Full Steam Ahead at Edinburgh Waverley
🚂 Travel confidence that goes beyond the platform
Travel training is a huge part of what we do at Edge Group Scotland.
For our young adults, it is about far more than getting from one place to another. It is about building confidence, independence, problem-solving skills and familiarity with real-world environments.
These are the skills that help shape what comes next; whether that is travelling to college or university, getting to work or volunteering, meeting friends, visiting family, or simply having more choice and confidence in everyday life.
That is why we were so excited to take our programme groups to Edinburgh Waverley for a very special visit with the LNER Passenger Assistance team.
A brilliant Waverley welcome
We were warmly welcomed by Georgia, Information Controller at LNER, who had put an incredible amount of thought and care into the visits.
From the moment we arrived, the team made everyone feel welcome, supported and included. For many, large transport hubs can feel busy, noisy and overwhelming, so having the opportunity to experience Waverley in such a positive and supported way was hugely valuable.
The visits gave our groups the chance to spend time in the station environment, build familiarity with rail travel and learn more about the people and teams who help keep passengers moving every day.
Real places, real learning
At Edge, we believe the best learning happens through doing.
Our travel training is practical, purposeful and built around real experiences. It supports young adults to develop skills they can use well beyond their time at Edge — in further learning, employment, volunteering, social activities and everyday independence.
Being able to travel with more confidence can open up so much.
It can mean getting to a college course, travelling to a shift at work, attending a volunteering role, meeting a friend in town or visiting family without relying on someone else to make the journey happen.
Edinburgh Waverley offered a fantastic setting for that learning.
It was busy, exciting and full of activity — exactly the kind of environment where confidence can grow when the right support is in place.
The groups explored where to find Passenger Assistance, how to locate important facilities and who to approach when support is needed. They also had the chance to see how the Passenger Assistance team works behind the scenes to help people travel safely and confidently.
These are exactly the kinds of practical details that can make a major station feel far more manageable.
Knowing where to find the toilets, where to ask about tickets, how to locate the correct platform and what to do when plans change can make an enormous difference to someone’s confidence when travelling more independently.
Meet Big Davie
One part of the visit was led by the ever-awesome “Big Davie”, Edinburgh Waverley’s top-hat and kilt-wearing legend.
With stories, facts, humour and a serious amount of station knowledge, Davie brought Waverley’s colourful history to life for our groups. Frankly, what Big Davie does not know about Waverley is probably not worth knowing!
Top hat, kilt and all, Big Davie was an absolute hit.
Confidence for what comes next
The visits also gave our young adults the chance to meet people from across the railway world and hear more about the different teams involved in keeping such a major station running.
It was brilliant to see how open, welcoming and inclusive everyone was.
For some of our group, the day was about building travel confidence. For others, it sparked wider conversations about interests, strengths and future possibilities.
That is what makes experiences like this so powerful.
Every journey practised, every question asked and every new environment explored helps build confidence for the future. These skills matter because they support real outcomes — more independence, more opportunity and more choice.
A huge thank you
The superstars of Waverley Station, Davie & Georgia!
We want to say a massive thank you to Georgia for making these visits happen and for going above and beyond for our groups.
From the planning and welcome to the care shown throughout the days, so much thought had clearly gone into making the experience positive, accessible and meaningful for our young adults.
Thank you also to the LNER Passenger Assistance team, Big Davie, the wider team at Edinburgh Waverley and everyone who took the time to speak with our groups, answer questions and make us feel so welcome.
The feedback from our groups has been exceptional. They thoroughly enjoyed the visits, learned a huge amount and came away with plenty to think about — not only in terms of travelling with more confidence, but also the different roles, opportunities and future career pathways connected to the rail industry.
These visits were fun, memorable and full of meaningful learning — exactly the kind of real-world experience that makes a difference.
Edinburgh Waverley, thank you for having us. We have a feeling this is only the beginning 😉 .
Need a little extra support when travelling through Edinburgh Waverley?
LNER’s Passenger Assistance team can help make your journey feel safer, smoother and more comfortable.
Find out more about the support available at Waverley station, including help with navigating the building, accessing platforms and travelling with confidence with Network Rail’s handy station guide: Edinburgh Waverley Station Guide*
*Information correct at time of publication
Want to find out more about our programmes?
You can also find out more about our specialist supported day programmes and how we create real-world, confidence-building opportunities like this every day: https://www.edgegroupscotland.com/day-services