The Heritage Railway Association has revealed the list of nominees for its 2021 Heritage Railway Awards to RailAdvent.

Some new award categories are included and reflect the circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and the impact it has had on heritage rail.

Nominees for the Morgan Award for Preservation include the Mid Suffolk Light Railway, for their Shredded Wheat locomotive, the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Society for the restoration of GNR Third No. 129, the Great Central Railway for the restoration of three containers and the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland for their Guinness Grain Van No. 504.

The HRA’s Coiley Locomotive Engineering Award nominees have been announced as the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway for their Skeggy Simplex, the Tanfield Railway for their restoration of Andrew Barclay No. 1015 Horden, and the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway for the restoration of Large England ‘Welsh Pony’.

The new HRA Award for Diesel Locomotion comes in effect for 2021, and the nominees are the Mid Suffolk Light Railway for their Shredded Wheat Locomotive, the Severn Valley Railway and their Class 50 Alliance for 30 years of Class 50 preservation and the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway for their Skeggy Simplex.

The Lord Faulkner Young Volunteer Award nominees are Tom Mills from the Severn Valley Railway, Michael Abbott from the Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust and Oliver Edwards from the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway.

HRA Award for External Communications nominees include the Mid Hants Railway, the Great Western Society, the Swanage Railway, the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways and the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society.

Moving to the Internal Communications category, the nominees are the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society, the Great Western Society, the Talyllyn Railway, the Bluebell Railway, and the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway.

A brand new award, the HRA Award for Most Innovative Fundraising Idea, the nominees for this category regarding the response to the Coronavirus Pandemic are the Talyllyn Railway for their Virtual Visit Appeal, the Mid Hants Railway and Bahamas Locomotive Society for their Autumn Gala, the Seaton Tramway and the Bluebell Railway.

The HRA Award for Small Groups has a number of nominations, including Southern Electric Traction Group CIC, Hull and Barnsley Railway Stock Fund, Tarka Valley Railway CIO, the Bahamas Locomotive Society for Steve Allsop and his 50 years’ service, the East Somerset Railway, the Downs Light Railway Trust, and the Great Central Railway.

The Large Groups category has nominees from the Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway, the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, the Swanage Railway, and the Dartmouth Steam Railway & Riverboat Company.

There are five contenders in the Outstanding Visitor Attraction, and these are Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway; Didcot Railway Centre (Great Western Society); the Dartmouth Steam Railway & Riverboat Company; Seaton Tramway, and the Statfold Narrow Gauge Museum Trust, for Statfold Barn Railway.

The Awards ceremony will also see a number of magazine awards presented.

The HRA Awards event will be held on the 3rd of March 2021.

Where Next?

RailAdvent Plus
Support the website and get benefits in return
RailAdvent News
The latest railway news
RailAdvent Shop
Railway Prints, DVD’s / Blu-Ray’s and more
LocoStop Community
Come and share your railway pictures
Mainline UK Steam Info
Upcoming mainline steam tours/loco movements