THE Sybil Locomotive Trust, based at the West Lancashire Light Railway in Hesketh Bank, was thrilled to be awarded runner-up, Highly Commended for the Steam Locomotive of the Year award at the Heritage Railway Association awards night in Gateshead on:- 8 February 2025. 

This followed an 8-year restoration of Sybil, a Bagnal 0-4-0ST built in 1906 that worked in the famous Dinorwic Slate Quarries, Llanberis, North Wales. The restoration included a new boiler built by the volunteers at the Hesketh Bank workshop. Sybil was 1 of 5 nominations for the national award and the only narrow gauge entry. The award winner was a new build Atlantic mainline railway locomotive 32424 ‘Beachy Head’ based at the famous Bluebell Railway in Sussex.

The West Lancashire Light Railway is delighted to have been nominated for such a prestigious award, along with the fellow nominees, for outstanding restorations and engineering excellence. This is a very proud moment for a small, dedicated restoration team.

Sybil can be seen in operation at the West Lancashire Light Railway, with trains operating every  Sunday and Bank Holiday from:- 23 March to 2 November 2025.

This year's Heritage Railway Association awards in Gateshead was at the start of a year-long national celebration marking 200 years since the Stockton and Darlington Railway began the 1st public steam-hauled passenger railway in the world. An invention that transformed the world.

The West Lancashire Light Railway Trust is a voluntary organisation based in the village of Hesketh Bank, midway between Preston and Southport. Started in 1967 by a group of schoolboys, the railway is today home to 4 historic steam locomotives and a large collection of industrial, narrow gauge railway equipment.