National Rail Awards 2025 nominations announced

The shortlisted nominations have been revealed for RAIL’s National Rail Awards 2025.

This year’s awards, in association with joint platinum sponsors Angel Trains and Siemens Mobility, and silver sponsor British Steel, will take place at Grosvenor House Hotel in London on Wednesday September 17.

Nearly 500 people have already been booked, but it’s not too late to make sure you don’t miss one of the biggest events in the rail calendar.

Part of the reason why RAIL’s National Rail Awards remains so successful is because it’s the perfect occasion to come together as an industry to celebrate the achievements of individuals and companies within rail, and to look to the future by recognising some of the amazing innovative solutions over the past year.

The awards always aim to highlight the people making the difference on the rail network, as well as the companies striving for excellence.

This year’s shortlist does just that, with the NRA judges finding it as hard as ever to put together the shortlist. Each nominee is truly deserving of their place.

The event also provides a unique opportunity to network and to catch up with colleagues and friends from across the many sectors within rail, giving every attendee unparalleled access to people from across the industry.

Charity plays a huge part in the National Rail Awards.

This year, Railway 200 is proud to unite with five exceptional charities to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the modern railway and its transformative impact on Britain and the world.

Working to protect rail memories for the future, the campaign will support Alzheimer’s Research UK, Railway Benefit Fund, Railway Children, Railway Mission, and Transport Benevolent Fund CIO.

So, make sure you’re there. Book your seat by visiting www.nationalrailawards.com

Please see the full list of nominees below;

Innovation of the Year - 

Amey - Digital Signalling Solution;
Asset Insights & Network Rail Wales & Western Region - PodFlow;
KONUX - Wheel Trajectory Reconstruction;
Network Rail & Railscape - Innovative AI and drone technology revolutionising OLE records;
Omnicom Balfour Beatty - TrueTrak™ Unattended Geometry Measurement System on Passenger Vehicles;
Rail-Ability - Road rail ballast undercutter;
Translink - BIM for Belfast Grand Central;
Transmission Dynamics - PANDAS-V: Eliminating overhead line failures with AI powered intervention

Accessibility Achievement of the Year (NEW for 2025)

Merseyrail, The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority & Stadler - Introduction of a publicly owned, co-designed fleet;
Network Rail - Built Environment Access Panel (BEAP);
Northern Trains & Community Rail Lancashire - Try the Train;  
Rail Delivery Group - Station Welcome Points;
Translink - York Street Station - Radical Accessibility, Real Impact Scheme;
Transport for London - Elizabeth Line: providing a step-free railway;
Transport for London - Mini Ramps

Infrastructure Achievement of the Year

BAM & Network Rail - Agar Grove Overbridge Reconstruction;
Kier Group - Etches Park Infrastructure Upgrade;
Network Rail & VolkerFitzpatrick - Ore Tunnel structural renewal and resilience works;
Network Rail, South Western Railway & Octavius - Ryde Pier Head Refurbishment Project;
Network Rail - Scada electrification control system renewal; 
Story Contracting & Network Rail - Browney Curve Embankment Stabilisation Project;
VolkerFitzpatrick - Radlett SRFI Phase one 

Outstanding Teamwork Award

AECOM - Northumberland Line;
Merseyrail - The Grand National: Delivering a global icon;
Network Rail, Digital Catapult, Tended & Onwave - Geospatial technology for improving rail safety and efficiency;
Network Rail, Avanti West Coast & London Northwestern Railway - Project Euston;
Story Contracting, Network Rail, GPS MACS & ScaffFloat - Leven Viaduct;
VolkerFitzpatrick - Radlett SRFI Phase one

Freight & Logistics Achievement of the Year

Freightliner - Gemini;
GB Railfreight - Operation Immediate Response & Combined Resolved;
Network Rail, DB Cargo & Tata Steel UK - TATA Steel Slab Import Rail Scheme;
VTG Rail UK & Mendip Rail - Modernising rail freight - VTG Rail UK delivers 203 state of the art hopper wagons for Mendip Rail

Major Project of the Year

AECOM - Northumberland Line;
Babcock, Farrans Sacyr Joint Venture & Translink - Belfast Grand Central Station;
East West Rail Alliance - East West Rail Phase 2;
Network Rail - Levenmouth Rail Link Project;
Network Rail, Siemens Mobility & Central Rail Systems Alliance - Basford Hall Independent Lines Project;
SPL Powerlines UK & Network Rail - London to Wigston Electrification Project

Environmental Excellence

DB Cargo UK - Creating the UK's first net zero rail freight terminal;
GWR - Fishing for Change & Clean our Patch;
Network Rail - Best in Class Low Carbon & Sustainable Track Materials;
Sicut Enterprises - Delivering a sustainable future for rail infrastructure;
Siemens Mobility - East Coast Digital Programme: A leap towards a sustainable, digital rail future;
Siemens Mobility - State of the art sustainable logistics centres - Goole & Kettering;
Translink - Tracks to tomorrow - How Translink is leading a railway revolution for environment, nature & future generations;
TransPennine Express - Leading the way in environmental excellence

Safety Achievement of the Year

Asset Insights & Network Rail Wales & Western Region - PodFlo;
Interflon UK, Network Rail & Irish Rail - Interflon Clean OTR
Network Rail, North West & Central Region - Mental Health Triage Vehicle;
Network Rail - Modular Bearer Project;
Network Rail - SAI25: Delivering a once in a generation improvement to managing electrical risks
Network Rail - Southern Safer Isolations

Fleet Achievement of the Year

Avanti West Coast - The Launch of the Evero Fleet;
GWR & Hitachi Rail Europe - Fleet Excellence;
Hitachi & Diamond Rail Services - Class 395 Refurbishment Project;
London Northwestern & West Midlands Railways - Introduction of Class 730/0 to Birmingham's Cross City Line 

Customer Service Excellence

Avanti West Coast - Social Media Customer Service;
GWR & Network Rail Western - GWR goes to Euston, and to Honda and to Didcot Railway Museum;
LNER - Package for a friend;
Network Rail & Rail Delivery Group - Visual Disruption Maps;
Transport for Wales - Special Events Team 

Great Place to Work Award

Arriva Rail London;
Chartered Institution of Railway Operators;
First Rail Consultancy;
Greater Anglia;
London Northwestern & West Midlands Railways;
Merseyrail;
Siemens Mobility

Outstanding Contribution to Society

Aureos Infrastructure Services - Transforming Lives Through Rail: The HMP Highpoint Rail Centre of Excellence;
British Transport Police - County Lines Taskforce;
London Northwestern & West Midlands Railways - Driving Positive Change for our Communities;
Lumo - Outstanding Contribution to Society;
Merseyrail - This is Merseyrail;
Siemens Mobility - Transformative impact in Goole & Military to Rail;
Southeastern - Southeastern Railway and the Purpose Coalition;
Translink - Rails of Renewal: York Street Station's impact on track

Small Station of the Year

Bures - Greater Anglia;
Chappel & Wakes Colne - Greater Anglia;
Dorridge - Chiltern Railways;
Llandudno - Transport for Wales;
Penrith - Avanti West Coast;
St Annes on the Sea - Northern

Medium Station of the Year

Berwick Upon Tweed - LNER;
Bury St Edmunds - Greater Anglia;
Headbolt Lane - Merseyrail;
Huntingdon - Govia Thameslink Railway;
Leamington Spa - Chiltern Railways;
York Street Station Belfast - Translink

Large Station of the Year

Brighton - Govia Thameslink Railway;
Coventry - Avanti West Coast;
Hull Paragon Interchange - TransPennine Express;
Northampton - London Northwestern Railway;
Sheffield - East Midlands Railway;
Wakefield Westgate - LNER

Major Station of the Year

Birmingham New Street - Network Rail;
Liverpool Lime Street - Network Rail;
London Bridge - Network Rail;
London King's Cross - Network Rail;
London St Pancras International - HS1;
London Victoria - Network Rail

Passenger Operator of the Year

Arriva Rail London;
Greater Anglia;
LNER;
Lumo;
Merseyrail;
Southern Railway

Outstanding Personal Contribution (Frontline)

Karen Chudovszky - GTR;
Glenn Craddock - Southeastern;
David Cranstoun - Arriva Rail London;
James George - GTR;
Claire Hall - GTR;
James Hallett - Northern Trains;
Ben Haughton - GTR;
June Henty - GTR;
Siraz Islam - c2c;
Joseph Killaly - GTR;
Dave Linnell - GTR;
Kath Martin - GTR;
Bessie Matthews - GB Railfreight;
Debbie Morris - GTR; 
Martin Redfern - Northern Trains;
Maro Sakpere - GTR;
Jenny Thomas - GTR;
Claire Turner - GTR;
Shashi Vyas - Avanti West Coast;
Al Watkins - GWR

Outstanding Personal Contribution (Management)

Jen Clare - Lumo;
Richard Davies - Network Rail;
Ross Hickie - GWR;
Mark Montgomery - Translink;
Sally Ralston - Merseyrail;
Bev Rickwood - Southeastern;
Bryan Robilliard - South Western Railway;
Richard Stainton - Network Rail;
Rebecca Styles - Northern Trains;
Nick Turner - Network Rail Sussex Route;