Rail workers fast track station improvements

Railway workers stepped back in time to freshen up a heritage railway station in Kent.

Eleven staff from UK Power Networks Services’ projects high voltage rail team swapped their roles serving some of Britain’s busiest railway networks to lend a hand with improvements at Wittersham Road Station, near Tenterden, with Kent and East Sussex Railway (KESR).

The volunteers set to work with power tools, shovels and rakes to tidy up the station entrance and platform by removing old plant boxes, weeding the platform shingle and making a new planter out of railway sleepers at the station entrance.

Led by rail programme manager Lee Ramsay the specialists, who maintain and upgrade electrical infrastructure for Network Rail, HS1 and DLR railways, gave their time through Donate a Day, which allows UK Power Networks Services’ employees two paid days leave each year to work on local volunteer projects.

Graeme Durden, a project engineer at UK Power Networks Services who organised the challenge, said: “Most of us work on railway projects so there was a lot of excitement about working at a heritage railway. We hope our support keeps the running costs down for the charity and enables them to spend more funds on improvements to the railway.”

Brian Richards, KESR infrastructure manager, said: “The team did a fantastic job and we are delighted with their work. It was excellent and a great team building exercise.

“The majority of our work is done by volunteers and we couldn’t manage without them, so we always welcome volunteers who want to help the railway. No skills are required and people can give as much or as little time as they want.”

A charity owns and operates the 10.5-mile railway line carrying around 90,000 visitors a year on steam and diesel trains between Tenterden, Northiam and Bodiam.

For further information and events, or if you would like to volunteer, visit www.kesr.org.uk