Volunteers receive high praise for rescuing Llangollen railway
Volunteers at Llangollen Railway have been praised for rescuing the railway over the last two challenging years.
The railway is marking Volunteers’ Week by saying a big thank you to its "incredible" team of hardworking volunteers and making a plea for new recruits to support and help them.
The seven and a half mile heritage railway, soon to be extended back to 10 miles when its new station at Corwen opens in the near future, is reliant on volunteer support at all levels of the operation. It also has a small team of paid staff, who say the could not be employed without the support of volunteers.
Trust manager Tom Taylor said. “As someone who has supported the railway as both a member of paid staff and a volunteer, my Board colleagues and I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported the railway.
"We have had an extremely challenging couple of years, with the railway very nearly closing completely in March 2021 when the PLC operating company collapsed. The way our volunteers pulled together and got behind our new Board to work to rescue the railway was truly humbling.
"It’s amazing what can be done when there is a passion and determination to see something you care about so much keep going. We have achieved things that many said would be impossible."
Ian Bibby, volunteer officer for the railway said “Whether you like working with people, gardening, practical work or something challenging and technical we can find you something to get involved in.
"Getting stuck in, having fun and then standing back and admire what you have achieved is very much what volunteering is all about at the Llangollen Railway.
"We are keen to encourage new volunteers to consider joining us. You don’t need to be qualified or experienced in anything beyond having a bit of spare time to give us and some enthusiasm to try something different. We provide full training for all roles. Anyone interested in getting involved can make-contact with us via our website or telephone."
Maureen Theobald, the HR director, added: “The railway currently has lots of volunteering opportunities. We have a very urgent need to recruit Guards, Travelling Ticket Inspectors, Llangollen Station staff , permanent way (track work) and the Motive Power Depot, supporting maintenance and repair of our steam and diesel locomotives.
"We are also looking for skilled volunteers with a background in carpentry, woodwork, upholstering and mechanical fitting work to support our carriage and wagon and heritage railcar departments.
"Getting involved as a volunteer is a straightforward process, which starts with joining the Llangollen Railway Trust, so you can be covered by our insurance.
"You can download a membership application form from our website. A volunteering form will be with your membership card and you can then have a friendly chat with our volunteering officer, Ian Bibby.
"A full induction and training will be provided for any role you choose to undertake and there is also a chance to undertake “taster” days in our departments, so you can see if a role is for you or not."
