THE search to find the UK’s most promising young railway photographers has begun with the launch of a national competition.

The Young Railway Photographer of the Year competition 2025 officially opened for entries on February 1 and closes on January 31, 2025.

Organised by the National Railway Museum (NRM), The Railway Photographic Society and supported by leading partners from the railway and photography industries, the competition is seeking the best images from photographers aged 25 and under.

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Charlotte Kingston, Head of Design, Exhibitions and Communications at the NRM and inaugural competition judge, said: “I am pleased to announce the return of the Young Railway Photographer of the Year competition which has a new theme as part of the nation’s Railway 200 celebrations.

“This was one of the National Railway Museum’s most popular recent exhibitions and the skill, breadth of subject matter and imagination on show from previous entrants was fantastic.

"There couldn’t be a better time to celebrate the railways in 2025 and the competition will inspire the next generation to think creatively about the railways.”

The competition returns as part of ‘Railway 200’, a year-long programme of events and celebrations to recognise the significance of the past 200 years of railway history and the bicentenary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in September 2025.

From complete novices to accomplished amateurs, the competition aims to encourage more young people to take part in railway photography.

Entrants will be invited to submit a portfolio of up to six images in two age categories: 18 and under and 19 to 25.

An exhibition of shortlisted entries will be displayed at the NRM in York and at Locomotion in Shildon in summer 2025, before the winners are announced at an awards ceremony.

The inaugural Young Railway Photographer of the Year competition was launched in 2019 and winners announced in 2022 to celebrate the centenary of the Railway Photographic Society.

The youngest entrant to the competition was just eight years old. 

The overall competition-winning image was taken by Bradley Langton, then aged 20, from Driffield who impressed the judges with a spectacular reflected view of an LNER InterCity 225 at London King’s Cross station. 

Secretary of the Railway Photographic Society, John Hillier, said: “The return of the Young Railway Photographer of the Year competition and the NRM’s involvement provides the perfect opportunity for young photographers to be inspired to go out and produce a portfolio of shots based on the new theme.

“If that wasn’t all, there are fantastic competition prizes, with the added bonus of possibly seeing their work showcased at the NRM and beyond.”  

To find out more, visit: www.youngrailphotographeroftheyear.co.uk