The Friends of the National Railway Museum

Analysis

The Friends of the National Railway Museum is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in York. It was registered in July 1977, 49 years ago. Its declared purposes cover environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable trust. It says it makes grants to organisations, provides human resources and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Friends of the National Railway Museum reported income of £327k and spending of £118k, leaving 64% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income fell from £376k to £327k (-13%), an average of -3.4% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income rose by 467%. Over the whole period it spent 116% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, The Friends of the National Railway Museum sits at the 88th percentile: it is larger than about 88% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 86th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Moor Trees (£327k), Reforest Africa (£328k) and The Geologists' Association (£326k).

Data notes from the register: The latest annual return was received after its deadline.