Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland RailwayMany of the people you meet on trains and those who work on the railways are volunteers. Some are enjoying a holiday in Wales, others are taking a break from their regular jobs, and others are taking retirement to help out on the railways. Many volunteers are also members of the Ffestiniog Railway Society and the Welsh Highland Railway Society.

 

In addition to our regular activities, we are deeply involved in the planning and management of beer festivals, shows, events, Santa Trains, etc. held every year.

 

Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds. New employees immediately feel like part of the family. The friendships formed through railway volunteering are long-lasting, and romances on the railway often lead to marriage. Some "Railway" families bring in third-generation volunteers, who seem to be just as enthusiastic as their grandparents. Even if there is no particular reason, most people join because they want to enjoy railway work.

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If you would like to become a volunteer, a coordinator will be there to kindly tell you what kind of work is available. (Of course, the coordinator is also a volunteer.)

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When you visit railway heritage sites (preserved railways) in Britain, not just Ffestiniog, the people who seem to be having the most fun are the workers rather than the customers. I spend time for myself by dressing up in whatever way I want, such as the railroad uniform I used to wear when I worked there or the badge I bought at an auction. British people's hobbies include reading, walking, and gardening, and many people also say volunteering is their hobby.

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