Heritage Railway Association awards shortlist revealed
CONTENDERS for the Heritage Railway Association’s annual awards have been announced ahead of the awards ceremony in Brighton on February 10.
The Coiley Award for Steam Locomotive
Engineering will be contested by the Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust for the overhaul of No. 60007; the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways for the construction of ‘Double Fairlie’ 0-4-4-0T James Spooner; and the Richmond Light Railway for the overhaul of 2ft Bagnall 0-4-0ST Pixie.
The award for Diesel and Electric Locomotion features the North Norfolk Railway’s restoration of Class 104 DMU driving trailer No. M56182, Seaton Tramway’s accessibility upgrade of Tramcar No. 9 and the Severn Valley Railway’s events celebrating 50 years of diesel preservation.
The Railway of the Year category has an all-narrow gauge shortlist of the Seaton Tramway, Ravenglass & Eskdale, and Volks Electric Railway.
The Morgan Award for Rolling Stock Preservation
features a shortlist of four: the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s restoration of a MR six-wheel crane; the Manx Electric Railway for the restoration of car No. 19; the Severn Valley Railway for the restoration of LMS-designed corridor composite carriage No. 24617; and the National Wagon Preservation Group for its MGR coal train project.
The Keith & Dufftown Railway’s ‘Dram Tram’ conversion of a DMU car, Seaton Tramway’s Natural Seaton Festival and the Kent & East Sussex Railways’ Santa Specials ‘quiet day’ are all contenders in the Award for Business and Customer Innovation.
The Natural Seaton Festival is also in the running for the Award for Environmental
Innovation alongside the Kent & East Sussex Railway’s Looking Inwards and Outwards
environmental initiative. Shortlisted for the Lord Faulkner Young Volunteer
award are the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway’s
Daisy Shennan; Downpatrick & County Down Railway’s Jonathan King; Peak Rail’s Jacob Short; and Avon Valley Railway’s Joseph Dean.
The RM-sponsored Preservationist of the
Year will go to Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster, managing director of the Severn Valley Railway and co-founder of the Class 50 Fund/ Alliance (for an interview with Mr Dunster, see page 38).
For more details see the website at www.hra.uk.com.