12:00.

Myself and the rest of the Community Rail Network team and our hosts from East Midlands Railway are currently working like Trojans, getting the stage (and bar, and lounge, and everything else) set for tonight’s annual Community Rail Awards. We’ve a record attendance this year – over 600 people, so this is the biggest venue we’ve used in the 21 years of the event. We change location every year, so each time we’re faced with different logistical and technical challenges which makes for an ‘interesting’ time! I’m not going to give any spoilers other than to say there’s going to be a fantastic event some very worthy winners. Here’s the brochure.

I’ll update this blog off and on during the day…

You’ll be able to see more of what’s going on by following Community Rail Network here on Facebook, Bluesky, Twitter (aka X) and their own website.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Cheers,

Paul