The Heritage Railway Association (HRA) is a company limited by guarantee, and emerged from the rebranding of the Association of Independent Railways and Preservation Societies (AIRPS) in 1998. The HRA continues the work of the AIRPS, which was to promote the interests of the independent railway industry and the preservation movement. Furthermore, the HRA is responsible for publicity, and promoting best practice in heritage railway operation through training and the maintenance of basic safety standards to ensure a sustainable future for the industry.

As of 2016, the President of the HRA is Lord Faulkner of Worcester. The structure currently includes a Board of 13 Directors chaired by Brian Simpson, which oversees the appointment of Secretaries to eleven Committees responsible for the following areas, some of which have been inherited from the Association of Independent Railways (AIR) and the Association of Railway Preservation Societies (ARPS):

Awards

Business Development

Finance Directors Group

Heritage Committee

Heritage Tramways

Legal and Parliamentary Affairs

Member Services

Operating and Safety

Rail Mounted Cableways

Scottish

Training and Education

HRA membership consists of corporate and associate members comprising over 200 independent railways, preservation societies, locomotive owning groups and ancillary organisations. The association is registered as a limited company in England, Registration No. 2226245.