THE NATIONAL Railway Heritage Awards were held at Merchant Taylors’ Hall in the City of London on December 6, 2023, with Transport Scotland director of rail, Bill Reeve, attending as guest of honour at the ceremony to assist awards chairman of trustees Andy Savage MBE in handing out the plaques and certificates to the winning and shortlisted entrants.
The NRHAs is a charitable incorporated organisation which gives awards to recognise and celebrate the restoration and re-use of railway and tramway buildings and structures. As with previous years, the entries came from around the national network, preservation societies, community groups and individuals.
And the winner is …
The BAM Nuttall Partnership Award went to MPower Kernow Community Interest Company for restoring the historic turntable at St Blazey in Cornwall.
The 85ft turntable was constructed in 1952 by Cowans Sheldon, survived the end of steam, and was used to access the neighbouring part-roundhouse until its closure in the 1980s. Still occasionally used for turning locomotives on charter services, it fell out of use by 2018, with little maintenance carried out on the structure since 2005.
The restoration under MPower Kernow has provided an operational turning facility once again for steam locomotives in use on charters, as well as providing engineering training facilities for young people within the local community. Funding for the project came from several agencies and work commenced in June 2021, the bulk of the project being completed in early 2023.
The Great Western Railway Craft Skills Award recognises the best use of traditional craft skills in the restoration of a building or structure. This award went to Robert and Anne Christie for the restoration of Cullybackey station in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.
The listed station was built in 1865 but had been out of use for many years by the time the couple bought it and had suffered greatly from water ingress due to a failing roof and chimneys.
Renovation of the station started in January 2020 and was completed in December 2022. The building has been sympathetically restored, respecting the history of the structure, and using similar fittings and materials to the originals that had to be replaced.
The Arch Company Award for Urban Heritage
