The Gelert Trust – Annual Report 2022
Registered Charity 1171674
38 Woodbourne Road, Smethwick B67 5LZ
The Gelert Trust – Annual Report 2022
Trustees:
David Allan, Lewis Dittrich, Neil Evans, Graham Farr, Andrew Goodwin, John Kerr, David Lampert, Bob Menzies, Martyn Owen, Nigel Watkinson, Mark Seale, Myles Jones, Beth Gloster
2
The Gelert Trust – Annual Report 2022
Contents
Introduction..................................................4 Preserving Gelert's History...........................5 Education and Involvement ………………………………………..5 Engineering Work……………………………………………….......…6 Funding and Finance ……………………………………………..…..7 Social Media and The Web………………………………...…..….8 The Future ……………………………………………………………….. 9
3
The Gelert Trust – Annual Report 2022
Introduction
2022 was a satisfactory year for The Gelert Trust. Whilst recovery from the pandemic in 2021, has been much slower than expected, progress continues to be steady. Gelert’s continued operation at the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway (WHHR) has continued, providing opportunities for both training and education, as well as operational experience.
The Trust continues to explore ways of securing Gelert’s future, how best to celebrate the locomotive’s rich heritage and educate a wider audience to the story of this popular locomotive. The Trust has worked closely with the WHHR to establish a clear partnership in maintaining and celebrating Gelert which has become popular both with volunteers and with visitors to the railway. When not operating or under maintenance Gelert is stored under cover in the Museum of the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway.
Gelert having smokebox work carried out. (photo: Myles Jones)
4
The Gelert Trust – Annual Report 2022
Preserving Gelert’s History
The trust is committed to developing methods of safely storing key documents relating to the Trust’s activities. An online ‘cloud’ system continues to be developed to manage historical archive documents, such as drawings, previous orders, key letters and correspondence and keep current trust documents such as meeting record, financial records, and any current records of the trusts activities to preserve and train in the traditional skills involved in maintaining and using this locomotive. This will then form an historical record in the future.
Most importantly however, this will also be used for collecting and preserving information on the history and continuing story of Gelert. It is planned for the website to display much of this information so that it can be available to as wide an audience as possible.
In addition, work has begun on a booklet outlining Gelert’s history and the work of The Trust. Work on this will continue through 2023.
Lastly, information boards provided in 2021 to give passengers details of the historical significance of Gelert when not in use and on display continue to be updated with information on Gelert’s history.
Education and Involvement
Expanding involvement in the work of The Trust is an ongoing priority, although the pandemic did severely restricted this, and recovering from its effects has taken longer than expected, and are likely to be felt for some time yet. Nevertheless, it has been possible to continue to involve new and existing volunteers in both operating and maintenance, albeit fewer than would ideally have been the case.
Likewise, the practical use of the engine for operations has been constrained by the limitations of the WHHR timetable, thereby limiting operating training opportunities. Nevertheless the engine was used on 19 occasions during the year, crewed by a mix of trustees, other volunteers, and trainees.
In addition, a series of working parties has continued, both to deal with ongoing routine maintenance, and with the engineering improvements which were begun in 2021 and continued through 2022.
5
The Gelert Trust – Annual Report 2022
Gelert with volunteers on an evening social (Photo Nigel Watkinson)
Work schedules always need to be well communicated to ensure that all Trustees are given the opportunity to offer their support or guidance. Continuing to improve this will be worked on during the 2023 operating season so that new volunteers can be supported by more experienced Trustees.
The Trustees continue to seek further Trustees and supporters, both to increase involvement, and particularly to encourage participation by younger members. It is pleasing therefore to have been able to appoint a new trustee during 2022
Engineering Work
With volunteer access to Gelert and to on-site facilities now improved post pandemic, more maintenance has been undertaken. The condition of the anodes fitted in 2021 has been carefully monitored and they have reduced the rate that the water tanks corrode, preserving them and significantly extending their lifespan. Other work which has been undertaken is the completion of the work to replace the smokebox floor and baffle plate which had been started in 2021. Both were life expired, so an improved design had been drawn using Computer Aided Design (CAD) so these could be fitted with relative ease.
6
The Gelert Trust – Annual Report 2022 Another improvement planned for the future is the fitting of “breathers” which allows air into the tanks so the injectors work more efficiently, these being made by a volunteer ready for fitting when volunteer time allows. The locomotive was made ready for steam inspection in March 2022, Gelert passing this test with flying colours and allowing it to run again for the 2022 season.
Gelert’s new smokebox floor (left) and baffle plate (right) being made and fitted by our trustees and volunteers. (photos: Myles Jones)
Funding and Finance
The financial viability of the operation of Gelert remains a key priority for The Trust. In 2022 The Trust continued its work with the WHHR to investigate the WHHR’s contribution to the locomotive’s ten-year overhaul, which is now only four years away.
The Trust believes that the best way to celebrate and educate others about the history of Gelert is through its continued operation in a public environment where adults and children can see, hear and smell the
7
The Gelert Trust – Annual Report 2022 locomotive, interacting with it and being both inspired by an industry of yesteryear, and inspiring the community of today. Our work with the WHHR to ensure there is a financial commitment towards Gelert’s continued maintenance remains a key priority for 2023, alongside seeking to develop a raft of other fundraising initiatives.
8
The Gelert Trust – Annual Report 2022
Social Media and The Web
The trust’s main social media outlet is currently a Facebook page, used not only to promote Gelert but also to detail the volunteer work which goes into maintaining and running it. Regular updates have been posted of the winter work and advertising when Gelert has been running on the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway. Included in these updates are means of inquiring about volunteering in any aspects of Gelert at the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway. It attracts a significant and growing audience and engagement, of which the main age groups are 25-34 and 65+. The posts are regularly shared into groups dedicated to Railways such as ours giving us a bigger reach into showing Gelert and its history.
Facebook is regularly used for organizing volunteer work parties particularly in the wintertime when the major maintenance is undertaken. An email group overlaps with that of the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway and is also used for internal organization of work parties so Gelert can be maintained using the volunteer labour we have most effectively. Discussions continue on how to improve promotion of Gelert and The Trust, using both this and the development of the website.
A volunteer has agreed to provide support in updating the current website. Commitment from Trustees and the volunteers have opened discussions about how to best use this, both for attracting involvement and also for fundraising, and a number of ideas have been generated which have been pursued in 2022, and work has been carried out on developing a specification for what is required. It is intended to that this will include links between the Facebook page and website so that they can interact with one another. An online shop for memorabilia remains an aspiration to be developed at some point in the future. Further work on this is a key priority for 2023.
9
----- Start of picture text -----
The Gelert Trust – Annual Report 2022
----- End of picture text -----
An early start. (Photo Nigel Watkinson)
The Future
Expanding involvement in the work of the Trust is an ongoing priority. The Trustees will look to appoint further Trustees in the coming year, both to increase numbers, and particularly to increase participation by younger members.
The trust believes that the best way to celebrate and educate others about Gelert’s history, the traditional skills involved in operating and maintaining it, is through its continued operation in a public environment where adults and children can see, hear, and smell the locomotive, interacting with it and learning about an industry of yesterday, inspiring the community of today, aided by modern tools where appropriate
10
The Gelert Trust – Annual Report 2022 Whilst coming to the end of the pandemic, it has been a challenge in 2022 to engage and encourage new volunteers to work with the trust in the maintenance and development work on Gelert. However, progress has been steady, and it is intended to build on that in 2023.
Gelert being warmed up for a day’s work (Photo Nigel Watkinson)
11
I CHARifY MISSION , fOR ENGWIDPJ4DWALES The GELERT Trust Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period ro 01nfr2022 3111W2022 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestrieted fvnds Restrithd ftFnds Endowmènt nd$ To131 funits Last year A1 Re¢ei Dontsons 9fO AR) A2 Asset al inNEslJnent sa {se• table). Total rewpts A3Pa ments Bank charges (Robbery) Sub total A4 Asset and investment urehases see tsble Sub total 60 Net of recwpts/{payments) A5 Trdnsfer5 between fvnds A6 Cash funds lastyearef Cash funds this year end . ££ss 3.914 ca R1 accourts ISSI 27101r2023
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period CaiegorÈes Unrestricted Restricted Dc'tsils Endowment funds Bl Cash fvnd5 Total cash funds 3314 s)) Endowment funds tL>nearest£ nts funds Details Details Funrttowh Cwrentvaluo onal Details Fund tOxTTruch C05t{WKM) CvrrerrtvaluA B4 Assets retained for the charitys ovm use Dètsi ountdup V¢hen due 85 Liabilities Sned by one ortwo trustee5 on behaW¢f all tru5tee8 Swatijwe Print Name Date of roval CCXX R2 arulunts Iss) 2710112023