The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway is unique in English railway history. Today’s Middy is run and staffed entirely by volunteers and we are always looking for new enthusiasts to come and join us. Our current rolling stock and Museum infrastructure need constant maintenance. Our restoration programme includes freight and passenger vehicles and we are also restoring our own steam locomotive, Hudswell, Clarke No. 1604.
In January 2023 we extended our railway to more than double its previous length to a new destination to be called Aspall Halt. Since August 1st 2025 we have been running trains to the full length of the extended line. All we have to do now is fund and complete the building and open the new station (We already have one station building.)
Right now we have vacancies in all these areas:- fund raising, infrastructure maintenance staff, station staff and footplate staff.
If you would like to help us as a volunteer please contact our Volunteer Co-ordinator, David Clayton at volunteering@mslr.org.uk Although previous experience is always a help, we can and do provide training, particularly in the operational areas.
Specific Situations Vacant Now
We are currently focusing on recruitment of events day staff. Here are the roles we have available at present:
Ticket Office role
Duties include: Greet visitors and sell them tickets. Be familiar with the pricing structure and implement it. Explain what the ticket entitles them to and ensure they have the safety information. Direct queries on the day to other volunteers as necessary. Support shop staff to enable them to have breaks and also during busy periods, join the rota for ticket office staff to work on event days.
Hours: 10am to 4pm or 11am to 2pm on event days.
Person specification: Friendly, good customer service skills, calm under pressure, good maths skills, ability to work with others leading and following directions.
Shop staff role
Duties include: Sell items to visitors as required. Be familiar with pricing of items not labelled, eg ice-creams. Support ticket office staff in busy periods, restock, tidy and organise displays, note low stock levels to pass to the shop manager, wrap goods as necessary, join the rota for shop staff to work on event days.
Hours: 10am to 4pm or 11am to 2pm on event days.
Person specification: Friendly, good customer service skills, good maths skills, ability to work well with others. 
Shop Manager role
Duties include: Check stock levels liaising with shop staff, order replacement stock, make decisions about what items to stock, communicate with businesses offering stock, support volunteers to order items for their clothing and uniforms, liaise with Outdoor Events Team about donated items, join the rota for shop staff to work on event days.
Hours: Flexible work from home or onsite on Wednesdays. Shop support as shop staff hours on event days.
Person specification: Organised, good people skills, confident with online ordering and email, ability to monitor sales and take opinions on stock items, confident to stock take, supportive leadership skills.
Car Park Attendant role
Duties include: Direct visitors to the correct car park, explain position of disabled parking areas, direct vehicles to parking spots, organise suitable spacing for vehicles and rows of vehicles, place and move traffic cones as necessary in adverse conditions.
Hours: 11am to 2pm or 10am to 2pm on event days.
Person specification: Good spatial awareness, good understanding of vehicle sizes and turning circles, good customer services, ability to work well alone, patient during periods of inactivity.
Start and Finish Team
Duties include: Setting up and / or packing away on event days, working under the direction of the Front of House Lead, helping stall holders as necessary, moving seating and tables, keeping areas organised and tidy, setting up or removing barriers, directing vehicles on site.
Hours: 8am to 10am or 3pm to 5pm.
Person specification: A good level of general fitness and strength, good spatial awareness, good organisation skills, ability to work individually and as a team taking and giving direction at times, good knowledge of safe practices for manual handling, ability to work to a timeline.
Membership
Being a member entitles you to discounted entry to the museum on most operating and non-operating open days. You’ll also receive four free copies of our quarterly magazine Making Tracks, keeping you up to date with all the latest developments at Brockford. Please download and complete our membership form and post it to our membership secretary at Brockford Station if you would like to join.
Membership fees 2026: Adult – £20.00; Double Adult – £28.00; Child (under 16) – £8.00; Family (2+2) – £32.00;
We also offer Life Membership: Adult – £250.00, Senior Citizen (over 65) – £125.00
Become a volunteer
Being a member also qualifies you to become a ‘Middy’ volunteer. The railway is staffed by volunteers from all walks of life and of all ages, and is lead by a volunteer board of trustees. There are various departments at the MSLR, from carriage and wagon and locomotives to press and publicity and general administration, all of which are always eager to accept new volunteers.
You don’t need any prior experience to become a volunteer as any training required can be given on site. Some roles need a bit more training than others (some also have minimum/maximum age limits), but as long as you are fit and healthy there is nothing to stop you giving anything a try!
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please email volunteering@mslr.org.uk or fill in the form.
Enquiry Form
Necessary training will be given, but please provide below any other relevant information, including potential availability, background, skills and any previous volunteer experience (railway or other).
