2024-07-31-accounts

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GCR 567 Loco Group
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2023/24 Reports and Accounts for The GCR 567 Locomotive Group, 6, Nowell Close, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottingham NG12 1FE

Aim and Purpose

The GCR 567 Locomotive Group aims to create a working MS&LR / GCR class 2 locomotive (number 567) to be based on the preserved Great Central Railways located in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

Objectives and Activities

The GCR 567 Locomotive Group objectives as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation are:

• (a) To create a working MS&LR / GCR class 2 locomotive (number 567) to be based on the preserved Great Central Railways located in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

• (b) To use the project as an interpretive and educational asset. To explain the engineering and construction of a Victorian steam locomotive,

• (c) To operate the steam locomotive as a working historical exhibit to allow the general public to experience the unique sights, sounds and smells of Victorian / Edwardian train travel.

To support the above objectives, the group will interpret existing data and reference material to establish drawings and technical data that can be used for the manufacture of the locomotive and its components. Procure materials and organise the manufacture of locomotive components and assemble them into an operational locomotive. The group will raise funds to enable these activities and also assemble a supporter base to support the project in financial and volunteer support.

Achievements and Performance

On this 13[th] anniversary of the project, the group restarted manufacture at two available workshops in South Yorkshire at Crofton and south of Sheffield where a combination of paid work and volunteer working was possible. The rear dragbox was commenced in September 2023 and completed in June 2024, a significant fabricated item for the frames. The driving wheel pattern was launched in May 2024 with General Patterns of Castleford after a funding commitment by one of our generous supporters.

Our eventual running line, the Great Central Railway was keen to tidy up its Ruddington site, the GCR 567 Locomotive group supported by moving major items to off-site storage whilst they wait for their turn to be completed. The Cylinder Block moving to Crofton for an overhaul that started June 2024, the frames and bogie wheelsets moving to Lilbourne near Rugby for secure free outdoor farm storage. The group also acquired its first boiler part, a surplus spares Kitson firebox door from the “Rocks by Rail” Rutland Railway. Finally, the promotion of the project restarted with attendance at

two main events in 2024: GCR Reunification and the CTL Seal Open Day (A celebration of new build locomotives held at the Hengist and B17 build base).

Locomotive Build

After some significant replanning of the project over the spring and summer of 2023 the project secured the use of two workshops that supported an immediate start on machining and fabrication. The Crofton workshops are located close to Wakefield in South Yorkshire and was a well-known base for the manufacture of small locomotive and tender frames. All fabrication and general machining was moved to this location that also had some secure storage. The second workshop is confidential, known as Workshop X and located south of Sheffield. Known for narrow gauge restorations and an extensive variety of large machines including borers. Both sites have constraints on availability and required contributions to use space. That saying, they have availability between them of 6 days per week, supporting skilled volunteer and/or contractor working.

The third site is Lilbourne that is a farm with the yard and workshops currently used for car restoration and other forms of storage. The fields associated with the Farm being leased out to others. Due to family links, this facility is offered free of charge for outdoor storage, a very welcome offer to the project as 40t HGV access is available via several secure gates with a 24-hr human presence, CCTV and dog security.

Our fourth site remains GCR Ruddington with the tender stored at Asher Lane and other components for the motion and the horn guides also stored at the site, all now collated into one area ready for removal and completion when the time comes.

The main item progressed was the rear drag-box, the initial platework profiles were purchased from Thompson Steels in September, then part fabricated and displayed in the General Manager’s 2 Tonne trailer at the October Supporter Day. The assembly was then rotated and finish fabricated over the winter of 2023/24 before being trailered to Workshop X for machining, this taking until June 2024. Enterprise Locomotives carrying out all the work on this conversion from cast to fabricated structure using the design scheme from Barry Nurcombe. The plate thicknesses being deliberately oversized to recreate the weight element of the original design to allow for even weight distribution on the trailing set of driving wheelset to the from driving set. This item is currently stored at Workshop X pending fitment to the main frames.

The next major item commenced were the driving wheels, these being one of the items that define the locomotive and feature visually very prominently. The 6ft 9-inch driving wheel design was briefed out in March 2023 and finished in 3D CAD in April by volunteer David Smith working with General Manager and Chief Engineer Mike Fairburn to the design schemes generated by Barry Nurcombe. After several meetings, it was decided to place the pattern order with General Patterns of Castleford, who also generated the bogie wheel patterns. The availability of the machine router was good and so the patterns were at first cut mid-June 2024 to much online enthusiasm. £9,500 of the £12,500 pattern cost was committed by one of our supporters, the second major contribution and we are very grateful for such generous support. The patterns and wheels being completed in the next reporting period.

The front end of the locomotive frames also progressed with the donor cylinder block being moved early January to the Crofton site for overhaul and adaption to suit GCR 567’s frames. The overhaul starting late July.

The locomotive frames were moved to our free family farm outdoor storage site at Lilbourne near Rugby along with brake rigging and the bogie wheelset where they could rest undisturbed for a whilst for the surrounding assemblies and associated components to catch up in terms of completion. The GCRN needed to move these from their existing location on the front apron to support several event formats they needed to plan. The cost of moving them to alternative parts of the site being near equivalent to moving to a more secure site directly under the group’s control. This was appreciated by the Great Central Railway, General Manager Malcolm Holmes confirming at the April reunification event that the GCR 567 Locomotive was indeed a core project of the Great Central. Very welcome news after a period of uncertainty.

Fund Raising

With now over 200 active supporters, donations continued strongly with a combination of supporter and component sponsorship. Collectively they have raised £216,859 and a very strong £97,224 available for locomotive expenditure, this even after spending of £9,949 during the reporting period. The group continues to be in a very healthy financial position providing significant options to progress.

The group held a successful supporter day event in October 2023 this was followed by a restart of events with the GCR Reunification event attended in April with significant interest, then the CTL Seal Open Day at Sheffield in April, this being the build location for Hengist and the B17 New Build Locomotives and a growing new build event. The website continues to be maintained by the Chairman Andrew Horrocks-Taylor, who also generated 12 articles in the GCR publications “MainLine” and “Driving Wheels”.

We look forward to using the progress we plan over the next 12 months to really accelerate the project. As such we have invested in a marketing giveaway and have bought our way into the “Legendary Locomotive” Top Trump pack, with part of the deal being that we have a five hundred packs with 200 to circulate to our existing supporters as a thank you, plus 300 to incentivise other to join. This incentive being recovered after two months of donation. It also raises the profile of the MSLR/GCR class 2’s and specifically No.567.

The management team have done an excellent job in keeping the funding levels high, this supporting the elevated expenditure.

The group raised £17,128, once again increasing from the £16,949 raised in the last financial period (2022/23).

The main approach to administering the collection of funds is unchanged, with all standing orders being set up with the David Clarke Railway Trust and then collected in a reserved fund for The GCR 567 Group. The funds being available to the 567 group on request for defined purposes, either in the form of cheques to key suppliers or via the group's own current account. The DCRT has claimed gift aid on applicable donations on behalf of the group and these amounts have been added to the

reserved fund. As historically most administration problems have occurred with supporters who annually send in cheques this problem has been addressed by moving these across to the group's current account by requesting these be made out in the name of “The GCR 567 Locomotive Group”.

We thank the DCRT for their support in administering our numerous direct debits and securing the associated gift aid. It is acknowledged that the association with the DCRT, the main fund-raising organisation for the Great Central Railway, provides confidence and security for many of our supporters.

Resources to staff the Project

The committee for this reporting period are listed below:

Andrew Horrocks-Taylor: Chairman and acting Treasurer [Trustee] Simon Burton: Programme Manager [Trustee] Owen O’Conner: Trustee

Mike Fairburn: General Manager / Chief Engineer [Volunteer]

The group is actively recruiting for additional committee / trustees to move the project forward.

Design & Technical File approach has taken a focussed approach. We have design schemes prepared by the now retired Barry Nurcombe for all the locomotive. To generate manufacturing drawings means specific components will have their own individual approaches. For example, the Drag Box schemes were converted into manually drawing drawings that were then digitised and PDFd. The Driving Wheel schemes were made into 3D models by Workshop X based volunteer David Smith working with General Manager and Chief Engineer Mike Fairburn using spoke geometry from several proven sources including GWR locomotives in service. These were then adapted into 3D models by pattern manufacturer General Patterns and used to drive the cutting path of the digital router used to cut the pattern.

The Group’s manufacturing team moved to mostly contracted manufacturing work during the reported period. Enterprise Locomotives were the contracted entity for the rear dragbox with other work being prepared for Crofton based contractor Nigel Facer, notably the bogie side plates and horn guides, with work started late July. Mike Fairburn and Andrew Horrocks-Taylor were on the hunt for more donor parts; the Kitson Firebox door being secured very cheaply from the Rutland Rail Museum. The move to mostly contracted work being essential during this period of site transition.

Data Protection

The group is fully compliant with the Data Protection Act 2017 and in May 2017, a privacy notice is issued to all supporters.

Financial Review

Total receipts were £17,128, all from unrestricted funds, £16,404 donated via standing order payments and component sponsorship to the DCRT account in a fund reserved for the GCR 567

Locomotive Group and £535 from annual cheque donations and casual cash or cheque donations including £150 from component sponsorship. The year was again relatively low expenditure with the actual spend achieved being £9,949. This did drive an increase again in cash funds from £90,045 to £97,224. This puts the project in a strong funding position for the next financial period with the driving wheel castings anticipated as a big ticket spend item estimated at £50,000 (pattern plus casting). The continued strong support from all our regular supporters is driving most of the project’s income and is greatly appreciated.

The major financial commitment to carry forward at the end of the reporting period is the driving wheel pattern at £12,500, this having a very welcome single supporter pledge to fund £9,500 of these costs. Should this not be forthcoming, the group can meet this plus the driving wheel casting estimated at £38,500 from its general funds. The progression of the Driving Wheels to wheelsets is estimated at a further £60,000 and a driving wheel fund is being set up for these items with specific sponsor packages.

Reserves Policy

The group has very limited overheads in operation. Postage and administration required £250 additional funds assigning. The group will ensure that £400 is retained in the current account at any time in reserves to allow the group to function. The group shall also retain funds to cover any procurement commitments; this year we have the driving wheel pattern at £12,500 and have reserves significantly greater than this amount available at the end of the reporting period.

Volunteers and Supporters

We would like to thank all the volunteers who run and support the group allowing progress to be made towards our goals. Special thanks go to the design team, procurement and manufacturing team lead by Mike Fairburn. We also thank Andrew Horrocks-Taylor, Mike Fairburn, Simon Burton and Owen O’Conner for their organisation of the project and support in the issuing of the procurement packages and review of project strategy and the assessment of risk factors. Finally, special thanks to Dawn Bullock for looking after our supporter base and doing the essential administration for the group.

Our supporters continue to exceed all our expectations with their generous funding. Major components continue to be visible at our supporter days with the frames and wheelsets were on partial display at our Ruddington site until April 2024, with regular newsletters and posts on the website and social media. The plans were reinforced at the supporter day, the locomotive itself and the direction of the project continued to be admired. Sponsorship packages continue to be pulled together with strong support by Dawn and Alan Bullock.

Support incentives are still in place, the first 200 supporters have secured their free seat on the first passenger train to be hauled by No.567. All supporters are also entered into a free quarterly draw for a footplate experience at the GCRN, either on an existing GCRN service locomotive or later when No.567 is constructed. All of the management group have voluntarily removed themselves from the draw. Due to the lack of operation of services at Ruddington during this reporting period, these benefits are deferred. Additional supporter benefits are being added, notable a free to existing and future supporters “Top Trump: Legendary Locomotive pack that should appeal to a younger

generation, whether children or grandchildren. They are also collectors’ items that have a market value greater than cost, should they not be consumed, we also have a unique to GCR 567 Card, a Jersey Lilley that should further incentivise signing up as a supporter.

Structure, governance and management

The group has always worked within charity guidelines and operates in accordance with a written constitution that was updated in 2015 when it became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). The Charity Commission standard form for Receipts and payments accounts is utilised its integral check formulas.

The Group is officially known as: The GCR 567 Locomotive Group

Registration Number 1160243

Administrative Information

The Group's prime point of contact is via the e-mail address: [e-mail]

Website URL: www.gcr567loco.co.uk

The group is also active on facebook and “X” (formally known as twitter), search for “GCR567LOCO”

The group has two main locations and several sub-sites.

The Official Address of the group has moved to the Chairman’s latest personal address, 20 minutes from the GCRN, 30 minutes from the GCR at Quorn

6, Nowell Close Radcliffe-on-Trent Nottingham NG12 1FE

The Chairman Andrew Horrocks-Taylor is also the main press and publicity contact. Mob: [phone]

The Group's Main Administration Address is as follows:

The GCR 567 Locomotive Group c/o Mrs Dawn Bullock 19, Hartridge Walk, Allesley Park, Coventy CV5 9LF

All postal correspondence should be sent to the above address unless notified otherwise.

The Group's Build Address is now split across multiple sites in South Yorkshire (Crofton near Wakefield and Workshop X south of Sheffield) for the reporting period. Large Storage is also at Lilbourne, near Rugby. Deliveries should not be made without the express prior agreement of a member of the management team. We are keeping these sites confidential for security reasons.

GCR 567 Locomotive Group 1160243 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period 01/08/23 31/07/24 To from ~~rl~~ Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total funds Last year funds funds funds to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ A1 Receipts Direct Donations – cash, cheques etc 231 - - 231 500 Supporter Donations to current account 304 - - 304 272 Supporter Donations to DCRT 567 account 16,404 - - 16,404 14,246 Gift Aid collected for DCRT Account - Component Sponsorship 150 - - 150 1,931 On Line Donation 38 - - 38 - - - - - - - - - - - Sub total (Gross income for 17,128 - - 17,128 16,949 ==SSas= AR) A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). Nil - - - - - - - - - Sub total - - ———— Total receipts 17,128 - - ~~——~~ 17,128 16,949 A3 Payments Materials (for component construction) 2,687 - - 2,687 8,156 Marketing Support 2,553 - - 2,553 - Admin & Postage 250 - - 250 - Facility Hire & Contributions 459 - - 459 - Engineering - Manufacturing 1,176 - - 1,176 - Transportation 2,796 - - 2,796 - Bank charges 27 - - 27 - - - - - - ======= Sub total 9,949 - - 9,949 8,156 A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) Connecting Rods - - - - - Cylinder Block - Sub total - - Total payments 9,949 - - 9,949 8,156 Net of receipts/(payments) 7,179 - - 7,179 8,793 A5 Transfers between funds - - - - - A6 Cash funds last year end 90,045 - - 90,045 81,252 = Cash funds this year end 97,224 - ~~e~~ - 97,224 90,045 1 26/05/2025

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

26/05/2025

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

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|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowment| |Categories|Details|funds|funds|funds| |to nearest £|to nearest £|to nearest £| |B1 Cash funds|Bank|7,688|-| |Admin float| |23|-|-| |DCRT fund reserved for GCR 567|89,513|-|-| |Total cash funds|97,224|-|-| |===| |(agree balances with receipts and payments| |account(s))|OK|OK|OK| |Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowment| |funds|funds|funds| |Details|to nearest £|to nearest £|to nearest £| |B2 Other monetary assets|GCR Tender (scrap value)|4,370|-|-| |Cylinder Block (scrap value)|2,000|-|-| |Connecting Rods (scrap value)|800|-|-| |Locomotive Frames (scrap value)|4,370|-|-| |Capstan Lathe (Market Value)|750|-|-| |Bogie Wheelsets (Scrap Value)|6,000| |Corby Spares (Market Value)|2,925|-|-| |=====| |Fund to which|Current value| |Details|asset belongs|Cost (optional)|(optional)| |B3 Investment assets|Nil|-|-| |-|-| |-|-| |-|-| |-|-| |—==—| |Fund to which|Current value| |Details|asset belongs|Cost (optional)|(optional)| |B4 Assets retained for the|Nil|-|-| |charity’s own use|-|-| |-|-| |-|-| |-|-| |-|-| |-|-| |-|-| |-|-| |mise| |Fund to which|Amount due|When due| |Details|liability relates|(optional)|(optional)| |B5 Liabilities|-| |-| |-| |-| |-| |Signed by one or two trustees on|Date of| |Signature|Print Name| |behalf of all the trustees|approval| |Andrew Horrocks-Taylor|26-May-25| |——| |CCXX R2 accounts (SS)|2|26/05/2025|

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