A long-awaited unique train cafe has finally opened at a special needs school.

Today (October 1), Five Acre Wood in Loose officially declared that the FAWrient Express had “arrived at the station”.

Pupils, staff and those who helped along the way gathered around for the launch along with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The site caters for more than 860 children aged four to 19 with profound, severe, and complex learning difficulties.

Taken from the school’s acronym, the FAWrient Express is made out of a former Mark 2 first-class buffet train, which was built by British Rail between 1964 and 1975.

Its journey started in July last year when planning permission was first granted.

Then there was the mammoth task of transporting it.

The following month, the 25-tonne carriage ventured from Great Yarmouth and was lowered into place by three heavy-duty cranes.

Just over a year later, the idea has now become a reality.

With 24 seats set up inside, members of the public are welcome to have food and drinks in the carriage, which will be prepared and served by the pupils.

The school is currently importing sandwiches and salads from Anchor Catering in Ashford.

Eventually, they would like to expand the kitchen and allow the children to make and bake items that would be sold.

Backed by Costa Coffee, the innovative addition to the site will provide employment opportunities and catering training from industry professionals.

It is set to be the hub of a new hospitality academy and part of the school’s curriculum, which is adapted to suit each child.

Pupils Abbie and Alfie have already enrolled and are learning the ropes to become baristas.

Abbie already knows some home cooking skills and has completed volunteering work in a cafe outside of school.

“I like serving the drinks to other people and greeting them,” she said.

“I’d like to be a chef when I am older. It’s amazing and a great experience.”

The school says it will be a space for interaction, collaboration and skill-sharing, and hopes to raise awareness about the capabilities of those with special educational needs.

“Establishing a hospitality training academy for our pupils is not just a visionary idea; it is a transformative initiative that has the potential to revolutionise lives and our community,” principal Peggy Murphy explained.

“This project is essential, as it will empower our pupils, foster community engagement and inclusivity, and help address the employment disparity faced by individuals with learning difficulties.”

Throughout the build, the school was contacted by several organisations and many offered their help free of charge.

Project manager Jeremy Harris, from contractors Restoring Homes, was there each step of the way – making sure the cafe was accessible to all and looking its best.

He previously told KentOnline his company was used to carrying out bespoke shop refits and had never tackled something quite so unique.

The initial idea of a train cafe came from Tim Williams, headteacher of the Loose site.

He also has plans to convert an Airbus A319 airliner into a new library, along with a freefall lifeboat that will be re-purposed to make a counselling room.

“We are incredibly grateful to the phenomenal individuals, as well as local, national and global organisations that have backed our pioneering project,” Tim added.

“Their extraordinary support is acknowledged on our ‘wall of honour’ in the FAWrient Express.

“Their generosity highlights the remarkable power that this initiative holds to ‘achieve new possibilities’ and change lives within and beyond our immediate community.”

Opening times for the train cafe are yet to be announced to the public.