Vounteer at Bluebell Railway
If you would like to volunteer at Bluebell Railway but are unsure about which department you would like to join, please email volunteering@bluebell-railway.com
Our Find Out More Days are currently postponed – please check back for updates on when these will be reinstated.
Volunteer Project Manager
We are looking for a volunteer Project Manager to support the full implementation of the Bluebell and Southern Railway Archive Project to provide storage and access to historic documents.
Reporting to the Infrastructure Director and B&SRA Project Steering Group, the post holder will be responsible for the management and co-ordination on-site of the implementation of the project, through to its final completion. This will involve engagement with the principal contractors, the Infrastructure group and Museum Trustees, and the Funding Director.
The post carries no remuneration or specific hours of duty. However, the successful applicant will require sufficient time and flexibility to be present at the railway to effectively undertake this role and is likely to have experience in project management in building construction or related activities.
If you believe you have the right qualifications for this job and would like to discuss the opportunity, please email your CV and contact details to lisa.boyle@bluebell-railway.com or contact 01825 724884.
Applications must be received by 30 July 2021.
Medical Officer
The successful applicant will be responsible for the medicals required for the railway’s safety critical staff, and must be fully registered with the GMC and a current licence to practice, holding membership of a medical indemnity organisation.
Experience and health qualifications in Occupational Medicine would be beneficial and the appreciation of the medical factors which could affect fitness to preform safety critical work on an operational railway.
Hours are flexible and payments and expenses (TBA) will be offered.
Please contact Lisa Boyle on 01825 724884 or email lisa.boyle@bluebell-railway.com for further information.
Volunteer Gardeners
The railway needs volunteers who enjoy gardening and have some spare time to regularly tend to our flower beds and garden areas at Sheffield Park station.
Sheffield Park Station is where most of our passengers begin their day out at the railway, and as a garden volunteer you will have the opportunity to maintain the gardens that greet our visitors.
Duties will include weeding, planting and pruning at our 1880s-style station alongside a group of dedicated volunteers.
The role will require a commitment of at least one day a week minimum to support the Friends of Sheffield Park.
Please email Lisa Boyle: lisa.boyle@bluebell-railway.com for further information.
Customer Service and Sales Volunteers
Have you an excellent customer service aptitude, to volunteer in an efficient and effective small customer service and reservations booking team?
You would be responsible for encouraging upselling and completing sales for all the railway’s products and services.
Applicants should be highly motivated, have excellent communication and IT skills and be commercially focused.
The role will require a commitment of at least one day a week minimum to support the Customer Service & Sales department.
Please email Mags Cracroft: mags.cracroft@bluebell-railway.com for further information.
Education Volunteer
The education department of the Bluebell Railway is expanding and needs you!
Roles may include;
- Be part of our exciting and interactive SteamWorks! exhibition as an interpreter
- Conduct fun science experiments.
- Assist with family event days.
- Guide school parties around our exhibits.
- Facilitate outdoor education.
- Escort school parties on the steam trains.
- Get creative.
- Dress up and role-play in our ‘WW2’ evacuation experience.
- Gain experience and build an attractive C.V.
We are looking for people with an interest in Heritage Learning. If you like working with people of all ages, are a good communicator, want to learn new skills and share some of your own, then this could be the volunteering opportunity for you.
Contact Ruth Rowatt on 01825 720800 or email education@bluebell-railway.com
Locomotive Works department volunteers
The locomotive workshop is open 7 days per week and is seeking skilled machinists to join the team to carry out the maintenance, overhaul and repair of the railway’s historic collection of steam locomotives.
Volunteers must have either completed an engineering apprenticeship or have other equivalent qualifications. Skills essential for this post include machining and fitting mechanical parts with demonstrable competence in the use of manual operated lathes and milling machines.
Please contact Chris Shepherd by email on chris.shepherd@bluebell-railway.com
Retail Volunteers
Our Sheffield Park Gift Shop is looking for volunteer retail assistants
Have you an excellent customer service aptitude? To assist and provide friendly support to our retail team?
Our gift shop at Sheffield Park Station welcomes visitors throughout the year, stocking everything from books and DVDs, to railway models and special souvenirs.
You would ensure customers have a memorable experience and receive a high level of service at all times. You would provide information on all the railway’s products and help them find the perfect gift or memento.
Applicants should be highly motivated, enthusiastic and a strong team player and commercially focused.
Hours are flexible, mid-week or weekend working.
Contact Lisa Boyle for further information on 01825 724884 or email lisa.boyle@bluebell-railway.com
Catering Assistant Volunteers
We are currently seeking Volunteer Catering Assistants to work in our buffet carriage at East Grinstead Station.
The Grinsteade Buffet is a beautiful dining carriage, serving teas, coffees, cakes and snacks to our customers every day when trains are running. This includes weekends, special events, school holidays and every day over the summer.
You will need to be enthusiastic and willing to learn, possess excellent customer service skills and be able to work under your own initiative. Ideally you will have some retail experience with till operation, but full training will be provided.
The number of hours per week can vary to suit your needs, and uniform and meals on duty will be provided.
Contact Megan Laughlin to find out more: megan.laughlin@bluebell-railway.com
Friends of Kingscote
The Friends of Kingscote (FoK) exists to maintain the station and its environs, representing the early 1950s British Railways era.
The friends maintain two platforms with canopies and the usual facilities, a Goods Yard with two dock sidings, a picnic area with a kiosk serving summer refreshments, a kitchen garden and flower beds along the platforms.. In 2017, part of the picnic area was converted into a children’s play area with swings and various features.
The FoK force consists of three teams, although volunteers will move between them:
- Fixtures and fittings – upkeep, repair and repainting of all the station buildings, sheds, fencing and paths
- Gardens – maintaining flower beds, forecourt, kitchen garden and grass cutting of the lawn areas
- Lineside maintenance – scrub clearance, grass cutting, removing fallen trees, sundry maintenance issues
If you are interested in joining as a volunteer, an application form is available here.
Volunteer Car park attendants
We are looking for volunteers to help during our busy events to oversee our visitor parking by directing and managing our customers to available spaces and helping answer relevant queries.
Applicants should be self-motivated, enthusiastic and a good communicator. The role would require duties for 3 to 4 hours at a time, usually morning or afternoon.
Applicants must have their own transport.
Please contact Charlotte Archer for more information: charlotte.archer@bluebell-railway.com
