Preservation Societies - Informal / Formal

[Drimnagh Road]

The Railway Preservation Society of Ireland is changing it's management structure. Although it continues to be referred to as a society by members, the RPSI since 1975 has actually been a corporate body -in fact "a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital".

Under proposed changes,

"the Society" becomes "the Company"
"the Council" becomes "the board"
"Council Member" becomes "Director"

I tend to get a bit apprehensive when I see formal business terms introduced into preservation, I think profit first, Bureacracy and power struggles.

Am I wrong in assuming this? Do many of the big player preservation groups in the UK operate in this way or do the operate with a more loose structure?

 

[Mvann]

Most of the big railways are companies for operating purposes as this gives the society members some protection if any financial problems occur.

 

[John Webb]

Even small groups (such as we at St Albans South Signal Box) are often formed into similar companies - it means that if the body is wound up for some reason, each member only has a very small amount they can be compelled to pay up! But having yourselves in a formal body can make it easier to get grants etc. from various organisations - partly because it shows you are taking your responsibilities seriously, partly because it allows an independent check on people via Companies House; the extra paperwork is a slight bind but there are advantages as a consequence.

In the end the members at the AGM still have a final say in how things are run.

 

[ACE1888]

Member of the following societies Me:
Somerset and Dorset Heritage Railway Trust
Shillingstone Project (S&DJR)
Helston Railway Preservation Society
Bodmin and Wenford Railway
Formerly member of the following:
South Devon Railway
Great Central Railway
Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Association.
Western Locomotive Association
Somerset And Dorset Trust (Washford)

Have been a working member at Bodmin in the past, just returned to Helston as an active member.

Like to support where and when I can, trouble living this far West, you realise your miles from EVERYWHERE!
Just for the record this information of course, just interested in who else might be a memeber of what!!

 

[GM078]

As pointed out by John Webb it's not the only example of a preservation society becoming a limited company (which it has been anyway since 1975). Also in Ireland I believe the Irish Railway Record Society and Downpatrick & County Down Railway have this status (open to correction). The Irish Traction Group used to operate its railtours under a limited company technically seperate to the preservation group itself. I'm sure there are many examples in the UK as well. As pointed out it also protects the members who are liable to pay no more than £1 in the event of the company being wound up.

The RPSI is probably different to many UK groups in that it is practically a fully fledged mainline operator with preserved/heritage stock versus one that hires in locomotives/carriages from another company, or operates its own line. I suspect the closest examples would be West Coast or the SRPS.

Bureacracy is always going to around anyway, it's a fact of life these days in most organisations, even more so in ones involved in engineering and train operation where H&S is paramount. I doubt anyone likes it but that's just the way it is.

As for profit in this day age most preservation societies need to focus on profitable operations to keep their heads above the water, what with ever increasing insurance premiums, etc... Which is why generally the locomotives and carriages used by the likes of the RPSI are the largest one practically available, ie. 2-6-4Ts, 4-4-0s and 2-6-0s, while lower powered engines like 184 and 27 remain in the sheds. (I say "practically available" because the only surviving Irish 4-6-0, Maedbh, would have extremely restricted route availibility in Ireland) The same for carriages, lovely as it would be to see some of the non-corridor GS&WR bogies trundling about. I observe that in the UK a similar situation occurs, whereby most mainline operations seem to be hauled by the largest locomotives available (4-6-0s, 4-6-2s) rather than 4-4-0s which have less potential to haul full 10-12 coach trains. As for power struggles, no fear of that happening - there seems to be few enough people around as it is! On paper it is a formal change but in practice volunteers just get on with what they've always done.

 

[Mvann]

Don't forget that Severn valley, the great central, nymr, etc are plc's anyway.