There are many ways to get involved with our, now your, world famous railway – either through a group project, as part of your education or qualifications or specifically for one or more of our railway’s departments. Work can be incredibly diverse; it’s not all about grease and grubby hands.
The FR has decades of experience acting as a host for this inspirational scheme. Work on the railway can contribute to several sections of the awards, including Volunteering and Residential.
The FR is really well known as being a world class tourist attraction and centre of excellence in engineering. With a wide range of departments to work on and a long-standing spirit of innovation, this can be the ideal place to work on your own unique project/placement.
We can usually find opportunities over a wide range of levels from Year 12 to degree/Masters courses. Subjects covered include tourism/leisure, all engineering disciplines, geography, planning, land-based disciplines and catering/hospitality.
Every year, in early August, the FR runs a week to give young volunteers, aged between 14 and 16, a taste of the volunteers’ life. There are usually about 40 places for young volunteers, who live in the railway’s hostels and other, local, accomodation.
The young persons are supported by adult volunteers, often more than there are young volunteers, who act as House Parents and as Project Leaders. The adults usually have plenty of experience of the FR, including former participants in this annual event, and this helps to communicate the special nature of the railway to their charges.
Further details for YVTW2024 may be obtained from Tricia Doyle (tdoyle@ffwhr.com) or the YVTW Administrator, Jo Vincent (jvincent@ffwhr.com).
The booking offices issue tickets to passengers over the counters at the stations, and also issue pre-booked tickets for party groups and individuals. This department also organises special trains, such as photographic, birthday, wedding or other celebration trains: they are the real shop window of the railway!
Skills required include money handling, dealing with customers face to face and over the telephone, and ‘unflappability’!
Our workshops at Boston Lodge may be the oldest in the world and have been continually in use since 1832!
However, we need 21st century skills to help us maintain our wonderful fleets of locomotives and carriages both ancient and modern. The romance of driving a steam engine appeals to many people, but is only gained after much experience at the Works.
The Society’s work is only possible through the generous donations and contributions made by members and supporters.
Donating is easy and can be a general contribution to the society’s work or towards specific project like our Welsh Pony Appeal.
Find out how to donate »