Wensleydale Railway Trust

Analysis

Wensleydale Railway Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Northallerton. It was registered in September 2001, 25 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04094801). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides human resources and provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Wensleydale Railway Trust reported income of £378k and spending of £220k, leaving 42% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2020 to March 2025, income fell from £733k to £378k (-48%), an average of -15% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income dropped by 38%. Over the whole period it spent 72% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, Wensleydale Railway Trust sits at the 89th percentile: it is larger than about 89% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 88th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway Company (1983) Limited (£377k), River Waveney Trust (£380k) and The Exeter Canal and Quay Trust Limited (£377k).