Awards and Loans
Preservationist Award
Nominate Preservationist of the yearLatest Preservationist of the Year and past winners
The Trust awards its premier trophy to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the cause of transport heritage preservation in a specific year, or which has culminated in a specific year. The winner holds for a year a silver model of SS Great Britain, since the award was inspired by the achievement of Sir Jack Hayward in returning the vessel from the Falklands to Bristol.
Preservationist of the Year 2024
Michael O'BrienHaving just completed a very complex and very expensive conversion of an industrial building into a home, our Preservationist of the Year Michael O'Brien decided to own a wooden boat.He found one in a field in Essex and bought it, a 30ft motor cruiser built in Kingston upon Thames ...
Young Preservationist Award
Nominate Young preservationist of the yearLatest Young Preservationist of the Year and past winners
This award recognises the achievements of young people (under the age of 20) in the field of restoration. The winner receives a cheque for £500.
Young Preservationist of the Year 2024
Rosie Hodgson-Jones Rosie's restoration project started when, at the age of 14, she went to a Model T Ford Register autojumble and successfully bid on a 1926 Model T Tourer body.Her grandfather provided an engine which he had at the back of his garage and, with support from her father, she ...
Restoration Awards
Apply for a Restoration AwardLatest Restoration and Commemorative Awards and past winners
These Awards, shown in no particular order, are made to assist individuals and groups who are working hard to preserve items of importance to the nation's transport heritage, and generally come with a substantial financial sum which it is hoped will assist with making good restorations great.
Restoration Awards 2024
National Transport Trust Commemorative AwardsWith the exception of the Sir William McAlpine Award, projects winning a National Transport Trust Commemorative Award are selected from those already awarded Restoration Awards each year, and as such, are recognised as the best of the best of each year's restoration projects receiving a commemorative ...
Lifetime Achievement Awards
Nomination for a Lifetime Achievement AwardLifetime Achievement Awards
The Trust acknowledges that exceptional achievements are built upon and sustained for the long term by the ongoing efforts of a vast army of supporters and volunteers. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognises such long term dedication. The President's award has been awarded only once before, and is made to an officer or trustee of the National Transport Trust who has achieved something of significant merit but to whom it would not be appropriate to award one of our regular awards.
Lifetime Achievement Awards 2024
Matthew BoddingtonEngineer, aircraft constructor and restorer, air-worthiness inspector and display pilot, Matthew has been involved with vintage aviation since childhood. His father was a pilot with the Barnstormers Flying Circus and built and flew replica aircraft for several films. Matthew flew with him in early childhood and, after his father was ...
The Trust acknowledges that exceptional achievements are built upon and sustained for the long term by the ongoing efforts of a vast army of supporters and volunteers. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognises such long term dedication. The President's award has been awarded only once before, and is made to an officer or trustee of the National Transport Trust who has achieved something of significant merit but to whom it would not be appropriate to award one of our regular awards.
Lifetime Achievement Awards 2023
Barry Ford Barry joined the Royal Navy at the age of 15 and served on a number of ships culminating in the Royal Yacht Britannia. On leaving the Navy he joined the Royal Navy Auxiliary Service, a voluntary organisation which was disbanded in 1993 at the end of the Cold War. ...
The Trust acknowledges that exceptional achievements are built upon and sustained for the long term by the ongoing efforts of a vast army of supporters and volunteers. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognises such long term dedication. The President's award has been awarded only once before, and is made to an officer or trustee of the National Transport Trust who has achieved something of significant merit but to whom it would not be appropriate to award one of our regular awards.
Lifetime Achievement Awards 2022
Frank Dubleton: Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of more than 60 years service to the Great Western Society and the Didcot Railway Centre. Frank Dumbleton has been a volunteer the Great Western Society, the charity which operates the Didcot Railway Centre, for more than 60 years. He was not actually a founder ...
The Trust acknowledges that exceptional achievements are built upon and sustained for the long term by the ongoing efforts of a vast army of supporters and volunteers. This award recognises such long term dedication.
Lifetime Achievement Awards 2021
Chris Cooper was member number 32 when the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society was founded in 1959. His early life was in the Croydon area, which was rich in all types of transport from the bustling Southern Railway electric traction, freight yards and the private sidings of the power stations and ...
The Trust acknowledges that exceptional achievements are built upon and sustained for the long term by the ongoing efforts of a vast army of supporters and volunteers. This award recognises such long term dedication.
Lifetime Achievement Awards 2020
David OgilvyAviation claimed David at the age of eight when a Hawker Hart biplane buzzed his school, and it never released him. One way or another it has been his career for three quarters of a century from the age of 18, and continues today. At the age of 22 he ...
The Trust acknowledges that exceptional achievements are built upon and sustained for the long term by the ongoing efforts of a vast army of supporters and volunteers. This award recognises such long term dedication.
Lifetime Achievement Awards 2019
David Davies: A railway enthusiast from a very young age, Dave became a keen railway photographer but was always most interested in the engineering. In 1965 he saw at Didcot GWR loco 4079 ‘Pendennis Castle.’ and was invited to help in its cosmetic restoration. Although he never met co-owner Bill McAlpine, Bill ...
The Trust acknowledges that exceptional achievements are built upon and sustained for the long term by the ongoing efforts of a vast army of supporters and volunteers. This award recognises such long term dedication.
Lifetime Achievement Awards 2018
Robert Morley: A WWII motor torpedo boat caught Bob’s attention when he was a child and a seed was sown. Many years later he came across a Coastal Motor Boat, a WWI veteran 55ft long. It was sunk and derelict, but CMB 331 is now restored and displayed and at the ...
The Trust acknowledges that exceptional achievements are built upon and sustained for the long term by the ongoing efforts of a vast army of supporters and volunteers. This award recognises such long term dedication.
Lifetime Achievement Awards 2017
Mark Walden Mark Walden joined The Mid Hants Railway’s Watercress Line in its earliest days in 1973 and joined the locomotive restoration group. He was employed as an engineer with the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, and very usefully was getting components made for the railway by RAE apprentices. He later joined ...
The Trust acknowledges that exceptional achievements are built upon and sustained for the long term by the ongoing efforts of a vast army of supporters and volunteers. This award recognises such long term dedication.
Lifetime Achievement Awards 2016
Derek Osborne Derek Osborne rerired as signalman on the Bluebell Railway for the second time in 2015 after 30 years as a volunteer. A regular face as signalman at Horsted Keynes Signal Box on a Wednesday, his links with Horsted Keynes go back further than the Bluebell Railway. His mainline career began 58 years ago ...
Lifetime Achievement Award 2015
Charles and Robin Danielare very active West Country steam owners restorers and enthusiasts. They have been volunteers on the Talyllyn Railway since 1950s, tunnellers on Festinniog Railway & Steam Rally organisers. They have been office holders in the West of England Steam Engine Society, and of the National Traction Engine ...
Lifetime Achievement Award 2014
Ron Barker After a career in the aircraft industry Steady Barker, as he has been known almost since he left school, joined the staff of The Autocar magazine almost exactly 60 years ago, and began to combine earning a living with his life-long interest in cars. He had attended race meetings here at Brooklands in ...
Lifetime Achievement Award 2013
Max SinclairFor his 50 year campaign to restore the Droitwich canals.Canals in the plural because there is the Barge Canal, opened in 1771, and the Junction Canal opened in 1854. They were built to facilitate the salt trade on which the wealth of Droitwich was founded. The canals were abandoned ...
Lifetime Achievement Award 2012
Gordon Biddle Gordon Biddle is a retired Surveyor who has devoted his expertise to the subject of transport infrastructure and has made a major contribution to increasing awareness of the importance of this aspect of transport, and of conserving it.Gordon achieved recognition as an expert on our industrial and commercial architectural ...
Lifetime Achievement Award 2011
Vic SmallshireAs a teenager in the late 1950s, Vic persuaded his father to build him a boat to tour the Black Country canals. He found the Government was closing them quicker than he could discover them: so began a 50 year association with the Dudley Canals.From direct action in the ...
Lifetime Achievement Award 2010
Alan MooreAlan has made an outstanding long-term contribution to transport preservation, especially heritage railways. He has trigger-funded restoration of the quad-art set, many steam locomotives, the rail motor shed at Didcot and the goods shed at Bodmin. He has served as Chairman of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway and Finance ...
Lifetime Achievement Award 2009
John ReevesJohn Reeves received a lifetime achievement award in recognition of a long career writing about and promoting the restoration of working steam, on the road and on the land. John FasalJohn Fasal was recognised for a lifetime's contribution to the restoration and preservation of Rolls Royce motor cars. John WylsonJohn Wylson's ...
Lifetime Achievement Award 2008
Michael Oliver MBE and JeanMichael Oliver (MBE) and Jean are the founders of the Great Dorset Steam Fair and its organisers for 40 years. A regular fixture at the end of August each year, The Great Dorset Steam Fair GDSF now covers 600 acres of Dorset at the end of August every ...
Lifetime Achievement Award 2007
Michael Banfield Michael has had a lifetime involvement in the restoration of historic commercial vehicles and buses, veteran and classic cars. He was a founding member in 1957 of the Historic Commercial Vehicle Society, which merged with the Vintage Passenger Vehicle Society to become the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club, the largest ...
Awards & Loan
See more information about an Award or LoanThe National Transport Trust makes loans to groups, associations and individuals at advantageous rates for the restoration of artefacts - whether mobile or part of the infrastructure. Applications must be supported by a simple business plan which demonstrates the financial viability of the project. A sample business plan is available on request from the Treasurer.
The Trust does occasionaly make Awards for schemes which further the preservation movement. Again if you wish further information please contact the Treasurer.
Read More