The Railfuture 2013 Rail User Group Awards were awarded on 2nd November at Railfuture's annual conference in Oxford by rail writer and Railfuture president Christian Wolmar. For this second year of the awards, nine awards were presented in categories for best campaign, best campaigner, best website, best newsletter, best new group, and a Judges' Special Award. The judging panel was Railfuture vice-presidents Ian Brown, Barry Doe, Roger Ford, and Chris Green.
Best Campaign:
Winner: Barking-Gospel Oak RUG
Commended: Harrogate Line Supporters Group
Commended: South East Northumberland RUG
Best Campaigner; the Clara Zilahi Award, in memory of a stalwart East Anglia branch member and national Board Director who died this year:
Steve Smith, leader of Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group
Best Website:
Gold award: Portishead Railway Group
Silver award: Avocet Line RUG
Best New Group; the Oliver Lovell Award, in memory of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group founder who died this year - CLPG were double award-winners last year, for best newsletter and best campaign:
Harrogate Line Supporters Group
Best Newsletter:
Avocet Line RUG
Judges' Special Award:
Peter Wakefield, Chair of East Anglia branch, for his work on the Wisbech campaign - as one of the VPs said, not a RUG as such, more a group of potential rail users in the future, or a virtual RUG.
Download slideshow of winners.