New faces are always welcome to help us drive forward our aspirations for Thornton Station and the stretch of line to Hillylaid Crossing. Hopefully the other pages about the project will have given you an idea of what we’re up to and have encouraged you to be a part of the roots of something big! What follows is a rough guide to what being a volunteer is all about.

The important bit!

For insurance reasons you must be a member of the Poulton & Wyre Railway Society to take part; if you’re not already a member you can download an application form here.

When?

The work teams meet at Thornton Station on a Wednesday and Saturday from 9:30 am until 1:00pm.

Members are free to take part with either team or both if they wish; admittedly most teams have steady core of volunteers whose lives dictate when they can take part. Occasionally during the year we do have special workdays called Super Saturdays where we work longer hours and focus on one large task with the aim of completing it in the day, details of these are posted when they are happening.

Where?

We meet at Thornton Station and then deploy along the route from there. If you’re driving the Bay Horse, right next to the station, have kindly agreed to allow volunteers to park in their car park.

Jeff Banks demonstrates the use of a pick axe.

Who?

Anybody can volunteer to help out. Admittedly much of the work so far has been physical and a pioneering mentality has been an advantage but there are lighter jobs to be done. As we move forward people with special skills will always be welcome just like those who just want to lend a hand.

What?

The tasks we undertake are many and varied, and can include litter picking, undergrowth clearance, recovering materials from demolished buildings, creating flowerbeds, weeding and many other tasks we haven’t even thought of yet!

Insane? Possibly.

There have definitely been times when the phrase “you don’t have to be mad to be here, but it helps” has sprung to mind. The teams that have developed over the last eighteen months have come from a wide selection of backgrounds but have been united in a common aim. A sense of humour has always been an advantage as things go from the sublime to the ridiculous some days. Just important has been a stoic determination to reach our goals, especially when confronted with overwhelming vegetation or far from shelter when the skies have opened. The most important thing that most have realised is the moment when we call it day, either due to the weather or fatigue. There is never any expectation for people to do more than they can or would want to do.

Find out more?

If there is anything else you would like to know about volunteering on the station project please feel free to make a first contact at the following email address This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .