” A competition to recognise, acknowledge and reward, for the public benefit, the very best in re-use, restoration and conservation of our historic railway infrastructure. “

We are the only Awards body dedicated to encouraging and rewarding best practice in the re-use, restoration and continued upkeep of our rich heritage of railway and tramway buildings and structures.

The Awards began in 1979 and was initially focused on the heritage railway preservation movement. Since Privatisation in the 1990’s, the Awards have broadened to encompass the infrastructure of the national rail network and entries from the national sector now form a substantial part.

The Awards are a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO): as an independent Trust our charitable status was originally confirmed by the Charity Commission in December 2006.

The Awards would not be possible without the generous support of our Sponsors.
For more information about the Sponsors, please click on “The Awards” section and the Sponsors’ link at the top of this page.

Supported by the Railway Industry

Railway Heritage Trust
Heritage Railway Association
GWR
GWR
Heritage Railway Association
Southeastern
Southeastern
Heritage Railway Association
The Arch Co

The Hendy & Pendle
Charitable Trust

Kettering plaque officially unveiled

An unveiling of the plaque awarded to Network Rail for the splendid work carried out to the station canopies and platform areas at Kettering as part of the Midland Main Line Electrification Works – which won the Greater Anglia Award as the vest entry in the 2022 National Railway Heritage Awards – took place on Tuesday 24 October. The plaque was unveiled jointly by Andy Savage MBE, Chairman of The National Railway Heritage Awards and by Cllr Emily Fedorowycz, Mayor of Kettering.

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Goostrey and Levenshulme plaques visited

Following on from the COVID pandemic there were a few locations where it was not possible to undertake full unveiling ceremonies. To complete the recognition of those outstanding locations, it is intended that photoshoots are organised. The first one took place on Thursday 19 October at Goostrey Station where the ticket office restoration had been awarded the 2020 Network Rail Community Award.

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Glorious weather for Oxford plaque unveiling

Lunchtime on Thursday 7 September saw representatives of the National Railway Heritage Awards, the Oxford Preservation Trust and the contractors involved on the project gather alongside the canal in Oxford for the official unveiling of the Railway Heritage Trust Award for 2022.

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2023 Awards Timetable

Entries: closing date Wednesday 31st May 2023

Judging: June – August

Adjudication: September

Shortlisted Entries notification: October

Award Invitations dispatched: November

Awards ceremony: Wednesday 6th December 2023

2022 Awards Ceremony