The David Clarke Railway Trust
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your work concerns railway education, heritage railway preservation, railway vehicles, heritage buildings or railway skills, this funder may fit, and the clearest match is a project linked to the Great Central Railway or to heritage activity based on it.
- The annual report shows annual giving of £746,789, but it gives no grant range, so the published material does not settle how large a request should be; ask the contact shown before sizing a bid.
- No application process is published, so start by getting in touch through that contact rather than sending a full application cold.
- Trustees award grants at their discretion, weighing the availability of funds and the suitability and requirements of each project, so set out clearly what the work needs and why it fits the Trust's objects.
Overview
The David Clarke Railway Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1104839).
The David Clarke Railway Trust exists to advance education for the public benefit in railway transportation systems, particularly by facilitating the restoration, preservation and operation of the Great Central Railway. It assists with grants for the restoration or maintenance of locomotives, goods and passenger vehicles, for developing facilities, and for maintaining existing heritage buildings. According to the annual report, it paid £746,789 in giving.
What they fund
Profile based on the charity's Charity Commission register entry and annual report (year to 30 September 2025) only: no website or other web source for the charity was found. Every statement is checked against them. Sources read on 30 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Trust advances public education in railway transportation systems, particularly by facilitating restoration, preservation and operation of the Great Central Railway. It supports the Great Central Railway and groups involved in heritage activities based on the railway, as well as work to reunite its two sections. Its grants assist restoration and maintenance of locomotives, goods and passenger vehicles; develop facilities; and maintain heritage buildings. The Trust also encourages the skills needed to care for heritage railway assets and supports the retention of knowledge for future work. Trustees award grants at their discretion where projects accord with the charitable objects, considering projects’ suitability and requirements.
Themes
- Railway education
- Heritage railway preservation
- Railway vehicles
- Heritage buildings
- Railway skills
How to apply
No application process is published in the charity's annual report, its register entry or other pages about it. The contact shown is for getting in touch.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- Trustees award grants at their discretion where requests accord with the charitable objects.
- The Trust considers the availability of funds and the suitability and requirements of projects seeking support.
Where they fund
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The David Clarke Railway Trust.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- Great Central Railway Plc & supporting institutions£746,789year to 30 September 2025
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 30 September 2021 | £1,939,032 | £196,441 | £154,526 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2021 |
| year to 30 September 2022 | £1,035,627 | £909,358 | £860,459 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2022 |
| year to 30 September 2023 | £1,961,730 | £2,023,977 | £1,970,915 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2023 |
| year to 30 September 2024 | £1,603,439 | £894,980 | £814,816 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2024 |
| year to 30 September 2025 | £1,623,922 | £845,177 | £746,789 | Accounts for year to 30 September 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
In 1 of the 5 years shown, grants paid exceeded income.
- Grants paid, year to 30 September 2021; year to 30 September 2022; year to 30 September 2023; year to 30 September 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 30 September 2025: grants paid out in the year.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- gcrailway.co.uk/support/donate · read on 30 October 2026; a page about the charity on another site
- Annual report (year to 30 September 2025)
This profile rests on the charity’s filed accounts and register entry only, so check with the funder directly before applying.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to The David Clarke Railway Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- dcrt@gcrailway.co.uksource
- The David Clarke Railway Trust, Lovatt House, 3 Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, LE11 1SLsource
Applying to The David Clarke Railway Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- dcrt@gcrailway.co.uksource
- The David Clarke Railway Trust, Lovatt House, 3 Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, LE11 1SLsource