Great Central Railway - News and "Stuff"

Great Central Railway - News and "Stuff"

Author
Discussion

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Tuesday 19th November 2019
quotequote all
Shakermaker said:
The episode of Top Gear where they make a train was on early this morning, which was filmed at the GCR.

Did you have any involvement with that back in the day, must be 10 years ago I guess they made it?
I didn't have any involvement but I believe the work was done in the Rothley shed and it was very "hush hush" at the time.
Meanwhile, the canal bridge has been encased in a plastic tent so that they can shot blast the underside without getting any debris in the water.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
As the brake van has arrived in Quorn yard I was able to pop along and tidy up. As it was a cold but sunny day I had a picnic!

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Sunday 8th December 2019
quotequote all
Hi Toastie
I believe the brake van was used with the long flat wagon to deliver Christmas lighting rigs for the "Winter Wonder Lights" along the line.
The box van that was in the Rothley shed is used as a stores van for the "Windcutter" wagon team.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Sunday 8th December 2019
quotequote all
Hi RoverP6B
Yes... the "Workington Shed" was dismantled - or at least some of the decorative stone/brick work was saved together with some steel work. In fact, not very much was re-useable and so I believe there are now only a few bits and bobs "in store" somewhere. There was a plan for a new engine shed to be built on the land by the council recycling site, but when a ground survey was done there was no way of building there.
Hence the current plan to have a brand new engine shed on the West side by the existing shed and have two running lines, on the old alignment going North, from Loughborough GCR Station.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Sunday 8th December 2019
quotequote all
Although the Workington Shed was standing it had been totally neglected for years and so was really about to fall down!

For the GCR(N) to go further North there would need to be a lot of money spent and an extension of the tram tracks to the South, which is not totally impossible I believe, but unlikely at this point in time.
For the GCR to go South is even less likely as there is now a major water Main underground just South of the Leicester North station. The ring road would need to be bridged and some of the route is designated/protected as a SSI. Further into Leicester, the embankments and bridges have been removed totally and much is built on...But yes - Leicester Central Station does exist - in part...and has been refurbished for retail outlets etc.
However the single track section from Rothley to Leicester could well be doubled within the next few years (5 to 10) particularly if the "Plan B" for a museum complex gets the go ahead.
The single track was built fairly quickly in the 1980's(?) to ensure that there was a bridge over the formation when that section of the Leicester "outer" ring road was built.

Edited by Flying Phil on Sunday 8th December 12:19

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
Latest GCR news! GWR ‘4073’ Class "Thornbury Castle" is to leave the WSR and be restored at Loughborough. Bought by a "supporter of the GCR".
There is a Gala this weekend with up to 10 steam locomotives running...and our "Windcutter" wagons will be in operation.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
The restoration will not be to "Main Line" standard with all the associated extra costs. It is just(!) for heritage rail use.....and that will no doubt be at least a £1M cost by the time it is complete, as there are many missing components.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Friday 24th January 2020
quotequote all
davebem said:
RoverP6B said:
but not if it's stuck in the East Midlands and/or restricted to 25mph.
I could be wrong but I think the GCR is allowed to run at 45mph and in special circumstances 60mph?
For public trains, the limit is 25 mph but they are allowed to do 60mph with the TPO set as a demonstration - and for testing contracts with diesel sets, they are able to do 75mph in one section.

There is now scaffold up around the South end of the Canal Bridge and the cantilever beam is in position to lift that end of the bridge for repairs to those bearing pads. No sign of the lattice sections yet.

There were Lots of people at the GCR for the start of the Gala weekend. The trains were delayed mid afternoon and for some reason (possibly related??) an 08 shunter had gone up the Swithland branch and looked as though it was attached to the 3 car DMU set.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Wednesday 29th January 2020
quotequote all
This is what you are missing mcdjl and lufbramatt......



Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Wednesday 29th January 2020
quotequote all
Interestingly I also did Mech Eng at Uni, but not Lbro and my course used slide rules and Log tables. There was a computer .....which we fed with punched cards. Yes, I am Really Old!!rolleyes

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Saturday 1st February 2020
quotequote all
Meanwhile back to ...... Progress on the South end of the Canal bridge, as new steel has been put in above the bearing pad (The light grey painted sections)...apologies for poor quality photograph.(..into the sun, which just came out from behind a cloud!).

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Saturday 8th February 2020
quotequote all
Well the GCR now has a couple more bits of old scrap lumps of iron and steel..... [url]

|https://thumbsnap.com/SuZDKAX0[/url]

7027 Thornbury Castle which is to be restored for use on the GCR and other heritage railways.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Wednesday 12th February 2020
quotequote all
Hi Daniel
I suspect that Main Line certification would require a Lot more of a papertrail to certify all work done, competences of workers and specifications of materials used. Then there are the modern signalling electronics "boxes". This could easily add £100,000+ to the rebuilding cost. As there are other Main Line certified Castles already......

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Sunday 1st March 2020
quotequote all
The next stage of the "Gap" project has been announced:-

“We’ve already achieved so much to reunify the two halves of the Great Central Railway,” said Andy Fillingham, the Chairman of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line. “Millions of pounds have been raised and spent already on delivering this exciting project. Now we want to build not one, but two further sections which include crossing a factory car park and a road called Railway Terrace.”

The next phase of the fundraising campaign has been dubbed the ‘Factory Flyover’. Two bridge decks which Network Rail had no further use for and were able to generously donate to the Great Central, will be incorporated into the work. Building two pieces of the jigsaw at the same time - rather than separately - is expected to be cheaper overall......"

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Sunday 15th March 2020
quotequote all
Meanwhile the scaffolding has been removed from the Canal bridge but the big "cross beams" are still in place. These will be craned out and the lattice girders put back "soon". Although much of the brickwork has been repaired and re-pointed, the "wing walls" canal side will still need a fair bit of work.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Friday 20th March 2020
quotequote all
Sadly, but inevitably, virtually all "Heritage Railways" have taken the decision to cease, or not start, their running this year due to the Coronavirus situation. The GCR and other railways are using their websites to give up to date information......It is to be hoped that the stoppage does not last too long but time will tell in these fraught times for so many people.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
Robertj21a said:
RoverP6B said:
Heritage railways are not there to accumulate obsolete stock on an ongoing basis. Their purpose is to commemorate a specific era. The Pacers only detract and distract from that. Waste of space, manpower, resources and money.
You appear to believe that 'heritage' can only really equate to 'steam'.
Thank goodness many others don't subscribe to that outdated, blinkered, view.
I must confess to having a real fascination with the APT and would love to see the Crewe set back in use. However, far more likely, is the prospect of seeing a preserved HST set (going over the GCR "Gap") ....crossing the Midland Main line with a current HST going under it!

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Saturday 30th May 2020
quotequote all
Well the GCR is planning to operate a steam service (No passengers) on Sunday according to their website. You will be able to watch from Quorn Station yard from your car or socially distanced. So that is really positive news! Let us hope it works well and that nobody is silly.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Saturday 30th May 2020
quotequote all
spikeyhead said:
Is there a timetable for when they're running?
from the GCR website....
.
..."....There will be no access to platforms and the cafés will not be able to open.

Approximate departure times from Loughborough are 13.00; 14.30 and 16.00".

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,658 posts

151 months

Saturday 30th May 2020
quotequote all
Just to update, in the GCR "Rail Mail", they say parking at Quorn will be in the (overflow parking) field on the other side of the line. I would think that somebody will be selling ice creams etc and I suspect that the GCR doesn't want to be seen to break the rules re Cafe's opening yet.