SIDELINES
DIARY
THE Heritage Railway Association (HRA) Annual Awards is set to feature five new categories for 2023 – which together with changes to several existing categories, have been designed to ensure that the awards can continue to recognise the very best work across the whole of the heritage rail sector.
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Until Nov 6 Swanage Railway: Flying Scotsman visits Nov 4 Great Central Railway: Bonfire Night Nov 5-6, 12-13 Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Steam trains Nov 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27 Isle of Man Steam Railway: Nov Steam Offering Nov 5 Isle of Wight Railway: Race The Train Nov 10-Jan 8 Bluebell Railway: SteamLights (on selected dates) Nov 11-Jan 2 North Norfolk Railway: Norfolk Lights Express (on selected dates) Nov 12 Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Ghosts of the Valley with Richard Felix Nov 12-Dec 23 Mid-Norfolk Railway: The Polar Express (on selected dates) Nov 18-Dec 23 Churnet Valley Railway: The Polar Express (on selected dates) Nov 18-Jan 15 Epping Ongar Light Fantastic (on selected dates) Nov 18-Dec 23 Severn Valley Railway: Steam in Lights (on selected dates) Nov 18-Dec 23 South Devon Railway: The Polar Express (on selected dates) Nov 18-Dec 23 Spa Valley Railway: The Polar Express (on selected dates) Nov 18-Jan 7 Watercress Line: Steam Illuminations (on selected dates) Nov 19-Dec 18 Caledonian Railway: The Polar Express (on selected dates) Nov 19-20 Great Central Railway: Last Hurrah Gala Nov 20 Lincolnshire Wolds Railway: Running day with live commentary and engine shed tours Nov 24-Dec 23 Cholsey & Wallingford Railway: The Polar Express (on selected dates) Nov 25-Dec 23 Telford Steam Railway: The Polar Express (on selected dates) Nov 26-Dec 23 Vintage Trains: The Birmingham Polar Express (on selected dates) Nov 30-Dec 29 Great Central Railway: Winter Wonderlights (on selected dates) TBA Isle of Man Steam Railway: The Polar Express (on selected dates) + Santa Specials – most heritage lines will get a visit from Father Christmas from the middle of Nov. Please consult your local line and book early to avoid disappointment. Dec 3 Avon Valley Railway: Carols & Steam Dec 3-4 Swanage Railway: Steam and Lights Dec 3-4, 10-11, 17-18 East Anglian Railway Museum: Days out with Thomas Dec 10 Chinnor Railway: Carol Evening Steam Train
Headlining the changes is a new Railway of the Year category, which will be given to the railway, tramway or funicular railway that has achieved, and consistently demonstrated, excellence in visitor experience, business, safety and operations, teamwork and equality, preservation, restoration or engineering.
Last Hurrah of 2023 at Great Central
Organisers hope that the award will become one of the most coveted in the sector, as it will recognise high quality across a whole organisation rather than one specific element.
THE Great Central Railway is gearing up for its final enthusiast event of the year on November 19/20. The Last Hurrah gala is due to feature five steam locos, plus a DMU and a diesel loco. The steam line-up is set to include BR ‘9F’ No. 92214 City of Leicester, LMS ‘8F’ No. 48305, BR ‘5MT’ No. 73156 and BR ‘2MT’ No. 78018. Newly overhauled BR ‘2MT’ No. 78019 is also set to perform, subject to running in. The diesel loco allocation remains to be confirmed. Platform tickets at Loughborough Central and Quorn are available for £5 at this event, which can be offset against runabout tickets.