(Undergoing restoration). We need to raise three million pounds to build the factory flyover section. You'll remember the Factory Flyover is actually 2 phases in 1. Together we'll reunify the two railways. VolkerLaser are the lead contractor for the construction. We've new plans to share with you for phases three and four of Reunification - the Factory Flyover. During March, every pound you give, either on line, by existing or newly established standing order, or by cheque through the post will be matched pound for pound, up to one hundred thousand pounds by a donor. Likewise to everyone who was able to support the campaign, another heartfelt thank you. On Saturday evening as darkness fell the first of the decks - the one which will carry the GCR 'through line' was fitted. Even better is the return of Money Match March for 2023. This is the biggest, most adventurous and most exciting project in railway preservation You can be part of this great enterprise by making a donation here We can also accept donations online if you're staying inside. October News Update! 12th May 2020. There were pre-Christmas celebrations at the Great Central Railway when a fifty thousand pound grant arrived for the line's ambitious Reunification project. Thank you for your support. Railfreight Pressed Steel Box Van 201055. The second picture shows the new ballast retention plates installed on the west (down) side of the bridge to keep the formation in place and stop debris falling onto the beams or into the canal. the vision." Station development is ongoing with a new footbridge being prepared to replace the original which was dismantled. A Trip on the Great Central Railway to Nottingham & Rugby Nottingham's Lost Railway Heritage - leverton.org We'd like to thank everyone who has donated so far. Preservationists had hoped to convert that into a live heritage line, but funding was impossible to obtain except for the length from Loughborough to Belgrave and Birstall, north of Leicester. As always, we want to have the money in place to show we're serious. commission consultant engineers to help design the rest of the scheme for us. : 32 On 1 August 1897, the railway's name was changed to Great Central Railway.Building work started in 1895, and the new line, 92 miles (147 km) in length, opened for coal traffic on 25 July 1898, for passenger traffic on 15 March 1899,: 132 and for goods traffic on 11 April 1899. The GCML was the last main line railway to be built in Britain during the Victorian period. Once part of the Great Central Main Line from Sheffield to London, our route runs from Ruddington (just south of Nottingham) to the northern edge of Loughborough. An Art Deco LNER signal box (Hotchley Hill) replaced the original GCR structure in the late 1940s when the sidings were extended. Mind the Gap: Great Central Railway to be joined after 40 years MK1 SK (Corridor Second) 25693 in blood and custard livery. Throughout the 1920s and 30s, the old GCR locomotives began to reappear bearing new liveries with 'L N E R' on their tender and tank sides, and many new locomotives were also introduced to . It's crossing the site of the original GCR station at Finmere in Oxfordshire. Railway Archive - The Last Main Line GC Railway (Nottingham) operate every Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays from Easter through to October, and also Saturdays during school holidays, and during December ('Santa Specials' during weekends before Christmas and on Christmas Eve, and post Christmas services on 27/28 December). Thank you for your superb support! Two new specially designed and manufactured preformed concrete pieces (each requiring 44 tons of concrete) have been lowered into place, one on the northern abutment and one for the southern abutment. The chairman of The Friends of The Great Central Main Line Andy Fillingham explained, "Our Reunification project is one of the biggest schemes on any heritage railway in the UK. (Operational), Mk1 CK (Composite Corridor) 16190 in lined maroon livery. However we'd really urge you to consider donating by standing order. With a smooth process and provided the fundraising can keep up its current pace, we could be on course to build The Factory Flyover in Summer 2023 which gives us a clear target to focus on. So what's the new total? We have been receiving donations online, through the post and directly into the dedicated bank account and we've also got new standing orders to set running too. Ruddington Fields is the main station on the line and the home of the Great Central Railway (Nottingham). FoGCML are now offering a quality art print of an original pencil and watercolour painting by GCR volunteer signalman Alan Godber.A rebuilt Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 heads north over Loughborough viaduct in the summer of 1963 with a train for Nottingham Victoria. If you want to donate, please consider a small monthly standing order.If you'd like to donate, please see the details below. (Stored), GCR Suburban composite coach 799. receive this kind and generous grant. Today, the Great Central Railway PLC's board has given approval for the replacement work on Bridge 326, which crosses the A60 next to the Brush Works in Loughborough. Great Central Railway - Wikipedia A brand new bridge over the A60 road in Loughborough is set to be built in October as part of the GCRs ambitious Reunification project. Needless to say it is an ideal Christmas present. Bus rides are offered several times a year during vehicle rallies. If you'd like to help you can give online using a credit card or debit card here, or you can make a one off donation cheque through the post, using this form. It is a short walk from the Country Park to the crossing, where it is possible to see trains passing and the crossing keeper at work. ChrisB Advanced Nottstalgian Members 150 334 posts Gender:Male Location:derby As always, your donations count. We're very grateful. Donations for the A60 bridge replacement can be made online here or via cheque through the post made payable to the 'David Clarke Railway Trust', to DCRT, Lovatt House, 3 Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, LE11 1SL. For Network Rail to route freight trains onto the line during the week and GCR(N) to operate heritage trains at the weekend, a length of rail north of East Leake was removed to create two separate railways. (painted BR Bauxite), BR Palvan 776155 built in 1957. The loco sheds of the Great Central Railway at Loughborough are just visible across the MML, about one mile (1.6km) away. New donations arrive all the time and following the recent appeals in Main Line magazine, Heritage Railway, Steam Railway and Railway Magazine, new standing orders are being set up too. (painted BR Bauxite), BR Widefit 783447 built in 1962. (Being restored undercover), GCR Clerestory brake coach 1663. Rushcliffe Halt railway station is named after the nearby "Rushcliffe Golf Club". Text UNIFY to 70191 to give 10 Great Central Railway - Graces Guide pounds have been raised and spent delivering two phases of the project. There's plenty of good news to share with you, not least of which is the current amount raised for the Factory Flyover phases of the project. The first job has been to remove the original Great Central Railway bridge. After a year which has curtailed a lot of our The award winning Leicestershire heritage line is raising millions of pounds to re-connect with its sister railway in Nottinghamshire and create an eighteen mile route across the East Midlands. The bridge over the A60 is key to the project as one day it will carry two lines. In the meantime, if you need to sort a Christmas present out, allow us to recommend our Reunification book which is selling really well. BR Bogie Rail Sturgeon A 994770 built in 1953. On top, two new concrete blocks, specially cast to receive the decks and beams have been fitted. Just by watching our films you're helping to raise money. While we're reusing as much of the original abutments as we can, the new bridge deck will be supported in a different way. The poor condition of the bridge has meant halting that traffic.When the two halves of GCR are finally reconnected, both bridge decks will be in use. One will carry this connecting line to the Midland Main Line, the other will carry the through line for heritage steam and diesel trains. Great Central Railway gives green light for 1m - RailAdvent They are separate to the bridge decks and being filled with concrete will no doubt deal very effectively with over height lorries. Home | Great Central Railway (Nottingham) Ltd. Posted on 4th June 2020. To reflect this its name was also changed to the more grandiose Great Central Railway. This is a 120-year old structure which is certainly life-expired and cannot be repaired and we are pleased once again to be able to work with the team at Volker who have proven to be trusted partners on two previous bridge projects for the Railway that have both gone incredibly well. We can go Forward only because you support us. Order now, via email to blycett.gcr@gmail.com (payment by bank transfer available). Even though we can't meet our supporters face to face we're doing our best to keep in touch on social media, including premiering a brand new film all about the Reunification project on YouTube. Fundraising is continuing for the Reunification programme which will create an eighteen mile heritage railway. This included adding a new concrete retaining wall to the GCR railway embankment. We have to cross Railway Terrace Road and then the car park of a factory. Dates. The money has come from the local community and rail enthusiasts acrossthe country who want to see the two separate halves of the award winning East Midlands heritage line reconnected. This is an appeal specifically for the A60 bridge. MATCH FUNDING MAKES IT 20,000! Reunification appeal film You may be interested in an online talk later in July which gives more details on the project. They're already at work and It's heartening to know we're in your minds even as ordinary life is turned upside down as we've had new standing order commitments and one off donations both through the post and online. Already millions of (Stored), BR Mk1 GUV (General Utility Van) 86129 in lined maroon livery. Posted on 4th October 2020. Great Central Railway updates on extension - World Of Railways Nottingham - Great Central Railway through Leicester It features a road transport building, locomotive sheds, GCR signal box (ex Neasden), miniature and model railways, cafe, visitor centre, toilets and car park. There's lots of good news. The scaffold team on the pontoon will help install the bolts which secure the panel. the third and fourth phase which have an estimated cost of three million pounds. With enough of us giving like that we'll build up the fund all the sooner. Great Central Railway (Nottingham) - Alchetron, the free social As you know at the start of October the old bridge was removed but most of the original abutments have been retained and repaired. Money Match March success and a new grand total. (Operational, painted BR Black), BR Shark ballast plough 993874 built in 1959. It all takes us ever closer to constructing the next phases and ultimately to trains running on an eighteen mile heritage line." Phases three and four, which involve crossing a road and a car park will be constructed together to save costs. Andy Fillingham, Chairman of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line said, "Friends has driven forward the fundraising for the Reunification project. We've now finished two sections of the Reunification project, creating an eighteen mile heritage railway across the East Midlands. Remember, every pound received as a donation in March 2021 will be matched by a pound - up to one hundred thousands pounds. A purchase order has been placed with VolkerLaser, who are the preferred contractors. If we pull together, the A60 bridge will be REUNIFICATION READY in a few short months. BR Bogie Rail Sturgeon A 994271 built in 1956. Two tracks over the bridge are essential to secure a future connection with the mainline. It was built by the Victorian navvies and was dug out by hand. With grateful thanks for all your support the funds available for building phase three and four continue to climb. The money raised by the appeal so far will be used to complete planning work and obtain permissions so construction crews can begin immediately when the fundraising target is reached. Crack express trains with restaurant cars ran between Sheffield and London Marylebone over impressive viaducts, calling at large stations. [3] This follows the temporary closure of the line after being served with an improvement notice by the Office of Rail and Road in October 2020 for not having an "established a safety management system in relation to the examination, maintenance and repair of structures on their railway infrastructure such as the bridges and Barnstone tunnel. "Seeing the completely refurbished canal bridge has given us all a huge psychological boost" said Andy Fillingham, chairman of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line who are leading the fundraising effort. This project represents the next major step in the reunification of the Great Central Railway Loughborough with the northern section which leads to Ruddington in Nottinghamshire. These weigh 20 tonnes. This is a real people power project, putting back a railway which so many didn't want closing in the first place. We can't start building the next section until we have the vast majority of the finance in place. It will support the award winning We looked at the remains of the GCR's Weekday Cross viaducts with Huntingdon Street and Sherwood Rise tunnels. Even better, the estimated cost of building the bridge across Railway Terrace road and then cross-ing the factory car park has actually fallen slightly - down from three million pounds to two and a half million pounds! If Money Match March is fully subscribed we'll have another two hundred thousand pounds in the pot. Welcome to readers of Steam Railway, Heritage Railway and Railway magazine. The new bridge will also have crash protection built in. Passenger trains further south continued to run on a regular basis to the proposed "Loughborough High Level", although no station facilities exist here. We placed the order for the bridge in April to beat inflation but still need to raise a few thousand pounds more to complete the work. A quick and simple way to do this is by Texting the word UNIFY to 70970 to give 5. What a milestone! Six Wheeler GCR No 946. 30th March. You can give online here. It's a real people power project and we hope even though we live in economically tight times you will still be able to help. (Operational), Mk1 TSO (Tourist Standard Open) 4207 in plain maroon livery. Donations can be made online here. Not only will it help link the two halves of the Great Central but also it connects the GCR to Network Rail. Trains pass across wide open countryside at Gotham Moor, which has much wildlife, and the line passes under a few bridges. History [ edit] New name [ edit] Take a ride on a DMU along the Great Central Railway in the late 1960s. We've got great news to share. Trains run every weekend of the year, bank holidays and selected week days through the summer. Any support you give can really make a difference. Thank you for your support. Give as little as twelve pounds a month and it adds up to a significant donation over a year. We said 2022 would see another piece of the jigsaw in place. There are stations open to the public at Ruddington Fields (within the main centre site) and at Rushcliffe Halt. It's not too late to make a difference with a donation. already, including to America and Australia. For the same reasons it might take a little while to get standing orders running too. The "London Extension" of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway opened in 1899, by which time the company had changed its name to the Great Central Railway. Showing just how much interest there is in completing the link Our latest total is one hundred and seventy thousand pounds, towards a latest target of three million pounds to build the factory flyover section. Give five pounds and it becomes ten. The superb images show what it will look like! Factory Flyover - Latest news The Great Northern Railway Your incredibly generous response to our Money Match March fundraising drive towards the Reunification project has seen our available funds swell substantially. The books production has been sponsored by the Friends of the Great Central Main Line so every penny goes to the appeal. We're at the stage where every pound really does help move the project forward. The Great Central Railway (GCR) is a heritage railway in Leicestershire, England, named after the company that originally built this stretch of railway. We hope to see you soon at the railway for an exciting year. Two parts have already been completed, the new A60 bridge is the third. Our team is made up of all sorts of people, each with a pair of boots and the enthusiasm to build something remarkable. New Great Central Railway Reunification bridge visualised for the first time. If you are giving to the Bridge to the Future or Crossing the Canal campaign your standing order will now go towards the Factory Flyover. We can only say, thank you very much indeed for supporting this latest step forward in the Reunification campaign. Please consider a donation because every pound means progress.Thank you for your generous support. We're sorry for the disruption to road traffic. It's built on the course of the Great Central, which crossed the station in exactly the same spot, only that was demolished years ago. Whether this is your first visit to the Reunification mini-site, or if we're a regular stopping off point for you, we hope you'll find plenty of interest as the biggest project in railway preservation moves 'Forward!''. (Stored) (NOTE: Is the only original GCR coach owned by the National collection), GCR Barnum bar coach 228. Thank you for all your support. Once the two preserved sections are re-connected (with the bridging of the Loughborough Gap of 500metres, three bridges and a 400m embankment), this would extend to a total of over 18 miles (29km) in length. Railway Archive - Grouping to Closure - 1923 to 1969 Just two weeks after we launched the A60 appeal its incredible to be able to report back ten thousand pounds has already arrived through online, postal and text donations. Or make an online donation here. Reunificaction appeal tops a quarter of a million! This will enable both the track to the midland mainline chord and the future line from GCR south to pass over the newly-constructed bridge. Posted on 1st March 2021. (painted army green), BR Palvan 778771 built in 1959. We'll try and publish that as soon as we can at the end of the campaign. There are 7 steam locomotives permanently based at the railway, 6 of them being of industrial origin, 4 of these being locomotives which once worked at Stewarts & Lloyds at Corby, Northamptonshire. No, the Great Central Main Line is not an adequate alternative to HS2 "We want to carry on building as soon as we can," continued Andy "but we must have most of the money in The transfer of former BR property to Railtrack and then Network Rail hindered attempts to purchase the line. The work to the canal bridge is almost complete. Work initially concentrated on restoring Rushcliffe Halt, but when Nottinghamshire County Council, which had acquired the whole of the 220 acre MoD site, agreed to lease 12 acres of the former MOD site to the Association, the grand scheme of the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre was devised to encompass not only railway preservation but any transport heritage relevant to the area. (Operational, painted BR Black), BR Bogie Bolster 943545 built in 1953. Please write on the back of the cheque A60 / Reunification. The brand new High Speed 2 rail line is currently being built between London and Birmingham. Fill it in and post it back and the David Clarke Railway Trust will do the rest. Save for some finishing off work the new A60 bridge is all but ready to play its part in bringing two halves of the Great Central together. Coming on the 1st of March we'll have some major news about the fundraising total so far and plans for the future of the Reunification project and a remixed project film to enjoy! The Great Central Railway The GCR London Extension ran like an arrow North to South through and under Nottingham city centre. The Great Central Railway (GCR) was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 on the completion of its London Extension. Two have been completed including a new bridge has to carry trains over the Midland Main Line at Loughborough and the full refurbishment of an existing bridge over a canal. This will be removed in due course. The more you can contribute this year, the more we'll be able to finish. Naturally, we've stood down all activity for now and we look forward to getting back on the road again when we can. The coping stones were put into place on the restored brickwork and a temporary scaffold brace installed on each side panel. More heritage railway to enjoy in the future - RailwayBlogger Reunification | Great Central Railway - The UK's Only Main Line Order them now via email to blycett.gcr@gmail.com We've reached 375,000!Your donations are making such a difference as we move towards the estimated total of 3,000,000 for the next two phases of Reunification. "With costs of raw materials rising, we were delighted to receive such strong and timely support from so many people," continued Andy. BR Weltrol 900937 built in 1960, a standard gauge well wagon for carrying narrow gauge rolling stock; built 1960. up donations continue to arrive from around the world, boosting the amount raised even further. Thank you again and we look forward to seeing you back at the railway and bringing you up to date in person. Commenting on the announcement, the Railway's Managing Director, Michael Gough said; "This project represents another major step in the drive for reunification of the two GCR sections and in the return of the currently-disused northern section of line back to traffic. Now you can also donate by text if you prefer. Your incredible generosity has seen tens of thousands of pounds arrive in the Reunification fund in the last two weeks.That will all be matched and added to the new appeal total. The more of us getting behind the plan, the sooner it will be completed and we'll unlock the economic benefits." The line was opened in 1899 and built by the Great Central Railway running from Sheffield in the North of England, southwards through Nottingham and Leicester to Marylebone in London. us all!" Having come so far we thought the time was write to look back and celebrate what we've done. The Great Central Railway, between Leicester and Nottingham, was left with a 500m gap after infrastructure, including bridges, were removed. While the event was postponed, they've still been able to make the very generous donation. The west side panel lies in the down formation waiting for its turn. three hundred and seventy five thousand pounds towards the appeal total. Once part of the Great Central Main Line from Sheffield to London, our route runs from Ruddington (just south of Nottingham) to the northern edge of Loughborough. The Friends of the Great Central Main Line is offering supporters of the award winning heritage line a glimpse into the future! The full story of Alan's inspiration for this picture is told in the Autumn 2021 edition (No. Give ten and it becomes twenty. One day we'll be back in person - but until then you can watch the film now! Great Central Railway REUNIFICATION LATEST - Summer 2021 GCRofficial 11.8K subscribers Subscribe 60K views 1 year ago Over one million pounds raised for the two Factory Flyover elements. site - ERIH Home I want to go there! As a result, it's closed to rail traffic. You can see the 'matching fund' was more than exceeded, with a late flurry of donations arriving in the post in the last few days.