When there’s a tragedy on the tracks, the effects can stretch across dozens of different people.

The families of those killed or injured are in need of immediate support, as are the train drivers, transport police and other rail workers who can all be caught up in the aftermath.

Fortunately, help is at hand through a variety of sources.

For more than a century now, the Railway Mission has been lending support wherever it is needed.

Chaplain for the south east John Robinson said: "If there's a nasty incident, where someone is killed or seriously injured, we can be referred to a number of different people.

"We might be working with eye witnesses and railway staff, while also offering support to the family or the victim."

The charity started up as support for widows whose husbands had died building railways in the Victorian era.

Nowadays the Christian charity continues to provide everyday support to families who work on the rails, helping from issues at school to major terror incidents.

In March “lovely but lonely” Royceston Sargeant collapsed at East Malling station having suffering an epileptic fit.

Minutes later CCTV captured the 51-year-old staggering toward the end of the platform, before lying down on the tracks in a disorientated state.

Seconds later he was hit by a Canterbury-bound train travelling between 35-40mph.

The death was not ruled as a suicide, and a coroner instead gave a narrative verdict.

In December, "wonderfully bright and talented" 19-year-old Lara Calthrop was hit by a train at Hildenborough Station.

She took her own life after facing council tax debt and failing her second year university exams.

Between September 2017 and September 2018 293 people died on national railways, not including trams or London Underground. The vast majority were members of the public not listed as passengers or rail workers, with 249 deaths ruled as, or thought to be due to, suicide.

In the aftermath of such incidents, Southeastern, Network Rail and British Transport Police all have measures in place to keep their staff and families affected safe.

A Southeastern spokesman said: “Our colleagues are trained to deal with all manner of eventualities as part of their job.

“Supporting staff after an incident is crucial, we have a chain of care and various support services for colleagues who are involved in incidents across our network, regardless of whether they work on our trains or at our stations.”

Network Rail offers an employee assistance programme, providing information, advice and counselling free of charge every day of the year.

British Transport Police support drivers throughout any subsequent investigation, while also offering trauma support to officers and police staff.

Family liaison officers are also assigned, which can signpost families to the Railway Mission.

So far Mr Robinson has met with 300 staff from Southeastern, BTP and Network Rail.

The Hythe resident said: “What we’re trying to do is just be available for anyone that is suffering stressful difficulties.

“I can travel to meet staff at home or in a coffee shop, but it’s all confidential.

“I can signpost workers to counselling or refer them to their GP.”

If you're seeking emotional support, call Samaritans on 116 123.