Young guide dog puppies took a step closer to working life after training at Hampshire stations.

A new cohort of puppies has completed an important stage of their training at Basingstoke station, as South Western Railway and Guide Dogs continue their partnership to support people with sight loss.

Ahead of International Guide Dog Day last week, the young trainees spent a morning at one of SWR’s busiest hubs, experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of a working railway environment.

The session forms a key part of their preparation to become companions for people with sight loss.

The puppies learned how to move through the ticket gateline safely, navigate platforms, find the platform edge, board and alight trains and use lifts.

Michael Adlington, accessibility and inclusion lead at South Western Railway, said:

“It’s always a joy to welcome Guide Dogs, their puppies and their volunteer raisers to our stations as part of our commitment to helping all customers travel independently and with confidence.

“These sessions are a small but vital part of the puppies’ preparation to become life-changing companions for people with sight loss.

“Our colleagues assisted 315,000 journeys in the last year and are on hand to help customers, whether they pre-book or simply turn up and go.”

Georgina Wingham, a puppy development advisor for Guide Dogs, said: “Our puppies are looked after in the homes of our amazing volunteer puppy raisers for 12 to 16 months until the pups are ready to start their formal training to be guide dogs.

“A big part of this is socialisation and getting the puppies used to different environments, so visiting Basingstoke station was great experience for them. All the pups did brilliantly, helping them build positive associations that they’ll remember if they visit a railway station as working guide dogs.

“Thank you so much to everyone at South Western Railway for welcoming us again.”

The dogs must get used to different environments, helping their future owners travel independently and with confidence.

During their first year, the puppies are cared for by volunteer raisers, who begin their training with support from Guide Dogs. Once fully trained, each dog is carefully matched with a person with sight loss.

SWR hosts regular sessions for puppies and their raisers at stations across Hampshire and Surrey.

There are more than 200 pups being trained by volunteers across the South West and Wales, with almost 1,200 in training nationwide.

More than two million people in the UK live with sight loss that impacts their daily lives, according to the Royal National Institute of Blind People, many of whom rely on public transport to get around.

Assistance dogs are welcome on all SWR services, free of charge. While seats are only for passengers, dogs can sit beside or underneath them during journeys.

To help give owners peace of mind, SWR has created a card to alert other passengers to a dog’s presence under a seat. These can be ordered via the SWR website and personalised with the dog’s name and photograph.