A new agreement has been signed between South Eastern Railway (SER) and the East Kent Railway (EKR), a heritage line, that will see redundant railway materials donated to help reintroduce freight trains for the first time since 1987. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is the first of its kind in Kent.
The deal, signed at Shepherds Well station on Friday, 5th September, outlines SER’s intention to provide surplus assets, including rails and sleepers, to the EKR. In return, the heritage line will grant SER access to its facilities, which are already occasionally used for purposes like training.
This unique partnership brings together the publicly-owned South Eastern Railway with a volunteer-led heritage line. The collaboration aims to help the EKR maintain its infrastructure and expand its services, while also exploring opportunities for re-establishing commercial freight traffic. The latter would help achieve government targets for rail freight growth by encouraging a “modal shift” in the East Kent area.
Both organisations will seek third-party funding to reconnect the EKR to the national network. SER has also offered its engineering expertise to make the reconnection a reality.
David Davidson, Chief Operating Officer for South Eastern Railway, said: “Wherever we can, we will work with heritage railways across our network to forge a new partnership so that materials that would otherwise be recycled elsewhere to be re-used can find a new purpose. In turn, the East Kent Railway also has some excellent facilities which, because they are separate from the mainline network, provide the perfect opportunity for our colleagues to contribute to the local community. Working together through this memorandum of understanding provides a clear framework and we are excited about the possibilities it brings, not only to the South Eastern and East Kent Railways, but to wider society and the potential to support economic growth in East Kent. And, what better time to do it than in 2025, the bicentenary of the railway.”
The two organisations will also explore marketing opportunities and the potential adoption of Shepherds Well station, which links the mainline with the East Kent Railway.
Matthew Plews, General Manager of the East Kent Railway Trust, said: “The East Kent Railway is delighted to enter into this Memorandum of Understanding with our friends at the South Eastern Railway. There is a great deal of scope for cooperation between the national rail network and heritage railways. This agreement provides a framework for a deeper collaboration which will benefit us both, both in the short term and into the future.”
