Current Vacancies
The East Lancashire Railway is constantly on the lookout for talented people to help keep this vital spark of British Heritage alight.
Do you have what it takes to be a part of our family?
Carriage and Wagon Carpenter
Due to the ever-increasing workload of restoring and maintaining the fleet of 47 carriages, the ELR’s Traction and Rolling Stock department are looking to expand their carriage and wagon departments and have a Carpenter vacancy available.
General Responsibilities and Duties
To assist the Carriage & Wagon Manager with repair and restoration of the Company’s coaching stock assets and wagons. The role will also encompass general Joinery, plumbing and other work around the railway as and when required.
Key Performance Indicators
- Must be able to demonstrate that they can work to timescales and deadlines.
- Must be able to demonstrate good standards of work and also work safely as a team or as an individual.
- Show ability to work well within a team.
- Proven track record of previous joinery experience.
This post is Safety Critical. Access to operational parts of the railway will be necessary in execution of the respective duties.
Ability to work to tight timescales and the flexibility to ensure completion of tasks that may require worktime extending beyond contracted finishing times.
The post-holder must be capable of working to instructions and must, at all times, remain flexible and accommodating to the needs of the business, this may include some weekend working if required.
Specific Duties
- To carry woodwork renewals on the railway’s coaching stock fleet and wagons, this includes fabrication of new parts and mouldings, panelling, staining and varnishing or painting of woodwork.
- To Carry out Odd Job tasks around the railway as and when required, this could be joinery, plumbing or painting etc.
- Will be prepared to work in any other department where the railway deems fit to meet its business needs.
- Act on own initiative in the absence of the Carriage & Wagon Manager and in accordance with the laid down requirements and prevailing workload.
General Safety Requirements
- Adopt a safe working attitude and acquire a full knowledge of, and compliance with, relevant parts of the Rule Book, Safety Management System, Emergency Procedures and other company and departmental procedures.
- Take reasonable care for the Health, Safety and Welfare of yourself and of other persons who may be affected by your acts or omissions.
- Do not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of Health, Safety or Welfare.
- Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, including the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, PUWER regulations and the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 so far as they apply to you and/or those you are responsible for.
Person Specification: Carriage & Wagon Joiner
| ESSENTIAL | DESIRABLE | |
| Personal and Physical | Meets ELR requirements for engineering staff | |
| Education and Experience | Experience of joinery work in various fields.
Must be able to work to drawings or templates and be able to safely use hand tools and various wood working machinery. |
Plumbing skills, general odd job skills would be advantageous. |
| Special Skills and Knowledge | Competent in the use of workshop fixed machinery and hand tools.
Ability to be able to work closely and in harmony with the volunteer workforce. |
If you are interested in this position, then please apply to the C&W Manager Jonathan.valentine@eastlancsrailway.co.uk by 31 October 2025.
Shop Assistant (Volunteer)
The East Lancashire Railway is looking for a friendly, helpful individual to help us to run our busy Gift Shop in Bury Bolton Street Station. Duties will include working the till and handling customer enquiries, keeping the display area stocked up with products, keeping the area neat and tidy and cashing up and closing at the end of the working day.
The position is voluntary. The volunteer will ideally need to be available to work midweek during the summer months and Sunday, either all day or just for the morning/afternoon time slots. Full training and support will be given.
If you are a people person who enjoys working off your own initiative and are interested in registering your interest in this role, please contact lorna.kelly@eastlancsrailway.co.uk
Bury Station Buffet Assistant (Volunteer)
We currently have an opening for a buffet assistant to join our busy and professional team. This is a fantastic opportunity for a customer focused individual to join a unique and popular part of the business at the East Lancashire Railway.
This is a volunteer role, applicants must be aged 18 or over to apply. The successful applicant will be required to work weekends as well as some midweek days during our busy period.
If you feel you can work under pressure whilst maintaining an extremely high level of customer service and while continuously augmenting our establishment’s reputation, then this could be the role for you.
Download the full Job Description here.
Please send a copy of your CV and a covering letter to our Buffet Manager at – maggie.sayce@eastlancsrailway.co.uk
Event Support Team Member (Volunteer)
The East Lancashire Railway is looking for a reliable and helpful individual to help support our many events. One of the main perks of this role is that no 2 days are the same. One day you could be travelling on a train, the next you could be staffing radio systems in the control room.
Duties might include:
- First Aid
- Security
- Crowd Control
- Event Set Up
- Safety
- Ticket Checking
- Concert Duties
- General Station Duties
The ideal candidate will be able to:
- Ensure the safety and security of customers visiting the railway
- Provide medical response services when required
- Oversee general security operations to maintain a safe environment
- Work in the control room, monitoring and managing events to ensure smooth operations
- Collaborate effectively with other members of the team
If you are interested in taking on this varies and exciting role, please contact firstaid.eventssupport@eastlancsrailway.co.uk
Fitter/Machinist Large Machine Operative
Job Purpose:
Support the General Manager on behalf of the board of directors to facilitate maintenance and repair/overhaul of the ELR’s vehicle fleet in accordance with the needs of the railway, this will also include revenue generating activities incorporating third party work.
Main accountabilities:
The post holder will perform a variety of functions, main accountabilities are detailed below but this list is not exhaustive.
To operate the large machine tools in the workshop, including the wheel lathe and vertical borer as required.
To operate smaller machine tools as required.
To assist in the maintenance and rebuilding of locomotives.
To carry out precision machining work to specified tolerances, ensuring all finished components meet standards.
To provide training and assistance to other members of staff to increase the skills of the entire staff.
Assist in all matters regarding safety in the Locomotive Works i.e. Risk Assessments, Method Statements etc.
Provide expertise and experience where needed on all aspects of locomotive restoration and maintenance.
Support the planning and scheduling of machining work to optimize workshop productivity.
Ensure accurate completion of job cards, maintenance records, and other documentation to maintain traceability and compliance.
Responsibilities
Machining wheelsets, tyres, journals and boss faces on contract work and internal work.
Machining axleboxes, eccentrics and anything else required by the company.
Inspect and measure completed work using appropriate tools and gauges, ensuring compliance with engineering drawings.
To identify and arrange servicing of equipment as and when needed.
To ensure that any engineering decision that may affect safety must be risk assessed, and control measures applied, where necessary seek advice from engineering department managers.
Help train other members of the team.
To aid and support the departmental head in achieving departmental targets, ensuring the department is working to relevant policies laid down.
Work collaboratively with other engineering teams, contractors, and external suppliers to deliver projects on time and within budget.
Participate in continuous improvement initiatives to enhance workshop safety, efficiency, and output.
General
Perform other duties as may be reasonably required by the General Manager.
Adopt a safe working attitude and acquire a full knowledge of, and compliance with, relevant parts of the Rule Book, Safety Management System, Emergency Procedures and other company and departmental procedures.
Take reasonable care for the Health, Safety and Welfare of yourself and of other persons who may be affected by your acts or omissions.
Do not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of Health, Safety or Welfare.
Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, including the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 so far as they apply to you and/or those you are responsible for.
Wear and maintain all required PPE and ensure that workshop areas are kept clean and free from hazards.
Report any incidents, near-misses, or equipment defects immediately in accordance with company reporting procedures.
Key experience and qualifications required:
This section outlines the criteria that are required of the post holder.
Person Specification
Personal and Physical
Aged at least 18 years. Meets ELR medical requirements for the engineering section.
Education and experience
Educated to at least GCSE standard and must be literate and numerate
Must be time served with at least 10 years’ experience of engineering and machining large components. Preferably in the Heritage Rail Sector.
Must have experience operating wheel lathes and vertical borers.
Must have good Communication Skills.
Experience in interpreting engineering drawings and technical specifications.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a safety-critical environment.
Physical Requirements
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods (e.g., site inspections, workshop duties).
Ability to climb steps, ladders, and access equipment at height.
Ability to bend, kneel, and crouch when working in confined spaces or under equipment.
Ability to ascend/descend gradients, trackside areas, and uneven ground safely.
Strength & Handling
Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull items up to a defined safe weight limit (commonly 20–25 kg unaided, with lifting aids provided for heavier loads).
Capability to use hand tools, power tools, and operate equipment requiring grip strength and dexterity.
Ability to handle components, materials, or equipment safely in accordance with manual handling procedures.
Vision & Hearing
Good visual acuity (with corrective lenses if required) sufficient to read instruments, drawings, and safety notices.
Colour vision adequate for interpreting wiring, signals, or safety-critical equipment (where relevant).
Sufficient hearing (with aids if required) to detect alarms, warning signals, and verbal instructions in noisy environments.
Environmental Tolerance
Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions (heat, cold, rain, etc.).
Willingness to work in noisy, dusty or oily environments with appropriate PPE.
Tolerance of shift patterns, weekends and extended working hours when required.
Coordination & Dexterity
Good hand-eye coordination for precision engineering tasks.
Manual dexterity to assemble, adjust and repair small or intricate components.
Safety & Fitness
Ability to maintain balance and stability when working at height or near moving equipment.
Fitness level appropriate for safety-critical working environments.
Experience in
Welding and Fabrication experience would be advantageous
Download the full Job Description here.
To apply please email your C.V. to: