The Kent & East Sussex Railway is celebrating becoming a finalist in not one but two categories of the 2025-26 Beautiful South Tourism Awards.
This year’s The Dwarves of Steam Gala and the railway’s renowned Wealden Pullman service are each set to receive either a gold, silver or bronze award at a ceremony in Brighton on Tuesday 9th December. In addition, they could also be crowned respectively Event/Festival of the Year and Restaurant of the Year when the overall winners are announced at the glittering evening event.
The Dwarves of Steam, sponsored by Rapido Trains, took place in April, and 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 chose to showcase 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 treating passengers to exceptional fine dining experiences – Sunday lunches, Saturday evening dinners and special celebrations such as Mothering Sunday and New Year’s Eve – for the last 51 years, having been 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.
Commenting on the double award news, K&ESR General Manager Robin Coombes said:
“At the K&ESR we strive to offer exceptional visitor experiences for our passengers at every level which means not only celebrating the past but innovating too. We therefore couldn’t be more delighted that one of our newest events and one of our longest standing services have both gained recognition in the latest Beautiful South Awards. As an organisation that depends on an army of volunteers to keep history alive, these awards are a clear recognition of their excellence and dedication.”
ENDS
