Poppy Wakeham was three years old the first time she turned up at the Talyllyn Railway, already convinced she was going to be a steam train driver. Most three-year-olds grow out of that kind of thing. Poppy didn't, not really.
"I was introduced to the Talyllyn Railway through Tracksiders as a train obsessed three-year-old who only wanted to be a steam train driver, and it really put me on the right track," she said. "You'd meet for a week or two every single year to develop skills and build these incredible friendships that I still have now, 17 years on."
Seventeen years on, Poppy works the footplate as a Passed Cleaner, one of the grades on the way to firing and driving, and volunteers as a Guard alongside it. She's also put herself forward for a seat on Council, part of the railway's governing structure. "I wouldn't be where I am now without Tracksiders," she added.
She's not the only one. For Andrew Thomas, those same childhood weekends went even further, all the way to actually driving the steam trains himself.
"My experience as a Tracksider was incredibly positive," he said. "It gave me the opportunity to make new friends who shared the same passion for railways while allowing me to gain hands on experience through volunteering. Following Tracksiders, I became a volunteer in the Locomotive Department, where I have progressed to driving the steam trains. The practical skills, teamwork and confidence I developed on the railway have also been invaluable in my paid employment, making the experience both personally and professionally rewarding."
A Family Volunteering Scheme, Thirty Years On
Stories like theirs are exactly why Talyllyn Tracksiders exists. Launched in 1996, the scheme gives junior members and their families the chance to get properly hands-on with the world's first preserved railway, working alongside a parent or guardian rather than being dropped off and collected later. Three decades on, participants have logged more than 5,000 Tracksider days between them, and this year saw something the railway hasn't seen before: the first second-generation Tracksider, a child of a former participant, following their parent onto the railway.
A Record-Breaking Year for Junior Volunteers
That momentum showed up in the numbers this year too. A record-breaking May working week brought 53 junior members to the railway from as far afield as Leeds, Kent, the Isle of Wight and Cumbria, all giving up part of their school holidays to repair fences, paint station seats and benches, maintain footpaths and take on a run of practical projects. Between them they completed a record 164 Tracksider days, and 25 also spent a day helping the neighbouring Corris Railway.
Working weeks like this run two or three times a year, usually over the May and October school holidays. The projects range from restoring traditional slate fencing to clearing vegetation, painting and footpath maintenance, and preparing for special events. Youngsters don't operate trains or work in the locomotive sheds, with everything carefully supervised and matched to age and experience. Just as importantly, the work is mixed with barbecues, picnics, beach parties, games and films, because volunteering is only sustainable if it's also fun.
Liz Porrett, General Manager Operations at the Talyllyn Railway, has seen the scheme from both sides, with her own children having taken part.
"We all realise how crucial it is to invest in the future and volunteers are an incredibly important part of that," she said. "The Talyllyn Railway is extremely proud of our young volunteer programme and particularly Tracksiders as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. These young volunteers are key to ensuring the railway is here long into the future, and the fantastic attendance we saw in May demonstrates that children and families still have a real interest in the magic of steam trains and want to become actively involved in preserving them. The latest guidance issued by the Office of Rail and Road in association with the Heritage Railway Association around volunteering from the age of 14 also has the potential to open the door to even more young volunteers across the heritage railway sector."
It all traces back to 1951, when the Talyllyn became the world's first railway to be preserved and operated by volunteers. More than 75 years later, volunteering is still the thing that keeps it running, which is what makes the sight of a second generation of Tracksiders arriving so significant. The anniversary was marked with an awards ceremony and barbecue, celebrating both the thousands of days already contributed and the generations who've grown up alongside the railway.
The real legacy, though, probably won't be measurable for years yet, whenever today's Tracksiders turn out to be the engineers, guards and drivers keeping the locomotives running next.
For more information about the Talyllyn Railway and volunteering opportunities, visit talyllyn.co.uk.
This article is based on a press release issued by the Talyllyn Railway, shared here with thanks. Quotes and details as supplied.
If stories like Poppy and Andrew's are why you love heritage rail, you'll probably enjoy the rest of what we do here. Read Issue Zero free and see what the magazine's about, or have a browse of the best heritage railways in the UK for where to visit next.
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