Being a member

The Middleton Railway Trust Ltd is a charitable organisation which runs the Middleton Railway. It was registered as a charity in 1971, and formed as a “not for profit” company (technically, a “company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital”) in 1974. Company law restricts membership of the Trust to those aged 18 or over, so the railway also operates the Middleton Railway Association, to provide for other categories of membership.

The day to day operation of the railway is carried out by volunteers, and if you want to volunteer then you need to be a member of the Trust or the Association, as appropriate. But you do not need to be a volunteer to contribute to the railway, as simply by being a member you can help to support the railway. Join our hundreds of members who help to keep the railway on track.

Benefits of Membership

By becoming a member you will have the satisfaction of helping to preserve one of the world’s most historic railways, and you will also receive the following benefits in return for your support.

• Four free rides on the railway each year.
• Four copies each year of our quarterly magazine The Old Run (except for family members).
• The right to attend the annual general meetings of the company (except for junior members). This also applies to any other general meetings that we might hold, but so far we have never needed to hold one!

Your membership also helps us, because your subscription and any donations that you are able to make will help to maintain the locomotives, rolling-stock and infrastructure. Also, we are able to speak on behalf of all of our membership when we have to negotiate with other bodies, and having many voices makes us stronger, as well as strengthening any case that we might be trying to make.

Types of Membership

There are various types of membership that are available, and different levels of subscriptions are payable for each. The subscriptions are reviewed each year at the annual general meeting, and the details for 2023 are as follows.

Becoming a Member

If you would like to become a member, please click on this link to download a membership form (as a pdf file). This form also includes a gift aid declaration, but please note that we can only reclaim gift aid on any additional donation that you make, and not on your actual subscription.

If you require further information about membership, you are welcome to contact the membership secretary by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .