About
Volunteering is at the heart of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. From keeping our trains moving to welcoming visitors and caring for our historic carriages, our volunteers help bring the railway to life every day. Our New Volunteers Open Day is your chance to step behind the scenes, meet the people who make it all happen and discover how you could become part of our railway story.
Join us on Saturday 21 February between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm at the Learning Centre Classroom on Platform 2 at Pickering Station. Meet the team, chat with our current volunteers, and explore some of our behind the scenes areas. Complimentary tea and coffee will be available throughout the day.
Meet Volunteers & Staff from:
• Booking Offices
• Tearoom and Shops
• Lineside
• Events
• Estates
• Operating, including Ticket Inspectors, Guards and Station Staff
• Engineering
Tours & Departments
After you have started in the Learning Centre, the following areas will have open doors, for you to explore:
• Carriage and Wagon
• Customer Services
• Booking Office
• Tearoom
• Station Shop
What to Expect on the Day
Prospective volunteers can enjoy a warm welcome and a real insight into volunteering on the railway, with opportunities to:
- Chat with our Customer Services team and see Booking Office ticketing demonstrations
- Learn about refreshment preparation in the Tearoom
- Meet our retail team in the Shop
- Sit and chat in the Great Western Saloon and discover the behind-the-scenes work of our North Yorkshire Pullman services
- Join Engineering for a tour of the Carriage and Wagon department
- Speak to Station Staff about a day in the life of operating trains
- Talk to the Lineside team about fire control and conservation along the railway
- Watch an Estates team demonstration showing how we keep our carriages clean
We welcome interest from everyone, including:
- Non-working individuals
- Semi-retired and retired people
- Students aged 17 and over
Pre-registration is preferred, see website.
We look forward to welcoming you as you begin your journey to becoming a volunteer at one of the world’s most popular heritage railways.
North Yorkshire Moors Railway Opening Hours
Our trains run from 31 March to 2 November 2025.
We are open from 09.20 to 17.10 Saturday – Wednesday from 31 March to 2 November 2025 excluding 7-20 April and July & August when we are open every day. See website and timetable for full details.
