The Suburban Electric Railway Association exists to carry out the following:

The preservation of examples of electrically powered multiple units, locomotives or vehicles from British electrically operated railways.

The preservation of documents and other artefacts relevant to the design, construction, operation, closure and socio-economic impact of British electrically operated railways and rolling stock.

These items are chosen on the basis that they fully meet one or more of the following criteria that cannot be defined by any other item:

The representation of a specific geographical electrified network of lines for which they were specifically built or had, for a lengthy period, come to be in everyday use and are thus typical of an era of operation upon that specific network.

The traction equipment is typical of a stage of development within the technological evolution of electric traction and train control or the equipment represents a significant stage of innovation that led to advancement of traction and control equipment.

The vehicle styling is typical of design practice for a specific era or geographic standard or represents significant attempt at innovation in styling.

The vehicle or equipment is representative of a manufacturer.

The vehicle is representative of a specific method of operation, traction current supply or any other individual feature that is regarded as historically interesting and worthy of retention in a heritage environment.

The Suburban Electric Railway Association (SERA) was formed in 1996, but was then called the Mersey & Tyneside Electric Preservationists as the group had the original intention to secure for preservation the Merseyside 503 and the South Tyneside EPB electric multiple units (EMUs). Both these aims were achieved within 8 months and the group expanded its aims over the next couple of years to promote the preservation of DC electric suburban trains from all areas of England. With this expansion of aims came a need to create a new identity that reflected the national scope of the group and so in 1998 the group changed its name to the Suburban Electric Railway Association.

SERA has now assembled the largest private collection of electric multiple units in the country and they are all located at the Coventry Electric Railway Centre. This site has become not only the centre of activity for the group's restoration work, but the basis for the groups plans to develop an electric traction heritage centre where EMUs and other items of DC electric railways can be displayed with limited operation as a permanent and lasting monument to the story of the phenomenal spread of electrification and the movement of masses of people into, out of and around the Suburbs. The eventual development of such a site may hapen elsewhere if Coventry is not suitable but for now the SERA has a stable base of operations in pursuit of their aim for a permanent home for the heritage of electric traction.

SERA will need to continue to grow in stature if it is to succeed in its aims, it is run entirely by volunteers and to date all work has been undertaken with funding from donations, membership subscriptions and group sales as it does not receive grants of any kind. SERA is hoping to become a registered charity in the near future.

Matthew Hannam - Administration Officer

Matthew is also a rail professional in his 'day job', being currently employed as a driver with a train operations company based in the south of England. Matthew joined SERA in its early days shortly after its formation and soon became an active member. He was very successful in running the scheme to purchase 4-SUB unit 4732 for preservation. Matthew has to handle all manner of issues with SERA, from volunteers to spare parts.