A thirteen-year-old photography competition winner has been appointed as the new volunteer photographer for the Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership.
A thirteen-year-old photography enthusiast will capture life along the local railway network after securing a new volunteer role.
Mason Bennett won a 2026 photography competition and has now been officially appointed as the volunteer photographer for the Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership.
The teenager impressed community rail officials not only with his camera skills but also with his extensive knowledge of the railway system. His initial competition victory, which was sponsored by Hull Trains, earned him a prize of two first-class return tickets to London.
Because he is under sixteen years old, Mason will be accompanied by his mother, Claire, as he undertakes his voluntary work for the group.
Claire said:
"Mason is thrilled to be offered this exciting opportunity, and extremely proud to represent the YCCRP and Northern."
The young photographer follows in the footsteps of Bradley Langton, who previously held the same volunteer position. Bradley spent several years capturing images for the community rail group before successfully pursuing a full-time career in the rail industry.
During his time taking photographs for the partnership, Bradley gained the experience, connections, and encouragement needed to turn his hobby into a profession. He also claimed the prestigious title of Young Railway Photographer of the Year in a national competition in 2022.
To help Mason settle into the role, Bradley spent a day on the railway with the teenager and his mother a couple of weeks ago, offering advice and showing him the ropes.
Bradley Langton said:
"In 2018 I started as volunteer photographer for the YCCRP and it pretty much changed my life for the better, as I grew and gained experience it then aligned me with my career on the railway. It was a pleasure to meet Mason and Claire and spend some time photographing trains with Mason. It felt like handing over the torch and it was great to give the opportunity that I had to someone new."
Community rail officials are optimistic that the volunteer position will provide Mason with the same valuable foundation for his future.
Yorkshire Coast Community Rail Partnership community rail officer Rachel Osborne said:
"We love to encourage young people to volunteer and work on the railway. We are so proud of Bradley and pleased that we were able to help give him the start he needed for his career. We hope to do the same for Mason and we look forward to working with him and seeing and using his photos."
Mason's winning photograph from the 2026 competition is already being put to use by the partnership. The image, alongside eleven runners-up from the contest, is featured in the group's 2027 calendar.
A limited number of these calendars are currently available for purchase at pop-up events hosted at stations along the Hull to Scarborough line. Dates and times for the sales events are being shared on the partnership's social media pages.
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