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Working on a volunteer line?

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D1001

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I was chatting with a nice chap who works on the Mid Hants and he said that they currently have too many volunteers - a number of very well qualified and useful people have been keeping their cv's up to date while unemployed by volunteering for work on the MHR - when the evenings close in, there will be too many volunteers and not enough roles to fill!
 

Oliver

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I was chatting with a nice chap who works on the Mid Hants and he said that they currently have too many volunteers - a number of very well qualified and useful people have been keeping their cv's up to date while unemployed by volunteering for work on the MHR - when the evenings close in, there will be too many volunteers and not enough roles to fill!

I am surprised to hear that. The normal story is one of fewer volunteers than in the past, and most railways and restoration companies can find something for everyone.
 

Drsatan

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On the Eastleigh Lakeside Railway there always seem to be too many volunteers for too few trains, though that's probably because most of us are retired, and a couple (including myself) are unemployed. However, I'm going to uni next week so I won't count
 

matt

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I volunteer at Echills Wood Railway at Kingsbury Water Park. A week ago I was volunteering for a week at the Ffestiniog Railway working from the buffet car.
 

FusionRail

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At the NVR: Sod all now.

At Shackerstone: Trainee Secondman/Signalman, P-Way/S&T, work on the 31s, and a few other bits around the line.
 

25322

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The Ffestiniog for me. Help out on the S&T side. (but not at present on the dark side, that's the Welsh Highland bit)

Used to volunteer at a local railway but me and certain members board of directors didn't see eye to eye over safety issues and where to spend the money on safety critical/vital equipment. So I took all my gear and knowledge/Skills/dedication and 12 other volunteers with me and left em in the proverbial brown smelly stuff.

A proper mastercard moment.

And what's more I don't spend 37.5 hours in my real job and 100 hours doing railway volunteering a week any more. There's more to life. Just go down the FR when I fancy a bit of a holiday and have a few days in good company and getting on with things rather than battling Bovine excrement all the time
 
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Moodster020

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I'm looking at joining the KWVR but what would I, a 17 yo, be able to do?

You're young, and thus have the time to learn owt! Also gives your job prospects a turbo boost too, as it looks good on a CV/ have references, quite a few i know have secured great jobs that way.

If no Joy at the KWVR, i'm sure you'd be welcome at Embsay few miles upriver (were i volunteer), there's lots of people your age there too.
 

Phoenix

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I worked casually at the MRC as a trainee Guard for a year and abit in total around 30 days of work but really it was more of a chance for me to understand the railways abit more and generally keep myself active but was a good experience even at the worst of times and the traction always kept me smiling.
 

ralphchadkirk

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I was chatting with a nice chap who works on the Mid Hants and he said that they currently have too many volunteers - a number of very well qualified and useful people have been keeping their cv's up to date while unemployed by volunteering for work on the MHR - when the evenings close in, there will be too many volunteers and not enough roles to fill!

Cor! Wish that was true in the traffic department. Station Staff moving about to cover absences, minumum number of Squidgelmen and few guards.
 

4SRKT

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Up until nearly 20 years ago I used to guard on the R&ER, and before that as a teenager worked in the sales team on RPSI mainline jaunts such as the Portrush Flyer.

Would love to get involved again (K&WVR would be most obvious as it's nearest and I'm a member), but due to family commitments it'll be a few years until I have enough spare time.
 

33208

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I was chatting with a nice chap who works on the Mid Hants and he said that they currently have too many volunteers - a number of very well qualified and useful people have been keeping their cv's up to date while unemployed by volunteering for work on the MHR - when the evenings close in, there will be too many volunteers and not enough roles to fill!

Possibly in one or two places , but i wouldnt say they are over run with volunteers
 

6024

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not exlatly a line but I volunteer on the 6024 preservation socity
 

E&W Lucas

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There's a couple of really arrogant staff on the NYMR, but I just try to get on with it.

At the end of the day I'm there to do a job and if I have to liase with these people, then so be it! :boxing:

That's something that can be said of any workplace. Arrogance is a subjective concept, and it depends on your point of view.


For example - Brand new teenage guard quotes rule book at driver. What he doesn't realise is that the particular situation isn't covered in the (diesel era) book. Driver tries to put him right, but guard won't listen. Guard thinks driver is arrogant for telling him how to do his job, which he is quite rightly proud of having learned. Driver thinks guard is an arrogant little git, as he won't listen, and he's been doing the job since the guard was swimming round his daddy's sack.


Same with managers - they're doing what they've had a successful career doing, but they are being questioned by volunteers. They think the volunteers are arrogant upstarts; the volunteers may think the same of them, as they may not appear to listen, and said volunteers might just have considerable relevant real world experience.


The joys of working for a preserved railway!
 

wensley

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On a train...somewhere!
Put simply - too many chiefs and not enough indians :lol:

I see what people are saying about the 'joys' of volunteerinfg at preserved lines and if this is the what the future holds then it's going to be a real struggle to get young people into preserved lines. I have recently left a preserved line because of frictions - people need to learn to work together, even if they don't get along, for the good of the railway. After all that is what they are volunteering to help with. For young people preserved railways are a great opportunity to learn new skills and have a good time. It is a balance that some railways have got right and others ae working on...
 

Spagnoletti

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people need to learn to work together, even if they don't get along, for the good of the railway.

There is a unique dynamic between staff at a volunteer organisation. Many of the people there are giving up their time for rewards which may be months or years down the line (pun intended). This means individuals get very, very invested in what they're doing and don't always consider the bigger picture or indeed other people's feelings.
Do any groups have a member tasked with helping newbies settle in?
If you've been around the block a few times you can probably shrug nobhead behaviour off but sometimes it helps to have someone pointing out who to avoid.
On the other hand if you're going to be excessively touchy then maybe a preserved railway isn't the kind of nurturing environment you need ;)
 

wensley

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On a train...somewhere!
There is a unique dynamic between staff at a volunteer organisation.
I agree that this should be the case but isn't always so. A strong management is needed to make the volunteers and staff work fludily together and move forward to acheive the main targets rather than fighting amongst themselves to reach their own, smaller, aims.

This means individuals get very, very invested in what they're doing and don't always consider the bigger picture or indeed other people's feelings.
I understand this but despite the fact I see the passion being directed into actiona which is beneficial to the railway I feel some railways may forget that their workforce is formed of volunteers and if a small number of individuals upsets them then they will down tools - that is not the way to acheive bigger goals it is :D

On the other hand if you're going to be excessively touchy then maybe a preserved railway isn't the kind of nurturing environment you need ;)
And on a peronal note - I'm no pushover and I'm certainly not soft but there is a point when you realise what you are acheiving isn't worth the stick you are getting and that channeling your engery elswhere may be more rewarding.

I am not saying that inner friction will completely destroy the volunteer structure but I PERSONALLY FEEL it should be prevented wherever possible by management to allow the volunteers to work together in a friendly environment and as a whole - not a load of dis-jointed groups

THIS IS NOT A REFLECTION OF THE RAILWAY I HAVE LEFT - JUST TO VOER MYSELF - BUT MY PERSONAL OPINION ON THE SUBJECT AS A WHOLE
 

EWS 58038

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I am thinking of joining a preserved railway in the UK, but I still don't know which one.

All have pro's and cons.

- Nene valley: Close to London, wonderfull signalbox... awfull Belgium stock and not one of the most scenic routes, but their gala's are good

- East Lancs Rwy: what a beautifull line that is.

- GCR: A real railway.... Easy to get to from Amsterdam as the airport is just a 30 minute bus ride away. Havn't been there yet. (will visit the line next diesel gala). All depends If I can visit the signal boxes as I am not looking to work on the trains but as a signaller.
 

Zoe

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All depends If I can visit the signal boxes as I am not looking to work on the trains but as a signaller.
It should be noted that some railways well expect you to gain experience of the railway before training to become a signalman. There are also some that are more fussy than others about who they have as signalmen/guards, to avoid arguments I will not name anywhere specific only to say that I am not talking about any of the railways you listed above.
 

ralphchadkirk

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In the railway I volunteer at you have to start as station staff, and when you can do that, you can proceed to higher training.
 

AlexS

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I am thinking of joining a preserved railway in the UK, but I still don't know which one.

All have pro's and cons.

- Nene valley: Close to London, wonderfull signalbox... awfull Belgium stock and not one of the most scenic routes, but their gala's are good

- East Lancs Rwy: what a beautifull line that is.

- GCR: A real railway.... Easy to get to from Amsterdam as the airport is just a 30 minute bus ride away. Havn't been there yet. (will visit the line next diesel gala). All depends If I can visit the signal boxes as I am not looking to work on the trains but as a signaller.

Shouldn't be a problem visiting the boxes at the GCR - as a Dutch signaller if you want to visit officially I'm sure the railway would be more than happy to have you.

There's a discretionary policy on the boxes - visitors are at the signalman's discretion but if they're amenable there's no rule against them for short periods.
 

E&W Lucas

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I am thinking of joining a preserved railway in the UK, but I still don't know which one.

All have pro's and cons.

- Nene valley: Close to London, wonderfull signalbox... awfull Belgium stock and not one of the most scenic routes, but their gala's are good

- East Lancs Rwy: what a beautifull line that is.

- GCR: A real railway.... Easy to get to from Amsterdam as the airport is just a 30 minute bus ride away. Havn't been there yet. (will visit the line next diesel gala). All depends If I can visit the signal boxes as I am not looking to work on the trains but as a signaller.

There is already something of a Dutch contingent on the NYMR. Several firemen visit from the Netherlands regularly.
Fantastic area to visit, intensive service, challenging route & the only preserved railway with running powers onto the National Network. Grosmont has an approx 50 lever box, and with the NYMR services, plus those to & from Whitby to contend with, the signalman has a very busy & challenging day. If you want more details, please PM me, and I'll put you in touch with the relevant people directly.
 
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