Great Western Society Limited
Also known as: Didcot Railway Centre
1) To preserve, restore and operate as a permanent public exhibition and museum, steam and other railway locomotives, rolling stock and equipment, both for historical and educational purposes, and2) To make available for public reference the history, equipment and operation all with reference to both the former Great Western Railway and its successors since nationalisation on 1 January 1948
Activities & Mission
1) To preserve, restore and operate as a permanent public exhibition and museum, steam and other railway locomotives, rolling stock and equipment, both for historical and educational purposes, and2) To make available for public reference the history, equipment and operation all with reference to both the former Great Western Railway and its successors since nationalisation on 1 January 1948
Areas of Operation
Where this charity is registered to operate, as self-declared to the Charity Commission. These are regulatory classifications, not a list of active programmes, and don't necessarily indicate fundraising activity in each location.
Show all 8 areas of operation Hide areas of operation
Local Authority
Financial Information
Financial Efficiency
Higher than 21% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M (sample: 344). How is this calculated?
Higher than 48% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M. How is this calculated?
Lower overhead than 40% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?
Latest Financial Breakdown
Income Sources
Expenditure Categories
Financial Trend
Annual Returns
As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2025.
| Financial Year | Income | Expenditure | Charitable Spending | Net Assets | Reserves | Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | £3,853,845 | £2,145,263 | £1,857,169 | £4,664,194 | £1,528,878 | 31 / 200 |
| 2024 | £2,232,098 | £1,785,937 | £1,536,156 | £2,948,603 | £404,582 | 33 / 200 |
| 2023 | £1,696,734 | £2,355,117 | £2,140,130 | £2,502,442 | £802,512 | 26 / 300 |
| 2022 | £1,465,300 | £1,455,638 | £1,284,915 | £3,160,825 | £248,057 | 17 / 300 |
| 2021 | £1,317,020 | £1,390,936 | £1,250,202 | £3,152,986 | £202,307 | 15 / 300 |
Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers
Frequently asked questions about Great Western Society Limited
What does Great Western Society Limited do?
1) To preserve, restore and operate as a permanent public exhibition and museum, steam and other railway locomotives, rolling stock and equipment, both for historical and educational purposes, and2) To make available for public reference the history, equipment and operation all with reference to both the former Great Western Railway and its successors since nationalisation on 1 January 1948
How much income did Great Western Society Limited report in 2025?
Great Western Society Limited reported total income of £3.85m and reported expenditure of £2.15m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.
How efficient is Great Western Society Limited?
Great Western Society Limited has a program ratio of 48.2%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 21% of UK Heritage charities with income £1M to £10M (sample of 344 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.
When was Great Western Society Limited registered as a charity?
Great Western Society Limited was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 1 February 1977 as charity number 272616. It has been registered for 49 years.
Who runs Great Western Society Limited?
Great Western Society Limited is governed by a board of 8 trustees. The chair of trustees is RICHARD ALAN PRESTON. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.
Where does Great Western Society Limited operate?
Great Western Society Limited operates across 8 areas, including Bristol City, Devon, Oxfordshire and 5 others. The full list is shown on its profile.
Is Great Western Society Limited a registered charity?
Yes — Great Western Society Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 272616.
Details
Didcot
Oxon
OX11 7NJ
Registry Information
Is this your charity?
Add your logo, photos and tell the story behind the numbers in your own words. Free for our first 50 launch partners.
Claim this listing Learn more about premium profilesOther notable Heritage charities
Major UK charities in the same primary sector, drawn from the curated priority cohort.
Trustees
Also governs 1 other charity
Also governs 2 other charities
Also governs 2 other charities
Sectors & Classifications
Also Known As
- Didcot Railway Centre
Data & trust
- Register data refreshed
- 14 May 2026
- Methodology
- How metrics are calculated