What is the situation regarding children volunteering at a railway ?

Ah! Those were the days. Teenagers today don't know they're born - bunch of namby-pambies, all we had for lunch was a handful of warm gravel and a cardboard box to sleep in! But we were happy!
BTW you forgot no PPE.
Ray.

 

I’m in my mid teens and I am allowed to volunteer as long as one of my family members are there.

 

Warm? WARM! eeh you were reet lucky, our gravel was cold.....

 

No PPE? That isn't fair. My first pair of CCF surplus work boots were stamped WD 1944, with leather soles, hobnails and little steel horseshoes on the heels to stop them wearing out.

 

My son Joshua volunteers with me on the Wagon Group at NVR. He is sixteen (which is the minimum age for working volunteers at the railway I believe). I am always present when Joshua is there (he is considered vulnerable due to developmental issues as a result of a complex genetic epilepsy, and I always have emergency medication with me as well, although these days seizures are rare). The guys on the Wagon Group have been most welcoming to both of us (I've been involved for just over a year), and Joshua loves working at the railway. As Steve on the group observed - he gets to interact with a diverse set of people he would probably never have met, do all sorts of interesting things he would otherwise never have done, works hard, and it's a damn sight more useful to him than being sat playing on a computer. Wagon restoration is relatively simple stuff - metalwork, woodwork, rubbing down, prepping, painting - DIY on wheels really, so nothing that's beyond him (and as Tim says, it's not like we're lining out a loco or anything!).

We did have a discussion with the head of engineering when Josh was only fifteen, and the consensus was that there really should not be any reason why under-sixteens couldn't be involved, and indeed it would be a good thing to be able to get youngsters involved in areas beyond the current youth group (which wasn't convenient for us, and I specifically wanted to be involved with the Wagon Group), and it could probably be done by mutual arrangement for specific individuals, but insurance was likely to be the sticking point. Now he is sixteen and a full member, so no problem

 

On a related topic, do any preserved railways run formal work experience programs? The daughter of a friend of mine is interested in engineering (and specifically would like to become an RAF engineer), but is struggling to find engineering related work experience placements for next year. She is currently 14, in the Derby area (yes, they tried RR, but she wasn't selected despite excellent grades etc). I had suggested they look at museums and preserved railways, but no idea if anyone does it...

 

I did my work experience at the Ravenglass Railway in September but I think I only got it because I already volunteered

 

It is a long time since I did work experience at school ( I worked in a chemical lab for 2 weeks at Colmans Mustard), but I would imagine you could probably if you approached the railway and the school, but would need to be a larger railway where they have full time operations as many only really work at weekends.

 

Midsomer Norton does Duke of Edinburgh & placements from a local school

 

I know of at least one railway that following the publication of this, has gone to their insurers and specifically asked will they provide cover for under 16s. The response was so long as everything is accounted for within their SMS - then yes! And as such another railway was requesting the same of their insurance. Not having spoken to the guys since September though I don't know how this has progressed. Could do with finding a reason to meet for a beer I suppose...

 

I seem to remember Ffestiniog offer such places in the summer also. Talyllyn do a Family Working week where whole families join in with various tasks along the railway. Is apparently quite popular from what I've heard. There are ways of letting youngsters get involved, just needs someone to put the effort in to ensure all concerned are happy.

 

Thanks for the responses - I have recommended that my friend contact the various railways near her and ask the question....

 

Any excuse for a beer...........

 

Anyone able to help?

https://national-preservation.com/threads/childrens-boilersuits.1393928/#post-2479366