The Bluebell congratulates SETG – custodians of Bluebell-owned 4VEP unit 3417 – on a fantastic award received last night.
The Southern Electric Traction Group (SETG) has been named “Team of the Year” at the Heritage Railway Association Awards 2026, recognising more than a decade of volunteer-led work preserving and operating historic Southern electric traction.
The award celebrates the people behind the organisation — the volunteers, members and supporters whose shared ambition has enabled SETG to keep an important part of Britain’s railway story alive.
For many years, the Group has been responsible for the preservation and operation of 4VEP unit 3417 “Gordon Pettitt,” the United Kingdom’s only preserved mainline-registered electric multiple unit. Through the dedication of the team, the unit continues to demonstrate the engineering and operational legacy of the Southern Region’s electric railway.
The award also comes at a particularly significant moment for the organisation. The Group has recently become the owners of Class 455 unit 455871 “Roy Watts,” securing the preservation of a further generation of Southern electric traction and marking an important milestone in SETG’s ongoing work to ensure modern electric units are represented within the heritage movement.
“This award is a testament to the ambition of our team. It shows the genuine passion and love that exists for the SETG mission. I can’t help but think of those who cannot be here tonight — Gwill, Maggie and of course Gordon himself. This organisation is built on their spirit, love and determination, and we carry that with us every day. Tonight we stand a little taller, seeing further on the shoulders of those giants who helped shape our cause.”
Reflecting on the organisation’s journey, Chris Buckland, CME Minion, added:
“Over ten years ago a small team sat in a pub hatching an idea that has become the SETG. It feels entirely fitting that we celebrate the team we are today with a pint in hand, surrounded by titans of the preservation industry. The challenges we face are not small, but this award shows that we are approaching them the right way — and at the heart of everything we do is the team.”
The Heritage Railway Association Awards recognise the very best work taking place across the UK’s heritage railway sector, and to be recognised in this way by fellow organisations across the movement is a tremendous honour for everyone involved with SETG.
The Group is keen to emphasise that this moment belongs not only to the volunteers working behind the scenes, but also to the many supporters, sponsors and donors whose belief in the organisation has helped make its work possible. Their encouragement and support form an essential part of the journey and they share fully in this achievement.
