People can get a taste of helping out on North Norfolk's successful heritage rail line at a special open day this month.

The North Norfolk Railway relies on an army of volunteers, many with no previous railway experience, just lots of enthusiasm, to keep it on track.

The helpers on the Poppy Line, which last year had a record near 144,000 visitors, do tasks ranging from working on the platforms to in the tea and education rooms.

On Saturday May 21 from 11am to 3pm it is hosting a volunteering day at its three stations at Holt, Weybourne and Sheringham.

People can meet railway volunteers and get to know the varied opportunities on offer.

They include assisting the stationmaster, seeing the trains safely away, staffing the booking office – or even tending the gardens.

In catering and sales volunteers, who are all given thorough training, help visitors to enjoy more than just a train ride. And at Holt station, volunteers man the William Marriott Museum and help the railway's education department in out-of-the-classroom school projects.

'There's never a dull moment,' says Holt's volunteer stationmaster Tony Hey. 'Working on the railway you make new friends, meet all sorts of people.'

Mick Cambridge, volunteer stationmaster at Weybourne, makes the point that volunteers give the time that suits them: 'Some come for as little as a day a month, some for a few hours a week, some pretty well full time. We plan our rosters to suit our volunteers.'

Contacts at the stations on volunteering day are: Holt: Tony Hey, stationmaster; Jenny Phillips, education department or Dave King, William Marriott Museum. Weybourne: Mick Cambridge, stationmaster and at Sheringham, Rod Langsdale

For more information visit www.nnrailway.co.uk or call 01263 820 800