EAST LANCASHIRE LIGHT RAILWAY COMPANY LIMITED

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

Consolidated group

Auditor

Horsfield & Smith

Audit opinion

Unqualified (clean)

Going concern

Affirmed

“Despite this risk, the Directors believe that the Railway has secured sufficient financial reserves to enable it to continue as a going concern.”

Group structure

1. EAST LANCASHIRE LIGHT RAILWAY COMPANY LIMITED · parent
   1. East Lancashire Railway Limited 100% · England · light railway operator

Significant events

• “2024 saw the continuation of the 'cost of living' crisis and variable consumer confidence with inevitable consequences for average visitor spend and donations.”
• “The railway had to perform essential repairs to the Locomotive Works building, at significant financial detriment to the organisation.”
• “The increases in the 'Living' and 'Minimum' wages were significant for the third year running.”
• “Innovation continued within the organisation to develop new revenue streams that are not train reliant, such as a Heritage Open Weekend in the museum grounds, growing the wedding and parties schedule and additional children's events.”
• “The refresh of museum artefacts continued throughout 2024.”
• “The final asset of the loan agreement with the National Railway Museum arrived in the form of Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Radial Tank '1008' on a five year agreement.”
• “A Heritage Open Weekend took place in September, mainly based at the museum.”
• “The Christmas school holidays worked in the favour of the Santa Specials event in 2024. 109 Santa Special Trains operated, compared to 102 in 2023...”
• “The Spring Steam Gala was revamped and rebranded as the "Legends of Steam Gala".”
• “We were awarded the Trip Advisor Travellers' Choice Award for 2024.”
• “Buffer Stops pub saw increased profits from June 2024 following its closure in April and May for a cellar refurbishment and a low scale pub refresh. Gross profit margins improved to 64% in 2024 compared to 60.5% in 2023.”
• “A lucrative filming job took place in October across two nights for a new American series called "Talamasca".”
• “The Network Rail partnership continues to be developed in 2024...”
• “During January, 180 yards (or 9 panels) of track to the north of Stubbins Station was relayed...”
• “An agreement with the Battle of Britain Locomotive Society was made to allow the railway to be the home of 92 Squadron (34081).”
• “In mid-December, we were advised we were successful in winning the grant totalling £1,070,680, plus match funding from the ELR trust of £267,670.”

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

Filings

3

last 12 months

Capital events

0

last 24 months

Officers appointed

0

last 12 months

Officers resigned

1

last 12 months

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

• Turnover

  -6.3%

  £5,237,921 → £4,910,522

• Cash

  -53.5%

  £472,772 → £220,032

• Net assets

  -38.9%

  £1,028,152 → £628,144

• Employees

  +11.2%

  98 → 109

• Wages

  -1.9%

  £1,469,044 → £1,441,729

Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. The comparison is only shown when the latest and prior accounts cover broadly equal-length periods — short or long stubs (typical around incorporation or a year-end change) are suppressed rather than misrepresented. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers