Severn Valley Railway Society Limited

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The Severn Valley Railway Society Limited (SVRS) is the parent organisation of the Severn Valley Railway. It is a Charitable Community Benefit Society (CCBS), Registered Society number 9742.

Formation

In December 2024 the SVR announced plans to bring together the three separate companies that currently make up the SVR into a new 'One Railway' structure. Subject to approval by the Railway's shareholders and members at EGM's in 2025, this would be achieved in stages by i) the conversion of SVR(H) (the Public Limited Company) into a Charitable Community Benefit Society (CCBS), ii) the amalgamation of the newly formed CCBS with the Guarantee Company (the Member's organisation), and iii) the inclusion of the Charitable Trust with the CCBS as soon as its circumstances allow.

• On Saturday 21 June 2025, shareholders at the SVR(H) AGM voted overwhelmingly to proceed with the conversion into a Charitable Community Benefit Society (CCBS) as part of the proposed restructuring.
• On Saturday 9 August the members of the Guarantee Company also voted overwhelmingly at the AGM in favour of the amalgamation with SVR(H).
• On 16 April 2026 the (SVR) announced that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) had approved its application to convert Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) Plc into a charitable community benefit society (CCBS). The newly constituted organisation would be named Severn Valley Railway Society Limited, the name being "...clear, appropriate and a fitting nod to our origins.".
• Severn Valley Railway Society Limited was registered with effect from 1 June 2026 under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014. It became the parent organisation in succession to SVR(H) from that date.

The SVR(H) Accounts for the period ended 4 January 2026 include the following note under 'Post Balance Sheet events':

• On 1 June 2026 the Company will complete a conversion under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014, with approval having been received from the Financial Conduct Authority. The Company continues as the same legal entity with all assets, liabilities, employees, contracts and other arrangements transferring automatically to the newly constituted Severn Valley Railway Society Limited.
• As part of the conversion the existing £11,094,576 ordinary share capital will be extinguished and transferred to an unrestricted fund in accordance with the Society's rules.
• Retained earnings, at a loss of £1,178,189 will also be redesignated to the same reserve.
• Total equity remains unchanged at £9,916,387.

This stub article will be revised and updated in due course as this process is completed.

Founders Club

Formerly, shareholders in SVR(H) were entitled to shareholder travel benefits varying in proportion to the level of their shareholding. However under FCA rules, membership benefits must be available to the wider community, meaning that this is no longer permissible. The SVR wrote to shareholders in May 2026 confirming that the new arrangements for existing SVR(H) shareholders would be as follows:

• 29 May 2026: The Severn Valley Railway Founders Club ("Founders Club") would be created. Existing Shareholder travel benefits (as of 28 May 2026) would transfer into this club.
• 1 June 2026: Existing SVR(H) shareholders would become a member of SVRS and also a member of the Founders Club. Founders Club membership is personal to the individual, valid for life, non-transferable and fixed at their entitlement level as of 28 May 2026.

See also

• Current Organisation

External links

• Severn Valley Railway Society Limited on FCA Mutuals Public Register

Severn Valley Railway Society

Severn Valley Railway