Photo: Peter Milford

Swanage Railway is delighted to announce that it has officially been granted charitable status by the Charity Commission, marking one of the most significant milestones in the Railway’s history and securing a stronger, more sustainable future for the organisation.

The announcement is made even more special as it comes during Swanage Railway’s 50th anniversary year. As the Railway celebrates five decades since volunteers first came together to preserve and restore the branch line, achieving charitable status represents a fitting tribute to the vision, determination and dedication of everyone who has played a part in its remarkable story. It not only honours the achievements of the past 50 years but also provides a secure foundation for the next 50 years of heritage, education and community benefit.

The decision follows many months of planning, consultation and hard work by trustees, directors, staff and volunteers, who have worked together to create a new charitable structure that better reflects the Railway’s educational, heritage and community objectives.

The move to charitable status recognises that Swanage Railway is far more than a transport attraction. As one of the country’s leading heritage railways, it preserves and interprets nationally significant railway heritage, delivers educational programmes for schools and community groups, provides volunteering opportunities for hundreds of people, and contributes significantly to the local economy across Purbeck and Dorset.

The new charity structure will help safeguard these activities for future generations while opening up greater opportunities to access grant funding and charitable support, enabling the Railway to invest further in its heritage assets, learning programmes and community engagement.

Abbie King, Chief Executive Officer of Swanage Railway, said:

“This is a truly historic day for Swanage Railway. Achieving charitable status is the culmination of an enormous amount of work by so many people across the organisation, and I would like to thank everyone who has supported us on this journey.

To receive charitable status in our 50th anniversary year feels incredibly special. It is a wonderful tribute to the generations of volunteers, staff and supporters whose passion and commitment have rebuilt and sustained this railway over the last five decades. As we celebrate everything that has been achieved, we are also looking firmly to the future. This milestone gives us the opportunity to protect our heritage, expand our educational and community work, and ensure that Swanage Railway continues to inspire and benefit future generations for the next 50 years and beyond.

Our volunteers, staff, members and supporters have always understood that Swanage Railway is about much more than running trains. We preserve an important part of Britain’s heritage, we educate and inspire people of all ages, we support our local communities and we provide a place where people can come together, learn new skills and create lifelong friendships. Becoming a charity ensures that these public benefits are recognised and protected, and it gives us the strongest possible foundation to build a sustainable future for the Railway for generations to come.

I would also like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported this process over the past months. Achieving charitable status has been a huge team effort, involving an incredible amount of hard work, dedication and determination from so many people across the Railway. There have been challenges along the way, but we have always been reminded what a special community Swanage Railway is.

To everyone who offered encouragement, kind words, advice and practical support thank you. And a special mention must go to those who kept the team going with the endless supplies of coffee, tea and biscuits when the days were long and the paperwork seemed never-ending. Those small acts of kindness meant more than you know and perfectly reflect the spirit that has carried the Railway through its first 50 years and will continue to carry it into the next 50.”

Ben Ford, Chair of Swanage Railway Companby, added:

“This is a transformational moment for the Railway. Charitable status reflects what Swanage Railway has become over the last 50 years a heritage, education and community organisation with a national reputation and a deep commitment to preserving the past while serving the public today. We are excited about the opportunities this creates and look forward to continuing to work with our volunteers, members, partners and supporters as we begin this new chapter.”

The transition to charitable status follows overwhelming support from members for the creation of a single charitable organisation, bringing together the Railway’s heritage, educational and operational activities under one clear charitable purpose.

The Railway’s vision remains “To be a leading heritage railway, preserving history while offering memorable experiences that educate, inspire, and contribute to the local economy.” Its mission is “to preserve and operate a heritage railway that educates, inspires and connects the local community, visitors and rail enthusiasts, while fostering volunteer engagement, supporting sustainable growth and benefiting the Purbeck economy.”

Swanage Railway would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the process, including the many volunteers, trustees, directors, staff and professional advisers who have helped make this achievement possible.

As the organisation moves into this exciting new era, its focus remains unchanged: preserving railway heritage, delivering outstanding visitor experiences, supporting learning and community engagement, and ensuring that Swanage Railway continues to thrive for the benefit of current and future generations.

As we celebrate our first 50 years, charitable status gives us the opportunity to look ahead with confidence to the next 50 protecting our heritage, strengthening our communities and inspiring generations yet to come.

The Swanage Railway has been working towards restructuring the railway for a sustainable future and is now moving towards a key part of the development - the approval of the recommended actions by the membership.

Members will be invited to cast their votes at the AGM on 11th October but will have the opportunity to engage with the Governance Review Group in both physical and virtual meetings at the beginning of September. Before those meetings, members are invited to read the booklet 'Fit for the Future' which sets out the vision and some of the thinking that has gone on and has led to the recommendation to merge the Trust into the Company and to register the Company as a charity in its own right. This will have substantial benefits for the long term future, ensuring a sustainable railway.

Please take the opportunity to read the booklet and to download and read the proposed updated Memoranda and Articles for the new charitable company. Printed copies of the booklet will be mailed to members with the AGM materials in early September.

Click the links to download copies of the booklet and the Memoranda:

• 'Swanage Railway - Fit for the Future' booklet
• 'Swanage Railway - Memoranda and Articles of Association 2025

Members are invited to email questions and comments on the restructuring process and on the proposed Memoranda and Articles to governance.response@swanagerailway.co.uk

The Swanage Railway Company is a company limited by shares - with the majority of shares held by the Swanage Railway Trust and some 3% overall holding held by a number of individual shareholders. Individual shares are non-voting shares - shares held by the Swanage Railway Trust are voting shares and may be used to vote on resolutions etc.

Shares were offered as a means of financially supporting the railway some 30 plus years ago. Since then, changes to charitable giving have meant that donations to the charitable Trust attract Gift Aid resulting in a 20% uplift. The Company has not now issued any new shares in over 25 years. Shares have no commercial value and are not publicly traded. Some have been transferred between holders but this has been on a small scale.

Shares were offered as a means of financially supporting the railway some 30 plus years ago. Since then, changes to charitable giving have meant that donations to the charitable Trust attract Gift Aid resulting in a 20% uplift. The Company has not now issued any new shares in over 25 years. Shares have no commercial value and are not publicly traded. Some have been transferred between holders but this has been on a small scale.

However, over the past years it has become apparent that a number of original shareholders are no longer contactable. Sadly, we have been advised that a number have died. In other cases, mailings to last known addresses are returned marked 'Gone Away', 'Not Known at this address' etc.