10.30, 3rd July 2025
Sheerness Station
THE SINGING TRAIN
To celebrate 200 years of train travel, since the first passenger journey on 27th September 1825, EKC Sheppey Secondary School decided to create a very special event.
EKC Sheppey Secondary School is station adopter to all 5 stations along the Swale Rail Line (Sheerness, Queenborough, Swale, Kemsley and Sittingbourne). To spread the joy and celebration, we decided to offer a unique Singing Train experience, with the year 7 Choir creating a beautiful 20 minute repertoire of their favourite songs.
They got dressed up, wearing some fun Railway 200 headbands and arrived at the station ready for their (quite literally) moving performance! To manage number the free tickets were booked in advance using Eventbrite with friends, family and members of the public gathering at Sheerness Station at 10.30 eager for the event to unfold.
With the 10.42 train running a few minutes late, we bustled onto our special performance carriage quickly, with audience taking their seats. The carriage had been decked out (by Project Officer Vicky Wright and EKCSS Tutor Ms Jones beforehand, with EKC SS students ” I heart Sheppey” artwork printed on vinyl and displayed on the glass.
As the train pulled away from Sheerness Station the singing began, with pupils enjoying their favourite and well-rehearsed songs gathering momentum and confidence as they sailed through the Swale countryside. Special choreography developed by student Lacey was performed with group synchronised actions and dancing.
Performing on a train isn’t as easy as it seems, especially if you standing. The choir did brilliantly and there was a particular and fun a memorable moment when a jolting of the brakes as it neared a station, brought a collective steadying and laughter with the bumpy ride.
Audience members included a class from Queenborough Primary School who were delighted to watch the performance and enjoy a unique train journey during school time. Members of the public commented how enjoyable it was to have a touch of community magic on their journey, and family and friends left thrilled.
We are incredibly lucky to have Nikita-Dean Hart (a talented local videographer) creating a special film capturing the essence of the project, which we hope to share with you later this year.
Supported and Partnered by:
Thanks go to the Community Rail Network (Small Grants Fund) and Southeastern (Customer and Community Improvement Fund) for their essential support in funding this project.
