County Durham’s Tanfield named Heritage Railway of the Year

Tanfield Railway was named ‘Railway of the Year’ at the Heritage Railway Association Annual Awards, held in Llandudno on March 7.

The awards recognise heritage railways across the UK, and Tanfield Railway stood out for its boost in passenger numbers and media coverage of its 300th anniversary celebrations last year.

The awards ceremony, which gathered over 300 representatives from heritage railways across the UK, saw Tanfield Railway receive the top accolade of the night.

David Watchman, general manager of Tanfield Railway, praised the work of volunteers in helping the railway achieve this award.

“This is the award everyone in the UK’s 180-plus heritage railways wants to win,” he said.

Volunteers celebrated after taking home the top gong. (Image: TANFIELD RAILWAY)

“So to be bringing the award back to the North East is amazing.

“I hope it can be a real catalyst to go on and achieve even more.”

The railway also celebrated Ben Wilson, its diesel locomotive foreman, as the joint winner of the Lord Faulkner Young Volunteer Award.

Mr Wilson, who started volunteering at 12, has become a key member of the team, using his technical skills to maintain and restore the locomotives, and is also noted for being one of the youngest locomotive drivers.

There was also a win for one of the railway’s volunteers. (Image: TANFIELD RAILWAY)

It is believed to be the first time in the history of the HRA awards that a single organisation has secured the Young Volunteer title two years in succession, with another Tanfield Railway volunteer, Elise Campbell, winning in the same category during 2025.

Heritage Railway Association chairman, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, praised Tanfield Railway for overcoming challenges to preserve railway heritage and for nurturing young volunteers.

The Heritage Railway Association Awards saw a record-breaking number of entries this year. In addition to the main award, Tanfield Railway was also highly commended for its Tanfield300 events, narrowly beaten by the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway’s Railway Children Theatre Show.