New prizes are up for grabs in the search to find the UK’s most promising young railway photographers.

FUJIFILM UK have been announced as co-sponsors of the Young Railway Photographer of the Year competition, organised by the National Railway Museum and the Railway Photographic Society.

Three Fujifilm X-T5 Silver digital camera with XF16-50mm lenses have now been added to the prize pot for the overall winner and winners in the two age categories; 18 and under and 19-25. Other prizes include a tour on Network Rail’s New Measurement Train, a GB Railfreight cab simulator experience, heritage railway line tickets, and more. 

Shortlisted entries will be displayed in exhibitions at the National Railway Museum in York and Locomotion in Shildon as part of the celebrations for Railway 200, the bicentenary of the modern railway, in 2025. 

To enter, young photographers are invited submit a portfolio of six photographs around the theme of Railway 200. Images may include, but are not limited to, railway and carriage design, architecture and structures, travel experiences, railway landscapes or innovation and ingenuity.

The competition is open to entrants of all photographic abilities, whether amateur or professional. Any devices capable of photography are permitted to be used, including smartphones.

The competition is running for the second time, with the previous winners announced in 2022. Entries ranged from impressive station architecture to historic steam engines and dramatic railway landscapes. The youngest entrant was just eight years old. 

Bradley Langton, (then aged 20), from Driffield was crowned overall winner of the inaugural competition, with a spectacular image from London King’s Cross station of an LNER InterCity 225, reflected in standing water.

Andreas Georghiades, head of marketing - Imaging Solutions, at FUJIFILM UK, said: “We are pleased to support the Young Railway Photographer of the Year competition as the nation marks 200 years of rail history.

The railways have always inspired incredible photography, whether it’s the intricate details of station architecture, the dynamic power of locomotives, or the ever-changing landscapes that they pass through. We are excited to see the creativity of young photographers and the unique perspectives they will bring to our rich rail heritage."

Railway 200 is a year-long UK-wide campaign led by partners in the rail industry to celebrate 200 years of the modern railway and inspire a new generation of young talent to choose a career in rail. It invites community, rail and other groups to get involved. A variety of activities and events are being planned from January 2025 to celebrate rail’s remarkable past, its role today, and its importance to a sustainable future.

The Young Railway Photographer of the Year competition is co-organised with the Railway Photographic Society and supported by FUJIFILM UK, Network Rail, Mortons Media, GB Railfreight (GBRf) and Amateur Photographer Magazine.