The Severn Valley Railway has won four prestigious accolades at this year’s Heritage Railway Association awards, and was highly commended in two further categories.

Veteran SVR supporter and volunteer David Williams won a lifetime achievement award, to become the Railway Magazine Preservationist of the Year for 2025. David has been involved with the SVR since its very early days, and served 57 years as editor of its supporter publication SVR News. He has also volunteered as a locomotive driver and held positions at board level.

The SVR-based Diesel Traction Group received the Rail Express Modern Traction Award. This recognises its long and continuing involvement with the preservation of main line diesel.

The tiny but lovingly cared-for Eardington station scooped the award for Station of the Year. Re-opened to passengers after more than four decades in 2023, Eardington is truly unique as the only remaining station that is lit entirely by oil and paraffin.

And the SVR was a joint winner of the Achievement of the Year award for its landmark partnership with Network Rail. The first and only partnership of its kind in the UK, it has led to cooperation across many aspects of both organisations. Most recently, NR engineers have assisted with investigations into the SVR’s significant landslip towards the northern end of its line, whilst the SVR has provided training and testing facilities and volunteering opportunities for NR employees.

Managing director Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster was delighted with the SVR’s achievements:

‘What a result! To get this level of recognition across so many different categories, says a huge amount about the breadth and depth of talent at the Severn Valley Railway. In this, our 60^th year as a preserved line, we can be very proud that we continue to honour the devotion and passion of the SVR pioneers who started it all back in 1965.’

Receiving the Achievement of the Year award alongside Gus Dunster, Network Rail Central route director Denise Wetton said:

‘It’s fantastic that Severn Valley Railway’s partnership with Network Rail has been recognised with this award. Communities and heritage rail are so important to Central route, and we are proud to help support both with this unique relationship.

‘There have been many benefits already, with the past and present railway working together to build an even better future. We’ve some great things in the pipeline and I’m excited to see the partnership develop even further.’

Twenty-one-year-old Jack Baldwin, who volunteers in the SVR’s diesel depot, was highly commended as Young Volunteer of the Year, as was the recently restored Stanier Mogul No 13268 in the Steam Locomotion category.

Commenting on the SVR’s achievements, the HRA’s chief executive Steve Oates said:

‘After a week or two dominated by challenging news, it was fantastic that the HRA Annual Awards could focus on the brilliant restorations, innovative thinking and of course fantastic people that make the Severn Valley Railway so special.

‘Each of the awards that the Severn Valley team took home were thoroughly deserved and demonstrate the depth of talent that the railway has.’