Trustees’ Annual Report
For the period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025
Objectives and Activities
Purposes of the charity
The objects of the CIO are to advance public education by the restoration, preservation, maintenance, operation and development of the Downs Light Railway as a heritage asset for the provision of practical education to young people between the ages of 7 to 18, in particular but not exclusively by: (a) educating young people in engineering disciplines, including civil, mechanical, electrical, design, and workshop practice; and (b) promoting science, technology and engineering focused activities and careers.
Summary of the Main Activities for the public benefit
Policy Objective: Provision of practical activities on the Downs Light Railway to further the education of young people aged from 7 years and upwards in practical engineering mediums and railway operation.
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During 2024-25, 27 children aged between 7 and 13 years from the adjacent school benefited from the provision of extra-curricular activities in railway engineering on Saturday mornings at the railway during term time in the Autumn and Summer terms.
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These open sessions consisted of instruction in general railway maintenance activities and concentrated on track repairs and maintenance.
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All young people participating in railway activities were given the opportunity to operate the railway and learn about safe operating practices.
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The children have the benefit of a Personal Track Safety regime that enhances everyone’s safety whilst working on or about the railway. A new Personal Track Safety training document has been approved, printed and distributed to enhance the existing safety instruction regime.
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Training achievements: 5 blue necker qualifications were awarded in the period, recognising the knowledge and skills developed to maintain and operate petrol hydraulic locomotives to haul goods and passenger trains and assist instructing others.
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Events: the railway operated to great acclaim at the Friends of The Downs’ Summer Celebration event on 22 June 2024, allowing beneficiaries to showcase their skills running passenger rides with exemplary focus and responsibility.
Policy Objective: Protection and preservation of the Downs Light Railway and its heritage, as the world’s oldest private miniature railway, and the only railway directly operated for, and by, young people.
- The railway enjoys three fully operational locomotives in its fleet: Brock, James Boyd & Tim Cadbury. Throughout the period the maintenance schedules and the input of volunteers has ensured these remain serviceable and available for the DLRT’s training programmes.
Downs Light Railway Trust, Colwall, Malvern, Worcs. WR13 6EY – Registered Charity 1195660
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BROCK underwent professional repairs to defective welds in the dome, and was fitted with new safety valves.
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TIM CADBURY had remedial work to address electric start problems.
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A concentrated effort has been ongoing to improve the railway trackbed, with gravel boards and retaining structures installed to help contain stone ballast under the track and improve operational track stability. As a result, there were no hobbies in the spring term 2025 while key turnouts in the railway yard were lifted and overhauled as part of the ongoing infrastructure maintenance programme.
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Signage improvements around the tunnel have been put in place to enhance safety.
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Two new ballast wagons have been delivered. Built by Peter Beevers, who very kindly donated his time, their smaller size makes these wagons easier and safer for children to use than the existing stock.
Charity Governance
The trustees continued the comprehensive review of the charity’s safety and safeguarding structures, including engaging with external experts.
The charity faces ongoing challenges in two primary areas:
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The need to recruit new personnel remains acute, both administrative (trustees, charity secretary), and technical. With our lead steam volunteer shortly moving to another part of the country, the trustees also need to prioritise additional steam expertise.
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The DLR’s legacy buildings and container remain inadequate for proper rolling stock storage and workshop instruction, yet redevelopment plans remain stalled due to slow progress on discussions with the landowner.
Active discussions with Malvern College on the buildings are ongoing, and have broadened to explore possible synergies in provision of safeguarding, Health and Safety, first aid and other areas.
Statement of Public Benefit
The Trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and the specific guidance on charities for the advancement of education and heritage protection.
Contribution made by volunteers
The Downs Light Railway Trust is a volunteer led organisation, with no paid staff. In addition to the three trustees, there are several other regular and occasional volunteers who contribute their time and expertise to the running of the Downs Light Railway. These include instruction in miniature railway operation, contributing track maintenance expertise, help with fundraising and at events, and contributing time, expertise and equipment for special projects such as infrastructure or engineering works.
In 2024 – 2025, our non-trustee volunteers carried out instruction for educational activities, assisted with track maintenance, helped at events and assisted with locomotive maintenance and engineering works.
Downs Light Railway Trust, Colwall, Malvern, Worcs. WR13 6EY – Registered Charity 1195660
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Achievements and Performance
The Downs Light Railway Trust has made a difference to the lives and educational experience of the young people who engage in our activities, through the development of their practical STEM skills. Our feedback from parents and carers demonstrates that our activities are extremely beneficial to those young people who take part, through enhancing their skills, confidence and teamwork, and raising their awareness of STEM and heritage related careers.
Heritage rail is a vital component of our cultural heritage and tourism industry and currently heritage railways are finding it challenging to attract young people. Our activities through education and engagement of young people represent the delivery of wider benefits to society by raising the awareness of heritage rail as a career or volunteering opportunity, to support the ongoing operation and preservation of our industrial and cultural heritage.
Financial Review
The charity’s accounts are set out below. The accounts are prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis and were subjected to an independent examination (report attached).
The £2,484 deficit in the year results from expenditure on the 2 new ballast wagons and remedial work to BROCK’s dome, combined with the decrease in revenue due to the pause of Hobbies provision in the Lent term. More broadly, over the last 5 years there has been a general decline in public donations and significant increase in insurance costs. A realignment of hobbies charges is anticipated, pending the outcome of the ongoing discussions with Malvern College which impact the charity’s fixed cost base.
Policy for Holding Reserves
The Charity holds two specific reserve funds, identified as the Locomotive Maintenance Fund (LMF) and the Centenary Development Fund (CDF). Funds raised in anticipation of development or acquisition costs are also held on reserve until the time of such expenditure.
The LMF provides a sinking fund of unrestricted monies for the purpose of planned preventive maintenance costs on the locomotive assets.
The CDF is a restricted fund whose use is restricted to expenditure incurred towards achieving the Centenary Development Programme with the aim of providing new buildings and infrastructure.
Downs Light Railway Trust, Colwall, Malvern, Worcs. WR13 6EY – Registered Charity 1195660
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Statement of Financial Activity
| Downs Light Railway Trust | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts & Payments Account | 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 |
31/03/2025 | 31/03/2024 | |
| Unrestricted Restricted |
Total | Total | Notes | |
| Receipts | ||||
| Donations | £345 £0 |
£345 | £497 | |
| Grants/Funding | £2,345 £0 |
£2,345 | £808 | |
| Sales | £561 £0 |
£561 | £455 | |
| Other | £42 £585 |
£628 | £703 | |
| £3,292 £585 |
£3,878 | £2,463 | ||
| Payments | ||||
| Administration | -£2,922 £0 |
-£2,922 | -£2,976 | |
| Operations | -£3,440 £0 |
-£3,440 | -£1,642 | |
| Publicity | £0 £0 |
£0 | £0 | |
| -£6,362 £0 |
-£6,362 | -£4,617 | ||
| Transfers of Funds | £0 £0 |
£0 | £0 | |
| Net movement of funds | -£3,070 £585 |
-£2,484 | -£2,155 | |
| Total Funds b/f | £7,670 £56,939 |
£64,609 | £66,764 | |
| **Total Funds c/f ** | £4,600 £57,525 |
£62,125 | £64,609 | |
| Registered Charityno. 1195660 | ||||
| HMRC reference ZD17159 |
Downs Light Railway Trust, Colwall, Malvern, Worcs. WR13 6EY – Registered Charity 1195660
Page 4 of 7
Downs Light Railway Trust Statement of Assets & Liabilities
| Statement of Assets & Liabilities | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| at y/e | 31/03/2025 | 31/03/2024 | |||||||||
| Assets | Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | Notes | ||||||
| Cash Resources | |||||||||||
| Petty Cash | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | |||||||
| Bank – General | £1,792 | £0 | £1,792 | £2,972 | |||||||
| Bank – LMF | £2,808 | £0 | £2,808 | £4,698 | |||||||
| Bank – CDF | £0 | £57,525 | £57,525 | £56,939 | |||||||
| £4,600 | £57,525 | £62,125 | £64,609 | 1 | |||||||
| Other Monetary Assets | |||||||||||
| - Receivables | £0 | £0 | £0 | £1,300 | |||||||
| £4,600 | £57,525 | £62,125 | £65,909 | ||||||||
| Significant Assets | Cost(opt) | Value(opt) | |||||||||
| - Petrol-hydraulic locomotive TIM | |||||||||||
| - Steam locomotive JAMES BOYD | |||||||||||
| - Steam locomotive BROCK | |||||||||||
| - 4No. passenger carriages | |||||||||||
| - 5No. works carriages | |||||||||||
| - Laid trackwork (approx. 650m) | |||||||||||
| - Tools and Equipment | |||||||||||
| at y/e | 31/03/2025 | 31/03/2024 | |||||||||
| Liabilities | Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | |||||||
| Short-term Liabilities | |||||||||||
| - Uncleared payments (payables) | £99 | £0 | £99 | £53 | |||||||
| Other Liabilities | re Fund | Timing (opt) | Amount (opt) |
||||||||
| - [None] | |||||||||||
| Notes | |||||||||||
| Note 0 | |||||||||||
| These accounts are drawn up on a receipts | and payments | basis | |||||||||
| Note 1 | |||||||||||
| Cash Resources represent | Fund ID | **Type ** | 31/03/2025 | 31/03/2024 | |||||||
| - General Administration Fund | General | Unrestricted | £1,792 | £2,972 | |||||||
| - Locomotive Maintenance Fund | LMF | Unrestricted | £2,808 | £4,698 | |||||||
| - CentenaryDevelopment Fund | CDF | Restricted | £57,525 | £56,939 | |||||||
| £62,125 | £64,609 | ||||||||||
| Registered Charity no. 1195660 | |||||||||||
| HMRC reference ZD17159 |
Downs Light Railway Trust, Colwall, Malvern, Worcs. WR13 6EY – Registered Charity 1195660
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Structure, Governance and Management
Governing Document
Constitution dated 21 April 2023.
Constitution
The charity is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Trustee selection methods
New Trustees are appointed by Resolution of a meeting of the Trustees. Selection is based on required skills, experience, and needs of the Trust. There is no provision in the Constitution for nominated or ex officio trusteeships.
Reference and Administrative details
Charity name
Downs Light Railway Trust
Registered Charity Number
1195660
Charity’s Principal Address
Downs Light Railway Trust The Downs Malvern Brockhill Road Colwall Worcestershire WR13 6EY
Trustees
Mr Nick Dodson Chair Dr Henry Fletcher Winstanley Treasurer Dr Eleanor Jane Brown
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved this report.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
Signature(s)
Full name(s) Mr Nicholas Dodson Dr Henry Fletcher Winstanley Position(s) Chair Treasurer
Date
Downs Light Railway Trust, Colwall, Malvern, Worcs. WR13 6EY – Registered Charity 1195660
Page 6 of 7
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examlrberfs Report Report kn the Iru%to•&l mwnb•r% ol Drts RaikvJy Tnxt (kn •¢¢ounts lor th•Yr ended 31111312025 Ch•rlty no 111 any) 1159660 Sat out on pag I report lo Ihetrustees m my examination of thÈ ac¢xJunts of th&above thanty I'lheTnJst"I forthe Y ended 311(X112025. Respon$lbllllJ•• and As the charty INstees of the Trust, you are r&por61e for the preparation basis ol r•p¢yt of the attounts in accxjrdancewrth the requrements of the Ch¥lies Ad 2011 1"IheAd'). I report in resped LY my e4amination ottheTrust's accourts carried out under sedion 145 of the 2011 Ad and In Lzrrying out my &am Iriation. I havefollowed the 4pliLale DIrectior given by the Charty Comm&%0 under sedion 14515llbl of theAct. I have mmpleted my examination Ing ch&list CC32 whKh the guidanTr for sa[ninS a5 Stated bythe Charttie5 Com mssion. Ind•pffid•nt •nwnefs •t•twn•nt I have no Con[r and have come acrcts no other rnaite n connection wrth the e<amination to which attention should be drawn in order to enab a proper understandTha of the accxjunts lo be reathed. D 1810712025 Slwod: Nim Timothy Kenndh Bone Ralwant prolExslon walilicationlsl or bo¢4f (Ilanyl= Chartwed Irtslitute of manag Accountartts FCMA ID 1.JNDL Adth 16 Johnwilliams Close Priorslee Tdtord TF25 Section B Disclosure No Con[r6 to report. Downs Light Rail¥vay Trust, Colwall, Mafvem, Worcs. WR13 6EY- RÈgislÈred Charity 1195660 PagÈ7of7