Entries for heritage railway ‘Oscars’ are coming in – and new categories, too
NOMINATIONS for the Heritage Railway Association Annual Awards 2023 – described as the sector’s ‘Oscars’– are now being submitted.
Following a major overhaul and several new categories, the biggest awards event in the sector now features 11 categories to celebrate the achievements of member railways, tramways and rolling stock owning groups over the past year.
The prestigious awards have been specifically designed to ensure that all types of HRA member organisations have the opportunity to enter one or more categories. As reported last issue, a new category – one of five this year – which is already generating excitement is Railway of the Year. It will be given to the railway, tramway or funicular railway that has achieved and consistently demonstrated excellence in visitor experience, business, safety and operations, teamwork and equality, preservation, restoration and engineering. Organisers hope that the award will become one of the most coveted in the entire railway sector. It will recognise high quality across a whole organisation, rather than one specific element.
HRA chief executive Steve Oates said: “These awards are for the whole of the heritage railway sector. Whether you are a large, medium, or smaller-sized railway, a tramway, or even a rolling stock owning group, there is at least one category for you. Even our new Railway of the Year category has been created in a way that celebrates success in a whole variety of ways and not just numbers.
“What sets these awards apart from so many is that we celebrate not only the brilliant work being done in heritage rail, but also the people doing it. Last year saw record numbers of young volunteer entries and this year we’ve expanded with more categories to recognise the people making a real difference to heritage railways and tramways.”
The closing date for entries at www.hra.uk.com is December 21. Winners will be announced at the awards evening in Birmingham on Saturday, March 11.