Railway historian and TV presenter Tim Dunn will be at the helm of The HRA 2022 Annual Awards Evening.
Taking place on Saturday, March 19 in Birmingham, Tim is the special guest speaker at the ceremony, dubbed the Oscars of heritage rail.
With record entries once again, the outstanding achievements of railways, tramways, cliff railways, associated groups and individuals will be honoured.
Here is the shortlist of nominees in full:
The Morgan Award for Preservation
Awarded to an HRA member organisation for an outstanding achievement in the restoration of
carriages or rolling stock.
• The Kent & East Sussex Railway, for the Woolwich Coach, a demonstration of life
after Covid.
• Great Central Railway (Quorn Wagon & Wagon), for their completion of a 17-
vehicle Box Van train.
• Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, for the Ravenglass Historic Pullman Camping
Coaches.
The Coiley Locomotive Engineering Award
Awarded to an HRA member organisation who has completed an outstanding engineering project in
the overhaul, restoration, or preservation of, a locomotive or self-propelled vehicle.
• The Strathspey Railway, for their restoration of Class 5 Steam Locomotive 5025.
• Mid Suffolk Light Railway, for its 2ft gauge Ruston Diesel.
• The Mid Hants Railway Ltd (Watercress Line), for the Watercress Wickham
Restoration Project.
The HRA Award for Diesel Locomotion
Awarded to an HRA member organisation for excellence in the overhaul, restoration, preservation or
operation of a diesel locomotive(s) or self-propelled diesel vehicle(s).
• The Irish Traction Group, for Diesel Preservation in Ireland.
• The Isle of Wight Steam Railway, for Drewry Railcar No. 2.
• The East Anglian Railway Museum, for Restoration of Railbus E799963.
• Mid Suffolk Light Railway, for its 2ft gauge Ruston Diesel.
The Lord Faulkner Young Volunteer Award
Awarded to a volunteer under the age of 26, for significant achievement.
• Tristan Allen, Isle of Wight Steam Railway.
• Isaac Farnbank, Isle of Wight Steam Railway.
• Bradley Lambert, Tarka Valley Railway.
• James Shillabeer, Tramway Museum Society (Crich Tramway Village).
• Andrew Hanbury, Tramway Museum Society (Crich Tramway Village).
• Jake Butt, Mid-Hants Railway (Watercress Line).
• Jamie Randall, Leighton Buzzard Railway.
• Alex Duggan, Railway Preservation Society of Ireland.
• Morgan Young, Downpatrick and County Down Railway.
• David Reed, Tanfield Railway.
• Sarah Tagart, Kent & East Sussex Railway.
HRA Award for Communications
Awarded for excellence in any form of communication, advertising/marketing campaign or public
relations. This may cover any format (e.g. printed, broadcast or digital), and in any type of
media. Internal and External communications may be judged separately if there are sufficient
submissions.
External Communication:
• East Lancashire Light Railway, for ‘Transforming the East Lancashire Railway’s digital
presence’.
• Great Central Railway (Quorn Transport Films), for Quorn Transport Films.
• North Yorkshire Moors Railway, for ‘Love Your Railway’ campaign spearheaded by
the NYMR.
• Central Tramway Company, Scarborough, for ‘An Illustrated Guide to the Funicular
Railways of Great Britain’.
• The Isle of Wight Steam Railway, for ‘Island Rail News’ & 50th Anniversary Special
Edition.
• The Talyllyn Railway, for their Awdry Extravaganza.
Internal Communications:
• West Somerset Railway Association, for their West Somerset Railway Journal.
• Halesworth to Southwold Narrow Gauge Railway, for Communication with
members by weekly and quarterly illustrated newsletters.
• Friends of Vintage Trains, for ‘Steam in Trust’, the magazine of Friends of Vintage
Trains.
HRA Award for Environmental Innovation
Awarded to the HRA Operating Member that has produced the most innovative environmental
project or initiative.
• Bure Valley Railway, for ‘Sustainable Future for Steam’.
• Talyllyn Railway, for ‘Steaming Towards Net Zero’.
• Kent & East Sussex Railway, for ‘Green Diesel’.
Most Innovative Fundraising Idea
Awarded to the HRA Operating Member that has produced the most innovative fundraising project
or scheme during the Covid crisis.
• The Class 502 Preservation Trust, for ‘Merseyrail 50th Anniversary – 50 Years of
Progress’ book.
• Thomas and Lucy Isherwood, Downs Light Railway Trust, for ‘A brother and sister’s
success in securing major funding for their railway’.
• The Bluebell Railway, for ‘The Jewel in the Crown’ appeal to restore Horsted
Keynes station.
HRA Award for Small Groups
Awarded to an HRA member organisation, from the smaller categories of membership, for
excellence in developing their business, or for an item not covered elsewhere. (This may be for the
HRA member organisation as a whole, a group of its staff or volunteers, or an individual).
• Georail Services Ltd, Georail Heritage Volunteer Group.
• Bahamas Locomotive Society, for The Volunteers of the Bahamas Locomotive
Society.
• Cholsey and Wallingford Railway, for ‘Cholsey and Wallingford Railway – building
success’.
• Volk’s Electric Railway, for Lifetime achievement – Stuart Strong & Barry Fuller.
HRA Award for Large Groups
Awarded to an HRA member organisation, from the larger categories of membership, for excellence
in developing their business, or for an item not covered elsewhere. (This may be for the HRA
member organisation as a whole, a group of its staff or volunteers, or an individual).
• Railway Preservation Society of Ireland, for ‘One Good Turn Deserves Another’.
• Bodmin & Wenford Railway, for Bodmin & Wenford Railway.
• Nene Valley Railway, for Nene Valley Railway Youth Group.
• Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, for New Locomotive Department
Welfare Block.
• Great Western Society, for Great Western Society 60th anniversary and
celebrations.
HRA Award for an Outstanding Visitor Attraction
Awarded to an HRA member organisation, who provides an outstanding visitor experience. This is
aimed at the quality of the entire attraction experience for visitors, from arrival, through all parts of
the attraction, rides etc. friendliness, and ending at public departure. The experience from start to
finish. Whilst a larger more established organisation might score well in this category, smaller
organisations will also be judged on their merits.
• Bure Valley Railway.
• Seaton Tramway.
• Tramway Museum Society (Crich Tramway Village).
• Isle of Wight Steam Railway.
The HRA Chairman’s Special Award
This award is not awarded every year. It is given to a project that has shown
exceptional merit that the awards panel believes is outside the remit of the other awards.
Awarded to Railway Vehicle Preservations Ltd for “LNER Coronation Coach – Beavertail
1729 – Rebuild to 1937 Condition”
The Manisty Award for Excellence
The association’s most prestigious award. Given by the board of the HRA on an occasional basis
for an exceptional and outstanding contribution to railway preservation.
Awarded to The Talyllyn Railway for “70 Years of Pioneering Excellence”.
Heritage Rail Magazine Awards
The HRA Annual Awards evening also sees presentation of the heritage rail sector’s
magazine awards:
The Heritage Railway Magazine Interpretation Award.
The Rail Express Modern Traction Award.
The Railway Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Steam Railway Magazine’s annual readers’ award.
Book tickets for the ceremony here.
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