An amateur photography competition is looking to celebrate local creative talent, as well as the bicentenary of the railway connecting people across the county. 

The competition – run by TransWilts Community Rail Partnership (CRP) in collaboration with The Arts Society Kington Langley (TASKL) – is now inviting entries.

With the brief to demonstrate how the railway connects communities past and present over the last 200 years, entrants can submit up to three photographs, whether it’s a bustling town centre station, a quiet rural halt, or a scenic view framed by the rails.

As well as receiving prizes (including photography gear and travel passes), winning entries will be featured at participating stations and may also appear in TransWilts CRP and The Arts Society publications. Additionally, every image submitted will become part of a digital exhibition, ensuring that even those who don’t win a prize will have their work showcased to the public. 

The competition is open to photographers of all ages, with special categories open to Wiltshire’s young people aged 5-10 years, as well as 11-18 years.

Sophie Martin, TransWilts CRP manager, said: “2025 marks 200 years of the modern railway, and the resulting impact on the world. This competition is all about celebrating two centuries of our rail network across Wiltshire; how it brings people together and connects our communities, both now and throughout history. 

“We’re looking forward to receiving a wide variety of photographs from across the county and from all ages too.  We hope people will take this opportunity to get out, explore, and share their unique perspective of rail in Wiltshire. It’s a chance for everyone, from those equipped with just a smartphone and a good eye, to those who regularly snap for pleasure, to be part of a project that puts community at its heart.”

Heather Leach, TASKL Arts volunteer, said: “We believe that the arts are an important way to make people enjoy life more and celebrate what’s around us. By joining forces with TransWilts CRP on this competition, we wanted to find a way to give the most possibilities to the greatest amount of people to celebrate the railways – something that has become part of all of our lives and has such a deep-rooted history and connection with Wiltshire.

“The beauty of photography means that everyone can have a go, whether it’s a spontaneous shot or one that you’ve made a special journey to take. We look forward to seeing the entries coming in from across the county.”

Entries close at midnight on Wednesday 31 December. Images should be submitted in high resolution, ideally around 3MB, in JPEG, JPG or PNG format. Submit your entries here.

Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from TransWilts CRP via their website.