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Southern Locomotives Ltd (SLL) owns 8 steam locos of which 5 are Bulleid Pacifics, including Sidmouth. It's unusual in the preservation world as it is a limited company with many shareholders rather than a charity or one owned by an individual. Though structured as a company its mission is to restore and operate the locos, and shareholders do not seek a financial return on their investments.
Link to Southern Locomotives Ltd website
If you buy shares in SLL you may nominate which loco you wish your contribution to be applied to, though strictly such funds are at the company's disposal. Since its inception in 1987 SLL has raised over £1.7 million from shareholders and generates further revenue from leasing its locos to operators such as the Swanage Railway. The company is now based in Herston (a suburb of Swanage) and is scaling down its operations in Sellindge. There are 6 regular staff involved in restoration, and some voluntary work is performed by shareholders and others.
Having just completed the restoration of Manston attention is turning to Sir Keith Park. In this case a benefactor has come forward to provide a significant amount of funding.
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 (c) Author. Manston at Swanage
As well as the pleasure of seeing the locomotives restored there is an AGM which in addition to the usual formalities generally includes footplate trips on one of the locos, a dividend which not many companies can match! The locos are restored to main-line standard but they are not fitted with air brakes and the other equipment now required for use on Network Rail.
They are operated on private railways in Britain; West Country and Battle of Britain locos are attractive for such use as they have "star quality" while not being excessively large.
 The author enjoying a dividend!
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