ABSTRACT

Among the many different types of heritage activities, railways have been drawing interest from researchers over recent years with the focus ranging from volunteering to sustainability. This paper considers the value of Action Research (AR) to the wider field of leisure through the prism of Serious Leisure (Stebbins, R. A. 1992. Amateurs, professionals and serious leisure. McGill-Queen’s University Press) participants in the heritage railway sector. Using AR methodology, it discusses the importance of local community engagement and the dedication of leisure time in providing a range of benefits to local heritage sites. The focus of the research is on the engagement between the Caledonian Railway and the local community in Brechin, Scotland. The railway is a non-profit organisation, with funds being reinvested into restoration and preservation. In this sense the participation and effort of the community is essential for the survival of the heritage site and activity. The use of AR as the methodological approach enabled this project to follow a recurring spiral process of planning, acting, observing (or evaluating), and learning. The AR contributed to re-think the development of the railway’s activities as a transformational Serious Leisure experience to locals and recommended focusing on fostering social cohesiveness with stronger links with schools and other community groups.

摘要

在众多不同类型的遗产活动中，铁路近年来引起了研究人员的兴趣，重点从志愿服务到可持续性。本文通过严肃休闲 (Stebbins, RA 1992.业余爱好者、专业人士和严肃休闲的. McGill-Queen's University Press) 遗产铁路部门的参与者。使用 AR 方法，它讨论了当地社区参与和休闲时间在为当地遗产地提供一系列好处方面的重要性。研究的重点是喀里多尼亚铁路与苏格兰布雷钦当地社区之间的互动。铁路是一个非营利组织，资金被重新投资于修复和保护。从这个意义上说，社区的参与和努力对于遗产地和活动的生存至关重要。使用 AR 作为方法论方法使该项目能够遵循计划、行动、观察（或评估）和学习的循环螺旋过程。