Charity Accounts Intelreading the accounts so you don’t have to

MIDLAND AND GREAT NORTHERN JOINT RAILWAY SOCIETY

Registered charity 1063676 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as M&GN SOCIETY, THE POPPY LINE TRUST

A professional charitable organisation, adding historical value to the knowledge of the general public about the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway and heritage railways in general, in a manner which is both educational and fun for the members and the general public.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · Environment/conservation/heritage · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£305k
Latest spending
£586k
Registered
1997
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the Society reported a net expenditure of £193,534 for the year, primarily due to significant expenditure on locomotive and carriage overhauls and an apprenticeship grant, which exceeded incoming resources of £304,536. Despite this deficit, the Society holds total net assets of £3,094,183, including approximately £503,000 in free reserves, which the trustees consider adequate to meet ongoing costs and complete current projects.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: at least 12 months (held: £503k)
“The Board of Trustees is aware of the need to maintain as a minimum sufficient unrestricted free reserves to meet ongoing direct and administrative expenditure for a period of at least 12 months.” — page 7
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Midland & Great Northern Heritage Limited
“The Society also owns 100% of the issued capital in Midland & Great Northern Heritage Ltd, which was set up as a wholly owned subsidiary for non-charitable trading activities.” — page 9
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Peters Elworthy & Moore. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Corporate structure

MIDLAND & GREAT NORTHERN HERITAGE LTD. — per its own Companies House accounts
  • Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £802k
  • The balance sheet lists a debtor relationship with the parent undertaking, showing an amount of £802,000 for both the current and previous year.
“Debtor - parent undertaking 802”

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

Official officers record.

Property (HM Land Registry)

2 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/01/2024)

Total income
£581k
Total spending
£450k
Cost of raising funds
£12k
Reserves (reported)
£810k
Employees
0

Reported reserves equal ~21.6 months of spending — above the median for charities its size (median 7.1 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 2.1% of total income — below the median for charities its size (2.9%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Trustees · trustee networks

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/01/2025£305k£586k
31/01/2024£581k£450k
31/01/2023£315k£207k
31/01/2022£321k£170k
31/01/2021£277k£265k

Common questions

Is MIDLAND AND GREAT NORTHERN JOINT RAILWAY SOCIETY financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the Society reported a net expenditure of £193,534 for the year, primarily due to significant expenditure on locomotive and carriage overhauls and an apprenticeship grant, which exceeded incoming resources of £304,536. Despite this deficit, the Society holds total net assets of £3,094,183, including approximately £503,000 in free reserves, which the trustees consider adequate to meet ongoing costs and complete current projects. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Peters Elworthy & Moore.

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

FunderDateAmountPurpose
The National Lottery Heritage Fund27/03/2007£10k"This Charity Preserve And Restore Former Midland And Great Northern Joint Railway Land And Memorabilia. The Project Will Enable The Group T"
The National Lottery Community Fund27/03/2007£10kLiving History Day
The National Lottery Heritage Fund23/03/2006£308k"Construction of Carriage Sheds for the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society."
The National Lottery Heritage Fund01/03/2005£2k"The Midland And Great Northern Joint Railway Society In Norfolk Have Been Awarded A Grant To Enable Them To Hold An Exhibition To Commemorat"
The National Lottery Community Fund24/02/2005£16k'The Poppy Line' WW2 Exhibition
The National Lottery Heritage Fund11/09/2002£341k"Restoration of "LNER Quad Articulated Set No 74""
The National Lottery Heritage Fund24/10/2001£30k"Locomotive Enhancement and Restoration, Sheringham"

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with CHINNOR AND PRINCES RISBOROUGH RAILWAY ASSOCIATION LIMITED.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
MIDLAND AND GREAT NORTHERN JOINT RAILWAY SOCIETY£305k—0above—no doubt
CHINNOR AND PRINCES RISBOROUGH RAILWAY ASSOCIATION LIMITED FY2025£200k—0above—no doubt
THE BLUEBELL RAILWAY TRUST FY2022£1.5m—0unclear—no doubt
FFESTINIOG RAILWAY SOCIETY FY2025£425k—0unclear—no doubt
GREAT WESTERN SOCIETY LIMITED FY2025£3.9m—0below—no doubt
L&NWR SOCIETY FY2024£48k—0unclear—no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.