Community Rail Network’s corporate partners offer a variety of different skill sets, knowledge and opportunities to aid our members’ work and support the growth of community rail across Britain. 

Some fantastic examples come from our corporate partners SLC and SLC Property, who assist Community Rail Network members with free rail and property expertise regarding station and building projects.

Read on to hear some testimonials from members who have received support from SLC.

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Wivenhoe Library of Things

On Friday 1 May 2026, Susan Fisher and Huon Campbell from SLC Property attended the official opening of the Wivenhoe Library of Things.

The Wivenhoe Library of Things is a volunteer-run organisation that enables local people to borrow useful household and leisure items at low cost. Its collection includes garden tools, home cleaning and maintenance equipment, musical instruments, fancy dress costumes and even a karaoke machine!

The initiative is breathing new life into a previously underused railway building, creating a valuable community resource in the heart of Wivenhoe. Bringing the project to life, however, required specialist support to navigate complex property and legal agreements – which is when we stepped in!

SLC Property supported the project by:

• Securing change-of-use planning consent (with thanks to Alannah Mathewson for her work on this)

• Negotiating the lease for the premises

• Arranging pro bono legal advice from Addleshaw Goddard with special thanks to Christopher Batten for his support. 

Huon Campbell, associate director at SLC Property, said: “The Wivenhoe Library of Things is a great idea and it’s brilliant to see railway properties that were previously semi-derelict and boarded up being brought back into use. Supporting these types of agreements is our area of expertise and we always enjoy using our knowledge to help Community Rail Network projects that might not otherwise happen.”

Liam O’Brien, executive director of the Wivenhoe Library of Things said: “The Wivenhoe Library of Things is a volunteer-led organisation, and none of us had the legal understanding on how to navigate leasing a disused station property. SLC Property guided us through the process, from a change of use, to agreeing a 25 year lease. Now the building, once falling apart, is now a spruced up community hub that we can operate from for years to come.”

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Pulborough Station

Rowena Tyler, Arun Valley Line officer with Southeast Communities Rail Partnership, said: “As part of my role supporting the station partners to negotiate a community licence for the signal box at Pulborough, I reached out to Community Rail Network for advice. Our regional support and development team lead Jenni Jones put me in touch with SLC and Susan Fisher, operations director, couldn’t have been more helpful.

“After a preliminary chat to confirm the current situation, Susan attended several of our regular meetings with Network Rail, the station partners and Railway Heritage Trust. Her technical expertise and knowledge of railway infrastructure terminology was invaluable and I’m certain her involvement helped to secure a short and simple lease, acceptable to all parties.”

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St Albans Station

John Telford, chair of St. Albans Signal Box Preservation Trust, said: “I attended Community Rail Network’s Conference last year when a member of their support & development team spoke about Community Rail Network’s link to rail industry organisations and suppliers who could give advice to railway heritage outlets. Their team put me in touch with SLC, where I dealt with Nadir Saddiqui.

“Our Grade II listed 1892 Midland Signal Box, by the tracks at St. Albans City Station, still uses the cess pit from its operational days. Volunteers and the public use our toilet and we have to have the cess pit emptied twice a year. We felt that in the 21st century, we should look into a more modern solution, hence our discussions with SLC.

“Nadir and colleagues were most helpful and following discussions sent a comprehensive report on what our alternatives were, namely: a new cess pit; lining the existing pit; or linking up to the mains sewage system.

“We’re looking forward to our next Trustees Meeting, where we can discuss the report and decide what our next steps are. We are very grateful to SLC for these free advices, and would highly recommend them for any similar projects.”

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Herne Hill Station

Hayley Byfield, director of Station Hall Herne Hill Charity, said: “As a community project housed in an abandoned station waiting room, we found it essential to get guidance from within the industry.

“Community Rail Network introduced us to the consultants at SLC – their industry knowledge and contacts have been invaluable in engaging with Southeastern Rail and advising us on how best to take our project forwards. Our ambition to make the community arts centre accessible has still got a long way to go, but with the help of Community Rail Network and its partners, we hope to get there faster and better.”

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