A first-of-its-kind agreement in Kent, in south east England, could see freight trains return to the East Kent Railway for the first time in almost four decades. The publicly-owned Southeastern Railway has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the volunteer-led heritage line, paving the way for donated infrastructure, shared facilities, and future freight opportunities.
The move comes as both organisations look ahead to marking this year’s bicentenary of the railway in the region. With local support, the agreement aims to reconnect the heritage line to the national network, opening up the prospect of commercial freight movements and helping to deliver the government’s rail freight growth targets.
Freight future for heritage and mainline
Under the deal, Southeastern will donate redundant materials – including rails, sleepers, and equipment – that would otherwise be recycled elsewhere. In return, the heritage line will provide facilities already used from time to time by Southeastern staff, particularly for training purposes away from the mainline.
The agreement represents the first such partnership between Southeastern and a heritage line. The line last saw freight traffic in 1987, when its historic role serving the Kent Coalfield ended (along with the end of coal mining in the UK). The four-mile round trip now carries tourists between Shepherdswell and Eythorne, through the wooded valleys once dominated by pithead gear. The partners hope to attract third-party funding to upgrade infrastructure and restore a physical link, enabling local businesses to benefit from a sustainable transport option. The prospect is in line with national ambitions to increase rail freight’s share of the logistics market.
Bicentenary celebrations as backdrop
The agreement coincides with preparations to celebrate two hundred years of railways in Kent in 2025. “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,” said David Davidson, chief operating officer for Southeastern Railway. “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.”
Marketing opportunities will be explored at Southeastern stations and on the company’s website, giving the heritage line greater visibility. There is also potential for the adoption of Shepherdswell station, which provides the link between the mainline and the heritage branch. “The East Kent Railway is delighted to enter into this Memorandum of Understanding with our friends at Southeastern,” said Matthew Plews, general manager of the East Kent Railway Trust. “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.”
Once the lifeblood of the Kent Coalfield, the East Kent Railway played a vital role in the industrial identity of the region. The decline of mining ended its commercial purpose, but industry lives on in the county, as frequently reported by RailFreight.com. For the East Kent line, volunteers stepped in to preserve the four-mile route as a living museum. Today, the line offers a scenic journey through the countryside, connecting the villages of Shepherdswell and Eythorne, and telling the story of the area’s industrial past. Bringing freight back would help reconnect that history with the present.