Winners 2007:

News from 2007

5 December 2007

Gwyneth Dunwoody MP presents 2007 Awards

Gwynth Dunwoody MP for Crewe and Nantwich and Chairman of the Commons Transport Select Committee presented the 2007 National Railway Heritage Awards at a ceremony held at Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London today.

She began by presenting the Ian Allan Independent Railway of the Year award to the South Devon Railway described by one judge as “a Great Western gem.”

This year’s Modern Railways Restoration Award for the most meritorious entry in the commercial sector went to Allies & Morrison architects of the splendid new Western Ticket Hall at King’s Cross/St Pancras underground station.

The Westinghouse Signalling Award for the best restored signalbox or signalling installation was won jointly by Network Rail and it’s contractor Construction Marine for the restoration of Falsgrave signal box at Scarborough while the Severn Valley Railway shared the prize for it’s GWR pattern Down Inner Home signal at Bewdley.

The London Underground Accessibility Award went to Southern Railway for its sympathetic installation of new passenger lifts at Hove station.

The Railway Heritage Trust Conservation Award for the best restored listed structure that the Trust had contributed to was won by Network Rail for its restoration of the landmark New Bailey Street bridges in Salford.

The FirstGroup Craft Skills Award recognising the best use of traditional craft skills in the restoration of a building or structure, was won by Robin Hughes the owner and restorer of the station buildings at Dent – England’s highest mainline railway station.

The GNER Volunteers Award was shared. The Swanage Railway won for the Southern Railway footbridge formerly in use at Merton Park, and now installed at Corfe Castle station and the Severn Valley Railway for the replica GWR type Pagoda waiting shelter erected at Northwood Halt.

The Network Rail Partnership Award was won by the Hull & East Yorkshire MIND Charity for the sensitive conversion and creation of a vibrant Arts Centre in the former Parcels Office at Bridlington station.

The Association of Train Operating Companies’ Station Environment Award was won by Trans Pennine Express for it’s all round care and custodianship of its many heritage stations.

The Ian Allan Publishing Award, given to the best overall entry in this year’s competition, went to the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive for the restoration and transformation of Sheffield station.

July 2007

Award for a new ‘loo’ at “Heartbeat Country” station

A ceremony held at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway Goathland station on the 12th July saw Nigel Staton – Chairman of the Whitby Disablement Action Group – unveil the plaque presented to the winners of the NRHA ‘London Underground Accessibility Award’.

It was won by the railway for their imaginative conversion of a former covered goods wagon in the bay siding, into a fully accessible disabled toilet facility. This busy station is visited by tourists from all over the world, thanks to the success of both the railway and the hit TV series ‘Heartbeat’, in which it so often appears.

June 2007

Four London Underground stations, a Royal station building and “the world’s smallest pub” entered for this years awards.

Judging is now underway in the 2007 National Railway Heritage Awards competition and once again judges and adjudicators face a tough task as they set about choosing the winner of the eight categories drawn from the 54 entries received from the national and heritage railways of the UK and Ireland.

Entries include the former signal box and associated level crossing gates at Wolferton, the former “Royal station” at Sandringham in Norfolk; what is claimed to be the “world’s smallest pub” in a restored former signal lamp hut at Lakeside station on the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway in Lincolnshire and the restoration and conversation to a dwelling and a holiday home of the station buildings at Dent in Cumbria – the highest mainline station in the UK.

Ireland is represented by the restoration of magnificent overall roof at Larnrod Eireann’s Heuston station in Dublin while the entry from Northern Ireland Railways is the Grade II listed signal box at Carrickfergus in County Antrim. From Scotland entries include Network Rail’s Leven Viaduct in Fife and from Wales the Gwili Steam Railway has submitted the former Ffairfach signal box now serving as a museum building at its Bronwydd Arms station.

Restoration of the many period station and structures that make up the Transport for London estate see entries that include East Finchley and Elephant & Castle stations as well as the new Western Ticket Hall at St. Pancras.

On completion of judging the eventual shortlists for the eight awards categories will be announced in September and the winners presented with their awards by Gwyneth Dunwoody MP at a ceremony to be held at Merchant Taylor’s Hall in the City of London on Wednesday 5 December.

Committee Chairman John Ellis said “I am delighted both with the high number of entries that we have received this year, and that Mrs Dunwoody, who is such a well known champion of our railways, is to be our Guest of Honour.”

For more details please contact NRHA Public Relations Officer Mike Lamport on 07764 579275 or at mike.lamport@btinternet.com

March 2007:

New NRHA website launched with full details of this years Competition, Entry Form – and how to get it – as well as details of Winners from previous Awards Years

Competition Entries – Must be received no later than 31st May 2007. Download your Entry Form now.

2007 Awards Ceremony the venue and date are now finalised: There will be a welcome return to Merchant Taylors’ Hall, Threadneedle Street, London on Wednesday 5th December.

Post 2006 Awards ceremonies: 
We were very pleased to be invited to South Devon Railway’s Littlehempston Station for the formal unveiling of their Award. Done in glorious weather and with members of the SDR Society present – it made a great prelude to their AGM and the start of their Season.

A visit to Minehead by Award’s Chairman – John Ellis – to the West Somerset Railway was very well attended by local dignatories, and reported by press and TV. This latest Award for the WSR is in a long line of richly deserved awards recognising the sheer professionalism and excellence of this railway.

Downham Market Station was the Award winning meeting place for the plaque to be seen by all those attending an excellent ceremony – so was the special cake baked in celebration of the event; it was delicious too!

Other events are scheduled – and will be reported on as and when they occur. They include Oswestry and Cork whilst others are in the process of being arranged

High Sheriff at Carnforth
We were delighted that Peter Robinson – High Sheriff of Lancashire was among the guests at Carnforth Station on the 30th March. After unveiling the Network Rail Award – with Peter Strachan representing Network Rail as sponsors – he invited Awards Sponsorship Manager, Jim Cornell to say a few words about the work of NRHA. Among the many guests present was Councillor Bob Roe – Mayor of Carnforth. Another succesful event – both for the winners and the wider publicity for the Awards.