Impact
The company and forum are now one of the more respected and well-known general groups in the world of railway preservation. The first tangible signs of this increase in importance were the impact the forum made in the enthusiast press following the aforementioned Exeter incident. In 2007, the forum members raised funds for the Welsh Highland Railway appeal to restore their original engine Russell, following a poll among users over which of several deserving candidates should receive the donation. The funds were raised through individual donations, as well as subscriptions and proceeds from the shop, A newsletter by the Welsh Highland Railway was produced to celebrate the event. A new poll is being run currently.
National Preservation was used in helping the Betton Grange society publicise their major gala "Steel, Steam and Stars" in April 2007, held at the Llangollen Railway. The forum was used by the group to post details of the gala as they were confirmed and to provide information and reports on the event afterwards. For the follow-up gala in 2009, the forum has been utilised in a similar way, but has also been used to help provide volunteers for jobs during the event, and the company is sponsoring the running of specific trains and a guest ale at the beer festival held alongside the gala.
National Preservation was also used in helping with the new Churnet Valley Railway& Moorland & City Railways Cauldon Lowe Branch re-opening Gala. On the weekend of the 13/14 November 2010. The forum had the first 12 coach express beer train to run on the new Cauldon Lowe Branch, sporting the National Preservation headboard.
For a spell during 2007, Steam Railway magazine actively ran a feature on the forum. Entitled "Overheard at the bar", the section reprinted a selection of some of the best posts from the forum during that month, chosen jointly by Danny Hopkins and Glyn Murray. These covered issues such as steam locomotive history and other sundry events within the movement such as railtours.
It is believed that National Preservation is the first forum to have its own Locomotive Headboard cast.
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