I have recently restarted volunteering on a heritage railway, after a 20 year gap. When I left, I was a teenager, and the youngest at the station. Now, in my late 30s, I returned to find myself the youngest on the platform...
View from a former volunteer of multiple groups and current Vice President of a non profit railroad. I left many groups due to the board of such groups being opposed to any suggestion that wasn't made within their circle and being forced to do all the work and put my own funds in without getting any credit. Instead when something went wrong i took all the criticism. I wasn't gonna take it anymore and thus moved away and they cried for me to come back. Under the group i am VP of we do have a volunteer base but being we are spread to 2 locations over 3 hours apart and most are at our railroad site in Maryland... getting volunteers for the northern half equipment restoration has been far more difficult as there is no train to ride and it is mainly doing wood work. Tho we will be working in a nice shop soon instead of outside for the north half, it has been quite a challenge for us all, and hopefully with the small group we have we can do a lot to finish this. On a side note: a gauge the issue request: the difficulty of preserving 19th century equipment in the 21st century. We have a 1867 built passenger car which trying to raise funds or get attention for the restoration has been quite difficult. It seems to be viewed but never cared for... ether a more "important" main line steam loco was announced being restored 5 times or something else would occur. Many would argue why save such a basket case or it would be better as mulch, and others say they want to help but never put up for it. It has made this project far more difficult than it has to be which has taken a toll on us and the very railcar. So the question is? Have we become so separated by the 19th century that it has no relevance to rail enthusiasts and thus will be tossed aside? And in this case what happens when BR and other such modern steam roads are out of the public memory?
I volunteer at a small heritage railway in south wales, where we a rebuilding a 5 mile branch, getting enough younger volunteers like myself has become a challenge. Most days it’s 5 of us putting up fence post along the line which we’ve relayed. Because of that we can’t get a lot of posts up mostly 5 a day. This is something that’s really important since the line runs along the cycle path. If we can’t do this no trains would be allowed to run. It doesn’t help that the local community doesn’t help us and only seems to give us hostility. If we had more volunteers and if the local community helped out we would be a lot further on because we could have multiple jobs going on, for example finishing off the restoration on the shark brake van we have. Sometimes this is possible but sadly not always.
The Band and Drums at 2:46. I'm on the front rank, in the centre behind the Bandmaster. That was when we filmed the opening titles of Blackadder goes Forth at Cavalry Barracks, Colchester Garrison, September 1989 😎
Ima 15yo enthusiast. Who has been trying to volunteer at my local railway for a while now. I'm a member of the society but have been unable to volunteer because I'm not 18, which I do understand. However, I'm not even able to join in on the ODD JOBS program they are running. In a year I'll be able to go to war but I can't paint a fence or a bench, the uk can't be serious!!!! What's most annoying is that the railway is pleading for volunteers and yet over the top safety regulations prevent new ones from joing. I'm at a time in my life where I have time energy and passion, I don't know how long that's gonna last, I can't stay in school forever. So it really bums me out
I have a 12 year old who wants to volunteer, but policies, procedures, insurance, etc etc are all conspiring against him, some say you have to be at least 16. I do think so some degree it could discourage the younger generation from volunteering, especially at this age, as 3-6 year wait they could lose interest.
I'm also 15 and in the UK, and I've been lucky enough to live near a railway where people can start in non-safety critical roles from 14. On most lines the starting age is 16, I'm only aware of one railway which starts from 18, and that's due to past experiences. Obviously I don't know your situation, but if you can try and go to another railway in the meantime - like I said, most take people on from 16, and they can usually go on the footplate and guard. You might not be able to, but if you can I would recommend it - it's definitely worth it!
@x-tareverything - I don't know where you are, but if there are any other lines within reach, I'd suggest that you contact them to see what their age limits are. It does vary from one line to another. For example - the Mid-Hants Railway takes volunteers from the age of 16 upwards, and the volunteer registration form for the Severn Valley has categories from under 16 upwards - though I believe that railways which accept volunteers under 16 usually insist on them being accompanied by a parent / guardian. Also, from memory, I believe that the Kent & East Sussex Railway takes volunteers at 16. HTH, and best regards, Jack (signalman, and ex-fireman)
@peddersmeister Yes. The worst part is is my local railway is basically limiting their volunteer team to retired people whith health problems. Like I said I'm someone in the perfect position to volunteer but am simply unable too.
I started volunteering at a narrow gauge railway in April and when I joined the average age dropped drastically I'm really enjoying getting hands on engineering experience and learning from my co-workers.
A certain railway in West Yorkshire has a loco department run by bullies. A friend of mine was involved there and he was treated so badly that he walked away and is no longer interested in railway preservation. It’s a shame when bullies are allowed to not only be in control, but never get reprimanded for their behaviour and actions. That’s just one example of how bad things can be and need to change drastically and immediately.
I worked there for barely a weekend before I told them they can stick their railway up their arse. I did three days. One day training, one day helping out on my day off and one day actually working on my rostered day and FUCK ME I will never go back for as long as I live. I was assigned to firelight their Coal Tank. Which I did to perfection. Everything was fine. 30 minutes later, the rostered foreman came over and started fiddling about with it. Ten minutes later, the same engine is blowing its tits off at 4.00AM in the morning! And if you know the location, you know it’s a very residential area! I can imagine they got some complaints over that. The rest of the day I went about my business cleaning and was told that I was “unsafe” for working at height, which is bollocks because I maintained 3 points of contact at all times with them saying, “oh just use the stepladders.” “You’re telling me those tiny stepladders can get to the boiler of a standard 4?! Fuck off!” A few days later I had a request for information sent to my home address asking about the blowing off steam. I said “Fuck off” and left it at that.
It’s all true but won’t change. I spent a good while getting up at 3am at the weekend after a full time week and giving up weekend days away from my family to volunteer, got taken for granted and treated badly. I had the view that I wanted to give a little back and have the next generation growing up with the experiences I was able to, but it quickly wears thin, so in the end walking alway wasn’t such a difficult decision after all. Unfortunately most clubs / charities suffer the same thing, inner circles and those personalities with chips on shoulders, power trips or giant egos that don’t get stroked out in the real world so they take it out where they can. I don’t have the answer, and whilst I do fear for the future of preservation rail, but life is too short and time away from family too precious. The travel isn’t cheap, either…
I looked into volunteering at a heritage railway once a good few years back, and was sent a form to fill out that was so onerous in questioning regarding what i needed to do, had to be, my skill set, etc, etc. I didn't bother filling it out. I was not applying to captain `Concorde` merely help out that railway if i could somehow! No wonder recruiting is such an issue..
I started volunteering at Swanage Railway last year towards the end of the running season. After my last stint, they sent me an email regarding exams I’d have to take, signed it off saying “see you next year”, as if they were planning on bringing me back, but I’ve heard absolutely nothing despite numerous attempts by myself to contact them. I think ineffective management plays a big role in this matter as well.
I'll say this chris. Thank you. your voice has given many of us ours. I met you back at the Talyllyn Railway Heritage weekend in september and good gravy it was lovley to see you as youve been a inperation in film making and railways as a whole. Ive had my fair shair of issues at heritage railways being mainly due to me being who I want to be. But Places like the talyllyn have been welcoming and love the fact that i am who i am and another railway i volenteer at being bala lake have been the same too unfortuniatly i know its not as easy for others as i myself have gon through some stuff which lets say didnt end so nicly for myself. with me being for one thrown out of a model group but also being a target for harrasment in both verbal & physical. So my point is as you have said railways need to know now more than ever dont take your volenteers for granted as before you know it the ones you have will either move on, leave due to issues not rectified or in the sad case pass on due to age. The BR men and women who made our presevervation movement are slowly starting to take there final jorneys. seems a damn shame to see there hard work go down the ash pit. But again thanks chris. Pint on me next time we bump into each other. :)
At the heritage line I volunteer at in Sweden we’re about 15 people who regularly work with maintenance and restoration of both locomotives and rolling stock as well as track maintenance. Then There’s about 30-40 people total for the operations out of which 10 is among the 15 working with the maintenance.
I volunteer at a small transport museum here in Australia and have done so for the last 14 years. For at least 10 of those years I have been the only tour guide we have as well as one of the committee members helping run the operation. I am also finding myself increasingly becoming the sole source of information regarding vehicles and displays from the museum's earlier days as there are no other volunteers or staff remaining who were there at the start of the whole operation......well, there is but he was 74 when i met him 14 years ago and has, quite deservedly at his age, taken a step back from the museum
Im a voulnteer at the NYMR and due to things happening i was close to leaving but this video has changed my mind hopefully things settle and things fo back to normal
I restarted volunteering during 2024 on the K&ESR and took on a new role that really works for my work schedule these days. I can usually only offer once a month at most ,but it all helps.
I volunteer at puffing billy railway, and for a big heritage railway, it's a good deal, I've been thanked personally by the former CEO who just retired. Along side the paid big wigs, I get a birthday card every year and we do stuff for Volunteers, I've been volunteering with them for 6 years and I still love going there
I have said - many times - that if every enthusiast who stands at a lineside, somewhere, to watch a heritage loco pass by - were to put £1 into the 'kitty' on each occasion - there would be a lot more money available to fund these precious machines and people.
I’m maybe a bit too young to have a full job on a heritage railway, and part-timing it might not work out either. I’d love to work on the NYMR, but it is quite far off from where I live, and the biggest one near me is the Middleton Railway. If not, I’d consider trying to make a new role for the NRM: a dedicated tour guide. Most staff members when I’ve been there can’t tell me anything about the locos, and the info boards aren’t very comprehensive, so I’d like for there to be someone who can tour you around the museum and provide detailed commentary on the engines and rolling stock.
What I don’t understand is that railways want younger volunteers to learn form them and take over from them when the older members are gone, but then they start petty arguments with us when we do things a different way because”that’s how we did it in our time” just because they are stuck in they’re ways and they’re own egos. Then some of the younger volunteers leave because they are sick of that treatment and then the older volunteers complain that we’re not dedicated to the cause
I will say, while not always the case, I think part of the reason people wind up not volunteering is due to how unwelcoming some people and the committees can feel, be that in general or due to racial discrimination, bigotry or misogyny. I remember when I was younger I wanted to volunteer for a heritage railway a few hours away, I inquired about doing so, what it'd require and so on only to be told to "f off and not bother, we old folks can handle it and always will" and it made me very hesitant to ever try volunteering again. I love locomotives and I was so willing and passionate to learn yet I was turned away, and not nicely either, you can't complain about people not volunteering when you won't allow them to. More people need to volunteer, yes, but older folks and members in general also need to be more willing to pass on the torch too rather than keeping it to themselves and turning away people genuinely willing to learn and keep the fire burning. Again I know not all areas are like this, Talyllyn, the Bluebell and other UK railways seem far more welcoming to young volunteers or those of varying backgrounds and that's fantastic to see, though my experience is still rather common in many other places and areas unfortunately, and it can also be the death of a passion. I still love locomotives but I haven't wanted to volunteer on heritage railways ever since that incident, it really crushed me and I've not had the desire to get involved in volunteer work due to it, not to mention I do also fear I may be treated poorly due to being who I am.
I feel very lucky to be a volunteer at a model engineering society in Canada that values it's volunteers. I've always felt very welcome and I love it there. The good thing is that they can't advertise because they'd have too many passengers which means the club is doing great!
Great video as always. At my heritage railway I volunteered at, I've only worked with older men and I only see a young or younger lad who comes in and help for a day.
I tell you one thing which might help, and I'm astonished at this omission; railway after railway, when you look at their websites, give *NO info* about what their age limits are. Why the HELL not?? Some accept volunteers at 14 if accompanied by a parent / guardian, and at 16 on their own - so why not make that clear?
The smaller the railway, the fewer volunteers, the more hours individuals work and the more stress they experience. You spend your time struggling for survival and the battle to get extra volunteers is never ending. If we get two new volunteers in a year it’s a win, normally balanced perfectly by the same or greater number disappearing for various reasons [no, not bullying or lack of appreciation]. Just try convincing people to volunteer to manage an SMS or whatever in their spare time, it’s a real laugh.
Foxfield Railway has proven that to be wrong though. And whilst there’s no doubt that the higher ups absolutely have a bit of stress, it’s minimal compared to something like East Lancashire Railway where everything seems to be going tits up. Foxfield has a minimum of about 70 regulars, the average between 50 and 100, and seems to do just fine on its own. It’s one of the smallest historical railways in the UK at only 2 and a half miles long. Even places like Apedale and Churnet Valley have more volunteers.
I used to be a volunteer on both the Bluebell (for a few years) and I did really actually like it as well look forward to work on steam locos. But unfortunately I didn’t return to volunteer because I don’t have a car, but also I don’t know if I will like to volunteer again because I have mental health issues.
Cheers Chris Mate I work for Generate Opportunities as a Voices Coordinator and to be quite honest I'm proud of myself to be with Clan Line as well during my free time if I'm on annual leave etc I just hope I achieve my goal to drive the locomotive eventually
I am a teenager, currently I volunteer for a museum ship, which is fun, I take tours and help restore the ship, but the major problem facing museum ships is not under manning (as we can do well with a mere 4 people) but the problem is all the old volunteers are getting older and no young people care to volunteer, the average age of volunteers for most museum ships is over 60, and on a ship that is not good (if you ever walk around a ww2 era ship they are a b*tch with all the landers and tight spaces). I am going to branch out a soon I will volunteer on an operation ship and possibly for the mainline steam operator in my state.
I’ve been trying to figure out how to get my foot in the door with the operations of the internal historic fleet for the system I work for. They’re going to need fresh meat in the very near future. Lot of folks about to retire in the next 18 months. (Government owned transit system. They did a large hiring push 20 years ago and people from that group are approaching the point where they can retire with their full agency pension) But at the same time, I do know full well I am going to run head long into “the old boys club” mentality… even if they’re not all boys.
Love your videos Chris keep up the great work!❤ I wish I could volunteer at a heritage railway but I live in America and the closest railroad is and hour and a half away😢
My experience of trying to volunteer on a heritage railway is you are not welcome. Very cliquey. I've come to the conclusion that they want your donations so that they can play trains
I see where your going with this I'm struggling to get a possession on the GCR because its being run by volunteers and they're disorganised i hope they get someone like the fat controller from Thomas the tank engine I hope they do
I left the railway I used to volunteer at in the south east because I faced discrimination for being LGBTQ+ by another volunteer. I did bring it up with management and other volunteers, but was simply told to just ignore them, even though they were plainly saying things so incredibly degrading that it began to impact my mental health, and I ended up leaving. Not to mention the so called banter, which to me felt more like bullying, especially when directed towards my sexuality, identity and my appearance. Another issue I have with volunteering, which a lot of railways and museums have, is accessibility. Many if them are located in areas which receive little to no bus services, which often don't run in the early hours of the day when the railway begins to open. Some lines do have interchanges with the mainline, but those themselves are few and far between. I can't afford a car or to learn to drive, which makes getting to places difficult.
I;m really sorry to hear that you had to face that discrimination. I dont know why but its a recurring problem with railway volunteers. I'm british from am immigrant backround. When we used to go to our local railway, some volunteers would say some pretty racist things to my dads face. Of course if we spoke out about it then we would be the ones causing a scene. I love that railway but I'm not goanna give up my weekends to work with a bunch of grumpy old men that will insult me to my face.
@user-yf4gx9lw6c thank you, I'm really sorry you faced discrimination too, I hope you can find somewhere where you'll be treated with the dignity and respect you deserve.
As someone who’s also LGBTQ+ (non-binary and Pansexual, with a trans man boyfriend) I’ve had my fair share from railways. Now whilst at my current place (Foxfield Railway in Stoke On Trent), I’m very much supported by most members, I did deal with a spot of discrimination. When I reported it, it was dealt with not even a week later, and whilst I get blanking stares one from the lads, they don’t harass or bully me. Infact one of them ended up getting friendly with me and we became pretty firm friends. East Lancashire however could not have given a single fuck. Which is why I left them over a year ago. Foxfield accepted me instantly as one of their own and part of their family. I’ve even taken my boyfriend their twice, who has seen me working on the engine during the day! And at no expense to them, because the staff have been behind me all the way. It’s nice to feel valued by people you work with, and I do a variety of roles during my “off loco” season (October - April) from cleaning trains, signalling, loco support (refuelling and food and drink delivery to crew), parking duties, kitchen staff, bar staff, on train staff, etc. My main role at the railway is and always will be a loco crew. And I’m a damn good one. I’ve been told I’ll become an excellent fireman, and I couldn’t be more happier at a place that realised that I have potential and gave me a chance. Especially since East Lancs just dismissed me because of two quite discriminatory reasons.
I would not reccomend the East Lancashire Railway to anyone who has ADHD or Autism. I tried to sign up a while ago but got rejected under the pretense that if I got distracted thanks to my ADHD, I could cause problems. I am going to try a different railway, but I am not the only person who has had trouble at the ELR. Many of my friends have told me that there's a somewhat toxic work environment behind the scenes, and the ELR is letting suspended volunteers who's had accusations of nasty stuff against him come back to volunteer.
Couldn't you be used on a job where if you got ADHD it wouldn't be safety critical? "letting suspended volunteers who's had accusations of nasty stuff against him come back to volunteer" maybe they learnt their lesson, maybe the accusations were unproven? I don't know the particular circumstances.
I recommend Foxfield Railway. They don’t really care about what you have (autism here myself and work as Loco crew). They support you and make accommodations. Infact I got denied due to autism and colour deficiency at East Lancs Railway. One of my friends who works at Foxfield recommended there and you honestly could not find a happier place. I’ve proved competent in every part of my role. Couplings, training firing, cleaning, you name it. And they love working with me.
@Chris Eden-Green - I started working on preserved railways in 1981 - and guess what? People like you were preaching woe, gloom and doom even then; "Preserved railways are struggling to recruit working volunteers, the oldies are dying off, and youngsters aren't getting involved!" And yet, over *40 years* later, preserved lines up and down the country have expanded and grown, *new* lines have opened up, and the overwhelming majority are relentlessly pulling themselves up by their bootstraps.
Literally every volunteer I‘ve spoken to has said they need more people. Most heritage railways don’t even turn a profit anymore without government funding, and thats undeniable as all of their accounts have to be publicly filed, and I‘ve looked at them.
@@BrokenIET - government funding? *WHAT government funding?* They got some help during the Covid lockdowns, *as did many other businesses,* but I've worked on seven different preserved lines, and I've never seen ANY 'government funding' in their accounts.
I have recently restarted volunteering on a heritage railway, after a 20 year gap. When I left, I was a teenager, and the youngest at the station. Now, in my late 30s, I returned to find myself the youngest on the platform...
In short, no volunteers, no railway.
Volunteers are like platinum, very, very, VERY, precious.
Great video, Chris 👍.
View from a former volunteer of multiple groups and current Vice President of a non profit railroad.
I left many groups due to the board of such groups being opposed to any suggestion that wasn't made within their circle and being forced to do all the work and put my own funds in without getting any credit. Instead when something went wrong i took all the criticism. I wasn't gonna take it anymore and thus moved away and they cried for me to come back.
Under the group i am VP of we do have a volunteer base but being we are spread to 2 locations over 3 hours apart and most are at our railroad site in Maryland... getting volunteers for the northern half equipment restoration has been far more difficult as there is no train to ride and it is mainly doing wood work. Tho we will be working in a nice shop soon instead of outside for the north half, it has been quite a challenge for us all, and hopefully with the small group we have we can do a lot to finish this.
On a side note: a gauge the issue request: the difficulty of preserving 19th century equipment in the 21st century. We have a 1867 built passenger car which trying to raise funds or get attention for the restoration has been quite difficult. It seems to be viewed but never cared for... ether a more "important" main line steam loco was announced being restored 5 times or something else would occur. Many would argue why save such a basket case or it would be better as mulch, and others say they want to help but never put up for it. It has made this project far more difficult than it has to be which has taken a toll on us and the very railcar.
So the question is? Have we become so separated by the 19th century that it has no relevance to rail enthusiasts and thus will be tossed aside? And in this case what happens when BR and other such modern steam roads are out of the public memory?
I volunteer at a small heritage railway in south wales, where we a rebuilding a 5 mile branch, getting enough younger volunteers like myself has become a challenge. Most days it’s 5 of us putting up fence post along the line which we’ve relayed. Because of that we can’t get a lot of posts up mostly 5 a day. This is something that’s really important since the line runs along the cycle path. If we can’t do this no trains would be allowed to run. It doesn’t help that the local community doesn’t help us and only seems to give us hostility. If we had more volunteers and if the local community helped out we would be a lot further on because we could have multiple jobs going on, for example finishing off the restoration on the shark brake van we have. Sometimes this is possible but sadly not always.
is that said railway buckinghamshire railway centre as if so I love the railway im trying to support it
The Band and Drums at 2:46. I'm on the front rank, in the centre behind the Bandmaster. That was when we filmed the opening titles of Blackadder goes Forth at Cavalry Barracks, Colchester Garrison, September 1989 😎
Brilliant. Thankyou for being part of such an iconic show
Chris, probably one of the most underrated voices of reason in the railway community, keep it up
Ima 15yo enthusiast. Who has been trying to volunteer at my local railway for a while now. I'm a member of the society but have been unable to volunteer because I'm not 18, which I do understand. However, I'm not even able to join in on the ODD JOBS program they are running. In a year I'll be able to go to war but I can't paint a fence or a bench, the uk can't be serious!!!! What's most annoying is that the railway is pleading for volunteers and yet over the top safety regulations prevent new ones from joing. I'm at a time in my life where I have time energy and passion, I don't know how long that's gonna last, I can't stay in school forever. So it really bums me out
I have a 12 year old who wants to volunteer, but policies, procedures, insurance, etc etc are all conspiring against him, some say you have to be at least 16.
I do think so some degree it could discourage the younger generation from volunteering, especially at this age, as 3-6 year wait they could lose interest.
I'm also 15 and in the UK, and I've been lucky enough to live near a railway where people can start in non-safety critical roles from 14. On most lines the starting age is 16, I'm only aware of one railway which starts from 18, and that's due to past experiences. Obviously I don't know your situation, but if you can try and go to another railway in the meantime - like I said, most take people on from 16, and they can usually go on the footplate and guard. You might not be able to, but if you can I would recommend it - it's definitely worth it!
@x-tareverything - I don't know where you are, but if there are any other lines within reach, I'd suggest that you contact them to see what their age limits are. It does vary from one line to another. For example - the Mid-Hants Railway takes volunteers from the age of 16 upwards, and the volunteer registration form for the Severn Valley has categories from under 16 upwards - though I believe that railways which accept volunteers under 16 usually insist on them being accompanied by a parent / guardian. Also, from memory, I believe that the Kent & East Sussex Railway takes volunteers at 16.
HTH, and best regards, Jack (signalman, and ex-fireman)
@peddersmeister Yes. The worst part is is my local railway is basically limiting their volunteer team to retired people whith health problems. Like I said I'm someone in the perfect position to volunteer but am simply unable too.
@@x-tareverything yeah I get there's insurance and H&S considerations, but I can't even get him in where I join as well and basically chaperone him 😳
I started volunteering at a narrow gauge railway in April and when I joined the average age dropped drastically
I'm really enjoying getting hands on engineering experience and learning from my co-workers.
A certain railway in West Yorkshire has a loco department run by bullies. A friend of mine was involved there and he was treated so badly that he walked away and is no longer interested in railway preservation. It’s a shame when bullies are allowed to not only be in control, but never get reprimanded for their behaviour and actions. That’s just one example of how bad things can be and need to change drastically and immediately.
'A certain railway in West Yorkshire' is too specific to protect the accused but too vague to protect the innocent.
I worked there for barely a weekend before I told them they can stick their railway up their arse. I did three days. One day training, one day helping out on my day off and one day actually working on my rostered day and FUCK ME I will never go back for as long as I live.
I was assigned to firelight their Coal Tank. Which I did to perfection. Everything was fine. 30 minutes later, the rostered foreman came over and started fiddling about with it. Ten minutes later, the same engine is blowing its tits off at 4.00AM in the morning! And if you know the location, you know it’s a very residential area! I can imagine they got some complaints over that.
The rest of the day I went about my business cleaning and was told that I was “unsafe” for working at height, which is bollocks because I maintained 3 points of contact at all times with them saying, “oh just use the stepladders.”
“You’re telling me those tiny stepladders can get to the boiler of a standard 4?! Fuck off!”
A few days later I had a request for information sent to my home address asking about the blowing off steam.
I said “Fuck off” and left it at that.
It’s all true but won’t change. I spent a good while getting up at 3am at the weekend after a full time week and giving up weekend days away from my family to volunteer, got taken for granted and treated badly.
I had the view that I wanted to give a little back and have the next generation growing up with the experiences I was able to, but it quickly wears thin, so in the end walking alway wasn’t such a difficult decision after all.
Unfortunately most clubs / charities suffer the same thing, inner circles and those personalities with chips on shoulders, power trips or giant egos that don’t get stroked out in the real world so they take it out where they can.
I don’t have the answer, and whilst I do fear for the future of preservation rail, but life is too short and time away from family too precious. The travel isn’t cheap, either…
I looked into volunteering at a heritage railway once a good few years back, and was sent a form to fill out that was so onerous in questioning regarding what i needed to do, had to be, my skill set, etc, etc. I didn't bother filling it out. I was not applying to captain `Concorde` merely help out that railway if i could somehow! No wonder recruiting is such an issue..
I started volunteering at Swanage Railway last year towards the end of the running season. After my last stint, they sent me an email regarding exams I’d have to take, signed it off saying “see you next year”, as if they were planning on bringing me back, but I’ve heard absolutely nothing despite numerous attempts by myself to contact them. I think ineffective management plays a big role in this matter as well.
I'll say this chris. Thank you. your voice has given many of us ours. I met you back at the Talyllyn Railway Heritage weekend in september and good gravy it was lovley to see you as youve been a inperation in film making and railways as a whole. Ive had my fair shair of issues at heritage railways being mainly due to me being who I want to be. But Places like the talyllyn have been welcoming and love the fact that i am who i am and another railway i volenteer at being bala lake have been the same too unfortuniatly i know its not as easy for others as i myself have gon through some stuff which lets say didnt end so nicly for myself. with me being for one thrown out of a model group but also being a target for harrasment in both verbal & physical. So my point is as you have said railways need to know now more than ever dont take your volenteers for granted as before you know it the ones you have will either move on, leave due to issues not rectified or in the sad case pass on due to age. The BR men and women who made our presevervation movement are slowly starting to take there final jorneys. seems a damn shame to see there hard work go down the ash pit. But again thanks chris. Pint on me next time we bump into each other. :)
At the heritage line I volunteer at in Sweden we’re about 15 people who regularly work with maintenance and restoration of both locomotives and rolling stock as well as track maintenance. Then There’s about 30-40 people total for the operations out of which 10 is among the 15 working with the maintenance.
I volunteer at a small transport museum here in Australia and have done so for the last 14 years. For at least 10 of those years I have been the only tour guide we have as well as one of the committee members helping run the operation. I am also finding myself increasingly becoming the sole source of information regarding vehicles and displays from the museum's earlier days as there are no other volunteers or staff remaining who were there at the start of the whole operation......well, there is but he was 74 when i met him 14 years ago and has, quite deservedly at his age, taken a step back from the museum
Im a voulnteer at the NYMR and due to things happening i was close to leaving but this video has changed my mind hopefully things settle and things fo back to normal
I restarted volunteering during 2024 on the K&ESR and took on a new role that really works for my work schedule these days. I can usually only offer once a month at most ,but it all helps.
I volunteer at puffing billy railway, and for a big heritage railway, it's a good deal, I've been thanked personally by the former CEO who just retired. Along side the paid big wigs, I get a birthday card every year and we do stuff for Volunteers, I've been volunteering with them for 6 years and I still love going there
I have said - many times - that if every enthusiast who stands at a lineside, somewhere, to watch a heritage loco pass by - were to put £1 into the 'kitty' on each occasion - there would be a lot more money available to fund these precious machines and people.
I’m maybe a bit too young to have a full job on a heritage railway, and part-timing it might not work out either. I’d love to work on the NYMR, but it is quite far off from where I live, and the biggest one near me is the Middleton Railway.
If not, I’d consider trying to make a new role for the NRM: a dedicated tour guide. Most staff members when I’ve been there can’t tell me anything about the locos, and the info boards aren’t very comprehensive, so I’d like for there to be someone who can tour you around the museum and provide detailed commentary on the engines and rolling stock.
What I don’t understand is that railways want younger volunteers to learn form them and take over from them when the older members are gone, but then they start petty arguments with us when we do things a different way because”that’s how we did it in our time” just because they are stuck in they’re ways and they’re own egos. Then some of the younger volunteers leave because they are sick of that treatment and then the older volunteers complain that we’re not dedicated to the cause
I will say, while not always the case, I think part of the reason people wind up not volunteering is due to how unwelcoming some people and the committees can feel, be that in general or due to racial discrimination, bigotry or misogyny.
I remember when I was younger I wanted to volunteer for a heritage railway a few hours away, I inquired about doing so, what it'd require and so on only to be told to "f off and not bother, we old folks can handle it and always will" and it made me very hesitant to ever try volunteering again.
I love locomotives and I was so willing and passionate to learn yet I was turned away, and not nicely either, you can't complain about people not volunteering when you won't allow them to.
More people need to volunteer, yes, but older folks and members in general also need to be more willing to pass on the torch too rather than keeping it to themselves and turning away people genuinely willing to learn and keep the fire burning.
Again I know not all areas are like this, Talyllyn, the Bluebell and other UK railways seem far more welcoming to young volunteers or those of varying backgrounds and that's fantastic to see, though my experience is still rather common in many other places and areas unfortunately, and it can also be the death of a passion.
I still love locomotives but I haven't wanted to volunteer on heritage railways ever since that incident, it really crushed me and I've not had the desire to get involved in volunteer work due to it, not to mention I do also fear I may be treated poorly due to being who I am.
I feel very lucky to be a volunteer at a model engineering society in Canada that values it's volunteers. I've always felt very welcome and I love it there. The good thing is that they can't advertise because they'd have too many passengers which means the club is doing great!
Coal is a big issue. Light oil firing and preheating would get rid of a lot of work and reduce wear and tear.
Time is not being kind to us.
Great video as always.
At my heritage railway I volunteered at, I've only worked with older men and I only see a young or younger lad who comes in and help for a day.
Omg its midland productions
I tell you one thing which might help, and I'm astonished at this omission; railway after railway, when you look at their websites, give *NO info* about what their age limits are. Why the HELL not?? Some accept volunteers at 14 if accompanied by a parent / guardian, and at 16 on their own - so why not make that clear?
The smaller the railway, the fewer volunteers, the more hours individuals work and the more stress they experience. You spend your time struggling for survival and the battle to get extra volunteers is never ending. If we get two new volunteers in a year it’s a win, normally balanced perfectly by the same or greater number disappearing for various reasons [no, not bullying or lack of appreciation]. Just try convincing people to volunteer to manage an SMS or whatever in their spare time, it’s a real laugh.
Foxfield Railway has proven that to be wrong though. And whilst there’s no doubt that the higher ups absolutely have a bit of stress, it’s minimal compared to something like East Lancashire Railway where everything seems to be going tits up.
Foxfield has a minimum of about 70 regulars, the average between 50 and 100, and seems to do just fine on its own. It’s one of the smallest historical railways in the UK at only 2 and a half miles long. Even places like Apedale and Churnet Valley have more volunteers.
I used to be a volunteer on both the Bluebell (for a few years) and I did really actually like it as well look forward to work on steam locos. But unfortunately I didn’t return to volunteer because I don’t have a car, but also I don’t know if I will like to volunteer again because I have mental health issues.
Cheers Chris Mate I work for Generate Opportunities as a Voices Coordinator and to be quite honest I'm proud of myself to be with Clan Line as well during my free time if I'm on annual leave etc I just hope I achieve my goal to drive the locomotive eventually
I am a teenager, currently I volunteer for a museum ship, which is fun, I take tours and help restore the ship, but the major problem facing museum ships is not under manning (as we can do well with a mere 4 people) but the problem is all the old volunteers are getting older and no young people care to volunteer, the average age of volunteers for most museum ships is over 60, and on a ship that is not good (if you ever walk around a ww2 era ship they are a b*tch with all the landers and tight spaces). I am going to branch out a soon I will volunteer on an operation ship and possibly for the mainline steam operator in my state.
Ayy first to comment awesome and great video to watch and a interesting deep dive to rather well-discussed topic
Brilliant video
I used to vollenteer my time between more than one railway but that was also fitted between working paid work else where
I’ve been trying to figure out how to get my foot in the door with the operations of the internal historic fleet for the system I work for. They’re going to need fresh meat in the very near future. Lot of folks about to retire in the next 18 months. (Government owned transit system. They did a large hiring push 20 years ago and people from that group are approaching the point where they can retire with their full agency pension)
But at the same time, I do know full well I am going to run head long into “the old boys club” mentality… even if they’re not all boys.
im 13 can't wait till im 14 then I can join my railways young members group
Love your videos Chris keep up the great work!❤ I wish I could volunteer at a heritage railway but I live in America and the closest railroad is and hour and a half away😢
I hope to start volunteering soon but I am unsure of bus routes and stuff
This is the issue for me too. It's a bit of a journey to my nearest heritage line, otherwise I'd love to help out when I can
My experience of trying to volunteer on a heritage railway is you are not welcome. Very cliquey. I've come to the conclusion that they want your donations so that they can play trains
I see where your going with this I'm struggling to get a possession on the GCR because its being run by volunteers and they're disorganised i hope they get someone like the fat controller from Thomas the tank engine I hope they do
I left the railway I used to volunteer at in the south east because I faced discrimination for being LGBTQ+ by another volunteer. I did bring it up with management and other volunteers, but was simply told to just ignore them, even though they were plainly saying things so incredibly degrading that it began to impact my mental health, and I ended up leaving. Not to mention the so called banter, which to me felt more like bullying, especially when directed towards my sexuality, identity and my appearance.
Another issue I have with volunteering, which a lot of railways and museums have, is accessibility. Many if them are located in areas which receive little to no bus services, which often don't run in the early hours of the day when the railway begins to open. Some lines do have interchanges with the mainline, but those themselves are few and far between. I can't afford a car or to learn to drive, which makes getting to places difficult.
I;m really sorry to hear that you had to face that discrimination. I dont know why but its a recurring problem with railway volunteers. I'm british from am immigrant backround. When we used to go to our local railway, some volunteers would say some pretty racist things to my dads face. Of course if we spoke out about it then we would be the ones causing a scene. I love that railway but I'm not goanna give up my weekends to work with a bunch of grumpy old men that will insult me to my face.
@user-yf4gx9lw6c thank you, I'm really sorry you faced discrimination too, I hope you can find somewhere where you'll be treated with the dignity and respect you deserve.
As someone who’s also LGBTQ+ (non-binary and Pansexual, with a trans man boyfriend) I’ve had my fair share from railways. Now whilst at my current place (Foxfield Railway in Stoke On Trent), I’m very much supported by most members, I did deal with a spot of discrimination. When I reported it, it was dealt with not even a week later, and whilst I get blanking stares one from the lads, they don’t harass or bully me. Infact one of them ended up getting friendly with me and we became pretty firm friends.
East Lancashire however could not have given a single fuck. Which is why I left them over a year ago.
Foxfield accepted me instantly as one of their own and part of their family. I’ve even taken my boyfriend their twice, who has seen me working on the engine during the day!
And at no expense to them, because the staff have been behind me all the way.
It’s nice to feel valued by people you work with, and I do a variety of roles during my “off loco” season (October - April) from cleaning trains, signalling, loco support (refuelling and food and drink delivery to crew), parking duties, kitchen staff, bar staff, on train staff, etc.
My main role at the railway is and always will be a loco crew. And I’m a damn good one. I’ve been told I’ll become an excellent fireman, and I couldn’t be more happier at a place that realised that I have potential and gave me a chance. Especially since East Lancs just dismissed me because of two quite discriminatory reasons.
If I wasn't disabled I'd love to volunteer on one but there are none around where I live in the us anyway
I would not reccomend the East Lancashire Railway to anyone who has ADHD or Autism. I tried to sign up a while ago but got rejected under the pretense that if I got distracted thanks to my ADHD, I could cause problems. I am going to try a different railway, but I am not the only person who has had trouble at the ELR. Many of my friends have told me that there's a somewhat toxic work environment behind the scenes, and the ELR is letting suspended volunteers who's had accusations of nasty stuff against him come back to volunteer.
Couldn't you be used on a job where if you got ADHD it wouldn't be safety critical? "letting suspended volunteers who's had accusations of nasty stuff against him come back to volunteer" maybe they learnt their lesson, maybe the accusations were unproven? I don't know the particular circumstances.
I recommend Foxfield Railway. They don’t really care about what you have (autism here myself and work as Loco crew). They support you and make accommodations.
Infact I got denied due to autism and colour deficiency at East Lancs Railway.
One of my friends who works at Foxfield recommended there and you honestly could not find a happier place.
I’ve proved competent in every part of my role. Couplings, training firing, cleaning, you name it. And they love working with me.
@Chris Eden-Green - I started working on preserved railways in 1981 - and guess what? People like you were preaching woe, gloom and doom even then; "Preserved railways are struggling to recruit working volunteers, the oldies are dying off, and youngsters aren't getting involved!"
And yet, over *40 years* later, preserved lines up and down the country have expanded and grown, *new* lines have opened up, and the overwhelming majority are relentlessly pulling themselves up by their bootstraps.
Literally every volunteer I‘ve spoken to has said they need more people. Most heritage railways don’t even turn a profit anymore without government funding, and thats undeniable as all of their accounts have to be publicly filed, and I‘ve looked at them.
@@BrokenIET - government funding? *WHAT government funding?* They got some help during the Covid lockdowns, *as did many other businesses,* but I've worked on seven different preserved lines, and I've never seen ANY 'government funding' in their accounts.