KJ Bownes

Serviceable Railway Materials & Services

Supplying Railway Sleepers & Materials for Over 65 Years

One of the UK’s Largest Stockists for Railway Sleepers and Track Materials. Proudly supporting UK Rail infrastructure and landscaping projects since 1960.

Shop Now

Railway Sleepers, Materials, Building & Landscaping

Supplies One of the UK's Largest Stockists

Shop Now
woodland
SMB_college
cherwell_district
Balfour_beatty
Ealing_gov
Darlington
National
Aggregate_ind
Bristol_city
Torridge_district

Specialists in Railway Sleepers, Landscaping & Railway Materials

At K J Bownes & Sons, we supply high-quality railway sleepers, and railway materials. Our range includes hardwood, softwood, and concrete sleepers for gardens, landscaping, and construction, along with new and serviceable railway materials such as relayable sleepers, rails, crossing timbers, and track components.

We are a family-run business, founded in 1960 by Keith Bownes, with three generations still actively running operations. As a RISQS-approved supplier, we proudly work with major industry names, contractors, and heritage railways across the UK—trusted for our expertise, service, and dependable supply.

Specialists in Railway Sleepers, Landscaping & Railway Materials

At K J Bownes & Sons, we supply high-quality railway sleepers, and railway materials. Our range includes hardwood, softwood, and concrete sleepers for gardens, landscaping, and construction, along with new and serviceable railway materials such as relayable sleepers, rails, crossing timbers, and track components.

We are a family-run business, founded in 1960 by Keith Bownes, with three generations still actively running operations. As a RISQS-approved supplier, we proudly work with major industry names, contractors, and heritage railways across the UK—trusted for our expertise, service, and dependable supply.

We are passionate about railway sleepers!

At K J Bownes, we understand that every garden project is unique. That’s why we offer a complete range of railway sleepers for sale, from hardwood and softwood to concrete. No matter the size or scope of your project, we have great sleepers for sale to meet your needs.

We supply plain or chaired relayable sleepers, 60 ft rails, concrete sleepers, crossing timbers all length’s, all railway components even supplying new timber. Along with a quick and efficient delivery service to transport materials throughout the UK. Materials can be even craned off on to the trackside to customer’s requirements.

Railway sleepers

Hardwood Railway Sleepers ​

Hardwood Sleepers

Softwood Railway Sleepers​

Softwood Sleepers​

Concrete Railway Sleepers

Concrete Sleepers

Track removal & Industry services

At KJ Bownes, we don’t just offer railway sleepers for sale. KJ Bownes has, for many years, been one of the leading contractors in Britain for removing redundant railway track and depot clearance and line side removal of redundant railway assets. We have in place experienced, well-equipped teams who work safely and cleanly to provide a cost-effective service, no matter what the condition of your site.

Track Recovery
Serviceable Materials

What our customers say

Excellent service from first casual enquiry to delivery. Very helpful and communication excellent. We had spent ages trying to find the right size sleepers to replace our 30 year old ones and they had them in stock. Delighted with our finished project as we wanted a natural look.
Diana Corris
These sleepers are the best in the country and the service the company offers is exceptional. The untreated tropical sleepers are a mixture of super tough eucalyptus like ironbark, red gum and spotted gum and other rainforest timbers such as angelim and piqua. Recycling this wonderful wood is essential.
Eastbourne Fencing
Very helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable staff who could not have done more to ensure that I left with the best, most suitable sleepers possible. It was easily worth the 160-mile round trip to get such a service. Should I ever need untreated Jarrah sleepers again, I would not hesitate to visit again!
Steve Chandler
I ordered 20 railway sleepers from KJ Bownes last Thursday. They were helpful on the phone and were able to suggest a product & size that was ideal for my particular project. They delivered them the following day with no issues. Thoroughly happy, the sleepers and service was spot on.
Laura Machin
I bought a few sleepers and some slat slabs a while back. Cannot fault them, great service and fantastic product. Will be back in spring for more to finish my garden off.
Simon Cruse
Fantastic, found some lovely reclaimed sleepers. Reasonable price & delivery. Even went the extra mile and helped hand ball them round the back of the house. Would definitely use again.
Carina Martin
Excellent services. Quick turn around of service when I’ve asked for more Sleepers at an annoying last minute. I really appreciate this company. Many thanks you have helped our garden project to keep flowing smoothly when we could see we were going to run out of sleepers at the last minute. We managed to get more from you without any hassle and extremely quickly. 👌
Sandra Deeks

Gallery & Inspiration

Looking for inspiration for your next garden project? Or not sure what you can create using our garden sleepers for sale? Check out our gallery, which is filled with inspiring ideas.

See All Projects

UK railway sleepers

At K J Bownes & Sons we are one of the largest and biggest stockists of network rail sleepers in the whole of the United Kingdom. The reclaimed railway sleepers we stock include, reclaimed softwood and reclaimed hardwood sleepers as well as concrete railway sleepers. 

Many of our small and larger customers use our fantastic railway sleepers for garden and landscaping to create beautiful stunning areas for enjoyment and relaxation.

We also provide an amazing nationwide delivery service for all of our products. As most of our orders are bulk we provide a crane delivery service for our railway sleepers.

Frequently asked questions

What railway sleepers are best?

The best type of sleeper depends on your project. Hardwood sleepers are extremely durable and ideal for heavy-duty landscaping, while softwood sleepers are more affordable and easier to work with. Concrete sleepers are perfect for structural or industrial applications.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery typically takes 3–5 working days. If you need your order sooner or require delivery on a specific date, just let us know we’ll do our best to accommodate your request.

Do you deliver nationwide?

Yes, we offer nationwide delivery across the UK. No matter where you’re located, we can arrange delivery direct to you.

What’s the difference between grades of reclaimed sleepers?

 Grades indicate condition and appearance:

  1. Top/relay grade – nearly track-ready; minimal damage
  2. Grade 1 – good condition, mostly straight with minor cracks
  3. Grade 2–3 – rustic, weathered, with cracks or bowed edges—great for a natural, aged look
What is the weight of sleepers and how hard are they to lift?
  • Softwood: around 80–90 kg
  • Hardwood (Azobe/Jarrah): heavy-duty at 100–110 kg

 Mechanical assistance or team lifting and proper technique are recommended for safe handling

What makes sleepers environmentally friendly?
  • Reclaimed sleepers are the most sustainable they reuse existing timber, preserving resources and reducing waste.
  • Untreated hardwoods avoid chemical treatments, making them eco-friendly and safer for gardens.
Which type of railway sleeper is best for my project?

It depends on how and where you plan to use them. If you’re creating garden features, vegetable beds, or spaces where children or pets will play, we recommend using untreated hardwood sleepers, as they are natural, durable, and free from creosote.

If you’re after a more rustic or reclaimed look for landscaping projects where direct contact is minimal, our reclaimed softwood sleepers treated with creosote are a great, weather-resistant option. However, due to the creosote treatment, these are best avoided in areas with close human or animal contact.

Are your railway sleepers treated with creosote?

 Only our reclaimed softwood sleepers are treated with creosote for added weather resistance. All of our hardwood sleepers are untreated, making them a safer and more natural choice for high-traffic areas, gardens with children or pets, and for use in vegetable beds where creosote-treated wood is not recommended.

Do you supply new and serviceable railway materials for track relaying?

Yes, we stock a wide range of new and serviceable railway materials, including relayable sleepers, rails, and crossing timbers. We supply to contractors, industrial projects, and heritage railways.