Aln Valley Railway
About Us
Our volunteers are the lifeblood of everything we do.
The Aln Valley Railway is entirely volunteer-run. There is pride in every freshly painted carriage, every cup of tea served, and every yard of track laid by hand.
We are more than just a visitor attraction – we are a welcoming community built on teamwork, heritage, social connections and a shared love of railways. Whether you are a lifelong enthusiast or just curious to try something different and new, we have a role for you.
Positions range from administrative staff, tea room and shop personnel to hosts, mechanics, engineers, cleaners, guards, firemen and train drivers. We require people with a building, engineering, general maintenance or gardening background and those who simply wish to pitch in where needed.
What can you do?
There is more to heritage rail than just driving the train – though you can do that too!
Front of House
- Station team
- Museum, tearoom and gift shop
- Ticket office
- Events and welcome hosts
Behind the scenes
- Engineering and restoration
- Track work and maintenance
- Gardening, site maintenance and painting
- Admin, marketing and photography
On the train
- Guards and ticket inspectors
- Drivers and firemen (with training)
No matter your background or experience, we’ll help you find something you’ll enjoy
Make a real difference – Help keep Northumberland’s rail history alive
Why Join the Crew?
Learn new skills – full training can be provided, no experience needed
Great company – friendly faces, relaxed atmosphere, and plenty of brews
Enjoy the outdoors – fresh air, trains, and countryside views
Proud of Our Work
You can give as much or as little time as you like. Some volunteers come every weekend, others pop in once a month. Every bit helps.
Click the button below to send a message to us, or call in when we’re open to the public and speak to any of our wonderful volunteers.
Meet Some Of Our Volunteers
Daniel
I’m 19 years old, and I work and live in the Scottish Borders. I am a qualified guard and have been involved with the railway for 4 years now. It has always been a friendly place that is welcoming to visitors and has a special atmosphere. I have always wanted to be involved with a heritage railway from an early age, and it was clear that the AVR was the right railway for me. Other than guarding, I enjoy the challenge of mechanical/electrical maintenance with the Pacer Team. The experience that I have gained from working on these vehicles has allowed me to successfully secure an electrical engineering apprenticeship in my home town.
Simon
In a nutshell, I volunteer because it’s rewarding and enjoyable and helps the railway develop.
As part of the Pacer Team, we’ve had to acquire spare parts, design and make replacement parts, understand wiring diagrams and lots more. Being part of a group makes this so much easier. We can bounce ideas off each other and bring several heads together to work out why things don’t work. This is all surprisingly good fun.
I can recommend volunteering in the café too. It generates income, offers contact with visitors and a chance to work as part of a team. On busy days, the work is relentless, so it’s a physical challenge too.
Mandy
As the sole female member of the footplate crew, I felt accepted straight away and like my male colleagues I am happy to pitch in and do my fair share of grafting on the day. I am enjoying my role as trainee fireman – whilst I still have a lot to learn, the crew’s patient and knowledgeable guidance, allows me to progress at my own pace without feeling overwhelmed. I am incredibly grateful for their ongoing support. Recently, I spent a highly enjoyable day driving passenger trains under supervision, a milestone I look forward to building upon in the future. Although we live in Yorkshire, my husband and I try to regularly travel up. Our shared interest in railways and love of Northumberland, the welcoming atmosphere and lovely volunteers, make it a special place for us. It’s a childhood dream fulfilled for me and the footplate is definitely my ‘Happy Place’!
Christopher
I’ve been involved at the AVR for a few years, and it’s been a great experience all round. Before I joined, I’d wanted to volunteer at a heritage railway for years. Pretty soon after I started, I got involved with the Pacer team and the miniature railway. There have always been other things to get involved with too, like the occasional event or tearoom work.
The more hands-on work has been a big learning experience for someone like me who came to the railway without much experience in mechanical and practical work, but the other volunteers have always been helpful. The highlight of volunteering has definitely been the fact I’ve met so many people who are passionate about the same things as myself. That has made the whole experience feel rewarding and enjoyable. There are still many things for me to work towards, such as guard training so I’m hoping to continue volunteering in the future.
Samantha
I first got involved with the AVR back in 2013 but didn’t know what I could do to help. The suggestion came back that they needed guards for the short train rides we were offering, so I decided to find out more!
Ten years later and I’ve had a few different roles – even as far as driving some of our diesel engines in passenger service.
Currently I’m splitting my time between being a guard on our coaches and helping out in the tearoom. Both roles offer something different but are great fun, and very rewarding. I enjoy getting to interact with our visitors on the train, sharing information about the AVR and our history and plans for the future. The tearoom offers a different challenge, whether I’m helping making food, serving customers, or washing dishes! I’ve even managed to encourage my Mam, and my son to help out in the café – three generations in the café at once!
David
Since I started volunteering, it’s been informative and at times challenging, but always enjoyable.
As a trained mechanical engineer, I anticipated getting my hands dirty but with being engaged in the refurbishment of the NER Director’s saloon, the ‘upskilling’ of woodworking skills last used at school has meant that I am seen, by some, as the go-to man for all things wooden.
Outside of the woodworking, I have enjoyed getting involved in a wide range of activities at AVR from assisting in the tearoom, creating scary Halloween displays to obtaining and building the children’s play area. When I started at AVR I never imagined that one day I would be turning out all manner of wooden workpieces, become qualified as a guard and be in training as a loco driver. I am also delighted to have found colleagues to work with that are good-hearted, supportive and fun.
Interested?