The immersive family attraction will launch on May 16 at the Oxfordshire destination and promises a magical ride for visitors of all ages.

Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic tale Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the indoor dark ride guides visitors on a gentle journey through Wonderland.

Riders will encounter familiar characters including Alice, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, the Caterpillar, and the Queen of Hearts.

Each scene will be brought to life with animatronic figures, atmospheric lighting, and an enchanting soundscape.

Nick Laister, owner of Fairytale Farm, said: “Journey to Alice’s Wonderland is a hugely exciting milestone for Fairytale Farm, because it is the first ride we have ever created here.

“From the start, we wanted to create something magical, immersive, and true to the spirit of Lewis Carroll’s original story.”

There is no extra charge for the ride, which is included with general admission to the farm and can be enjoyed as many times as visitors wish.

The ride system has a story of its own, having previously operated as the Snail Trail at Watermouth Castle Theme Park in Devon.

It has been extensively refurbished with new sensors, motors, and a control system to create a smoother, more immersive experience.

The attraction holds special significance due to its Oxfordshire location.

Lewis Carroll, who wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, had strong ties to Oxford, making this the first permanent Alice in Wonderland ride in the county that inspired the story.

Mr Laister added: “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is such an enduring classic, full of imagination, character, and playful eccentricity, and because of its strong Oxford connection, it felt the perfect choice for this project.”

“We are incredibly proud to be opening what we believe is the first permanent Alice in Wonderland ride in Oxfordshire.

“This is a major new chapter for Fairytale Farm and a very exciting moment for us.”

Andy Blake, designer of the indoor theming, said the team was focused on staying true to Carroll’s vision.

Mr Blake said: “The creative aim was to capture the spirit of the original Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and the distinctive charm of its classic storybook world.

“We wanted the scenes to feel playful, curious, and richly detailed, while reflecting the much-loved traditional interpretation of these characters.

“It has been a wonderful project to work on, and very rewarding to help create a version of Wonderland that families can step into and experience together.”

For more information about Journey to Alice’s Wonderland and to book, visit Fairytale Farm’s website.

Passengers on the upper deck had to walk along a low passage before climbing into their seats, while those on the right of the lower deck had to be careful not to bang their heads on the low ceiling.

Many buses were too high to pass under the bridge, and the bus company had to invest in the low-line vehicles to keep services going.

Sometimes, though, things went wrong and buses came to grief.

The picture above dates from 1977 when a Midland Red bus, on contract in Oxford, was returning to the bus garage in Cowley Road after taking workers from the atomic energy plant at Harwell to Stanford-in-the-Vale, near Wantage.

Thankfully, it was empty, apart from driver Barry Pugh, 33, who said: “At first, I thought something had fallen on top of the bus, then I realised the top was being torn off like a sardine can.

“I only travel this route now and again and I hadn’t been told the bus was too tall to get under the bridge.”

At that time, it was believed that the bridge had claimed at least 13 bus roofs since 1950.

The Midland Red bus was 14ft 4in high while the bridge had headroom of only 13ft 3in.

Clifford Fletcher, assistant traffic manager of Oxford South Midland bus company, said: “This is not the sort of incident we like to happen. The bridge is a pain in the neck and is a considerable restriction to us when it comes to planning.”

The crash left wreckage in the road and caused long tailbacks in both directions as traffic was reduced to a one-way crawl under the bridge. Repairs to the bus were estimated at £1,500.

The advertisement on the side of the bus from the Cleansing Service Group was particularly appropriate – ‘Where there’s muck – there’s us!’

There was certainly plenty of debris left in the road after this crash.

The lower picture shows a bus which had its roof completely sliced off by the bridge in 1967.

This bus crashed into the Botley Road rail bridge in 1967 (Image: Oxford Mail)

Notices were posted in bus cabs warning drivers not to use the route. Warning horns and illuminated signs – described as the ‘magic eye plan’ by the Oxford Mail – were put on the bridge.

Later, the road was lowered to prevent further accidents.

Hopefully, there will be plenty of room, height and clearance for buses when the reconstructed bridge and road finally open after the three-year closure to traffic in the summer!

Network Rail contractors Kier installed the new bridge in February and the Botley Road is expected to reopen to traffic at the end of August.

Wallingford Accessible Boat Club (WABC) has unveiled its new website and opened bookings for its 2026 season, offering free two-hour outings for disabled and less mobile passengers.

The improved site, developed by Clean Slate Solutions of Woodcote, highlights the charity’s mission to help disabled and less mobile people experience the River Thames.

John Jenkins MBE, chairman of WABC, said: “This is a very exciting time for our Boat Club – the start of the new season is just about upon us.

“Our volunteer crews are all geared up and keen to go.

“WOW-one, our much-loved wheelyboat, has been fitted out with some new passenger comfort features and now we have a new-look website, which is fantastic.”

Clean Slate Solutions, founded in 2020 by Darren and Michelle King, partnered with the charity after spotting its appeal on social media.

Mr King said: “Having seen WABC’s most recent call to arms on Facebook we just had to offer our help to this amazing charity.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure working with everyone at the charity and we hope that their new website helps WABC go from strength to strength.”

WABC operates a specially designed boat that enables wheelchair users and people with limited mobility to board safely and comfortably.

Passengers are even able to take the helm if they wish, with trips including sightseeing, fishing, or simply relaxing on the water.

The new website can be accessed here: https://www.wabc.org.uk/