The Belfast & County Down Railway Company Limited

Public benefits

The Charity Trustees (Company Directors) are satisfied that the Public Benefit requirement is met; The beneficiaries are the public at large. The direct benefits flowing to them from the purposes include public access to, education on and enjoyment of, vintage locomotives and rolling stock used to create a working railway museum. Wider benefits

include the attraction of visitors from the UK, Europe and further afield to Northern Ireland with all proceeds from receipts, sales etc., will be used for the development of the museum and for the enhancement of facilities. These benefits can be demonstrated through visitor numbers, feedback and the practical existence of a heritage steam railway centred on Ballynahinch Junction and serving the areas of Saintfield, Crossgar and Ballynahinch. There are no foreseeable ‘harms’ arising from the fulfilment of the purposes. There are no private benefits to any unintended beneficiary. The charity works in association with the Belfast & County Down Railway Museum Trust (which is not present a charitable trust) which loans property and artefact to the company free of charge to assist in the fulfilment of the purposes. This trust gains no private benefit from doing so.

What your organisation does

Keeping the memory and historical aspect of railways alive through the operation of a heritage branch railway line and by promoting the history of the railways through publications and by the provision of educational facilities.