The Teifi Valley Railway is always looking for volunteers. Even coming in for a day or two a month helps so much. We truly do need more people to help out and it alive

Literally just came off my first cleaning turn. Loved every minute of it. Just want to say thank you lawrie as your "railway needs you" (along with the ambition to be on the footplate since before I could say "choo choo") inspired me to join.

Thanks for that Lawrie, I'm planning to voulenteer on my local heritage railway. I am already a member, but now you have given me the urge to take part. It really is a testament to you for all of the hard work you put in for the railways you work at and then being able to film it to spread heart warming messages like this, is something else. You really are amazing and so is the work you do.

I totally agree with what Lawrie says. I would also add that if you have volunteer on your CV it shows commitment and that you are willing to get off your behind to do something for others. It also shows that you can generally fit into a team and be part of it. I regularly sifted through CVs and people who volunteered at whatever fancied them always got my attention and generally they were asked to attend an interview. Now I am a volunteer member of the B and W PW crew. A full day changing sleepers is better than a trip to the gym and less expensive.

I’m a member of the Young Volunteers scheme at Didcot Railway Centre, which is designed to get young people aged 12-17 into steam It’s a brilliant scheme, we meet up once a month and do everything from run the G Scale model railway to help with the maintenance of the big main line engines I’ve only been a young volunteer for 2 months and it’s been absolutely amazing, I’ve helped to clean no. 4079 Pendennis Castle twice and been invited onto the footplate of no. 1340 and no. 4144, and I’ve even been invited to join the regular volunteers in the workshop when I reach 18 in February I couldn’t recommend it more strongly, it is absolutely amazing

Perfect timing for this video for me; I visited my local line yesterday (the Mid Norfolk Railway) & should be getting my volunteer forms in the post very soon!

Would be proud of me Laurie goes Loco I listen to what you said and I went and volunteered at the Blue Bell railway and it's all thanks to you I will spread the word of what you said

Hearing your personal views of how volunteering has changed your life I couldn't agree with and relate with more. I am proud to have joined the Middleton railway earlier thus year after waiting for covid restrictions to ease and allow me to begin and it is the greatest thing I have done with my life so far and I wish I started years ago! Anyone who is thinking of joining any hereitage movement please do so we always welcome new commers and it will help you in your life and as a person it might just be one of the best things you ever do in your life! Don't be shy or nervous everyone you meet started exactly like you and they will take joy in training you up just as they them self's where. I my self have been a volunteer since March and am soon to properly begin my journey to footplate crew as a cleaner and I couldn't be more exited!

I wouldn't mind volunteering in a railway, the problem is there isn't one anywhere near me especailly in Linconshire as I have a severe interest in trains. I've volunteered at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre working on the Lancaster there to get her air worthy and that was a good experience where I learnt new skills and it is something that I am proud of. To say I've helped worked on a Lancaster bomber before the age of 20 is something I'm very proud of and I'm 18. Sadly I didnt stay at the centre for too long due to the pandemic of last year which was a shame

I am a 19 year old boy who has grown up in California watching trains and always have had a massive love of trains. I live near a heritage railway called the niles canyon railway and I have always been on the fence of wanting to volunteer this video has made me decide on volunteering for the railway because all my life as I live in Silicon Valley we were told to look towed the future. However I have found more value in preserving the past this summer break from college I’m going to sign up and hopefully become a better person because of it. I appreciate you making this video it has inspired me to volunteer at the railway and get into a community I already heavily enjoy. Thank you for inspiring me and the others to help preserve the railway history around the world.

15 Years! good on you Lawrie 👍 next year will be my silver jubilee in Railway preservation.

Recently I decided to volunteer in Swanage Railway ever since I moved to Dorset to study in Bournemouth University. Currently I am a cleaner and passed my PTS which has made me feel proud that atleast I’m doing something what I love and at the same time studying on my degree. It’s somewhat I would describe as a form of break off my degree. It’s also very flexible as you can choose when to volunteer. All as well as it’s like going to the gym shovelling and lifting out ashes left in the pit or tracks. It feels great to share with other residents in my student accommodation as they are curious and fascinated by what I do in Swanage railway and at the same time feels great talking with locals whenever they see me wear my hat that has Swanage railway as they are very curious about steam and want to know information such as the Flying Scotsman that recently visited our railway. It’s also brilliant for your CV or employers as they will be interested into the skills and experience you have! And yes, I did get up close with it since I was tasked to clean its rods alongside with polishing the nameplate and the builder plate and even offered a tour on the footplate which has been a privilege for me to clean Scotsman.

Another great video Lawie. I have been a volunteer from the age of 11 at my local Museum which happens to be housed in the old Yarra Junction railway station in Vic Australia, 33 yrs later still having fun, as well for a few years with Puffing Billy railway as a young fella and the local CFA (fire brigade). A large proportion of the public do not seem to understand or appreciate the value of volunteering for a club, society or organisation of any sort. As we say, one hour a year from a volunteer gets the club, society or organise one hour closer to achieving there goals, it all helps! Great job keep up the good work and content. All the best from Aus.

I started volunteering at a railway this year and it’s one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done. I wished I had done it sooner!

I’ve just finished a day as a volunteer at my local railway, I love volunteering as you get to be with people who are interested in the same thing as you and you can work on diesels and steam, just ask what needs doing! One day I’ll be sanding and painting, next time I go I’ll be shunting and changing points. Everytime you go, you do something different and there’s so many jobs to do, engine crew, front of house, maintenance, track work, the list is endless! I’d recommend it as you can learn so much stuff, shunting etc etc, it’s fun (I’ve often wondered where the hours have gone as it feels like I’ve only just arrived!)

Well said, Lawrie. Hopefully your video will inspire many people to volunteer at their local railway.

I think one of the biggest contributions to society preserved railways make is cultivating the attitude of "Can you fix it?" - "Stand well back, and hold me beer . . . " An apprentice who started working on the Kent & East Sussex Railway related that, when he went off to tech college one day a week, his class had a discussion about what sort of work they were doing so far - and he was astonished at the simplicity of the tasks given to other apprentices from typical engineering firms. He then described the sort of jobs he was given: a large sub-assembly taken off an engine, "This isn't working, mate - take it to bits, find out what's wrong and fix it", and then being left to handle it himself; working on pipework and valves which would be dealing with steam at 200 psi, and way above normal boiling point; having to cope with jobs where even some of the spanners count as 'heavy lifting'; the rest of his class were stunned, and said it would be years before they were entrusted with such a level of responsibility. Now compare that with a letter I read in a paper recently. A lady said she asked her (late teens) daughter why she was throwing away a shirt which she'd only had for a few months, and was outraged when her daughter said "Because a button's come off." It transpired that both her daughter and her (late teens) son thought the same, and so did their friends; "A button's come off? All you can do is throw it away." So she sat both of them down, taught them how to sew a button back on, and said she wanted no more of that wasteful and lazy behaviour. But what attitude is actively encouraged on preserved railways? "You don't know how to do this job as you've never done anything like this before? No problem; we'll teach you." "This large and complex machine is totally knackered, some vital parts are missing, spares are no longer available, and nor are engineering drawings? Righto - we'll take it to bits, repair the worn parts, design and make from scratch the bits that are missing, and get it working again. It might take us 10 years to do it, but we WILL do it." In a throw-away age, this attitude is close to revolutionary.

I started volunteering at the local trolley (tram/streetcar) museum in 2017, having not made a visit since I had been as a little kid with my family. I'm so, so glad I ended up sticking with it, and it's been one of the most fun, rewarding, and educational ventures I've ever made. I've learned so much, and even in little ways, been a part of many different things, from regular operations, to restoration, to track work. I remember when I was only able to operate one of our pieces of equipment- whereas now I'm versed in and qualified on almost all the vehicles we have, and I've gone from speaking and knowing relatively little, to extensively conversing with volunteers and guests, and having lots of knowledge to share as well as continuing to learn more and more each day I volunteer. It really has made a world of difference, volunteering contributes both to the place you volunteer, and to yourself. If you want to learn new skills, meet new people, and build your confidence and self esteem, volunteering is well worth giving a go. I'm glad I did.

I agree with everything here. I'm only 17 years old and I'm a Trainee Guard at the railway I volunteer for here in Queensland, Australia. I'm on my way to becoming a driver for them. I did a shift yesterday and after it, I'm tired but I'm proud. It's always satisfying after I stable the train in our depot and sit down with the train crew and just socialise. Sometimes, if I'm staying there overnight, we go off to the pub after a service. My next step to becoming a steam driver is becoming a Railmotor driver, after that, I go onto diesel then after that, I'm on the footplate.

I started volunteering at the Williams Grove Railroad in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania this year and it has been life changing. I still can't believe I'm helping to keep the last operating Pennsylvania Railroad locomotive running. Much like all the others people have mentioned we're always looking for more help.

Total respect dude with you're very honest view on volunteering and I hope this gives others a push to get involved with something so amazing 👏

Once again well spoken Lawrie. I'm currently part of the midweek crew at my heritage railway due to the fact I work weekends. We have a guy who when he first joined us was a bit nervous because he didn't know what he was doing. Now he's way more confident when working on the track and has qualified as a guard. As for me I'm trade qualified and spent years as a mainline driver and enjoy passing on the knowledge to others so they can get the most out of their time volunteering.

personally I want to volunteer as a guard

I was volunteering yesterday. Usually my volunteering at the carriage department at Bewdley involves mostly painting components or varnishing wooden or metal components, preparing wood and metal components for painting or varnishing, assembling items onto the carriages and occasionally a bit of destruction of items like old electric motors or scrap items that are past their useful life so we can keep the yard clean and recycle the metals. Also we occasionally get to clean up the resident yard shunter locomotive.

I'm doing my part on this side of the world! I may not know much yet, but every little bit counts.

What a wonderful video. I have volunteered for both the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and Yorkshire Wolds Railway and loved them both. Volunteering is so rewarding. All you need is time and enthusiasm. I usually work in the Pway Department, but yesterday I was dispatching trains. Who knows what I will be doing next. Every day is a learning day.

i like the variety at my line, we have a mikado, we have electric engines from the 1920s and 50s, and an asortment of smaller shunting steam locos. one day youre painting up a side wall, next day youre refurbishing a carriage frame, then the weekend after youre a conductor for two fulll steam days, then youre taking part in lifting a newly refurbished cab on a loco and inbetween you have visitors you can show around a bit

I will certainly consider volunteering at my local heritage railway/museum (Despite living 500km away) even when I have my own farm work to attend to I want to make the time for this, and this very video has helped to increase the ambition Cheers Lawrie #loveyourrailway

I have been a volunteer at the east Somerset railway since the moment I turned 14. I went to do driver for a fiver when I was twelve and all I could think about was working there when I was old enough. It has most certainly helped me with socialising, I'm autistic and so social situations are not my strong point. But having met so many other like minded people: that are all probably on the spectrum somewhere, has really helped my comfordence and ability to socialise. But it has also helped my career, when I left school a couple of years ago I failed English and so didn't really apply for many apprenticeships as I didn't think I'd get them, so I just ended up cooking fast food and stacking shelves for a couple years. But just the other week our workshop manager advertised a position at the Paignton and dartmouth where he also works and I applied and I got it, so now I'll be learning all sorts of skills getting payed to do a job I'd happily do for free. So volunteering has really changed my life and is one of the best choices I made. Great video by the way

Thoroughly enjoyed this, railways (and other heritage operations) simply would not work without volunteers. I began volunteering ten years ago now, and worked my way up from cleaner to fireman and eventually passed out as both steam and diesel driver. Now that I am unable to return to my usual railway as my circumstances have changed, I am finding it exceptionally difficult to find a local railway that has any respect for my previous footplate experience (almost 50,000 miles). I am at a stage of life where I cannot afford to give up a lot of time so I am desperate to find somewhere that I can keep up my competence without having to work my way back up from the bottom again. Fingers crossed someone is looking for experienced footplate crew!

I work as a fireman on three different railways and its full of dirt, grime, long hours, early 5am starts, extreme heat, freezing cold in winter, shitty kiosk pies for lunch, hard & harsh conditions, incredibly difficult learning curve, the loud noise, awful smells and generally uncomfortable environment physically and i would not change it for the fucking world, Its pure bliss. I can’t describe the feeling of getting to the top of a 4km 1:30 grade with the correct amount of steam and water, its just ecstasy. this guy isn’t kidding or playing it up when he says it’ll change your life. I probably would of ended up as a pretty miserable person that just sits on reddit all day at home if i hadn’t joined the railways.

Hi I joined a heritage railway just over a year ago, and have for the past 12 months been a qualified guard possibly the best thing I've done, great video lawrie.

great video as usual. i agree, i cant stress enough how important our heritage railways are and keeping whats left of their history alive. i started volunteering some time ago at The Spa Valley railway, and glad i did so. i have enjoyed my time there so far and made new friends along the way, starting out in the engine shed, onto works trains, now on p-way. we also are always on the look out for volunteers in all dept's. again, thank you lawrie for another great video and raising the awareness of keeping our heritage railways alive.

I might have had a rather unusual start as a volunteer or at least stressful, I had only ever seen the coaches twice in person and had never rode on it before volunteering. Not only that but I'd only sent in the form and fee the week before hand and was asked to come in that weekend. I ended up stewarding on coaches I'd never been on for the first time on the first of the busiest train the Santa runs. And somehow I ended up in a situation during the second Sunday (having worked 11 return runs) when both volunteers that should have been covering the next coach had gone off, having to cover for them while also help maintain my assigned coach. All compounded by social anxiety (ASD). But I wouldn't change it, but like you said than to make it a few years sooner. I agree with you so much, it has helped me similarly to your experience.

This video was great! I've been wanting to know how to get into volunteering and this has cleared up a lot of the way into it all!

I was a member of the Embasy Steam Railway for most of my childhood, I have moved on and I am now a member of the Heritage Railway Association. Thank you for sharing your video on Heritage Railway's.

Great video! I am sitting at the Munkedal Heritage Railway right now after a day of volunteering! One of the best places to be!

I love the work your doing Lawrie keep it up!

Haa🤣🤣 there's me at 0.47 but in all honesty I love volunteering there I learn new things every time I'm up there it is great fun and we have a bit of a laugh. We always look for new volunteers to help out at Midsomer Norton and we would be happy to welcome you to the Somerset and Dorset. You can pop down and ask questions or be in contact with us on social media. But I definitely don't regret it because I love it.

Was gonna begin volunteering at the one of bigger mainline heritage operators in Victoria, lockdown 6.0 hit and messed that up, so hopefully I can begin volunteering with them soon!

Here in Germany, there pretty much aren´t Heritage Railways with employees. It´s all volunteering, every little bit. One thing I want to tell everyone who is considering to be a volunteer: It´s really not that complicated. Experienced folks are always around and willing to teach you. With time, you´ll learn everything you need to know. So don´t hesitate to try volunteering!

I volunteer at Chasewater Light Railway. Its Epic!!!!. 8 years now

I volunteer at my local railway which I'd ridden on when I was little but forgotten about until I started uni. I met someone who did at the time and they said come down, eventually I did for that first time and every odd little thing I've done, fixing machines, doing brake block and axle oil checks, and my special job of jumping in the firebox to clean it I love doing. And of course meeting everyone already there and getting to know a few of them beyond the railway has been lovely too

Another brilliant video Lawrie, im going to share this on my social media so people can better understand why i volunteer at Bressingham and why i love doing it.

i would consider myself pretty lucky as i mainly got into trains (mainly steam) back when i was 13 but it is kind of hard becoming a volunteer for a railway as i live in finland and there aren't that many steam railways or locomotives for that matter but i still love trains and thats the main thing

Been volunteering for the past 10-15 years doing this and that. Cleaning, fire-lighting and steam-raising, firing, shunting, driving under supervision, track maintainance, etc. It's slow going, but it's going.

I'd absolutely love to volunteer, but there isnt a railway anywhere near me! Might have to establish my own in my garden!

Something that really drives home the point of this video is that my local line couldn't run their Saturday diesel service last week due to lack of volunteers. They're in a city centre, and it's one of the busiest cities in the UK If they're struggling for volunteers, it's almost a wonder how extremely rural lines like the MSLR get volunteers. Actually, it's not a wonder - it's dedication. And if more young people like me put in that dedication, heritage has quite a bright future.

I never liked groups where the uppers looked you down or you needed to fill a million forms before you even start. Without the volunteers that said “hey can i do something” and people like my friend saying “hey help me take this apart” that is how heritage is saved.

I think volunteering and restoration of antique equipment go hand in hand. I am in the process of restoring a 1940 Allis Chalmers B. We need to keep small engine classes and metal shop in high schools.

Hi mate I do volunteer at our local railway and I'm the chief locomotive cleaner at the helston railway and I will always be involved and I do have railway connections in the family my great grandad worked for the gwr and my other grandad work for the LNER

If I lived in the U.K I would love to volunteer!!

I know I've said this loads on this channel, but I'm going to start volunteering at my local line as soon a I'm old enough. I'm already doing the Talyllyn's youth programmes and am going to start on the KWVR's youth programme soon too. Basically, I just want to volunteer.

When your closest heritage railway is a 7 hour drive away.

I really wanna volunteer at the East Somerset Railway, but the problem is I'm starting college in September and I'll be working weekends if an employer finally allows me work - amongst this i already volunteer at a 5" gauge miniature railway but available voluntary work is so sparce because of a lack of funding for tools and materials to grow the railway. Idk what to do :(

#LoveYourRailway I volunteer at a miniature railway in Hamilton, New Zealand, we are in need of volunteers as recently we have been understaffed and last Sunday we had issues running enough trains as we didn't have enough trained drivers

I don’t live near any heritage railways and whenever I would go to places near one I wouldn’t be there for long enough to be able to help out with something

I do miss being a fireman on a steamlocomotive.... Greetings from a Swede in Glasgow....keep putting up them great videos!

i was a volunteer for a heritage railway near me for many years though i fell out of love with the railway as my time became taken up by other matters.

I'd love to volunteer at a heritage railway, but sadly there is none near where i live. However i am thinking of volunteering at a war museum and this video is getting me hyped to do that :)

We have suffered big times with volunteers this year at our miniature railway while we haven’t been open to the public due to Covid 19. Which is a shame as there still jobs to be done 👍

I wish I didn't live in suburban America. The distance between me and my nearest heritage line is as big as all of Wales. It's just too far for me to be able to volunteer there, especially as I don't own a car, and public transportation is lousy over here. You folks on the other side of the Atlantic are lucky, you have local railways to volunteer at. Some day I will probably end up moving to the UK or Europe, I'm just too unamerican to ever be happy here long term

When you find time, you should visit the North Tyneside Steam Railway, a great railway indeed!

Your videos have also inspired me to volunteer. Unfortunately we don’t have any heritage railways where I live except a heritage trolley line. But they only seem to look for volunteers Mon - Fri from 7am to 4pm. Not sure why and it makes it literally impossible to volunteer if you have a fulltime Job.

Just a little side note, don’t think that you have to be 18 or 16+ to start volunteering. I started at 13 years old and never regretted it. If you don’t want to join a railway’s junior group or whatever they have, there are plenty of much smaller preservation groups that will let you join in with most volunteering activities.

Let steam engines go on!

Volunteering… I’d love to do that but unless you are retired most of us are so tied up … it’s a crazy world … I really would rather volunteer on something

I have been trying to volunteer on the east lane railway but just waiting to hear from then on a start date

wish there was a railway near me to volunteer at in the states

I would love to volunteer as a guard or driver on my local heritage railway but they seem to never be taking on conductors

Im waiting till im 16 to volunteer at bredgar wormshill light railway

James passed out at a driver? I hope he was ok!

Lawrie has now turned into Uncle Sam. Uncle Lawrie.

my childhood dream to travel in a steam engine

It's a shame I don't have the privilege to live near a heritage railway, if I could volunteer, I would

I really want to move to England and help on a heritage railway

I’d love to volunteer to be a train driver but I wouldn’t have the time to do it 😔

I'd love to volunteer but it's just so hard for me to get to any if the heritage railways.

Volunteer at Bressingham steam

Unfortunately my experience as a heritage railway volunteer was not a pleasant one. I'm not going to name the railway in question but will say that communication with volunteers left something to be desired, regularly causing rostering issues. To then have the General Manager accuse of not contributing enough to warrant a PTS was a real kick in the teeth. The GMs treatment towards volunteers both new and well established was appalling, and suffice to say many of the volunteers in question have never returned. It came as no surprise when I saw a message about a month after my incident that services on the line had to be cancelled due to a lack of available critical staff. I'm afraid it put me off the idea of volunteering again.

Lawrie, I have to ask, how do you drive all these engines? I know things are different in the UK but what do you do to get permission? Edit: nevermind, I should've watched a bit more in...

Sorry doing a pennsy and b&o

What's all the lo-commotion?

How old do you have to be

Am the first to watch this video

Firstly I need a job, money and a car...

i wanted to volunteer, but there's an upfront fee, im not paying to give up my time and as im trans, they never phone me back.....

no you need to pay people for there time!