John Coiley Award

Certificate awarded to Sentinel 7109 'Joyce'

The Heritage Railway Association awards evening held on 11th February 2017 saw the presentation of the John Coiley award certificate for the restoration of Sentinel 7109 to working order.

I heard about this award late in 2016 and it took me quite by surprise as I did not know who had nominated Joyce for the award. I still don't but please accept my humble thanks - whoever you are!

Perhaps a little oddly, I had no opportunity beforehand to present my case for 7109 and the interpretation of the project as 'For the restoration of an industrial locomotive to a near replicate of one of two sister engines that ran on the Somerset and Dorset Railway' is different to how I've thought about it. However, it's interesting to learn of how others interpret 7109's restoration.

Nice to have an official pat on the back. Many thanks to the HRA. I always thought I needed to be certified!