Supporting Kirkby Stephen East
UPDATED 13/07/2026
Thank you for visiting this page to learn more about how to get involved / support the work at Kirkby Stephen East (KSE).
Who are we?
Stainmore Railway Company (SRC) and The Locomotive Conservation and Learning Trust (LCLT) are based at KSE.
Both SRC and LCLT are working hard to showcase how the railway would have been in the 1950s, develop the station into a superb education and recreation resource for local people and visitors.
SRC was founded in 2000 and is a not for profit private limited company (Company Number 03959471) run by volunteers with no paid employees. They maintain and develop the site, run events, operate trains and support training of volunteers to learn new skills.
The Stainmore Railway Company (SRC) operate the site, maintain the buildings, run events, trains and care for the station
LCLT was founded in 2009 and is a registered charity (Charity Number 1129813) and run by volunteer trustees. They own the J21 locomotive 65033, a NER Bogie Stores Van and other historic items of rolling stock. As a registered charity, LCLT can claim GiftAid for monies donated to them. LCLT has supported infrastructure projects at KSE including the rebuilding of the 1861 built Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) signal box. The current project being supported by the LCLT is rebuilding of the junction signal box at KSE.
The two organisation have secured joint Heritage Lottery Funding for projects at KSE since 2009.
Why do we need your support?
We want as many people to feel connected to KSE as possible; to make it a real cornerstone of the community and an example to railway preservationists everywhere. Carrying out the work of rebuilding the station, rolling stock and line are expensive and any financial help, even in small amounts, gets us closer to delivering the projects we want to complete. You can also help us by volunteering - what you see on your visits has been achieved through the hard work and dedication of volunteers. More details on this can be found at the bottom of the page.
How you can help?
There are several ways in which you can help the development of Kirkby Stephen East.
Other ways of helping sustain the work at KSE
Thank you for visiting this page to learn more about how to get involved / support the work at Kirkby Stephen East (KSE).
Who are we?
Stainmore Railway Company (SRC) and The Locomotive Conservation and Learning Trust (LCLT) are based at KSE.
Both SRC and LCLT are working hard to showcase how the railway would have been in the 1950s, develop the station into a superb education and recreation resource for local people and visitors.
SRC was founded in 2000 and is a not for profit private limited company (Company Number 03959471) run by volunteers with no paid employees. They maintain and develop the site, run events, operate trains and support training of volunteers to learn new skills.
The Stainmore Railway Company (SRC) operate the site, maintain the buildings, run events, trains and care for the station
LCLT was founded in 2009 and is a registered charity (Charity Number 1129813) and run by volunteer trustees. They own the J21 locomotive 65033, a NER Bogie Stores Van and other historic items of rolling stock. As a registered charity, LCLT can claim GiftAid for monies donated to them. LCLT has supported infrastructure projects at KSE including the rebuilding of the 1861 built Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) signal box. The current project being supported by the LCLT is rebuilding of the junction signal box at KSE.
The two organisation have secured joint Heritage Lottery Funding for projects at KSE since 2009.
Why do we need your support?
We want as many people to feel connected to KSE as possible; to make it a real cornerstone of the community and an example to railway preservationists everywhere. Carrying out the work of rebuilding the station, rolling stock and line are expensive and any financial help, even in small amounts, gets us closer to delivering the projects we want to complete. You can also help us by volunteering - what you see on your visits has been achieved through the hard work and dedication of volunteers. More details on this can be found at the bottom of the page.
How you can help?
There are several ways in which you can help the development of Kirkby Stephen East.
- Becoming a Shareholder of SRC - You can purchase shares in SRC for £10. You will be issued with a share certificate and will be entitled to attend shareholder meetings. You’ll also be invited to a Supporters Day each year, free of charge. Click here for details. You can also print a form at the bottom of this page.
- Subscription to the SRC newsletter - You can stay in touch with our work by subscribing to our printed newsletter for just £15 per annum. Click here for details.
- Joining the 1370 club - It costs a minimum of £2,500 per month to run SRC and we are only open to the public from Easter - December. The closed season is to enable maintenance of rolling stock, building and the site. SRC, therefore, needs a regular income to meet this monthly cost. We have established a supporter's group called the the '1370 club' in hnour of the highest point on the Stainmore Route. If you set up a monthly standing order (MSO) for a minimum £10 per month to SRC you are enrolled into the club. This entitles you to recieve our quarterly newsletter (£15 per annum) and you will have the remainder of your annual contribution issued at shares (£10 per share) as recognition of your support of SRC. You also enjoy benefits such as free train rides on normal running weekends and an exclusive pin badge. You will also be invited to the relaunch event of each restored piece of rolling stock at KSE. Curent 1370 club members help ensure financial security for SRC. Please email the SRC secretary to find out more 1370 details
- Helping with grant applications - We are a not for profit company limited by shares registered in England (Company No 03959471) so have a similar status to a Charity which makes us eligible for grant funding. Over the years our director and project manager, Dr Mike Thompson, has written a large number of succcessful grant applications which has funded work at KSE. Our funders over the last five years are listed below:
- Cultural Recovery Fund supported us during the lockdown imposed by COVID19 restrictions which forced us to close for two years
- Cumbria County Council
- Eden District Council
- Heritage Lottery Fund
- Ken Hoole Trust
- Kirkby Stephen Town Council
- PRISM Fund administered by The Arts Council
- The 9F Locomotive Charitable Trust
- Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme supported work on our footbridge, which was build in the 1860s to the design of Sir Thomas Bouch, through their connecting heritage scheme. To learn more about this fund please visit their website.
- Yorkshire Dales National Park Sustainable Development Fund supported the recent infrastruture work on our footbridge (see permanent way work). The fund is open to individual businesses, community groups or voluntary sector bodies. It provides an accessible source of money for a wide range of projects that result in positive benefits for the National Park's environment, economy and communities, whilst enhancing and conserving local culture, wildlife and landscape. To learn more about this fund please visit their website or email the Sustainable Development Officer: [email protected]
Other ways of helping sustain the work at KSE
- Becoming a Friend of the J21 and other historically significant rail vehicles - You'll benefit from a quarterly newsletter and the pride of knowing that you are supporting a major development here in Upper Eden; a priceless feeling. This scheme is offered by the LCLT and you can learn more about it at http://www.lclt.org.uk/. They also offer a number of other schemes with rewards like a locomotive experience day.
- Leaving a legacy to help develop Kirkby Stephen East - Legacies have enabled major infrastructure work at KSE and provide essential cash flow for the continued development of the site. Our workshop and maintenance shed, accessible toilet facilities, trackwork and signalling project have all been supported by legacies. For details on how to leave a legacy to SRC please email the secretary
How to Volunteer
We love to welcome new volunteers into the team here at Kirkby Stephen East. We can offer a range of jobs from maintenance and restoration of our historic vehicles to showing visitors around and train operation. You can even volunteer with your whole family, if you would like. You can volunteer on the site on weekends or during the week. You can also contribute remotely by helping our online team or in other roles. We work to be as inclusive as possible at Kirkby Stephen East but it is not always possible to adapt our historic equipment to suit the needs of everyone. Please contact us to discuss how you can contribute.
See our volunteering page for more details
See our volunteering page for more details
