Get into Hertige Railways

[ole man]

Hello

Im looking at becoming a volunteer on a hertige railway, somewhere not to far from Cheshire.
How do i get involved in this? im a overhead line engineer and have a valid PTS, i know there's not much call for a OLE engineer, but i could be of some help?

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Any skills are transferrable, and you can get your hands dirty in something other than what you'd normally get up to.

The railway I work on does not accept mainline PTS, but getting a heritage one should be pipsqueak compared to a mainline one!

I would suggest contacting the railway you want, and see if they run a volunteer's welcome day or something. Then you can decide what you want to get up to on it.

 

[Schnellzug]

Somewhere not far from Cheshire, perhaps the East Lancs might be worth making a port of call?

 

[Spagnoletti]

Depends which end of Cheshire - Llangollen has a pretty good bunch of volunteers once you get to know us.

 

[es373]

Me too! Wouldn't mind helping out as as stock engineer or whatever else. just not the general tickets please roles!

Problem is that I'm in London and apart from the Ongar one - I don't think theres any more!

 

[YorkshireBear]

Well i know a lot of people who come from your way to the KWVR but it is a long way. We just ask that you are a member and you have tof ill out a form and stuff.

No being that type of engineer doesnt help much however, the knowledge and skills you have from that are easily passsed onto basic maintenance of a heritage railway. A lot of maintenance people have no background in it and just come to get stuck in.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Me too! Wouldn't mind helping out as as stock engineer or whatever else. just not the general tickets please roles!

Problem is that I'm in London and apart from the Ongar one - I don't think theres any more!

Mid-Hants is just a trainride away. Bluebell is close as well. They will require a "commute" but you are usually able to claim back travelling expenses if what you are doing is safety critical/revenue critical.

 

[es373]

Okay so what do I to at the very least have a look around/ see what I'll be doing there should I decide to join?

 

[ole man]

Depends which end of Cheshire - Llangollen has a pretty good bunch of volunteers once you get to know us.

I'm from Crewe, didnt think about Llangollen, i was there earlier on this year.
Would i just turn up,or ring them and ask?

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Okay so what do I to at the very least have a look around/ see what I'll be doing there should I decide to join?

Check out the websites, and see of there are any prospective volunteer days. I know the MHR run them, and IIRC it tells people which departments and roles do what, and then people make their choice. Bear in mind though that if, for instance, you are a mainline guard, you will not necessarily be able to start immediately as a guard - you may still have to start at the bottom and work up.

I would give you the dates of the upcoming volunteer days on the MHR but I'm on my phone ATM so can't get to them at the moment.


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[es373]

Okay thanks mate.

 

[Ploughman]

First ask yourself a couple of questions.
Do I want to ride around on trains all day?

No - Then do you want to stay clean or get your hands dirty.
Clean is station staff, Signal box staff etc
Dirty is everything else.
P Way, Signalling, Carriage and Wagon, Loco workshop.

Yes - Then you could opt for footplate or on train staff depends if you want to get dirty or stay clean.

All these are generally applicable to any preserved line across the country.
Skills that you have may or may not come into play don't worry about it. If it is of use it will be used in some form or another.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Okay thanks mate.

http://www.watercressline.co.uk/Volunteering

You can either email or ring them.

 

[es373]

I think I've got the applicable skills and not just for engineering

Ralph, thanks mate. Do you work at this one then?

 

[ralphchadkirk]

I think I've got the applicable skills and not just for engineering

Ralph, thanks mate. Do you work at this one then?

How on earth did you guess? Yep, I do.

 

[es373]

Okay cool so what do you do there?

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Okay cool so what do you do there?

Will PM you

 

[GM078]

The railway I work on does not accept mainline PTS, but getting a heritage one should be pipsqueak compared to a mainline one!

Just to satisfy my own curiousity, is there any reason why some Heritage lines in the UK don't accept mainline PTS certs? I could understand if it was the other way round...

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Just to satisfy my own curiousity, is there any reason why Heritage lines in the UK don't accept mainline PTS certs? I could understand if it was the other way round...

Yes, because procedures are different. For example, emergency protection distances are not the same as NR.

 

[Yew]

Just to satisfy my own curiousity, is there any reason why Heritage lines in the UK don't accept mainline PTS certs? I could understand if it was the other way round...

Yes, because procedures are different. For example, emergency protection distances are not the same as NR.

Maybe things like water troughs, and older infrastructure too?

 

[Spagnoletti]

I'm from Crewe, didnt think about Llangollen, i was there earlier on this year.
Would i just turn up,or ring them and ask?

It depends what you want to do. All volunteers need to join the railway so it's best to have a look around first before shelling out cash. Platform Staff/TTI/Guards/Signalling you could speak to any time there are trains running. Steam crews would be around most of the time too. DMU/Diesel groups have their own websites with contact numbers.

 

[es373]

Awaiting a callback Ralph. May see you there soon!

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Great. Le me know what happens.

 

[Hydro]

Yes, because procedures are different. For example, emergency protection distances are not the same as NR.

I think a mile and a quarter might run off the ends of some heritage railways

 

[ralphchadkirk]

I think a mile and a quarter might run off the ends of some heritage railways

Very true! At least there's less to walk, and at lower linespeeds, it doesn't need to be as far.

 

[Hydro]

Absolutely. I did my level surveying practical exercises at the MHR, nice little railway. Good station cafe at Alresford, kept us going very generously with free tea, which led onto scores of pounds being spent on a godly number of very decent breakfasts.

Not only that, but out of the car park and turn left down the road and you'll find a chippy that serves the most GIGANTIC portions of chips that I have ever seen, for a good price too.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Absolutely. I did my level surveying practical exercises at the MHR, nice little railway. Good station cafe at Alresford, kept us going very generously with free tea, which led onto scores of pounds being spent on a godly number of very decent breakfasts.

Not only that, but out of the car park and turn left down the road and you'll find a chippy that serves the most GIGANTIC portions of chips that I have ever seen, for a good price too.

Yep, been to that chippy, though not recently. I heard rumours that it had gone bust.

Glad to hear you liked it. I haven't seen any Network Rail chappies down for a while, but I do remember them doing a surveying course back in '09 I think. We get the RAIB down regularly as well - for training courses I hasten to add!

 

[es373]

No call back yet Ralph!

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Who did you speak to? Give them a ring back today and remind them. Sometimes the information flow isn't as good as it could be.


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[es373]

Just had a phone call from them.

Sent you a PM mate.