Can you spot our Friendly Army along the line between Shepherdswell and Eythorne?
Six artistic sculptures were designed by artist Gabor Stark and built with help from EKR volunteers in conjunction with the Dover Museums and Arts Group.
The Friendly Army
Gabor Stark collaborated with the East Kent Railway as part of the Dover Museums and Arts Group project, Joined Up, a commemorative initiative focused on the First World War. This collaborative effort aimed to intertwine museums, heritage, and the arts within the Dover District. Each of the ten participating organizations, including the East Kent Railway, was assigned artists who delved into the site-specific connections to World War I. These artists then crafted unique artworks to reinterpret the historical collections associated with the war.
The East Kent Railway, an industrial railway initially constructed to serve the Kent coalfield, currently operates with the dedication of volunteers. Gabor Stark, the chosen artist for this heritage line, worked closely with the railway to create The Friendly Army, a series of six sculptures strategically placed along the tracks. These sculptures serve as historical markers, tracing the site’s connections to the First World War and delineating the thresholds and crossings between the railway and its surrounding landscape.
Constructed entirely from materials found on-site, The Friendly Army sculptures were built in collaboration with East Kent Railway volunteers. These sculptural pioneers stand as guardians, surveying the tracks and visually re-establishing the former links between the railway and the East Kent collieries. Additionally, they guide visitors and passers-by along a curated sequence of stations and situations, offering a unique perspective on the historical significance of the East Kent Railway in the context of the First World War.
The Tower
The sculpture “Tower” draws its vertical form inspiration from the chimneys and headgear structures of the collieries associated with the East Kent Railway line. A poignant connection to World War I is established as miners, employed during the war, undertook tunnelling and explosives planting beneath enemy lines. Positioned adjacent to the public footpath in Eythorne, “Tower” becomes an integral part of the Miners Heritage Trail. This strategic location allows it to guide walkers along the remnants of the former collieries and mining villages within the Kent Coalfield, emphasizing the historical significance of the East Kent Railway in wartime efforts.
Pegasus
On the other hand, the sculpture “Pegasus” takes its winged form inspiration from the German aeroplanes that flew over Shepherdswell to Dover during the final Moonlight Raid on England on the night of May 19th to 20th, 1918. Placed atop the surviving brick abutment of Wigmore Lane Bridge, which once extended to Tilmanstone Colliery, “Pegasus” stands as a marker at the northern terminus of the remaining East Kent Railway line. This location symbolically ties the sculpture to the railway’s historical role during wartime and highlights the connection between the railway line and significant events from World War I.
Organ
Given the historical significance of the East Kent Railway, once linking Richborough Port with the London-Dover main line, the site played a pivotal role in both the First and Second World Wars. The sculpture “Organ,” situated at the farmers crossing in Eythorne, serves as a poignant reminder of this history. Drawing inspiration from the muzzles of Howitzer railway guns stationed at the sidings in Eythorne and Shepherdswell during World War II, “Organ” encapsulates the military presence and strategic importance of the railway during wartime.
Receiver
The sculpture “Receiver” pays homage to early acoustic location devices that predated radar technology. Functioning from mid-World War I to the early years of World War II, these devices passively detected enemy aircraft by capturing the sound of their engines. Reflecting this historical technology, “Receiver” utilizes two metal tubes sourced from EKR water pipes dating back to the 1910s. Initially connecting the water well to the storage tank in The Knees Woodland at Shepherdswell, and subsequently feeding water towers along the tracks, these pipes now serve as listening devices channelling the ambient soundscape at Eythorne Station. This artistic transformation intertwines the railway’s infrastructure history with the innovative military technologies of the past.
Dragoon
The sculpture “Dragoon” draws inspiration from the war horses that were transported on the EKR line to and from Hammill (Woodnesborough) Colliery during World War I. The Hammill site, initially a colliery, transformed into a cavalry remount unit and took over shortly after the war’s outbreak. The colliery buildings served as stables for the horses before they were deployed to the front. This poignant sculpture not only commemorates the significant role of horses in wartime but also alludes to the heraldic dragon of The Buffs Royal East Kent Regiment. In connection with the Dover District war memorials, many fallen soldiers honoured on these memorials served with The Buffs in the First World War, adding layers of historical symbolism to “Dragoon.”
Cross
Conversely, the sculpture “Cross” is a three-dimensional representation of the EKR crossing signs along the railway tracks. Positioned beside Shepherdswell Road, near the first farmers crossing after the Golgotha Tunnel, this artwork evokes the concept of wayside and conciliation crosses. Additionally, it pays homage to the war memorials in Shepherdswell, Eythorne, and other villages in East Kent. Through its design and placement, “Cross” becomes a symbolic tribute to the sacrifices made during wartime, connecting the railway’s history with the broader commemorative landscape of the region.