Getting started

Just sent my forms off to start volunteering again after a 20 year gap, and for the first time as an adult.

Week 1, day 1, what do you wish you'd known?

 

Well done for volunteering! It is a great feeling to know that, almost, whatever you do will make a difference. There are so many different people who volunteer and they all have their strengths and weaknesses as you get to know them. It is generally best, I find, to listen - a Lot, when first starting........enjoy - and let us know how (edited!!) you get on if you can.

 

Is mounting people allowed, these days?

 

I've only been down a literal handful of times now as a cleaner so not much knowledge to draw on, but the first piece of advice given to me (that was immediately validated), was to invest in waterproof safety boots. So that when you're shovelling ash out of the pits and the sump hasn't been cleared you don't get sodden feet!

 

Some unwritten rules are:
1) never be separated from your food,
2) never go near railway with clothes you wouldn't be happy to throw away,
3) never expect to do what you expect to do.
4) never expect to finish when you expect to finish.

 

If someone says [project X] will be finished in Y months time, double Y to get the true answer….

 

It's always good to come across an optimist!

 

You forgot to say never arrive first if you know the smokebox or firebox needs cleaning out. If you get either job wear something on your head or you will be washing soot out of your hair forever.

 

Treat every day like a learning opportunity - eyes, ears and mind open, mouth mainly shut.

Tom

 

I’ll go along with that, the acronym I learnt many years ago was WALL; watch, ask, listen and learn.

 

That the feel of a railway completely changes from department to department, and in many cases a department can change from day to day. It's all about the people.

My advise to new starters is always: that if you don't "get on" with the feel or the people after a while, either try a different department or volunteer on a different day (if you can) which may have a different gang of colleagues.

If you're not lucky enough to settle first time, don't give up on the railway or volunteering until you've tried a few different combinations.

Sent from my moto g(8) power using Tapatalk

 

I would say the biggest thing is to decide fairly quickly what you want to work on and then stick at that and get skilled up in that area. I see the odd volunteer turn up, wander around a bit and they don't seem to have any clear idea of why they are there and what they are trying to achieve, I think some just want to chat and look around a bit.

If you are doing a restoration, be prepared to spend your cash and get the proper tools needed for the job.

 

That not everything we were doing at Didcot in the early 1980's would continue forever. I took far too much for granted, including: the GWS Vintage Train running on the mainline, the Broad Gauge project (track and Firefly loco), the large crowds on special event days (There were times as a shunter trying to move trains through the yard when we could hardly move at all ), no worries about coal supplies, the 'old boys' who knew everything and were quite happy to share (Night school after the pubs closed most weekend evenings ).
So. . . Enjoy your time on the railway and try not to take anything for granted.