Mid Hants volunteering.

I was afraid someone would say something like that.

 

Way back between 1979 and 1982 I used to be a regular volunteer at the MHR.
Working with the S+T in the PMV at Alresford or with the LMS group in the plastic tent at Ropley.
Normally I was attending about every 2 weeks on Saturdays and Sundays subject to the whims of serving Auntie Betty.
Or going home to see my other half on alternate weekends.

 

As a relatively new volunteer at the railway, I found I was welcomed with open arms and there are a variety of differing opportunities within the Traffic, Pway, Loco departments etc - attend one of the volunteer open days and I am sure that you will be given the right contact for your specific area of interest.

As with any railway or organisation/business there is some politics but my advice is to stay out of it and just enjoy your hobby

 

who are you addressing here?

edit...I think I'll go elsewhere, that attitude
isn't helpful

nb post to which this refers has been edited, the result is the same though.
Mods please shut this down.

 

I had similar back in the early nineties, I got the impression then that it was a private club and new volunteers were not to be tolerated.

 

Seriously? Twenty five years ago....

 

I turned up at Ropley about 10 years ago with zero engineering knowledge and nothing much in the way of transferable skills.
Still there and have a firing ticket and a Standard Tank to play with. Best thing I ever did.

 

Swanage have a reputation for being a very Welcoming Railway (I'm told) and are currently recruiting for a number of departments. Depending on your skills and experience some tasks can even be worked on remotely tho obviously not operational and engineering tasks.

If you really do want to drive Can Pac we can't promise that but do have an unusual number of Mr B's light pacifics. If you are looking to progress through the footplate grades and are starting from scratch (new cleaner) to be realistic I would say your distance from the railway is likely to impede progress. Although there is no minimum number of turns (1pa. to be considered 'active') in practice it tends to be those who are able to sustain an attendance averaging at once a week over a couple of years that are able to progress further. We have free 1 star accommodation in the form of a Mk3 sleeper with added 'kitchen' and shower room. If you already have a footplate grade at another railway this is taken in to account and you can start higher up the ladder. Once on a footplate grade there is a minimum of 15 turns pa to retain competence.

Other less demanding roles have a correspondingly lower training program and minimum turn requirement. Porter, TTI , Booking office, Engineering (loco, S&T), catering, estates, retail and Heritage Coach restoration to name a few.

e-mail: iwanttovolunteer@swanagerailway.co.uk

 

thanks for that, I've already made contact with Swanage and found an old friend from way back and hope to be volunteering at some stage in the Spring.(C&W). Strangely I've never really had a desire to be a Driver, I don't know why....