SOUTH DEVON RAILWAY TRUST

• ◆

  4 officer resignations in last 12 months

  Multiple officers have left the board recently — see the People section for who.

1. SOUTH DEVON RAILWAY TRUST 1991-04-12 → present
2. DUMBLETON HALL LOCOMOTIVE LIMITED 1974-01-15 → 1991-04-12

Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. About these numbers

Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.

Accounting basis

FRS 102

Reporting scope

Standalone (parent only)

Auditor

PEPLOWS AUDIT LIMITED

Audit opinion

Unqualified (clean)

Going concern

Affirmed

“The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the Trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist. The Trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The budgeted income and expenditure is sufficient with the level of reserves for the charity to be able to continue as a going concern.”

Significant events

• “In 2024 SDRT continued to support the operation of the South Devon Railway by its tenant, SDRL. Since the end of the financial year covered by this annual report the SDRT and SDRL have set up a joint subcommittee to review the structure of all SDR group organisations and recommend any improvements to ensure compliance with charity and company law. This review will also look at how the whole organisation can benefit from charity tax concessions such as Gift Aid.”
• “The year started with the broadcast on BBC1 of "Beyond Paradise". The first episode being about a murder mystery train that was filmed on the SDR which brought us some very welcome income and a publicity boost with perfect timing before the season got underway.”
• “During the winter track work had been undertaken at Buckfastleigh which turned out to be more complex than anticipated with the discovery of an old culvert that needed backfilling. Whist we were closed to visitors the opportunity was taken to improve the car park access by resurfacing and providing new road markings and planters which also provided an attractive seating area around the refreshment kiosk opposite the Otter Sanctuary. This contributed to increased takings in the kiosk and our thanks must go to the staff who worked there throughout the peak season and all weekends.”
• “On the subject of our public image, there was a change in our approach to marketing which, after a tendering exercise, resulted in the appointment of a local agency to handle everything on our behalf, you will have no doubt noticed the change in this year's brochures and social media.”
• “Several opportunities were taken to dispose of unused assets such as PW machines and rather derelict carriages that we do not have the capacity to restore given the amount of work that would have been required.”
• “Maintenance activities on the home fleet continued and work progressed on loco 1420 and there is confidence that this loco will be back to steam in 2025. The next candidate for attention is pannier tank 6412 which has now entered the workshop with work starting on its overhaul and return to steam.”

Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers

Filings

7

last 12 months

Capital events

0

last 24 months

Officers appointed

1

last 12 months

Officers resigned

4

last 12 months

Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.

• Turnover

  -8.6%

  £103,204 → £94,330

• Cash

  -69.5%

  £375,190 → £114,536

• Net assets

  -4.6%

  £3,211,441 → £3,064,402

• Employees

  —

  Not reported

• Operating profit

  -0.8%

  -£99,555 → -£100,386

• Profit before tax

  -6.5%

  -£138,076 → -£147,039

Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. Periods don't have to be exactly 12 months apart — a long or short period (typical around incorporation or year-end changes) will distort the comparison. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers