The role of Booking Clerk is an important one, you will be the first person our visitors see when they enter the railway, a big smile, a welcoming nature, and smart appearance are the first needs of a booking clerk.

This role involves selling tickets, giving advice, or answering questions about the railway.

You will check that each visitor has a valid ticket or pass for the journey, on some of our services you will also sell tickets onboard the train. Like the booking clerk you can also help passengers with their enquiries and it helps that you have an outgoing nature and are friendly.

The Guard’s responsibility is train and passenger safety, so is an important aspect of Operations Department. The Guard will ensure passenger safety onto and off the rolling stock, will direct them to suitable carriages, will test the vacuum brakes, will signal to the driver it is safe to proceed, will stop the train should a dangerous incident occur, and will organise any special circumstances

Assisting the station manager with station duties is the main tasks of platform duty, ensuring that the platform and station are clean and tidy, helping visitors with any enquiries they may have and giving visitors a good customer experience.

Crossing keeper is where most of our volunteers begin, the role of crossing keeper is to ensure that the crossing is safe before trains are signalled to move, this involves ensuring the gates are closed, we don’t have any electronic signals yet, so the crossing keepers are also required to check for correct pathing of the points, change the points where required and manually signal the trains.

As a crossing keeper, you must learn how to open and close the gates and the principals around signals and points and general train and Railway safety procedures.

Our Weston Wharf station is the home to Snacks on Tracks here we offer refreshments and basic snacks to our passengers, there is also the requirement to sometimes cook the odd bacon buttie or two.

You will be responsible for making sure that the Snacks on Tracks carriage is clean and tidy, serving customers and preparing their orders. Training will be given where required.

The Carriage and Wagon Department is generally based at Llynclys, where there are many examples of differing rolling stock, from DMU’s, Mk1 carriages to wagons and guard vans. Many aspects of work is undertaken on this stock, including welding, mechanical tasks, rubbing down and painting, carpentry, upholstery, and plumbing and electrical work. No specific skills are necessary, and training will be given to those who ask / require it.

Our permanent ways team is responsible for every piece of track and signal laid on the Cambrian Heritage Railways, while the majority of our work is focussed on track and signals there are times when ground work and vegetation clearance is required too.

The work we undertake spans a wide range of skill levels and abilities, we have some volunteers who are experienced engineers who worked on the railway we also have volunteers who just want to help and there is lots to learn and enjoy.

Permanent way work is potentially dangerous without the right training and safety is our number one priority, training will be provided by the department.

These roles involve being on the footplate of the locomotives, hence reasonable mobility of the individual is required, especially in the case of steam locomotives.

Fire person is a role only available on our steam locomotives; it is the responsibility of the fire person to prepare the fire prior to operation, both on the evening before and early in the morning of operation and ensure the fire is in good order during the duration of the journey and whilst in station, and to assist the driver with any additional tasks such as token exchange, point handling and coupling de-coupling the engine from the rolling stock The fireman will also assist with preparation of the locomotive’s moving parts and instruments, disposal of the locomotive and ensuring water and coal is available.

The Driver is responsible for the locomotive it is his or her responsibility to ensure the locomotive is safe, adhering to all the signals and progressing from destination to destination safely.

Not at all, a lot of our volunteers come from a background of no experience at all and just want to be part of the railway.

We have a wide range of ages on the railway, from teenagers to the over eighties. Older people can continue volunteering providing they are fit enough for the job in hand. More sedate tasks can be allocated to those who are not physically able. Persons aged 16 and over can volunteer on the railway, however, CHR is also forming a Junior Branch where under 16’s will be able to help in various aspects of the Railway.

There is no set limit on the amount of time you must give, some of our volunteers come down once or twice a year and others call it home. The amount of time you give is up to you. Certain jobs on the operating roster have a minimum number of turns, to ensure that staff remain fully conversant with the needs of their role.

Yes, all volunteers must be members before they can Volunteer.

Give our volunteer liaison Phil Liddel a email volunteer@cambrianrailways.co.uk