HRA Awards 2025 - more information
Entries for the Heritage Railway Association Annual Awards 2025 are now open, with new categories including a ‘Station of the Year’ title.
Online entries for all 12 categories in the long-established awards are open now. Railways, tramways and rolling stock owning groups have until 8 November to finesse their entries for the prestigious honours.
The awards recognise excellence or innovation in almost every aspect of heritage railway and tramway restoration, preservation and operation. Recent winners have ranged from the Swanage Railway-based restoration of Victorian ‘T3’ Class steam locomotive No. 563, to the Llangollen Railway for their Corwen extension project, and the 15in gauge Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway for their marketing.
Two new categories have been created for the 2025 event. Station of the Year will be awarded to the station or halt that best demonstrates excellence in restoration or maintenance, customer service, facilities, and attention to detail. Meanwhile Achievement of the Year will be given to a railway or tramway that has delivered a significant achievement during the last 12-months. The achievement could be (but is not limited to) an event, business success, major milestone or any combination of these.
The fresh categories join ten existing awards that are up for grabs, including titles for restoration of steam locomotives, diesel or electric locomotives, and carriages or wagons. The hotly contested awards for young volunteers and rising stars also return, as do awards for infrastructure projects and marketing. Arguably the most prestigious award of all, ‘Railway of the Year’ also returns after being won by Brighton’s unique Volks Electric Railway in 2024.
The 2025 HRA Awards Evening and Dinner for finalists will be held at the Hilton NewcastleGateshead during February and will feature guest speakers and networking opportunities alongside a three-course meal.
All Heritage Railway Association member organisations are eligible to enter the awards. The online process to enter is simple and normally takes only a couple of hours. A judging panel chaired by the National Railway Museum’s Anthony Coulls will pour over all of the entries later this year to produce a shortlist. Shortlisted entrants will be informed as soon as possible.
Details of bookings for the HRA Awards evening and dinner will also be available immediately following the outcome of the judges meeting.
FAQs
Q. Am I eligible to enter the HRA Awards?
A. As long as your railway, tramway or rolling stock group is a Heritage Railway Association member, then yes. All we ask is that someone senior from within your organisation is aware of the entry before you hit submit.
Q. My railway or tramway is only small or recently established, surely I won't have a chance?
A. The judges base their decisions on the strength of each entry - not on how big or well-known the entrants are. We've had winners from every part of heritage rail year-after-year. These awards are for everyone involved in the sector.
Q. My project is due to be finished by February - can I enter?
A. For most categories, sadly not. Our awards for locomotive and rolling stock restoraiton, infrastructure and most other physical categories are for completed projects only. You may want to consider some of the people-based categories, or you can enter next year when your project is complete.
Q. What timescale does the awards cover?
A. The HRA Awards cover a roughly 12-month period. So we're looking to celebrate achievements from 2024, but if your project or achievement stretches back into 2023 a little, don't worry.
Q. Do the judges need to visit my railway/tramway/project?
A. We normally don't ask the judges to visit you in person, but the panel is drawn from a wide range of experts within the sector. If we do need more information on your entry, we'll be in touch.
Q. But surely it's always the same big railways that win?
A. No - absolutely not. In recent years the Volks Electric Railway, Sittingbourne and Kemsley Railway, National Wagon Preservation Group and Keith and Dufftown Railway have all won. The judging panel do not have any bias towards 'big' railways.
Read the full Terms and Conditions for the HRA Awards here.
