Heritage railway picks up Event of the Year title and recognition for Wealden Pullman in tourism awards
The Kent & East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) Dwarves of Steam Gala has been crowned Event of the Year in the 2025-2026 Beautiful South Tourism Awards for Excellence, announced this week.
The Gala, which was sponsored by Rapido Trains, lifted the coveted Gold Award against stiff competition from three other top regional events at a glittering ceremony in Brighton on Tuesday evening (9 December 2025).
The night also saw The Wealden Pullman pick up Bronze in the Restaurant of the Year category, confirming its already high reputation as an exceptional dining experience.
The award was accepted by Wealden Pullman volunteers Louise Clark and Kevin Bulled (pictured centre) from Fran Downton and Ervin Islamaj (far left) of Award sponsor Casa di Vini.
As a Gold winner, The Dwarves of Steam will now automatically go through to the national Visit England tourism awards next year.
The Gala, held back in April, celebrated the small but mighty unsung heroes of the golden age of the railways as part of Rail 200. Whilst other railway galas focus on the sheer size of some locomotives, in The Dwarves of Steam the K&ESR showcased the charm of the humblest of historic locomotives: small but powerful engines employed as works or depot shunters and on country branch lines as the backbone of the early railway system. The two-day event attracted over 800 visitors – from families to railway enthusiasts – and gave volunteers an opportunity for new roles.
The Wealden Pullman has been giving passengers exceptional fine dining experiences – Sunday lunches, Saturday evening dinners and celebrations such as Mothering Sunday and New Year’s Eve, as well as special charters and weddings – for the last 51 years, having been the very first UK heritage railway to offer Pullman dining. Regularly booked months in advance, the Wealden Pullman is staffed by a team of committed volunteers, who dress in authentic Pullman livery and take great pride in recreating levels of service from a bygone era that are seldom enjoyed in today’s busy world.
These two new awards are the latest in a series of accolades picked up by the heritage line in 2025. They include being named Best Family Experience in Kent in the Muddy Stilettos Awards – entirely voted for by the public – and picking up a 2025 TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Award for a second year in a row, once again placing the railway in the top 10 per cent of attractions to visit worldwide based on verified visitor reviews.
Commenting on the news, K&ESR Chairman Derrick Bilsby said: “This is a truly special way for us to end the year. We couldn’t be more delighted to have received these awards which recognise the exceptional visitor experiences that we strive to create for our passengers. Their high quality and therefore customer satisfaction is very much down to the amazing staff and army of dedicated volunteers who make the magic happen. They are the heart of the K&ESR so these awards are very much for them.”
Fran Downton, Chief Executive of Tourism South East, said: “Congratulations to all of last night’s winners and thank you to all our sponsors and supporters. It was a pleasure to celebrate the hard work, professionalism and commitment across our region. The South East continues to set a high bar, and everyone recognised should feel incredibly proud.”
Awards Director Nell Barrington added, “The winners were outstanding and really show what makes the South East so special. Huge congratulations to them all, and heartfelt thanks to everyone who took the time to enter and support these awards.”
ENDS
