Ptolemy Dean OBE presented the 2024 National Railway Heritage Awards at a ceremony on Wednesday 4 December 2024.
The Guest of Honour at the 2024 National Railway Heritage Awards held at Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London on Wednesday 4 December 2024 was Ptolemy Dean OBE, the architect, television presenter and current Surveyor of the Fabric of Westminster Abbey.
The BAM Nuttall Partnership Award was made for the work undertaken in converting the subway at the long-closed Crystal Palace High Level station for community use by Bromley Council and the Friends of Crystal Palace Subway.
The London Underground Craft Skills Award, recognising the best use of traditional craft skills in the restoration of a building or structure, was made to The Landmark Trust for the impressive restoration work undertaken at the ex-North Staffordshire Railway station at Alton, for Alton Towers.
The Urban Heritage Award, sponsored by the Arch Company, was made to Network Rail and AMCO for the reconstruction after a disastrous fire of the Platform 1 building at Troon station.
The Translink Structures Award for the best-restored structure, such as a viaduct or tunnel, was made to Network Rail for the work undertaken on the fabric of Barmouth Viaduct on the Cambrian Coast line to Pwllheli.
The Great Western Railway Operational Enhancement Award went to the Bricket Wood Station Heritage Trust for the transformational work completed on the station at Bricket Wood in Hertfordshire.
The Railway Heritage Trust Conservation Award, for the best restored structure supported by funding from the Trust, was won by Colt Construction Ltd for the splendid refurbishment of the waiting room on the Up platform at Market Rasen in Lincolnshire.
The National Rail Volunteers Award was made to the Ffestiniog Railway Society for the restoration of the exterior of the station at Penrhyn.
The Avanti Community Award, for the restoration of a railway building for community use, was made to Llanelli Railway Goods Shed Trust for the comprehensive work undertaken on the offices that formed part of the former goods shed at Llanelli.
The National Highways Award for a restoration project on a closed line, which highlights bringing back into sustainable use a building or structure no longer owned by the railway industry, was made to Sidlaw Building & Joinery Services for the sympathetic conversion of the disused goods shed at Newtyle into residential accommodation, on the historic line from Dundee to Newtyle.
The Southeastern Commercial Restoration Award, for projects bringing into a new commercial use a railway building, was made to The Landmark Trust for the work in restoring the Station Agent’s House at Manchester’s historic Liverpool Road station.
In recognition of the success of the IRD Kiltimagh & Mayo Celtic Holidays in converting an eight-mile stretch of the disused Claremorris to Collooney railway route in County Mayo in the Republic of Ireland into a velorail route – a first for any line in the British Isles – the project was awarded a Chairman’s Special Commendation.
The Greater Anglia Award for the best overall entry in this year’s competition went to Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust for the restoration of the long disused and seriously decayed – but historically very significant – station at Wingfield in Derbyshire.