must be in reasonable health in order to ensure their safety and the safety of the driver.

It is important to wear comfortable clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty, full length trousers or jeans are essential and sensible robust footwear. Overalls and steel toe capped shoes are not essential, however if you have these you may wish to wear them.

Please be aware that your clothes are likely to get very dirty so we strongly recommend that you don’t come along in your cricket whites or Sunday best!

Due to the confined environment of our locomotives, we must take into consideration the height and physical build of anyone wishing to participate in a Footplate Experience/Driver Course at the Kirklees Light Railway.  Please do mention at the time of booking if you are unsure whether the height and/or physical build of the participant may pose an issue and our office team can advise you. 

Before booking, please take the following into consideration, if you suffer any of the following please disclose this before you travel: mobility, concentration, dexterity, coordination, back problems, skin problems, general fitness, breathing and/or respiratory problems.  Participants should: 

• Be reasonably fit with good eyesight and hearing and possess full use of both hands
• Be able to climb into and out of a locomotive cab safely
• Be able to withstand a locomotives hard ride and an area that is hot and noisy with coal dust and ash blowing around. Those with heart, respiratory or back problems may find the experience difficult and are advised to seek medical advice before booking
• Be able to understand the safety procedures on and about the locomotive, which will be explained at the start of the experience, to retain that information and be able to react positively to it during the experience
• Be able to read (with glasses or contact lenses if necessary) a car number plate from a distance of 20m
• Be free from alcohol and drugs which may affect alertness and/or cause drowsiness
• As a guideline, in cases where there is doubt as to a person’s ability to meet these criteria, the holding of a current driving licence will usually satisfy this requirement

Applications from persons with learning difficulties are acceptable providing the person for whom the course is made meets the above criteria and can safely undertake footplate work.  Due to the restricted size of our locomotive footplates, helpers and/or carers cannot be accommodated on the footplate.

 It may be necessary for the railway to refuse a participant on the day of the course if the information provided is found to be inaccurate or health-related concerns have not been disclosed beforehand.

For accompanying persons, please book BIG ADVENTURE tickets.