NGSRPT Trustees Report
2024/25
the Sri Lankan Railways.
This was hampered last year by the death in post of the General Manager of the railways (GMR) and the subsequent elec�on which postponed the appointment of their replacement as it is a poli�cal posi�on.
A new GMR has been appointed and the poli�cal situa�on has stabilised. The trustees have a plan to visit the new GMR early in 2026 to further the nego�a�ons.
The trustees are also con�nuing to explore alterna�ves, including suppor�ng the rebuild of the only other item of narrow gauge material made by Sen�nel (the locomo�ve Nu�y) or to build a replica railcar.
Narrow Gauge Sentinel Railcar Preservation Trust
Accounts to 30 September 2025
Treasurers report
| Trust assets | Year to: | 30 Sep 2025 | 30 Sep 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash balance (prior year): | £23,012.05 | £23,007.05 | |
| Member subscriptions plus donations (current year): | £15.00 | £15.00 | |
| Outgoings (current year): | £5.00 | £10.00 | |
| __ | ___ | ||
| Cash balance (current year): | £23,022.05 | £23,012.05 |
Notes:
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(1) £20,000 of our cash is an interest free loan. The loan will be converted to a donation at the earlier of: (i) the trust claiming Gift Aid on donations; or (ii) the death of the lender.
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(2) The Trust does not hold any assets other than the cash in the bank account.
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(3) The outgoings are bank charges.
Analysis
Current position
The Trust is currently in a good financial position. However, to fulfil the full obligations in the constitution (including restoring the railcar), the trust will need to raise significantly more money.
It is estimated that it will cost between £7,000 and £10,000 to purchase and transport a single Sri Lankan 2’6” gauge railcar back to the UK. Note: it is to be stressed that these values are very much estimates as we have not received an estimate of the asking price from the current railcar owners.
Once a railcar is back in the UK the trust will need to raise an estimated £40,000 per railcar to get it operational.
Therefore, the trust will need to raise significantly more money to purchase, transport and restore one or more of the railcars.
Potential opportunities
This year has seen a return to the low levels of activity for the trust. This likely impacted donations to the trust, due to the limited activity.