The meticulous, decade-long restoration of a Bulleid ‘Pacific’, the Stockton and Darlington’s Railway’s ground-breaking anniversary train and the world’s oldest working railway were among big winners at this year's Heritage Railway Association Annual Awards.
The event in the North Wales coastal resort of Llandudno on March 7 saw the biggest ever turnout for an HRA event following a record-breaking number of entries. More than 300 people from heritage rail organisations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland came together at the awards evening, which had Transport for Wales as its headline sponsor.
Watercress Line-based Bulleid’ ‘Merchant Navy’ Class ‘Pacific’ No. 35005 Canadian Pacific was the clear winner in the Steam Locomotive Award, sponsored by NFP. The demanding project, which included the complete replacement of inner firebox – the first for a ‘Merchant Navy’ in preservation, impressed judges with its ingenuity and determination. ‘Can Pac’ knocked former South African Railways ‘NG15’ Class 2-8-2 No. 134 at the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways, Barclay fireless locomotive Boots No. 1 based at the West Somerset Railway, and the diminutive 2ft gauge Telford Town Tram into the runners up spots.
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The Diesel and Electric award went to a completely different veteran of rails in Southern England. Unique Network South East Class 03 No. 03179 Clive has been restored by a small team for use at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. Judges were convinced that the 204hp shunter was an award winner thanks to the attention to detail throughout a nine-year-long restoration. Highly commended in the category were Great Central Railway Class 27 No. 27056, Motor Rail Simplex pair Morris and Ubique from the Chasewater Railway and Hunslet 0-4-0 diesel mechanical works No. 1786 of 1935 on the Middleton Railway.
In what could almost be regarded as a southern region 1, 2, 3 finish – the Rolling Stock Award, sponsored by Capitol Industrial Batteries, was taken by a former Southern Railway vehicle. The story of a 32-year journey from a source of spare parts to a beautifully restored and fully working carriage of Hastings line brake carriage No. 3687 captured the imagination of judges. The 1931-built brake third was painstakingly revived by a volunteer-led team at the Bluebell Railway. Runners up in the category were the Talyllyn Railway’s replica gunpowder van, the Severn Valley Railway’s accessible buffet car conversion No. 9581, and the Bala Lake Railway’s replica Penrhyn saloon carriage.
The north of England arguably took bigger honours though. The Tanfield Railway was surprise winner of the Railway of the Year title, sponsored by Transport for Wales. Judges were won over by the big increases in both passenger numbers and turnover seen by the County Durham line, alongside national media attention for the celebrations of its 300th anniversary. Highly commended in the category were the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, Seaton Tramway, and Vale of Rheidol Railway.
Wales was not to miss out either. The impressively restored Oswestry station on the Cambrian Heritage Railways will have the ‘Station of the Year’ plaque to add to its walls. Judges were impressed by the railway and community use of the only main line pre- grouping headquarters station in preservation. Just missing in the category, sponsored by The Vale of Rheidol Railway, were Blue Anchor station on the West Somerset Railway, Sherringham Station on the North Norfolk Railway and Seathorne Bank station on the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway.
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The Infrastructure Award, sponsored by GeoInspections, was won by the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway for its ‘predict and prevent’ asset management strategy that is delivering improved resilience and reliability on the line. Highly commended were, the National Railway Museum’s refurbishment and reinterpretation of Station Hall in York, the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway’s ‘Independent Line’ project and Peak Rail’s traditional locomotive watering facility.
The Vale of Rheidol Railway won the Achievement of the Year category, sponsored by Allelys. The Aberystwyth-based line’s ‘Collection X’ project, which relocated over fifty rare locomotives and carriages from Surrey to new homes across Wales and beyond, really wowed the judges. As did the highly acclaimed book Narrow Gauge Enigma, which was published to catalogue the history of the collection. Projects that were not quite so lucky this time around included the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group’s replacement of a cylinder on their ‘Q6’ locomotive and Seaton Tramway’s new Jurassic Discovery attraction. The Downpatrick and County Down Railway ‘Moyexit’ rescue of four diesel locomotives, and the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways interpretation and restoration of Boston Lodge were also highly commended.
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The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is arguably most famous for its association with the classic The Railway Children. So it should come as no surprise that the West Yorkshire line’s Railway Children Theatre show was the winner of the Event of the Year award, sponsored by Fox and Edwards Events. The collaboration with Bradford City of Culture and York Theatre Royal included a steam train ride through the set of the original film and a two-hour theatre show. Just missing out this time around were Hampton and Kempton Waterworks Railway for its Railway 200 event, the Talyllyn Railway for its Awdry Extravaganza, the Bluebell Railway for its Railway 200 events, and the Tanfield Railway for its 300th anniversary celebrations.
In another win for Yorkshire, the Middleton Railway was awarded Innovation of the Year, sponsored by Merac. The pioneering little line won the title for its innovative railway almoner role, which 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. Runners up were the Kent and East Sussex Railway’s gaming train, the Severn Valley Railway’s Boogie Lights Express and the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway’s The Christmas Carol Theatre Production.
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Heritage railways would not be possible without dedicated people from all walks of life. The HRA Annual Awards have a number of categories that recognise outstanding people and groups in the sector.
For the first time, the longstanding Lord Faulkner Young Volunteer of the Year award has joint winners after the judging process produced a dead heat. Jamie Taylor from the Fife Heritage Railway and Ben Wilson from the Tanfield Railway were both awarded the top prize. Samuel Jones from the Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway and Shea McKee from the Downpatrick and County Down Railway just missed out and were awarded highly commended trophies.
Although the Downpatrick and County Down Railway just missed out in young volunteers award, the team will be taking a trophy back to Northern Ireland. The Rising Star award, sponsored by PNP Events was won by 26-year-old compliance officer Christopher McCausland despite a packed shortlist. He narrowly beat Watercress Line Education and Outreach Coordinator, Daniel Ball, North Yorkshire Moors Railway mechanical apprentice Charlie Bauckham, Severn Valley Railway project leader Jack Baldwin, and Lynton and Barnstaple Railway event and marketing coordinator, Rebecca Paterson.
It was a strong win for electric traction in the Team of the Year award, sponsored by Pure Global. Despite coming up against the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway’s Catering Team, Isle of Wight Steam Railway Events Team, and Great Central Railway-based Heavy Tractor Group - the Southern Electric Traction Group were triumphant. The small team has restored ‘4VEP’ Electric Multiple Unit No. 3417 Gordon Pettitt to operational condition after years of storage.
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Alongside the main awards categories, four additional awards were presented this year, making the 2026 event comfortably the biggest ever HRA Awards.
In a joint honour in association with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Heritage Rail, their long-standing and hugely respected secretary Chris Austin received a special award in recognition of his dedication and outstanding service to railway preservation. Mr Austin has played a key role in many of the successes that heritage rail has seen in Westminster in recent decades, helping to ensure the sector does not suffer unintended consequences from many pieces of legislation.
The Railway 200 Award was given to the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways for their 200 Wheels on the Cob event. The hugely popular event was a joint celebration marking not only the national Railway 200 anniversary, but also 70 years since passenger trains returned to the legendary narrow gauge line in the preservation era. Following years of planning, the event culminated in a cavalcade featuring 25 steam locomotives, which comfortably surpassed the 200 wheels aim – delivering 234 in total.
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In contrast the Chairman’s Special Award was this year presented to a railway that overcame adversity in truly admirable fashion. When the Severn Valley Railway suffered a devastating landslip at Mor Brook it cut the line in two. Despite predictions that it could take up to 12 months for the railway to recover, the line was reinstated in only six months. Innovative design, support from Network Rail thanks to an established relationship with the SVR and a concerted effort by more than 100 volunteers ensured the railway could be reopened in time to host world famous ‘A3’ No. 60163 Flying Scotsman.
Last, but certainly not least, the anniversary train, headed by the replica Locomotion, which spearheaded the Stockton and Darlington Railway’s 200th anniversary celebrations was presented with the Manisty Award for Excellence. The team that made the ground-breaking journey from Shildon to Stockton via Darlington possible were given the honour in recognition of the huge effort required to make the spectacle possible on the modern railway network. The Manisty award is the most prestigious presented by the HRA and is named after preservation pioneer Captain Peter Manisty, who was one of the organisations first chairmen.
Heritage Railway Association Chairman, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, said: “This event is a perfect example of the breadth, the strength, but also the resilience of the heritage rail sector during 2026. While it’s entirely natural that big, exciting steam locomotives like ‘Can Pac’ grab the headlines, this years HRA Awards have been the strongest ever across the board.
“They tell the story of a sector that sees opportunities and grasps them, like the Stockton and Darlington anniversary train. A sector that refuses to be beaten by even the most dramatic of challenges, like at Mor Brook on the Severn Valley Railway. And a sector that encourages the next generation of hands-on volunteers and future leaders, exemplified by Ben and Jamie here.
“Running a heritage railway has perhaps never been harder thanks to a whole range of external economic and societal challenges. But these awards prove without a shadow of doubt that heritage rail can carve out a successful future where we preserve what is important and adapt to overcome whatever is thrown at us next.”
