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Monday 23 Feb 2026

Network Rail and South Western Railway continue their commitment to supporting heritage railways with The Watercress Line agreement and charitable donation

Region & Route:

Southern: Wessex

• Network Rail and The Watercress Line sign a collaborative agreement to work closer together in the future
• Sales of limited-edition Wes and Sandy soft toys raise £8,000 for charity since 2 February
• Cheques were presented to Scotty’s Little Soldiers and The Watercress Line at special Railway 200 Inspiration Train event
• South Western Railway also donated a stock of surplus railway materials for use on The Watercress Line

Network Rail, South Western Railway (SWR) and the Mid-Hants Railway, affectionately known as The Watercress Line, celebrated the visit of the Railway 200 Exhibition Train by taking steps to work more closely together in the future.

All parties came together at a special event held on Friday 20 February at The Watercress Line’s Ropley station to coincide with a visit by the Railway 200 Inspiration Train, which is touring the country to mark 200 years of the modern railway.

Network Rail sign collaborative agreement with The Watercress Line

Network Rail have signed a collaborative agreement with the Watercress Line, one of a suite of agreements supporting heritage railways.

The agreement also provides opportunities for hands-on training and skills development. Network Rail will use the Watercress Line’s facilities to deliver practical coaching for employees and apprentices, focusing on maintenance, inspection, and fault-finding across a range of railway assets.

In return, The Watercress Line will benefit from Network Rail’s in-kind expertise and volunteer support, as staff are encouraged to use their volunteering leave to assist with maintenance and operations on the heritage railway.

The Watercress Line will also receive donations of redundant railway assets from Network Rail’s Wessex Route. These are no longer required on the mainline network but suitable for the heritage sector as trains run at slower speeds.

The agreement also commits both organisations to regular meetings to deepen their partnership, align activities, and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

SWR make donation following sales of Wes and Sandy plushies

Cheques totalling £8,000 were presented to two charities; The Watercress Line and Scotty’s at the event.

The funds were generated through sales of limited-edition plush toys of Wes and Sandy, SWR’s popular avian ambassadors which went on sale via The Watercress Line’s website, with 100% of proceeds shared between Scotty’s and The Watercress Line.

Visitors to the railway were delighted to meet Wes and Sandy in person, as the popular characters joined celebrations and helped welcome guests to the Inspiration Train.

In addition to the fundraising, SWR donated surplus railway materials, including fish plates and stretcher bars to The Watercress Line. While no longer required on the mainline network, the materials will support the heritage railway’s track maintenance and restoration work. 

Speaking on behalf of Network Rail and South Western Railway, Tom Desmond, operations director, said: “We aim to collaborate with heritage railways across our network to establish partnerships, enabling the sharing of both capabilities between our organisations and for materials otherwise destined for recycling to be repurposed effectively.”

“The ‘Route Agreement’ establishes a transparent framework for cooperation, presenting promising prospects not only for Network Rail and The Watercress Line but also for broader society. It is the perfect time to sign this agreement with the Railway 200 exhibition train, Inspiration, at Ropley, commemorating the bicentenary of railway passenger travel.

“We’re very proud to support the communities we serve, and this charity sale has given our customers and partners across the network a fun way to support two very deserving causes. We’re incredibly grateful for the generosity shown in such a short time and delighted our fluffy bird mascots could help raise money for Scotty’s and The Watercress Line.”

Rebecca Dalley from The Watercress Line added: “The opportunity to sign this agreement with Network Rail allows us all to find ways to help each other with a transparent framework for co-operation.   The immediate repurposing of track materials will help our dedicated volunteers to keep our track in tip top condition, supporting our education mission and social value of Hampshire’s heritage railway as well as offering an effective recycling route for redundant assets.  

We have had great fun setting up our on-line shop and dispatching Wes and Sandy all over the country to fans.  It is hugely generous of SWR to donate the proceeds to The Watercress Line Heritage Railway Trust that supports the railway through fundraising. 

There couldn’t be a better time to celebrate all these initiatives as the Inspiration train graces our Ropley station.  Behind the scenes, the Network Rail team has been working hard to make sure we could have this opportunity and we can’t thank them and the South Western Railway team enough for the varied upfront commitments to our partnership. 

Sarah Bunn, Scotty’s Corporate Fundraising Manager said: “SWR have supported Scotty’s since 2024, helping to raise awareness and funds to support our work with children and young people, aged 0 to 25, who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.

“The donation will help ensure bereaved military children and their families are supported, empowered, and never alone, and we’d like to say a huge thank you to all the people who contributed by buying Wes and Sandy plushie and to SWR for their continued support.”