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Special Events

Steam & Diesel Gala (plus Garden Railway Show)

4 Sep
- 6 Sep 2026

Our annual celebration of all things steam. Intensive train timetable, road steam, vintage vehicles, model railway exhibition, and lots more to explore.

Includes Garden Railway Show at Llanfair Leisure Centre on Saturday 5 September.

Special visitor: ‘Premier’ from the Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway.

For the first in 60 years, see former Bowater’s locomotives, ‘Monarch’, ‘Conqueror’, ‘Premier’ and ‘Manning Wardle 1877’ all together in the same place. Special Photo Opportunity Friday Evening at Raven Square, 19.00-20.00!

Tickets on sale now (scroll to bottom) – GALA INFORMATION BOOKLET: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Vintages Buses & Parking Information

Train Timetables

Steam & Diesel Trains: – After an assessment of lineside fire risk, Steam Trains are planned to operate the full length of the line. Please note, the situation will be kept under review and locomotive allocations may change on the day due to operational requirements.

Vintage Buses (See Information Booklet for departure times):

  • Friday – No bus service.
  • Saturday –
    • Open top bus operating from 9am to 5pm between Llanfair and Raven Square Stations.
    • Access friendly bus from Welshpool main line station to Raven Square Station.
    • Coach from Llanfair Station to Garden Railway Show & Leisure Centre.
  • Sunday –
    • Open top bus operating from 9am to 5pm between Welshpool Main Line Station and
      Llanfair via Raven Square Station.

Car Parking:

  • Friday – Free at Llanfair Caereinion (SY21 0SF) & Welshpool Raven Square (SY21 7LT) Stations – Subject to availability.
  • Saturday & Sunday:
    • Parking at Llanfair & Raven Square Stations, £5 per vehicle, limited spaces available.
    • Free parking at Llanfair Leisure Centre (SY21 0HW), with minibus link to Llanfair Station (bus Saturday only).

 

Road steam vehicles and car museums

At Llanfair Caereinion Station

  • Road steam and other vintage and heritage road vehicles plus miniature
    engines.
  • Rides on diesel railcar ‘The Wasp’. Timed tickets available from Llanfair Booking Office (limited spaces).
  • Workshop Tours – Saturday and Sunday. Meet by The Earl bar at 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM or 2:00 PM on Saturday, and 11:00 AM or 12:00 PM on Sunday.
  • Llanfair Connections Museum
  • Garden Railway Show – 16mm and G Scale garden railway show at Llanfair Caereinion Leisure Centre. Saturday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Leisure Centre. Bus links from Llanfair Caereinion Sta􀦞on.
    Entry is included in the Gala Rover 􀦞cket, otherwise £6 (Adult) or £4 (child
    5–15). Under 5s free.
  • Cloverlands Model Car Museum – over 10 000 exhibits
  • Sierra Leone Railway Stand
  • Outdoor Miniature Railway
  • Bar and Food – (11:00 AM 􀦞ll late on Friday and Saturday, and 11:00 AM–7:00 PM on Sunday while stock lasts).
  • Night Photography session – engine in line-up from 7:00 PM Saturday evening.

Model Railway Exhibition and Classic Cars

At Welshpool Raven Square Station

  • Model railway exhibition in the Display Shed featuring a wide range of 00 and 009 layouts, including trade stands.
  • Classic Cars – An array of classic cars from the Mid Wales Classic Vehicle Club on Saturday
    and Sunday.
  • Locomotive and Rolling Stock Display – including Monarch, Joan, Conqueror, SLR Hunslet No. 85, and newly-acquired ex-Zillertalbahn observation car, the ‘Glaswagen’.
  • Friday Evening Photo Shoot – Come along and photograph Monarch, Conqueror, Premier and No. 1877,
    reunited for the First time in 60 years. Friday, 7:00–8:00 PM.
  • Food and Drink
    • Hot food on site along with snacks, hot and cold drinks.
    • Shop with gifts and secondhand books.
    • Artisan Ice Cream — Scoopalicious.

Book your Steam & Diesel Gala (plus Garden Railway Show) tickets now

Book Tickets
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Customer Support Team

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.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Archives & Education Team

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.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Events Team

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.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Museum & Visitor Centre Team

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.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Buildings & Grounds Gang

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.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Lineside Vegetation Gang

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.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Track Gang

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.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Engineering & Workshops

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.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Shopkeeper

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.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Locomotive Team

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.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Guard : Signalman

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.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway - Station Master

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.