The Trust has to produce an annual report each year for the Charity Commissioners as a statement of its activities.
Click here to view the Furness Railway Trust Objects and Powers.
The following were the appointed Trustees and Committee Members of the Furness Railway Trust during 1999:
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Trustees: |
Committee Members: |
A highlight of 2000 was the presentation to the Furness Railway Trust of the Heritage Railway Association's Small Groups Award for the reconstruction and restoration to working order of Furness Railway locomotive No. 20. The Trust's work was recognised as 'an outstanding contribution to railway preservation.'
Furness Railway No. 20 made a successful visit to the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway in May, with support from FRT members, attracting unprecedented numbers of passengers on the trains that it hauled. The disappointment at the cancellation of the Millennium Cavalcade of Steam at Shildon, at which FR 20 was to have been a star attraction, was offset to a large extent by its use in the production of the Hollywood film Possession. Whilst on location in North Yorkshire, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway hired the locomotive to star in its Rail 175 Gala, a replacement for the Shildon event. The locomotive won extensive praise for its performance whilst in North Yorkshire and excellent publicity for the Trust's work was gained.
The focus of the Trust's restoration work has turned to its former Great Western Railway 0-6-2T locomotive No. 5643, which is now in the later stages of restoration. Estimates received towards the end of the year suggest that a further £40,000 will be required to fund the remaining work, which includes the overhaul of the locomotive's boiler. The Trust, therefore, has been stepping up its fund-raising activities in order to accelerate completion of the project. The Trust was fortunate to receive as a gift, a painting of Furness Railway No. 20. With the artist's permission, a limited edition run of prints was produced which has proved popular with members and supporters of the FR 20 project. The Trust's folk group, Live Steam, reformed early in the year and performed regularly at venues in the north west and also further afield.
Finally, the Trust Committee has been examining the possibility of returning to operational service its nineteenth century North London Railway coach body. Although lacking wheels and suffering from extended exposure to the elements, it is believed that the coach body, which is unique, can be restored, and an application was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund in September for financial assistance under its small grants scheme. The outcome of this application for grant was still outstanding at the turn of the year.
The Trust's income was boosted in 2000 by locomotive hire charges for Furness Railway No. 20, the majority of which was in respect of its use for the Hollywood film Possession. The Trust took advantage of the new Gift Aid regulations, which helped to maintain the level of income from donations and associated tax recoverable to the very high level achieved in 1999. The first tranche of commission from sales of the book The Great Survivor, written by the Trust and published in conjunction with the Cumbrian Railways Association, amounted to £900; further income from this source will accrue during 2001 as sales continue perform well. A legacy of £4,771 was passed on to the Trust by the Lakeside Railway Society following the death of long standing member Alan Jackson; the money will be used to assist with the Trust's project to restore locomotive 5643 to working order.
Despite restoration expenditure of £8,168, the Trust's overall cash holding increased from £9,747 to £32,114 during the financial year 2000, and reflects the Committee's determination to achieve the funding of the boiler overhaul for locomotive 5643 within the near future.
Tim Owen
Chairman
March 2001
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