Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust

Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust has existed since 1988 following its formation by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society and was first registered as a charity in England & Wales in 1991. In May 2014 the Charity Commission approved conversion to the new structure of Charitable Incorporated Organisation, which amongst other benefits allow the Trust to take over the activities of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society. The Trust owns a unique collection of steam locomotives and carriages previously owned by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. Its origins can be traced to 1964, when a group of railway enthusiasts in Rochdale formed the L&Y Saddletanks Fund and acquired 3 locomotives, a carriage and 3 wagons. In 1987 the 'Fund' changed its identity to the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society and started negotiations to form a Charity to secure the collection, gaining approval from the Charity Commission in 1991. During the 1990’s the collection has been enhanced by acquisition of three more carriages, and the Trust also appoints one of the Trustees of the Bowers 957 Trust, the Registered Charity which owns the ex-L&YR locomotive 957, well known as the ‘Green Dragon’ in the 1970 film version of ‘The Railway Children’. Carriages from the collection have often run with 957 when it was in service, creating a unique opportunity to travel on an L&Y train.