In the 2025 SME UK Enterprise Awards, the Severn Valley Railway has been named the Leading Railway Enthusiast Site.

The award is given based on those most deserving for their innovation and hard work, which sets them apart from others.

Following on from this award, Severn Valley Railway is preparing for their Autumn Diesel Gala, which takes place on the 18th -21st September.

With their line reopening on the 25th July following a closure due to the landslide earlier this year, it will be a brilliant comeback gala.

Flying Scotman will be running the first trips on the reopened line later this month, and visitors to the Autumn Steam Gala will be able to see the first ever Merchant Navy class guest, SR 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S N Co.

Other visiting locomotives are yet to be announced, but they will appear with the railway’s resident fleet, with some overnight running in celebration of their 60th anniversary.

Further information on the gala can be found online.

‘We’re delighted to have been recognised in this way, as the SVR has a well-deserved reputation for the scale and scope of its enthusiast events. Our steam and diesel events in both spring and autumn draw a great deal of attention, and more recently we’ve been able to add shorter winter enthusiast events to our calendar too.’

SVR managing director Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster