VOLUNTEERS at the RUDYARD LAKE STEAM RAILWAY

The railway runs with the help of a group of volunteers. They have made an enormous contribution to the operation, development and improvement of the railway. They come from all walks of life and all ages and sexes.

We welcome new volunteers and if you are interested in helping please get in touch. We will let you have an information pack and arrange to meet you at the railway to show you round and introduce you.

Our aim is " To help develop and run a safe and prosperous railway and have fun doing it"

We hope that we achieve this and encourage you to give it a try. We will provide training and there is no subscription fee. We do ask that everyone who comes is willing to help out wherever its needed. Whilst most people have a particular interest we do not have any volunteers who purely do one thing. This makes it more interesting and provides a greater level of satisfaction for all those who help.

There is no annual subscription or fee required. We value our volunteers and try hard to make it a worthwhile experience. A monthly e newsletter the Rudyard Flyer is sent to anyone who helps . See a sample copy here

Junior Volunteers

We have a small group of junior volunteers who come and help us and they are particularly valued. Their numbers are restricted so that they can be properly supervised. There is also a minimum age limit of 13. You must contact us before bringing a junior volunteer. Our first junior member has since made his career with Network Rail.

Almost all of the facilities in this photograph were constructed by the volunteers. There are no tasks or jobs at the railway which cannot be carried out by volunteers.

Rudyard Lake Steam Railway is near Leek in the North Staffordshire Peak District and our steam trains give a 3 mile return trip along the side of the lake. Options to extend the railway exist in both directions but the priority at the moment is to continue to build up the railway's infrastructure and capacity. There is a plan of developments at the railway to achieve this.

The railway is 10.25 inch gauge and is equivalent to about half the size of a narrow gauge railway. The steam trains run whatever the weather and have covered coaches.Its one of the UK's foremost small gauge railways and a member of Britain's Great Little Railways and the Heritage Railway Association.

SPECIAL EVENTS

The railway runs a series of family orientated special events including santa steam trains in December. The volunteers are involved in all of these and often have great fun in making the events work well. You might just as easily be Santa as the engine driver!

The annual highlight for everyone is the annual steam gala where everything that can steam does! We also hold a dinner for volunteers and guests over the weekend.

Volunteer activity & views

Repairs and rebuilding of the locomotives is part of volunteer activity as well as track work and running the trains.

Trains run year round and improvement work also goes on. There are regular working parties on Tuesdays and often Wednesdays and Thursdays as well as at weekends.

Trains

Trains run on Sundays 11.00am to 4pm( 3pm in winter) Saturdays from April to end of October and daily in School holidays

Recent Images A visitor to the annual steam gala