RAF Cosford Museum
I visited RAF Cosford Museum to have a look at the exhibits on display. So, what did I think about the museum for someone visiting with a disability?
I took the train from Birmingham New Street to Cosford and once I stepped off the train at Cosford the only way to get off the platform is to walk down some steps. The steps are robust made of metal and have yellow painted handrails. There is no other way to get off the platform if you have reduced mobility or use a wheelchair.
Once at the bottom of the steps you will turn right and walk to the corner of the road and that is where the pavement ends. There is no pavement from now on until you go through the gates at RAF Cosford. The choices I made was to walk against the flow of the traffic (in other words, walking on the right-hand side of the road) or the safest is to cross over and walk on the grass verge on the left side which is about 2-3 feet wide.
Once at the gate you need to cross over to the right and then walk through the marked pedestrian walkway. I walked along until I saw a coach parked and crossed over the left and into the car park. There I found the main entrance to the museum that had a drop curb and flat surface towards automatic doors to the entrance to the building. To the left is the café and to the right is extra seating. Straight ahead are two reception areas that will scan your ticket (that you got online on the website) which is free.
Once your ticket has been scanned you can walk straight ahead and to the left there are accessible toilets, to the right administration offices and straight ahead takes you to the outside exhibits and hangers. The paving gives good access to wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. You will then cross over to the hangar, the road has slightly uneven but is in good repair and then you walk in to the hangar that holds the Experimental Aircraft Exhibition.
To get to the World War 2 Exhibition you need to go through a door from the Experimental Aircraft Exhibition that had subdued lighting at first with a media presentation and then leads in to the main hangar which on the day I visited was well lit as it was a sunny day outside.
Komet Rocket Fighter.
Avro Vulcan in Cold War Exhibition.
You then exit the hangar and walk to the Cold War Exhibition hangar. You enter on the top level with the Valiant, Vulcan & Victor V bombers along with other well-known aircraft. This area is not as well lit as the other hangars, so care needs to be taken when walking around. To get to the exhibits on the ground floor you can take the stairs or use the lift. I used the lift but thought it could use better contrast on the buttons on the outside and inside of the lift as it had an all-steel finish. On the ground floor light came through the windows as it was a sunny day, but the lighting was not that bright, and I feel this could be improved upon.
In all hangars there are low cordons that are posts about 1 foot high with cable running between them so you don’t go in-between the aircraft, you can get your feet underneath the cable and the cable is not highly tensioned so it will give if you walk in to it. Be careful of propellers and low wings as well, just take your time in the exhibition hangars.
Going through the Transport Aircraft Exhibition hangar I found this to be the brightest of the hangars and as with all hangars had automatic doors in to the exhibition space. There are small inclines of the road surfaces between the hangars, and this is something to consider but should not pose a real problem as long as you take your time crossing the road.
Comet Transport/Airliner.
On heading back to the café and having something to eat before my journey back to Birmingham I found the café to be well thought out and enough space between tables and a bright seating area.
So, would I recommend RAF Cosford? Yes, certainly worth a visit as long as you take your time and if arriving by train you make sure you take precautions when walking to the museum. The staff and volunteers where very helpful and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit.