THE RAILWAY CORRESPONDENCE AND TRAVEL SOCIETY

Registered charity 1169995 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

To advance the knowledge of the public on historic and current railway operations via the publication of a monthly magazine, its website, library/archive centre, photographic collection and the publishing of informative railway books on all railway aspects. To organise localised meetings covering presentations of railway related subjects and visits to railway establishments.

Objects

THE OBJECTS OF THE CIO ARE TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC IN THE SUBJECT OF HISTORIC AND CURRENT RAILWAY OPERATION AND RAILWAY HERITAGE, INCLUDING BY: 1. THE PUBLICATION OF A REGULAR MONTHLY MAGAZINE, THE RAILWAY OBSERVER; AND ASSOCIATED WEBSITES 2. THE PUBLICATION OF BOOKS CONTAINING DETAILED HISTORICAL RECORDS RELATING TO RAILWAYS, INCLUDING LOCOMOTIVE CLASSES, TRACTION EQUIPMENT AND RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE;3. THE FORMATION AND SUPPORT OF LOCAL BRANCHES OF THE SOCIETY WITH A VIEW TO PROVIDING A PROGRAMME OF SPEAKERS AND VISITS SO AS TO ENABLE THE PUBLIC TO STUDY AND UNDERSTAND VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE PRACTICE OF HISTORIC AND CURRENT RAILWAY OPERATION AND RAILWAY HERITAGE; 4. THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION OF AN EXTENSIVE LIBRARY/ARCHIVAL CENTRE SO AS TO ADVANCE THE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF HISTORIC AND CURRENT RAILWAY PRACTICE AND RAILWAY HERITAGE; 5. THE DISSEMINATION TO THE PUBLIC OF PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES OF HISTORIC AND CURRENT RAILWAY OPERATION AND RAILWAY HERITAGE. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS OBJECTS CLAUSE ‘RAILWAY’ INCLUDES: 1. STANDARD, BROAD, NARROW AND MINIATURE GAUGE RAILWAYS 2. URBAN, METRO, LIGHT RAPID TRANSIT AND TRAMWAYS 3. MAINLINE AND PRESERVED RAILWAYS 4. ANY RAILWAY IN THE WORLD THOUGH PRINCIPALLY IN GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND.‘SOCIETY’ MEANS THE RAILWAY CORRESPONDENCE AND TRAVEL SOCIETY.NOTHING IN THIS CONSTITUTION SHALL AUTHORISE AN APPLICATION OF THE PROPERTY OF THE CIO FOR THE PURPOSES WHICH ARE NOT CHARITABLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 7 OF THE CHARITIES AND TRUSTEE INVESTMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 2005 AND SECTION 2 OF THE CHARITIES ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 2008

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · Other Charitable Purposes · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£86k

Latest spending

£86k

Registered

2016

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity achieved a very small surplus of £129 for the year ended 31 October 2025, following a surplus of £6,285 in the previous year. The trustees report that the society remains financially stable, with total net assets decreasing slightly from £369,190 to £357,715. The financial report notes that magazine fees successfully covered their production costs and administration expenses were reduced by 3%.

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

What the accounts disclose

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Internal risk management policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Paying staff
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

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

Trustees · trustee networks

ARTHUR REGINALD WOOD
Andrew James Milne
DAVID PETER GODDARD FMAAT
David Bird
David Michael Cross
Dr Jeremy Russell Segrott
JOHN REDGATE · trustee of 1 other charity
MICHAEL STANLEY ROBINSON
Paul John Chancellor
Richard Leslie Morris
Stewart Douglas Jolly

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

Operates in: Scotland · Throughout England And Wales

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/10/2025	£86k	£86k
31/10/2024	£98k	£92k
31/10/2023	£77k	£89k
31/10/2022	£82k	£76k
31/10/2021	£90k	£86k

Common questions

Is THE RAILWAY CORRESPONDENCE AND TRAVEL SOCIETY financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity achieved a very small surplus of £129 for the year ended 31 October 2025, following a surplus of £6,285 in the previous year. The trustees report that the society remains financially stable, with total net assets decreasing slightly from £369,190 to £357,715. The financial report notes that magazine fees successfully covered their production costs and administration expenses were reduced by 3%. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.