Railway power workers took two days away from their usual duties to brighten a heritage railway station near Tenterden in Kent.

The eleven UK Power Networks Services staff helped with improvements to Kent and East Sussex Railway‘s Wittersham Road station.

They weeded the platform shingle and removed old plant boxes, and made a new planter out of railway sleepers to enhance the station entrance.

In their usual work, the high voltage rail team specialists maintain and upgrade electrical infrastructure for Network Rail, HS1 and Docklands Light Railway.

Led by rail programme manager Lee Ramsay, they gave their time to work at Wittersham Road station through Donate a Day, a scheme which allows UK Power Networks Services’ employees two days’ paid leave each year to work on local volunteer projects.

Kent and East Sussex Railway – which will soon be connected to the Rother Valley Railway after permission was secured for an extension – is owned by a charity and carries around ninety thousand visitors per year on its ten-and-a-half-mile railway line. It runs both steam and diesel trains between Tenterden, Northiam, and Bodiam.

For further information and events, or if you would like to volunteer, visit the Railway’s website.

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.”