TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2007
1 Legal and Administrative information
Custodial Trustees
David Milton
Michael J Beale
Dr Peter J C Trenchard
Jonathan Edwards
Trust Committee (Management Trustees)
Officers
Andrew W Naish - (Chairman) - retired 28 April 2007
Godfrey R Baker - (Chairman) - appointed 28 April 2007
Graham Hooper - (Secretary)
Edward H Goater - (Treasurer)
John M Smith - (Museum Curator)
Members
Godfrey R Baker - retired 28 April 2007
Michael Gates - deceased 12 April 2007
Rosemary Jacob
George M Moon
Andrew W Naish - appointed 28 April 2007
Roger Newport
Brian R J Smith
David C Wright - appointed 28 April 2007
Ian M Young
Co-opted Members
Ian Briggs - appointed 13 May 2007
Paul Guppy - appointed 13 May 2007
Principal Location: The Railway Station, Washford, Watchet, Somerset. TA23 0PP
Bankers: HSBC, Loughton, Essex; NatWest, Midsomer Norton
Solicitors: Stephens & Scown, Exeter
Insurance Brokers: Oval Insurance Broking, Exeter
2 Status
The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust (the Trust) is a Registered Charity number 265098. It is governed by a Constitution last amended by the Members of the Trust at The Annual General Meeting held on 28 April 2007 and which incorporated an amendment to Clause 4(D) in connection with necessary membership attendance at General Meetings for such meetings to be quorate. Trustees are appointed and elected in accordance with the Constitution.
3 Organisation, Management and Decision-Making Structure
The property of the Trust is held by the Custodial Trustees in trust for the Trust in accordance with Clause 6J of the Constitution. The management of the Trust is vested in the Trust Committee responsible for the administration of the Trust affairs and for the general policy of the Trust in accordance with Clause 3B of the Constitution. During 2007, the Trust Management Committee met formally on six occasions:
14 January, 11 March, 13 May, 22 July, 08 September and 03 November. The Senior Custodial Trustee attended the meetings held on 14 January, 11 March and 03 November. Two Custodial Trustees attended the meeting held on 08 September and one Custodial Trustee attended the meetings held on
11 March, 13 May and 22 July.
Approximately one week in advance of every meeting, all Trustees are sent an agenda and other papers for the meeting. Responses to matters arising are made in writing.
At the meeting, any Trustee may speak, but decisions are made by majority vote. Implementation of the decision is usually assigned to an individual, with a duty to report at a future meeting. Sub-committees are set up to report to the Trust Committee on more complex matters.
4 Membership
As at 01 August 2007 membership was as follows (2006 numbers in parenthesis): Ordinary 261 (321), Family 149 (167), Senior 294 (269), Junior 0(0), Corporate 6 (6), Total 704 (763). The significant increase in the number of Senior Members continued to contribute to the rising age profile of the Trust.
A total of 32 (60) new Members were recruited during the year but is set against a total of 76 Members who did not renew for 2007. The website continued to be a valuable recruitment source but the shop and mobile sales and publicity stand remained the principal recruitment source.
The inclusion of a 'tick box' on the membership renewal form which enabled Members to make a donation under Gift Aid Scheme as part of the renewals process resulted in a significant increase in income to the Trust. The 'tick box' will continue as a permanent feature of the renewal form.
5 Objects
The Objects of the Trust are for the public benefit as defined in its Constitution:
a) To form and maintain a museum for the exhibition of items of historic interest formerly belonging to old railways and in particular, but not exclusively, the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, including signs, signals, posters, records and books, photographs, machinery, models, rolling stock, locomotives and buildings, such museum to be open to the public.
b) To educate the general public in old railways, railway history and in particular, but not exclusively, the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway and to show how these railways affected the industry of the area.
6 Co-operation with other charities and related parties
The Trust appointed Somerset Film & Video Limited (Registered Charity No.1095587) to advise on the collection of 8mm films bequeathed to the Trust during the year. The Trust recognised the requirement to liaise with other specialists in order to ensure that this material is made available in the most appropriate way for the benefit of the public.
There are no relationships between the Trust and related parties that fall within the requirements for disclosure under Charity SORP 2005.
7 Review of Activities in 2007
a) MANAGEMENT CHANGES: Godfrey Baker was appointed Chairman upon the retirement of Andrew Naish at the Annual General Meeting. Andrew Naish and Dave Wright were appointed to the committee at the Annual General Meeting and Paul Guppy was co-opted to the committee during May. The Trust had a sad duty to report the death of committee member Michael Gates on 12 April.
b) PUBLICATIONS: The policy for the Trust's regular publications (journals) introduced in 2000 has continued during 2007. The journals were published as pdf files in the Members' Area of the web-site and thereby improved accessibility.
Pines Express - Bulletin of The Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust
Four superb and high quality editions were produced during 2007 due to the continued dedication of the editor and the supply of suitable and well researched articles by the membership. This publication was made available for the public and was distributed to libraries and to all Members and well-wishers.
With the continued assistance of the membership, the success of Pines Express will be further guaranteed.
Swift & Delightful - Newsletter
Two editions were published in 2007 and these attractive colour publications were generally well received. This publication was circulated to Members only.
Other - Calendar and Christmas Card
The Trust published a Calendar for 2008 together with a Christmas Card for 2007. The latter was published in conjunction with The Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust and The North Dorset Railway Trust. Plans are proceeding for publication during 2008 of a joint calendar for 2009.
c) ELECTRONIC SERVICES:
Website
Regular updates of news of Trust activities for the public benefit were posted weekly on the website www.sdrt.org throughout the first five months of the year by a member who had been Acting Webmaster for eighteen months. Following comment at the 2007 AGM, another member volunteered to undertake the regular updating of the website and commenced on 01 June.
Online Membership and Sales
2007 saw the continued expansion of the online shopping section which included full Trust sales and regalia. Online membership and membership renewal continued to expand and is thus continuing to work well.
Members Only
It was again disappointing that so few members chose to contribute to the Members-Only area, which had no additions to the resources in 2007.
Electronic Discussion Group:
There were 372 postings in 2007 to SDJR@yahoogroups.com. This represented an increase over 2006, although still over 100 fewer than in 2005. There were 86 members of the group at the end of 2007 and which represented a small increase over 2006. There have been more than 2,600 postings since the inception of the group in 2000.
Some of the recent historical discussions were reported within the The Pines Express for the information of the wider membership and for the benefit of the public. There were significant "threads" containing information of use to modellers and students of train running and formations together with news of events.
Communications
The Trust's web server supports organisation-specific @sdrt.org email addresses. These had been allocated to all key management volunteers by the end of 2006. Whilst it was hoped that this might improve the corporate image of the Trust, and assist the public to focus their enquiries, there was some reluctance of key Management Trustees to utilise this type of email facility. This may have had a negative effect on good communication. During 2008, the Management Trustees will review the facility and consider any changes thought necessary to administer The Trust more effectively and in recognition of the reforming principles embodied within the Charities Act 2006.
A large number of enquires on a wide range of topics were received from the public by info@sdrt.org. These were often answered by responses provided by members of the Trust within the electronic discussion group and passed back to the inquirer.
Model Making
This was once again represented with model pictures and articles provided by Trust Members.
d) EXHIBITIONS, EVENTS, MEETINGS & PUBLICITY:
.e) WASHFORD MUSEUM
The Museum opened for 160 days during 2007. The number of volunteers who staffed the Museum and shop was 20 and which represented a 20% decrease on the previous year. The total admissions to the Museum was 2280 persons and which represented an 8% decrease over the previous year.
During the course of the year the Museum acquired additional rare exhibits including a station sign from Mangotsfield, a signal box enamel sign from Glastonbury & Street (on loan), a signal box sign from Bath Junction, a station running-in board from Bournemouth West together with a Somerset & Dorset Railway Pocket Watch.
Archives
The Archivist worked in close partnership with the Museum Curator to complete the location index for both the paper archives and the three-dimensional objects. The lengthy task of cross-checking the catalogue revealed only a few discrepancies. This was reassuring. The construction of the computer database begun twenty-five years ago was at the time a pioneering process. That it has "stood the test of time" is a tribute to foresight. The paper index continued to be maintained as backup.
An Archives Digitisation Pilot was set up during the year. A commercial organisation was employed to make digital images of selected archival paperwork and with the archivist then compiling the topic-specific images and writing them to CD media. The Pilot then released the CDs simultaneously to members for a small charge. Topics covered were Train Registers, Signalling Diagrams and Public Timetables. An additional CD relating to Evercreech Junction was issued in association with an article in The Pines Express. Fewer than ten Members purchased any CDs and with nearly all opting to pay for a complete set of all the topics released. No feedback from Members resulted and therefore it was difficult to judge the success of the Pilot. However, it is considered that by improving the accessibility of the archives to the public in this way, the Trust may be able to improve its ability to educate the public in old railways. It is anticipated that copies of the CDs will be available for the public to use at the Somerset Record Office and the Somerset Local Studies Library in 2008. It is hoped to undertake further digitisation during 2008, but the continuation of the Pilot will be dependent on volunteer input and most importantly receipt of "feedback" from participating Members.
Outdoor Displays
Work was completed on the display of three demonstration signals along the north-east boundary of the sidings. The display shows examples of signals typically once installed on the Somerset &Dorset Railway. These were connected by traditional wire rope and pulleys to a Stevens-pattern two-lever ground frame. The Southern Railway two-rail post carries an upper-quadrant down home signal, which co-acts with a lower quadrant wooden-arm up home signal mounted on a close-spaced two-rail post recovered from the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway and worked together by lever number 2. An upper-quadrant distant signal was mounted on a London South Western Railway lattice-post, and is pulled off by lever number 1 interlocked with and released by lever number 2. The new display was well received by visitors and provided a further public benefit through this educational opportunity in conjunction with the Midford Signal Box working exhibit. Thought is now to be given to the mechanics of working the signals from the signal box.
The Trust's insurance company advised during the year that the boiler of the Stothert & Pitt steam crane was near the point at which it was too "wasted" to be used. The Management Trustees explored ways for at least partial restoration and in this connection approached Stothert & Pitt. Initial on-site discussions with the company are being followed up.
Photographic Collection
The Trust's Photographic Collection continued to be an excellent resource for modellers and historians of the Somerset & Dorset Railway. Many requests were successfully dealt with over the year.
Coach Restoration
S&DJR First Class No. 4:
During the year slow progress was made repairing and refitting the doors on one side of the coach.
This task was difficult because of the surgery carried earlier when replacing major sections of the framework of the coach. At the end of the year this item of work was about 75% complete. Droplights have been manufactured and when the fixed panes have been fitted with bolection mouldings and all windows glazed the coach will be ready for painting.
Footboards were manufactured by The Wagon Team and fitted to one side.
S&DJR Third Class Coach No.114 (SR1423) Highbridge 1890:
Little progress was made, however this is valuable as an exhibit and source of information and components.
Exeter Coaches:
During the year The Trust was advised of two four-wheeled coach bodies consisting of a composite and a passenger luggage van which were incorporated in the first floor of a house in Exeter. After a series of problems The Wagon Team (and the archaeological section of the Local Authority) acquired some parts of these coaches which were in poor condition. The most interesting parts were put on "temporary display" in the main shed at Washford. It is hoped a permanent display will be created and will consist of about 70% of one side of the passenger brake van and a first/third window section of the composite coach.
Generally:
Due to the lack of volunteers in this connection (apart from the Wagon Team) the Management Committee may have to consider "out-sourcing" some elements of restoration as a means of progressing the projects.
New racking was designed, fabricated and installed within the Carpenters' Shop by the Wagon Team and which facilitated easier working.
Wells Brake-van, No. 9
The components remain in dry store although as reported last year initial preservation work was been undertaken.
S & D Locomotive, No. 88
The locomotive remained on hire to the West Somerset Railway plc (WSR plc) throughout the year. The hire agreement requires that the "cost of repairs" are the responsibility of that railway. The Trust and the public therefore continued to enjoy the benefit of this arrangement.
The distance covered by this working exhibit during the period December 2006 to October 2007 (inclusive) was 8,576 miles. The peak month was July, when 1,880 miles were covered. During the year, the locomotive was used to haul some charter trains originating on the national network. In addition to working public trains on the WSR, the locomotive was displayed in use to the benefit of a wider public in heritage railway contexts on both the Severn Valley Railway for three steaming days during March and the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway during the end of May and early June The Trust received payments under the hire agreement with the WSR plc for these periods of out-hire.
The locomotive was kept in good order by the WSR plc. The annual report of condition was received although the Trust did not find it possible to take up its annual duty of inspecting the locomotive during the year. No major repairs were found to be necessary during the year although there was one significant failure in service - that of the left-hand pony truck spring and for which a spare part was sourced.
The following repairs of significance were made during the year.
Injector clack valves replaced. RI tender spring changed.
All super-heater elements changed RH valve rings replaced.
The Wagon Team
The Team worked on several projects during the year. New doors were fabricated for the PMV which was in use when the museum was open. A new door sill fitted and loose buffer re-mounted to North Eastern Railway Wagon No: 145741.In addition a correct chimney cowl was fitted to the Southern Railway Road Van together with minor repairs before it was re-painted. Towards the end of the year the Team worked on both replacement doors and repair of doors to the CCT.
8 Plans for the Future
The increasing age profile and numbers of Members and the decrease in active volunteers (as reported in section 7e of this Report) still continues to cause The Management Committee concern although the Trust has managed to fulfill most of the usual events in conjunction with the West Somerset Railway and will further endeavour to continue this during 2008.
Following the intention reported last year and whereby "a Management Committee Member may be made responsible for volunteer activity" David Wright was appointed Volunteer Coordinator in order to improve the recruitment of volunteers and coordinate their efforts towards prioritized undertakings.
A questionnaire was distributed to all Members requesting information on their ability and willingness to assist the Trust and seeking their views on some aspects of the future direction of The Trust. This is currently being rigorously followed up.
As noted at item 7d of this Report close associations with other Trusts and the Somerset Museums Service commenced and will continue to be progressed. Initial meetings were held and will continue on a regular basis.
In addition to the "immediate plans" outlined above The Management Trustees embarked upon the formation of a Forward Plan and for which the intent is to "set a path" for The Trust for the next five years.
Phase 1 (Analysis) is complete and Phase 2 (Strategy) is now under consideration. Phase 3 (Implementation) will follow during 2008.
As reported within the last three years the Trust is obliged to give consideration to the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act where it is reasonable to do so. To this end consideration was given to improving access to the station platform at Washford and for the provision of disabled persons' toilet facilities. Differing views within the Trust on the extent of provision together with the lack of volunteers to progress again resulted in little progress being made.
9 Fund Raising and the work of volunteers
a) FUND RAISING
The 200 Club further continued to donate a welcome sum through its fund-raising as did the 2007 Annual Raffle.
The encouragement of provision of donations under the Gift Aid Scheme was continued and a revision of the renewal form in this respect resulted in a significant increase in donations covered by the scheme.
The Trust received a £36,000.00 legacy from the estate of Bill Gates. An initial benefit from this is the purchase of new display cabinets for the museum in Bill's memory (Bill having been a former Museum Curator). A decision has still to be made in connection with further benefits from this legacy.
b) PROMOTIONAL SALES
The central sales operation based at Washford and the Sales Stand at exhibitions performed exceedingly well with close control over stock purchases and levels. Postal Sales also continued to perform well.
10. Policy Statements
(a) RESERVES:
The reserves of the Trust are the resources from income it has or can make available to spend at the Trustees' discretion in furtherance of the Trust's Objects once it has met its commitments and covered its planned expenditure. The Trustees direct that sums are to be held as reserves when it is their considered view that it is in the charity's best interest to do so. A review is made at least annually, normally at the time of the Budget meeting and at other times as the Trustees consider prudent. The Trustees consider that the long-term and specialised nature of conservation and restoration work of the Museum rolling stock (especially the S&D carriages, Wells Brake-van, and locomotives) justifies the level of reserves currently maintained in order to facilitate progress when suitable skills are available. The Trustees recognise that reserves will require to be maintained at the current level and enhanced by further fund-raising if future further plans to improve the housing and display of archives, rolling stock and museum items are to be realised.
(b) INVESTMENTS:
The Trustees have reviewed the disposition of The Trust's reserve funds, and have approved a policy of continuing to place reserve funds with deposit taking institutions. No more than the maximum covered by the financial Services Compensation scheme is to be placed with any one deposit taker.
(c) GRANT-MAKING AND PRIZES:
Grants are only made in exceptional circumstances in furtherance of the Charity's Objects, and will not be in total in excess of 5% of annual resources expended. They will only be awarded after due consideration by the Management Trustees. No grants were made in 2007.
11. Risk Analysis
The Trustees are always mindful of the major risks to which the charity is exposed. At most meetings of the Management Trustees, time is given to review of the risks associated with the operations at Washford. Close liaison is maintained with the West Somerset Railway plc, the Heritage Railway Association and the Trust's Insurance Companies and Brokers. Officers of the Trust maintain procedures to control financial risks, and report to the Management Trustees.
As reported in previous years, the Management Trustees intend to take advantage of the status of Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), this being a new form of incorporation established in law by the passage of Charities Act 2006. CIOs offer advantages over previous forms of incorporation by way of simplified administration. The Government's original programme envisaged consulting on the regulatuions relating to CIOs necessary under the Act in late 2007, but this has now been postponed into 2008. The Management Trustees will seek Members' views in connection with the proposed change when the provisions of the regulations are known and have been considered.
All the Trustees are still concerned that the level of volunteer activity has continued to decline. However, the Management Committee implemented methods outlined in Section 8 together with increased publicity as outlined in item 7d of this Report in order to reverse this situation.
This Report and the Annual Accounts (available from the Secretary) were approved by the Management Trustees at a duly convened meeting held on Sunday 16 March 2008.
Signed:
....................................
Godfrey R Baker (Chairman)