YORKSHIRE DALES RAILWAY MUSEUM TRUST (HOLDINGS) LIMITED
Registered charity 1116386 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as YORKSHIRE DALES RAILWAY MUSEUM TRUST
OPERATES WORKING STEAM RAILWAY MUSEUM
Causes: Education/training · Environment/conservation/heritage · website · Get email alerts
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that the charity held no free unrestricted reserves at year-end, with unrestricted funds of £1,150,822 entirely represented by fixed assets not readily available for expenditure. The trustees are actively monitoring cash flow and seeking to build up unrestricted reserves through future events, while noting that reserves policy targets have not been maintained throughout the year. Despite a disclaimer of opinion on the financial statements due to fixed asset record-keeping issues, the trustees maintain a going concern basis with sufficient resources for the foreseeable future.
Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.
What the accounts disclose
Largest income source: Train Services (87% of income)
“Train Services 3,674,682” — page 13
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Fundraising cost ratio: 7.6% of fundraised income — near the median for charities its size (5.2%)
“Fund raising activities 319,664” — page 13
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: three and six-month’s expenditure
“It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six-month’s expenditure.” — page 5
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Audit opinion: qualified
“Because of the significance of the matter described in the basis for disclaimer of opinion section of our report, we have not been able to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence to provide a basis for an audit opinion on these Consolidated Financial Statements” — page 10
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Payment to RJS Media Ltd for website services
“Remuneration of £52,589 was paid to Mr Shaw's company RJS Media Ltd specifically for Website services.” — page 7
“Remuneration of £21,040 was paid to Mr Ferguson's company Moorland Design and Consultancy Limited for operations management.” — page 7
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Payment to Moorland Design and Consultancy Limited for operations management
“Remuneration of £52,589 was paid to Mr Shaw's company RJS Media Ltd specifically for Website services.” — page 7
“Remuneration of £21,040 was paid to Mr Ferguson's company Moorland Design and Consultancy Limited for operations management.” — page 7
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Payment to J Beesley for hire of locomotive
“Remuneration of £52,589 was paid to Mr Shaw's company RJS Media Ltd specifically for Website services.” — page 7
“Remuneration of £21,040 was paid to Mr Ferguson's company Moorland Design and Consultancy Limited for operations management.” — page 7
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: The Embsay Steam Railway Trading Company Limited
“The charity has one wholly owned subsidiary, The Embsay Steam Railway Trading Company Limited.” — page 6
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Accounts audited by Walkers Accountants Limited. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.
Property (HM Land Registry)
5 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (4 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 31/01/2025)
Cost of raising funds
£320k
Reported reserves equal ~3.6 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 4.8 months; benchmarks).
- Daniel James Fergusonchair
- John Nicholas Beesley
- Malcolm Brian Harrison
- Michael David Edwards · trustee of 1 other charity
- Michael John Ball
- NEIL HUBBS
- ROBERT SHAW
Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).
Operates in: North Yorkshire
Income and spending
Common questions
Is YORKSHIRE DALES RAILWAY MUSEUM TRUST (HOLDINGS) LIMITED financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity held no free unrestricted reserves at year-end, with unrestricted funds of £1,150,822 entirely represented by fixed assets not readily available for expenditure. The trustees are actively monitoring cash flow and seeking to build up unrestricted reserves through future events, while noting that reserves policy targets have not been maintained throughout the year. Despite a disclaimer of opinion on the financial statements due to fixed asset record-keeping issues, the trustees maintain a going concern basis with sufficient resources for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Walkers Accountants Limited.
Government & lottery funding
Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).
Funders of similar charities
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Side by side with its peers
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