Governance, Patron, the Society Trustees and GSN CIC Board 

The General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society is run by an elected and or co-opted Committee of Trustees. The Committee meets every calendar month to oversee and manage the Society’s affairs, including finance, engineering, fundraising, marketing, public relations, working parties and volunteer liaison.

The Society’s aims and objectives are to restore 35011 to represent her original 1950s condition complete with air smoothed casing and

Bulleids unique patented chain driven valve gear. In addition, we aim to provide education and learning to further railway heritage restoration.

Currently all the Trustees of the Society are also registered with Companies House as Directors of the General Steam Navigation Community Interest Company (CIC), Company Number 09894000.

The CIC is the legal owner of the Locomotive. It is also the entity in which any member can also be a shareholder, see here for more details.

Patron

We are delighted that Dr. Alice Bunn OBE (FIMechE FRAeS CEng) the Chief Executive of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)  has become patron of the project to restore the Bulleid Merchant Navy pacific locomotive 35011 to her original condition. For more details on our Patron click here...

As Chief Executive of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Alice has a direct connection with O V S Bulleid, who was President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1946. 

Society Trustees and GSN CIC Board members

Our Society Trustees and GSN CIC Board members (BM) and their roles are as follows:

Gerry Leyman - CIC Chairman (BM)

Graham R Muspratt - GSN CIC Company Secretary (BM) & Society Chairman (Acting) and marketing and media officer 

Jon Netting, CGMA, ACMA, AssocCIPD - GSN CIC (BM) and Society Tresurer 

Dr Steve Rapley, CEng MIMechE - Chief Mechanical Engineer (BM)

Chris Mileman - (BM) Society membership secretary 

Mel Seaborn - Society Trustee - BPLA Representative 

David Oborn - Minute Secretary (non exec) and volunteer liaison officer

Simon Shutt - (BM) without portfolio 

To get in touch with any of the Trustees / Board members please use the Contact us form here.

Engineering Sub Committee

The aims of the Engineering Sub Committee (ESC)  is to drive the strategy and manage the engineering requirements in restoring General Steam Navigation to her original 1950s condition in line with the Society’s stated aims and objectives.

The ESC makes recommendations and reports to the CIC Board via its Chair / Chief Mechanical Engineer.

The current co-opted members of the Engineering Sub Committee are as follows:

Dr Steve Rapley, CEng MIMechE – Chair & Chief Mechanical Engineer
Gerry Leyman
David Oborn

Tony Hammond
Jeff Chambers

Steve Humby

The National Lottery Heritage Fund 

Having had our Expression of interest accepted by the London and South Panel of the NLHF in June 2023, we announced at our Annual General Meetings on Saturday 29th June 2024 that we met the deadline and submitted our highly detailed Stage One application that comprised of an over 20,000 word application along with 93 separate supporting documents. This application has been completed along with our strategic application partners; our restoration home,The Swindon and Cricklade Railway,and our planned home for main line running The Yeovil Railway Centre.

We hope to learn if we have been successful with the application to move making a Stage Two - development application in late September 2024.

Our application with the National Lottery Heritage Fund is being managed by following project team, the current co-opted members are as follows:

Jon Netting,CGMA, ACMA, AssocCIPD

Gerry Leyman

Dr Steve Rapley, CEng MIMechE

Chris Mileman

David Oborn

Michael Abbott - Representing The Swindon and Cricklade Railway

Paul Gould - Representing The Yeovil Rail Centre.

David Tucker - Application Consultant
Mark Thomas - Civils and Buildings

Volunteers

The Society could not function without the dedicated support of a much larger group of volunteers, who come from all walks of life, many of whom are part of the Working Party volunteers. We therefore encourage people of all ages, gender and abilities to join the Society and, if they so wish, become working members, to form the heart of General Steam Navigations future. The Society has always sought to be self-financing and as such donations, item sponsorships and CIC share applications are always welcome. Contact us here for more information on how to support the Society.