Severn Valley Railway named best regional heritage railway in UK

A digital publication has named Severn Valley Railway (SVR) as the best regional heritage railway attraction in the country in its UK Transport Awards.

The UK Transport Awards are run by SME News. In its sixth year, the awards programme aims to recognise and applaud the industry leaders within the UK transport industry.

The 16-mile line runs from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, following the course of the River Severn along the Severn Valley, operating as a heritage line for over 50 years.

The team at the railway said they're "delighted" with the win, which follows a wealth of awards they've already won this year.

In February, SVR scooped three top awards and was highly commended in two further categories at the 2024 Heritage Railway Association awards.

Jonathan 'Gus' Dunster, the SVR’s managing director, said: "We’re delighted that the SVR has added another award to its trophy cabinet.

“Our Spring Steam Gala last week showed just how well we can do things here, and the feedback from our visitors has been hugely positive.

“Running a heritage railway attraction is very much a balancing act. You have to make sure visitors have an excellent experience, so they’ll not only return but also tell their friends to come.

"And you’ve got to do it in a way that’s financially sustainable. We work hard to get that balance right.”

The UK Transport Awards coordinator Jack Ford added: “Changing oneself to meet the ever-changing needs of such a versatile industry is no easy feat. The demand for such flexibility creates an expectation that anybody would struggle to meet.

"Thankfully, our awardees have onboarded the responsibility, and have developed award-winning methodologies that may very well define the future of the trade.”