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Our national scheme of marking key locations around the UK which have significant historical value to British transport heritage.
View LocationsOur annual awards and occasional grants or loans recognise restoration excellence and commitment to the preservation of our unique transport heritage.
View WinnersBy joining the National Transport Trust, you would be part of an organisation that takes a lively interest in preserving our transport heritage.
Join Us TodayBritain’s place in the history and development of transport is demonstrably second to none. It is an achievement of which the Trust, and the nation, are justifiably proud. This country's growth and prosperity has been inextricably linked with the movement of people and cargo. We take it as our mission to ensure the story of our heritage does not slip into oblivion.
The National Transport Trust aims, for the benefit of the nation as a whole, to promote and encourage the permanent preservation of transport items of historical or technical interest.
The Trust promotes the preservation of documents, drawings, pictures, books and artifacts of significance. Where items or collections are at risk for want of a home, the Trust is happy to advise.
Preservationst of the Year
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.
To nominate someone for this award complete the online nomination form
Bob Wealthy, Chairman of Britten Norman Aircraft Presevation Trust accepts the 2023 award from Judy, Lady McAlpine, The Trust's President
Young Preservationist of the Y
ear
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.
To nominate someone for this award complete the online nomination form
Henry Dukes accepts one of the 2023 awards from HRH Princess Anne, the Trust's Patron and Judy, Lady McAlpine, the Trust's President
Lifetime Acheivement 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.
To nominate someone for this award complete the online nomination form
Barry Ford accepts one of the 2023 awards from HRH Princess Anne, the Trust's Patron and Judy, Lady McAlpine, the Trust's President
Queries
Should you have any questions about the awards, potential nominees and appropriateness of an award, please contact the Personal Recognition Awards Manager This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Criteria, Process and Timetable
The Trust invites nominations for land, water or air based transport restoration projects for its prestigious annual Restoration Awards. Proposers can nominate either their own project or the work of others, and do not need to be a member of the Trust to apply.
Awards are made to restoration projects judged to be technically interesting, socially significant, or which fit with the Trust’s remit of preserving the past for the future.
The project should be well on the way to completion, with the lion’s share of the work completed by the owner or project group rather than a commercial restoration. There should be significant effort to maintain a high degree of originality in projects destined to be widely enjoyed by the public.
In addition to national recognition, a number of Awards will be accompanied by a financial contribution to the work.
How to apply
Nominations can be made online - click here. The closing date for the 2024 Awards being 1st November 2023
Proposers should provide three copyright-free photographs to accompany their entry. If possible, these images should cover:
The item in service”
The item “as found”
The item in its current state of restoration
The Awards process
A shortlist of entries received will be compiled by the Awards Judging Panel.
Please note the decision of the Panel will be final, so applicants are encouraged to submit full details and the best images available to them with their entry.
Key dates
| 1st November |
Entry deadline for the 2024 Awards |
| December - March | Shortlisted projects visited by NTT representative to view and discuss, collect further imagery and produce a report for the Awards Judging Panel |
| April-May | The Award Judging Panel sits to decide winners and allocate any financial contributions |
Winners will be informed immediately on completion of the Award Judging Panel deliberations. Where financial contributions are made, cheques will be included in that letter. Once confirmation of an Award has been received, recipients are free to publicise their Award should they so wish. Winners will also be invited to attend the Trust’s Annual Award Ceremony, which is held in the autumn.
Prior to the Awards Ceremony a small number of projects thought to the "best of the best" will be selected for "Commemorative" awards, named after key founder members of the Trust, these will be announced during the award ceremony"
Queries
Should you have any questions about the awards, criteria or process please contact the Awards Manager This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
1. Please supply images in the highest possible quality, the larger the file size the better. Some cameras and phones downsize images by default to allow easy emailing, so please ensure you are sending us the best quality available to you. Ideally this will be a copy of the original file that has not been transmitted or shared by any messaging apps such as WhatsApp which compresses images thereby reducing image quality. You can send us up to 25 MB in file attachments by email. If you have more than one attachment, they can't add up to more than 25 MB so you may need to send several emails.
2. Use a description of each photo as its file name - maximum 100 characters, don’t include punctuation, keep the suffix (eg .jpg)
3. Composition of the images is important. They should show good balanced views of the entry. Avoid compromised views with detritus, such as ladders, coffee cups, weeds, traffic cones, temporary barriers etc, in shot as these devalue the images for publicity purposes.
4. For Restoration Awards avoid including people in shot, especially in closeup or foreground and take care to avoid capturing children in the image as these are unsuitable for publicity.. General views of the entries are of particular importance in addition to details illustrating restoration work in progress. Where possible, include illustrations of the restoration subject in use prior to restoration.
5. For Preservationist and Lifetime Achievement awards include a good quality image of the nominee in the context of the transport heritage interest for which they are being nominated.
6. For Young Preservationist Awards the nominee must provide consent for the use of their image, and if the nominee is under 16 , parental or guardian’s consent is also needed.
Owned and restored by Michael Pumfrey from Saffron Walden
Ruston and Proctor traction engine No. 50278 was built in 1914, new to Charles Pumfrey & Sons of Duxford, in whose family she remains, where it is now undergoing a full boiler rebuild and other repairs. One of very few engines still in the same family from new, based within five miles for her whole life (excluding wartime service, where she made a national record baling 242 tons of hay in a week during WW1).
In preservation, as well as rallies and working events she often attended local fetes and educational events such as open farm Sunday. Her owner, Robert Pumfrey was awarded the BEM for services to the Heritage of Steam and Agricultural Machinery in East Anglia, for attending such events.
Time takes its toll however, and significant rectification work is now required. The engine has been stripped, the boiler shell shotblasted and inspected. New throatplate and backhead pressings and boiler barrel have been obtained. and are being fitted. The tender is having a replacement bottom fitted and other repairs as necessary.
Research is being carried out with a view to returning her to her original colour (chocolate brown) and livery (not seen since 1969). In addition, fittings and loose parts need to be cleaned/repaired/serviced as necessary. a lot of cleaning.
Thereafter work will focus on boiler reassembly and riveting, construction and fitting of a firebox and tubeplate, hydraulic and steam testing, reassembly, painting, lining and finishing.
The local village were working up a ""buy a rivet"" scheme to help the engine as she has been a loved part of every local occasion for over 50 years, but that was squashed by the pandemic.
She is a well-known and well-loved traction engine in the local area, has a great working history in that same area. She is also well known and well regarded in the local steam scene and has set a few apprentices on to a life in the wonderful hobby of owning restoring and running traction engines over the years.
A most worthy recipient of the very first Sir William McAlpine award in 2021.
Annual awards that acknowledge and publicise the contributions of individuals across all age ranges.
These annual awards assist specific restoration projects of historic importance to completion and public display.
Projects in need of "tide over" funding with a real prospect of success may be eligible for a loan or grant.
Red Wheel Site
Transport Heritage Site