The Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award
Although the awards has moved on from its initial focus on the heritage railway sector, we still welcome entries from heritage railways and other organisations which that devoted substantial volunteer effort to the restoration of their projects.
Over the years, newcomers to the heritage railway scene have successfully submitted entries. One has been the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Community Interest Company, which has entered its delightful rural station at Chelfham.
The original Lynton & Barnstaple Railway left the site before the Second World War, long before preserving minor railways was thought of, but fortunately its station here survived, albeit with later domestic extensions added.
Determined enthusiasts are recreating this iconic railway, and have worked hard at Chelfham to restore the station and its signal cabin to L&br/southern Railway condition, ready to receive trains that are already running further along the line at Woody Bay. The award was well-deserved.