EAST LANCASHIRE RAILWAY PRESERVATION SOCIETY LIMITED

Registered charity 1190609 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as ELRPS, ELRPS LTD

The preservation of the ex-British Railways branch line between Rawtenstall and Castleton Junction via Bury together with locomotives, rolling stock and buildings.

Objects

THE CHARITY'S OBJECTS ('OBJECTS') ARE SPECIFICALLY RESTRICTED TO THE FOLLOWING:TO ADVANCE EDUCATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC IN THE HISTORY, HERITAGE CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING AND OPERATION OF THE EAST LANCASHIRE RAILWAY IN SUCH WAYS AND BY SUCH MEANS AS THE TRUSTEES SHALL DETERMINE AND BY SUPPORTING THE CHARITABLE WORK OF EAST LANCASHIRE LIGHT RAILWAY COMPANY LIMITED (REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1186648), AND IN PARTICULAR ITS WORK TO: A) PRESERVE THE WHOLE OR PART OF THE EX-BRITISH RAILWAYS BRANCH LINE BETWEEN RAWTENSTALL AND CASTLETON JUNCTION THROUGH BURY TOGETHER WITH ITS CONNECTION TO THE NATIONAL RAIL NETWORK; B) OPERATE, RESTORE, MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE LOCOMOTIVES, ROLLING STOCK, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALL OTHER OBJECTIVES OF THE SAID RAILWAY;C) ENCOURAGE VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY IN THE FURTHERANCE OF ITS AIMS.

Area of benefit: LOCAL

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

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Environment/conservation/heritage · Other Charitable Purposes · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£76k

Latest spending

£66k

Registered

2020

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity held total funds of £124,451 at year-end, with unrestricted reserves of £115,458 and a strong cash position of £239,805. The trustees consider the financial position to be sound and appropriate to support the Society’s charitable objectives, noting adequate 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: Member subscriptions and sponsorships (74% of income)

“Member subscriptions and sponsorships 56,389”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The charity has no related parties in a corporate legal sense but is linked, in its charitable aims, with the operating company of the ELR, the East Lancashire Light Railway Company Limited (ELLRCo).

“The charity has no related parties in a corporate legal sense but is linked, in its charitable aims, with the operating company of the ELR, the East Lancashire Light Railway Company Limited (ELLRCo). There was no overlap of trustees between the ELRPS and the ELLRCo.” — page 15

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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 handling
Complaints policy and procedures
Conflicting interests
Financial reserves policy and procedures
Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Investing charity funds policy and procedures
Investment
Risk management
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Social media policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures
Volunteer management

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 11773904 · Financial health read from its filings

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.

WOOD, Michael John — director, appointed 27/02/2025on trustee list
NEWPORT, Glen — director, appointed 19/01/2025on trustee list
NEWPORT, Louise — director, appointed 19/01/2025on trustee list
SHILTON, Keith Michael — director, appointed 03/05/2022on trustee list
BARNES, Nigel Frank — director, appointed 22/04/2022on trustee list
COLPMAN, Peter William — director, appointed 17/02/2022on trustee list
WRIGHT, David Alan — director, appointed 17/01/2019on trustee list
TATE, John Garton — director, appointed 17/01/2019on trustee list
VAUSE, Donald — director, appointed 17/01/2019on trustee list
ATHERTON, Gerald — director, appointed 17/01/2019on trustee list

Official officers record.

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

Trustees · trustee networks

Ian David Aspeychair
DAVID ALAN WRIGHT
DONALD VAUSE
GERALD ATHERTON
Glen Newport
John Garton Tate
Keith Michael Shilton
Louise Newport
Michael John Wood
Nigel Frank Barnes
Peter William Colpman

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

Operates in: Bury

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2025	£76k	£66k
31/12/2024	£56k	£53k
31/12/2023	£99k	£45k
31/12/2022	£60k	£27k
31/12/2021	£60k	£28k

Common questions

Is EAST LANCASHIRE RAILWAY PRESERVATION SOCIETY LIMITED financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity held total funds of £124,451 at year-end, with unrestricted reserves of £115,458 and a strong cash position of £239,805. The trustees consider the financial position to be sound and appropriate to support the Society’s charitable objectives, noting adequate resources for the foreseeable future. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Government & lottery funding

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

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	04/02/2005	£735	"East Lancashire Railway Preservation Society In Lancashire Have Been Awarded A Grant To Enable Them To Commemorate The 60th Anniversary Of T"