retirement advice please

OK, so in a couple of years I retire...I'd like to spend a good bit of my time volunteering somewhere...where would you recommend? (I can move , although the South would be handiest for me). I've experience in booking offices and as TTI, wouldn't mind being a Guard either but really I'd like to join in somewhere in it's early days and grow with it, so I was thinking Somerset and Dorset maybe? Bit of undergrowth clearing and building maybe? past GWS and Mid Hants Member btw and current Swanage Member (current front runner

 

Have the best of both worlds, move to Malton or Pickering and volunteer at the NYMR and the nascent Yorkshire Wolds (housing is cheaper in the North). You'll be of more use to the latter if you have operating experience on the NYMR. The LNER Coach Association is based at Pickerin and welcomes volunteers, and we'll keep you warm and dry in he winter.

Note, there are other railways available, I'm just suggesting the one I favour and will be moving closer to myself in about 4 years time!

 

Churnet Valley is going to see some serious growth over the next few years. Currently we operate along the 5.5miles between Leek Brook & Froghall, with monthly visits up the 8.5 mile Cauldon Branch. But in collaboration with Moorlands & City Railways we are looking at extending the extra 1mile North into Leek, and MCR are going to re-open the 10 mile line from Leek Brook to Stoke-on-Trent which CVR will be granted access to.

We are desperately short of volunteers, with a number of volunteers performing more than 1 role. Ops are always looking for new Guards / TTIs / Signallers / Crossing Keepers, and the the Stations are always welcoming to new volunteers for those not wanting an ops role. We organise a variety of project days, recent work includes vegetation clearing & the clearing of the former Bradnop Station. If you want to stay indoors we have a heated C&W workshop you can always get involved with, or even assist the MPD with running repairs of the locomotive fleet.

I'm the same as 61264, I'm only suggesting the railway I support and am a member of and is where volunteer at most regularly.
Jon

 

thx lads...cheap housing would be a bonus

 

Biggest towns near CVR are Leek / Cheadle with Stoke not being too far away. THere are a few smaller villages/towns in the area too

 

The other thing to consider apart from line would be what sort of role you want - if possible, and if the railway runs them, try and go on an induction day where you get to see behind the scenes of every department before choosing. For example, you say you are close to retirement age - so realistically, you'd find it hard to become an engine driver, because time would probably run out on you before you gain enough experience to rise up through the ranks. Which isn't to say you couldn't have a fulfilling time just as a cleaner, but equally you may find yourself more fulfilled in a department where you feel you can "make a difference" quicker.

Anecdotally (I don't have first hand experience) I think there also tends to be a difference between "large" and "small" railways; while being a volunteer in two or more departments isn't unknown on a large railway, I think they tend to be a bit more structured, whereas I get the sense on small railways that there is more of an ethos of everyone pitching in wherever they are needed on a particular project - so for example, operating people running the service in the summer but pitching in with track renewals, maintenance etc during the closed season. So choice of railway might depend on whether you really have a passion for doing one thing; or whether you want to get an all-round experience.

Tom

 

That isn't necessarily true. It depends how much time you put into it. I've known people join on retirement with no previous experience and end up as a driver on a well-known railway already mentioned but they were doing 100+ days/year Over three years, that is putting in more turns than many will do in a lifetime!

 

Yes, I'm not saying it would be impossible - simply that it would be hard. If you can put in 100+ days per year, it might be possible - but that would be hard to do! Not least because not many railways could offer so many turns to a single individual (though I did hear of an example on another preserved line of a retired person doing 24 firing turns in a month, on a big line which was short of volunteers.)

Tom

 

We could always do with more hands on the Gwili, all things considered... Tracklaying on the extension is currently a priority, and C&W work will keep you dry in winter, but not necessarily warm outside of the mess van! Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

 

thx for all the suggestions and PMs

 

I'm not going to put another suggestion about which railway is best and you should definitely join us sort of thing (Llangollen Railway by the way!!), but I could suggest the best thing to do would be spend a day, or weekend at each in a short list of railways your most interested in. Get to know some of the volunteers in various departments, find out about the sort of politics on the railway, and see what the social side of things is like. Does everyone go straight home at the end of the day, or go for several pints and talk utter rubbish about trains for the evening!! It's not always about operating the trains, but making some friends while your at it.

 

I think the original poster needs to have a good idea about what he wants to do before deciding if he wants to volunteer on a railway. If he wants a fairly quiet time then a smaller railway might be more appropriate or, if he has always harboured ambitions to work on a busy branch line, then one of the bigger railways might suit him. The worst thing would be to turn up with expectations and pre-conceived ideas only to find that they won't fit into the style and character of his chosen railway.