The Postal Museum’s much-loved ride and exhibition is about to be made significantly more accessible with a £1 million project that will bring new content to the heart of the experience.
Arriving in time for the 100-year anniversary of Mail Rail and 10-year anniversary of the museum, the project is set to be completed by 2027 – but the museum has plans to launch an innovative adaptation of its star attraction much sooner.
The new immersive projection space, which will be installed in Mail Rail’s original train depot at the end of 2025, will provide an audiovisual experience for visitors who do not want to or are unable to ride on the Mail Rail trains.
The underground experience, which journeys through tunnels that once transported post through London, presents significant access barriers for people with disabilities – with the proposal of a new immersive experience set to be more inclusive for everyone.
The museum will also launch an accessible multimedia guide featuring British Sign Language (BSL) videos interpreting the ride’s audio for d/Deaf visitors. The new on-board audio narrative played during the experience, will feature audio description segments to improve the experience for blind and partially sighted visitors.
Improvements to The Postal Museum’s Mail Rail are expected to continue with brand-new projection technology to enhance the quality of the ride’s two immersive shows. A new show will also be produced for Platform 1, featuring recollections from staff who worked on the mail network and providing insights into the role it played at the heart of a global communication network.
The project is primarily funded by the Post Office Remembrance Fellowship. Alan Bealby, chair of the fellowship, said: "We’re delighted to support The Postal Museum to improve access to their Mail Rail ride and to share the stories of the GPO workers that kept the mail moving through its 100-year operation."
Also supported by Arts Council England, through its government-funded Capital Investment Programme, the collaborative project will allow the museum to tell new stories that are relevant and accessible to all visitors.
Laura Wright, CEO of The Postal Museum, said: "We’ve long wanted to improve the accessibility of Mail Rail for a much wider audience, particularly for those who are unable to ride our unique underground experience.
“Crucially, this generous support enables us to develop and deliver these upgrades in close partnership with the audiences they will serve."
The works will be carried out in 2025 with minimal impact on the museum’s operation. Check
our Postal Museum page for the latest updates on opening hours and ticketing and book tickets today.
