Volunteer work on the Ffestiniog Railway is divided into basic sections. Firstly there is the ‘front of house’ side that deals with the public in roles such as:

Booking Offices and Shop Assistants, Car Park Hosts, Station Masters and Train Guards, On-Train Refreshment Services and Catering & Bar Staff.

A working party from the Imperial College Rail and Transport Society inspect progress on the Phase Four extension at Pitt’s Head

These jobs all require contact with the public so you will need to enjoy meeting people and have the patience and friendly disposition necessary to help them to enjoy their day. There is a lot of satisfaction to be had from sorting out somebody’s problems and especially so when they come back at the end of the day to thank you for a lovely day out. You need to be smart and tidy - our visitors have come to a top quality attraction and expect to see top quality staff too. Customer Care, Satisfaction and Safety are our top priorities in these positions.

Then there is the side that deals with running the railways’ trains:

Locomotive Preparation, Driving and Firing, Locomotive and Carriage Maintenance. Signalmen and Controllers, Level Crossing Keepers and Carriage Cleaners.

Please don’t think you are away from the public eye in these jobs as you are an important part of the daily operation of the trains. Customers are inquisitive creatures and really appreciate it when you take the time to talk to them about what you are doing or by helping them to get the photo they want. A locomotive sitting on the front of a train at Blaenau Ffestiniog so that visitors can speak to the crew and photograph it really makes their day. It is equally important that both you and your train are equally well presented when you arrive at the station. The cleanliness of trains is often underestimated but goes a long way to enhancing passengers’ enjoyment of the journey.

Lastly, there is the really important side that is so often forgotten, that of building and maintaining the infrastructure of the railways:

Civil Engineering and Track Maintenance, Signals and Telecommunications, Building Repairs, Electrical Work and Gardening, Building new Locomotives and Carriages, plus countless other jobs that you never knew were needed.

Not everyone wants to be in the public domain. Perhaps you do that every day in your ‘other’ job or maybe you just prefer to work alone or with a small team. Without the above jobs, there would be no railway for us to enjoy. Many of them give you the chance to get outdoors, learn a new skill and have the satisfaction of seeing the efforts of your labour at the end of the day.

In addition, on the Welsh Highland of course, there is the exciting prospect of laying new track on the final section of the project between Rhyd Ddu and Porthmadog. There are volunteer working parties on the ‘Phase Four’ extension every weekend and also during the week.
All of the tasks provide the opportunity to be part of the railway family, and gain the enjoyment of being part of a busy team, as well as staying in the very beautiful environment of North Wales. For all sorts of reasons, a wide cross section of people (of all ages) find working on the railway not only satisfying, but very fulfilling - making new friends and expanding their social lives alongside the satisfaction of a day’s work well done.

All year round there are openings for volunteers – just like you! In every case, training will be given to enable you to carry out your job. Many volunteers find they learn new and useful skills that are of benefit in the world away from the railway, and may even help with job applications, where potential employers look very favourably on volunteer work of the sort offered on the railway.

Below is a bit more information about each main department:

Shop & Booking Offices
On Train Services
Operating
Marketing
Railway Workshops
Civil Engineering