As part of the #LoveYourRailway #Volunteers Campaign initiated by North Yorkshire Moors Railway, from 9th – 15th August 2021 we are focusing on some of our volunteers. All our volunteers are vitally important to Crich Tramway Village – home to the National Tramway Museum. Those featured below (one per day) are happy to share their reasons for volunteering and hopes for the future.
Wednesday 11th August – Malcolm Chisholm
Trams and public transport in general have always been my main hobby. My first contact with trams was in Sheffield as far back as I can remember. When they finished in 1960 I was twelve and heartbroken! I worked as a bus conductor on Middlesbrough Corporation buses in the late 1960s and trained as a coach driver in the 1970s. I also drove HGVs for BT when working as a telephone engineer. My childhood ambition was to be a tram driver when I grew up. I’ve achieved that, but Alison, my wife, tells me that I still haven’t grown up yet!
I first arrived at Crich in 1964 when I was sixteen and fell in love with the place and the people. Since then I have qualified as a conductor in 1985 and as a driver in 1991. However, at the first Grand Transport Extravaganza in 1968 I was given some quick conductor training, handed a rack of tickets, a punch and a cash bag and asked to conduct on Blackpool & Fleetwood ‘rack 2; fares 6d for adults and 3d for children. Some fares were collected on the move, with me working my way along the running board; a practice now frowned upon by the H&S brigade!
I really enjoy crewing on the trams as I like chatting with our visitors and giving them a good time. It’s highly rewarding to hear some of our older visitors reminiscing about their local tram systems, while for many of our young visitors a visit to Crich is a totally new and somewhat surreal experience!
Volunteering at Crich makes me feel a part of a well-organised, vibrant team. While we all have our preferred trams to work on, which can lead to some rivalry in the office when the trams are being allocated for service, the overall raison-d’etre is the successful operation of the museum. After all, if the museum fails, the trams are lost!
I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved, in terms of tram restoration and improvement in the infrastructure. When I first arrived, some cars were still under tarpaulins and the Atcost depot buildings were shelters but by no means complete. There were no setts in the street and the single main line went a short way beyond where the Bowes-Lyon bridge now stands. Member accommodation was a sleeping bag on seat cushions on the floor of a tram. Our mess room was the body of Leicester tram 99, which was way beyond our abilities to rebuild in the 1960s and ended up as a bonfire when the new members’ hut, the Crich Hilton, was opened. I look forward to seeing the main line doubled from Cliffside to Wakebridge. That would give us enormous flexibility in service provision.
As a 73-year-old I was concerned about the 75 years retirement age from traffic, but now that’s been rescinded I’m looking forward to a few more years on the platform.
Arthur’s first visit to Crich April 2017
Tuesday 10th August
Ian Clouston, 26, lives in Derby. Ian says that volunteering at Crich feels safe and purposeful. He enjoys the company of the rest of the team, and would like to see more trams restored and running again.
Ian is keen to make a lifelong connection with the Tramway Museum.
Monday 9th August 2021
My name is Ryan, I’m 24 and have been a volunteer at Crich for 7 Years! Starting out in 2014 as a Trainee Conductor and moving up to Driving in 2017. I am also a qualified driver/ conductor with Blackpool Transport Services LTD supporting the Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours as well as a qualified driver with Nottingham Express Transit (NET)! You could comment it is a bus-man’s holiday but the reason I love volunteering so much is that without volunteers, many organisations would not be here today. To give something back to the founding ancestors of these attractions and of course be part of a fantastic friendly diverse team!
I first chose Crich in 2014 while studying in college for a degree in Travel and Tourism. The invaluable experience of a customer facing role allowed me to grow as a person and take away this knowledge to previous and my current job. Recently I have been involved within projects to secure 2nd generation artifacts from NET and build relationships between modern operators and the vintage pastimes of yesteryear! A fundamental lifeline to showcase the key differences in tramway operations and build on existing knowledge of safety so that our staff volunteers ensure that our visitors have a safe and enjoyable day out. It is important that we secure this relationship so that you our visitors can continue to enjoy Crich Tramway Village!