At the regional Muddy Stilettos Awards, the Kent & East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) has been voted Best Family Experience in Kent.

The awards are held in partnership with NFU Mutual Ashford, Tenterden and Whitfield.

K&ESR, based in Tenterden, celebrated 50 years of the heritage railway last year.

They had Mr Doodle decorate a train for their 50th anniversary, which then ran on trains across their weekend of celebrations.

They were one of 5 finalists for this new award, adding to the railway’s recent awards, including one from TripAdvisor.

The Muddy Awards reached over 11 million people, receiving half a million nominations and votes across 21 categories.

K&ESR will now go on to the National Finals, where they will be judged to see if they are the ‘ Best of the Best’ in each category. Winners will be announced on the 25th June 2025.

“To say that we are over the moon to have received this award is an understatement, A massive thank you to everyone who voted for us. We’re extremely proud that we offer unforgettable experiences for young and old and this award means that we are succeeding in our aim to deliver an authentic, fun and memorable day out.”

K&ESR General Manager Robin Coombes