The future of the Nene Valley Railway (NVR) depends on the younger generations, which means we must attract younger members and volunteers and develop NVR’s ongoing legacy. This is run through The International Railway Preservation Society (IRPS), a Friends Group looking to progress the museum aspect of the NVR.
In the past few years we have recruited an active and vibrant youth group who are managed by Nene Valley Railway volunteers.
The current group of young people, aged 14 and above, have proven that they can conduct themselves respectfully and maturely both around the public and other volunteers. Their enthusiasm and quality of work has also been impressive, and in a short space of time they have become established members of the railway.
These days many employers are looking for something different from younger people they can potentially hire. Particularly in engineering backgrounds, we hear time and time again, that many younger people have had plenty of smaller scale experience in school, but no ‘real world experience’. Working as a volunteer will:
Any new member will receive a full induction, covering all aspects of safety while working at the NVR and safe working practices e.g. using tools correctly and staying safe on a fully operational railway.
Our teams work both days each weekend (And some youth group volunteers come down mid week on days off from college). We are always flexible and understand that people have other commitments, all was ask is a regular commitment from yourselves.
Saturdays are usually spent at Railworld, next to Peterborough Nene Valley Station. Here our main focus is the large Danish Steam Locomotive, no. 996 which we are cosmetically restoring. This involves stripping parts, needle gunning, refurbishing metalwork and repainting.
Sundays are spent working on the Night Mail Project at Ferry Meadows. We are developing a new museum on the site with the youth group at the heart. Here the varied work includes everything from restoration of coaches, site work and preparation, working in our workshops, and building and operating a 5 inch gauge miniature railway.
However this is not all we do as a youth group. We also regularly deal with the operational side of the railway and fundraising at events. We work with the travelling post office group and youth group members will have the chance to work on mail bag exchanges, where bags of mail are exchanged from a moving train. For those who enjoy working with the public, or possible want to gain customer service skills we are regularly involved in fund raising. This varies from selling raffle tickets on the train, manning displays at enthusiasts’ weekend, to working in our mobile post office shop at family events.
The group also has a social aspect, offering the chance to make new friends and enjoy trips to other railways and societies as well as evenings out away from the railway scene.
If you are 14 and above and would like to join us, please contact us by printing out this form and sending it in to the Nene Valley Railway.
If you prefer you can contact the railway's office on phone number (01780) 784444 .
Once we have been contacted, we will arrange for the young person, and a parent or guardian to meet me and discuss the volunteer opportunities further.
We welcome people of all ability, both male and female and will endeavour to do our best to cater for any who are disabled.