RIBBLE STEAM RAILWAY LIMITED

Registered charity 507266 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as RIBBLE STEAM RAILWAY, STEAMPORT SOUTHPORT LIMITED

Ribble Steam Railway Ltd operates a heritage railway in Preston Lancashire which includes an accredited museum with railway locomotives and other historic items on display.

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

Latest income

£303k

Latest spending

£302k

Registered

1978

Accounts read

FY2024

Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts

The accounts state that unrestricted reserves of £1,634,939 fall within the trustees' stated policy target of six months' expenditure. The charity reported a net income of £866 for the year, with total funds carried forward at £1,655,339. The trustees acknowledge the charity's solvency and ability to continue operations.

Automated summary of the FY2024 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: six months expenditure (held: £1.6m)

“The trustees have set a target range for free general reserves of six months expenditure” — page 5

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Donations received from Ribble Rail Limited

“The charity received donations from the above of £48,621 (2023: £95,541). The charity also received Management fees and reimbursed expenses of £42,900 (2023: £75,000) Included in debtors are amounts due from the above of £16,090 (2023: £36,090)” — page 17

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Trading subsidiary: Ribble Rail Limited

“Ribble Rail Limited - wholly owned subsidiary” — page 17

Per its FY2024 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Corporate structure

Registered company of the charity Companies House 01112380
Trading subsidiary: RIBBLE RAIL LTD Companies House 04293655

The charity’s company — latest Companies House iXBRL filing (balance sheet 31.12.25)

Average employees: 4

RIBBLE RAIL LTD — latest Companies House iXBRL filing (balance sheet 31.12.25)

Equity: £37k
Average employees: 1

RIBBLE RAIL LTD — per its own Companies House accounts

Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £49k
Management fees/expenses paid: £42,900; Creditors due to parent: £16,090

“The company distributed donations to the above of £48,621 (2023: £95,541)”

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.

MORTIMORE, Graham Nicholas — director, appointed 30/09/2025on trustee list
SMITH, Katie Marie — director, appointed 22/10/2024on trustee list
WAUGH, Stewart Ian — director, appointed 26/10/2021on trustee list
CAIN, Stephen — director, appointed 24/08/2019on trustee list
OWEN, Timothy David — director, appointed 19/09/2017on trustee list
PINCH, Alison — director, appointed 19/09/2017on trustee list
BURKE, Matthew — director, appointed 21/06/2011on trustee list
LIDDLE, Peter — director, appointed 26/10/2009on trustee list
WALKER, Andrew Russell — directoron trustee list
BAILEY, Michael — directoron trustee list

Official officers record.

Property (HM Land Registry)

4 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

Trustees · trustee networks

Katie Marie Smith
MATTHEW BURKE
MR ANDREW RUSSELL WALKER
MR MICHAEL BAILEY
Mr Timothy Owen
STEWART IAN WAUGH · trustee of 1 other charity
alison pinch
david billington
graham nicholas mortimore
peter liddle
stephen cain

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

Operates in: Lancashire

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/12/2024	£303k	£302k
31/12/2023	£349k	£284k
31/12/2022	£259k	£261k
31/12/2021	£404k	£389k
31/12/2020	£134k	£180k

Common questions

Is RIBBLE STEAM RAILWAY LIMITED financially healthy?

Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves of £1,634,939 fall within the trustees' stated policy target of six months' expenditure. The charity reported a net income of £866 for the year, with total funds carried forward at £1,655,339. The trustees acknowledge the charity's solvency and ability to continue operations. Its FY2024 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds RIBBLE STEAM RAILWAY LIMITED?

Funders whose own accounts filings name RIBBLE STEAM RAILWAY LIMITED as a grant recipient include THE HAROLD AND ALICE BRIDGES CHARITY.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

Funder	Year	Amount	Purpose (as stated by the funder)
THE HAROLD AND ALICE BRIDGES CHARITY	FY2023	£1k
THE HAROLD AND ALICE BRIDGES CHARITY	FY2022	£1k