CADW Open Doors 2026

12 Sep

- 13 Sep 2026

New this year: Powis Castle and Garden, Welshpool Town Council, Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway and Y Lanfa Museum have teamed up under the umbrella of Visit Welshpool to provide a programme of events for Open Doors 2026.

We’re really looking forward to welcoming you this weekend for our very first Open Doors Weekend.

Join us at Welshpool Raven Square to discover more about the history of the line and the engines that once ran on it.

Talks in the Display Sheds
11.00am and 2.00pm

Guided walks along the old line through Welshpool town
11.30am and 2.30pm
The walk is approximately 2 miles from start to finish.

There’s no need to pre-book. Just arrive at least 10 minutes before your chosen talk or walk, wear suitable footwear and dress for the weather.

All Standard Class Tickets for this weekend are discounted by 50%. Discount applied automatically at check-out.

Scroll down to purchase tickets.

Open Doors

Visit the Cadw website for more info

Other events are available all over Powys and the rest of Wales. Follow this link to see them: Open Doors Events | Cadw

Book your CADW Open Doors 2026 tickets now

Do you love helping people? Join our Customer Support Team:

Deal with customer queries and offer information and advice.
Help to ensure all visitors have a positive experience.
Assist with keeping our background administration up to date.
We offer a traditional service where customers can talk to ‘real people’ if they want to.

Do you love building and sharing detailed records of history? You might enjoy volunteering in our Archives and Education Team:

Help to find and store accurate and detailed records of our history.
Gather and record oral and written memories of our railway’s past.
Share our heritage stories with community and school groups.

Do you like making good things happen? Could you help us to organise our special events?

Be part of the team planning and running special events throughout the year.
Vintage weekends, children’s events, themed events and the annual steam gala.
You can help with just one event or several during the year.

Do you love museums and heritage centres? You might enjoy volunteering in our Llanfair Connections Visitor Centre:

Meet and greet visitors.
Open weekends and school holidays from March to October.
Support children’s activities and learning.
Support heritage conservation and visitor interest.

Do you want to help us to keep our station sites looking tidy? Can you spare some time on Tuesdays or Wednesdays?

Then join our Buildings and Grounds Gang:

Help to keep our stations and facilities well cared for.
Carry out routine and general maintenance as part of a team.
Regular Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the year.
Join the team on a regular or occasional basis.

Do you want to help us to keep our railway line looking tidy? Can you spare some time on occasional weekends - one weekend per month or less?

Then join our Fence-to-Fence gang:

Be part of the team managing vegetation alongside the railway line.
Work outdoors as part of the team.
Regular two-day weekends throughout the year.

Are you happy working outside in the fresh air? Do you love the satisfaction of seeing a job well done?

Be part of our track gang, maintaining eight miles of railway track.
Work outdoors as part of the team.
Repairs and routine maintenance.
Weekday operations – currently every Friday.
Light tasks included, so no need for physical strength.
Reasonable mobility is required.
Supervision and training provided.

Do you love tinkering with cars? Then you’ll love volunteering in our engineering workshop!

Maintain and restore heritage locomotive engines.
Fabrication, fitting and machining of specialist parts.
Well-equipped workshop and facilities.
Both specialist and general roles.
Full training and supervision provided.

Do you want to volunteer and prefer to be indoors? Then join our busy station team as a Shop Keeper:

Serving customers in our station shops.
Restocking shelves.
Helping visitors with their purchases.
Full training provided.
Can be combined with the Assistant Station Master role if desired.

Do you dream of being a train driver? Make your dream come true!

Learn ‘footplate roles’ from Fireman through to Steam Engine Driver.
Train on heritage steam and diesel engines.
Drive our interesting and challenging line.
Shunt rolling stock around the stations.
Full, progressive training provided.

Are you looking for a new volunteering experience? How about becoming a Guard or Controller Blockman for our heritage trains?

Manage all aspects of passenger train journeys.
Oversee train movements and timekeeping.
Help visitors to their seats and check tickets.
As Controller Blockman, take control of signals and points.
Full training provided.

Do you enjoy making people happy? Then you’ll love volunteering as our Station Master!

Despite the title, women are very welcome too!
Oversee smooth operation of the station site.
Ticket sales.
Ensure station safety and cleanliness.
Make our visitors feel welcome.
Full training provided.
Start with Assistant Station Master role if preferred.

Volunteer Enquiry Form

Please complete the following information so that the Volunteer Liaison Office can deal with your enquiry. The information helps us to consider where we might be able to place you.

Your Name

Contact Number

Email Address

Your Age Range

Address

Postcode

What area(s) of work are your interested in?

What particular skills do you think you have in order to carry out this role?

Anything you would like to tell us which you have not already had the opportunity to do so

01938 810441

Special Events