If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

HRA Annual Awards

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Sheff, Mar 9, 2026 at 3:47 PM.

  1. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2006
    Messages:
    8,426
    Likes Received:
    3,713
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Engineer & Heritage Volunteer
    Location:
    N Warks
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Do we know this year’s winners from the HRA awards ceremony held recently?
     
    Sheff, Mar 9, 2026 at 3:47 PM
    #1
  2. ghost

    ghost Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    May 29, 2006
    Messages:
    4,443
    Likes Received:
    6,044
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    N.Ireland
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Taken from their Facebook posts on the night:

    The Manisty Award for Excellence
    Winner - anniversary train, headed by the replica Locomotion, which spearheaded the Stockton and Darlington Railway’s 200th celebrations.

    Rising Star Award
    Winner - Downpatrick and County Down Railway’s 26-year-old compliance officer Christopher McCausland.

    Infrastructure Award
    Winner - the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway’s ‘predict and prevent’ asset management strategy

    Event of the Year Award
    Winner - the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway’s ‘Railway Children Theatre Show’

    Innovation of the Year Award
    Winner - Middleton Railway - their almoner role helps former volunteers who are no longer able to be active on the railway for a variety of reasons, still feel part of the Middleton Railway family.

    Team of the Year Award
    Winner - the small team at Southern Electric Traction Group that has restored ‘4VEP’ Electric Multiple Unit No. 3417 Gordon Pettitt.

    Diesel or Electric Locomotion Award
    Winner - the small team that has restored Network South East Class 03 No. 03179 Clive for use at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

    Rolling Stock Preservation Award
    Winner - Hastings line brake carriage No. 3687. The 1931-built brake third was painstakingly revived by a volunteer-led team at the Bluebell Railway.

    Station of the Year Award
    Winner - Oswestry station on the Cambrian Heritage Railways

    Lord Faulkner Award for Young Volunteers
    Winner(s) - for the first time, the award has joint winners. Massive congratulations to Jamie Taylor from the Fife Heritage Railway and Ben Wilson from the Tanfield Railway.

    Steam Locomotive Award
    Winner - Watercress Line-based Bulleid’ ‘Merchant Navy’ Class ‘Pacific’ No. 35005 Canadian Pacific

    Achievement of the Year Award
    Winner - the Vale of Rheidol Railway and the amazing ‘Collection X’ project.

    Railway of the Year Award
    Winner - the Tanfield Railway

    The Chairman’s Special Award
    Winner - the Severn Valley Railway for overcoming adversity after the devastating landslip at Mor Brook

    The Railway 200 Award
    Winner - the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways for their 200 Wheels on the Cob event.
     
    ghost, Mar 9, 2026 at 4:10 PM
    #2
    Bluenosejohn, Bikermike and Sheff like this.
  3. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2006
    Messages:
    8,426
    Likes Received:
    3,713
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Engineer & Heritage Volunteer
    Location:
    N Warks
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Thank you.
    I’m slightly surprised that the NG15 didn’t scoop the Steam Loco award.
     
    Sheff, Mar 9, 2026 at 4:14 PM
    #3
  4. William Fletcher

    William Fletcher Member

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2016
    Messages:
    309
    Likes Received:
    372
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Lincoln
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I wanted the fireless to win
     
    William Fletcher, Mar 9, 2026 at 4:40 PM
    #4
    Sheff likes this.
  5. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2014
    Messages:
    16,273
    Likes Received:
    19,725
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired, best job I've ever had
    Location:
    Buckinghamshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I would like to see a category for the most reliable mainline locomotive. Given the mileage they do covering the West Coast programme and being knocked to bits on the Mallaig road currently the winner would have to be one of Riley's Black 5s.
     
    Johnb, Mar 9, 2026 at 5:29 PM
    #5
    jnc and Sheff like this.
  6. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2006
    Messages:
    8,426
    Likes Received:
    3,713
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Engineer & Heritage Volunteer
    Location:
    N Warks
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    They’ve always interested me, but they’re not easy to operate unless you’ve a convenient source of high pressure hot water available.
    However, it guess it could be possible to in this day and age to fit electrical immersion heaters and ‘charge’ them up overnight on cheap electricity?
     
    Sheff, Mar 9, 2026 at 5:48 PM
    #6
  7. 21B

    21B Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2009
    Messages:
    5,017
    Likes Received:
    11,682
    I was surprised that a 9F with a relatively light overhaul beat an S15 that had had half the frames replaced by volunteers. It is opaque to me how the decisions get made.
     
    21B, Mar 9, 2026 at 7:09 PM
    #7
    jnc, Dunfanaghy Road and Sheff like this.
  8. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2006
    Messages:
    8,426
    Likes Received:
    3,713
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired Engineer & Heritage Volunteer
    Location:
    N Warks
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I thought CanPac won?
     
    Sheff, Mar 9, 2026 at 7:17 PM
    #8
  9. 21B

    21B Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2009
    Messages:
    5,017
    Likes Received:
    11,682
    It did this time. 506 was up for an award a year or three back.
     
    21B, Mar 9, 2026 at 7:34 PM
    #9

Share This Page