Great Central Railway - News and "Stuff"

[Flying Phil]

As quite a few on here will know, the present "Great Central Railway" is a preserved "heritage" railway line that runs for 9 miles between Loughborough and Leicester. There is also a GCR(N) railway that runs for 9 miles North of Loughborough to Ruddington, near Nottingham.
There is a 500m "Gap" between the two lines where BR removed bridges and embankments after they closed the line in 1968.
Over the past four years the two railways have been active in "Bridging the Gap". A brand new bridge (£2M) has been built over the Midland Main Line at Loughborough (Needed first, as that line was due to have overhead electrification installed, since "paused" then restarted then cancelled!). Now an original 120 year old canal bridge is being refurbished. So it is a huge project and will take years to complete, but when finished we will have an 18 mile railway with access to the Main Line.
There are lots of other activities on the railway including the rake of 16T mineral wagons - "Windcutter" trucks or wagons, that I help to renovate.
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[stuartmmcfc]

We love the aGrand Acentral and have had many enjoyable day there.

[mcdjl]

Is that second photo from behind the existing engine shed or on the other side of the river? Does the work on the tip/recycling center have any impact on the plans?

[Flying Phil]

mcdjl said:

Is that second photo from behind the existing engine shed or on the other side of the river? Does the work on the tip/recycling center have any impact on the plans?

That picture is taken from behind the engine shed.
The tip/recycling centre has had quite an effect on the plans, as those high lorries will have to go under the new line. Fortunately the GCR has two, relatively new, SH bridge decks from Reading when Network Rail did some work there. These will be used to cross part of the PreciSpark car park and the Railway Terrace road.
The plans are well developed but are having to take account of various factors ie the embankment is alongside a brook and there are access and flood plain considerations. The extra height requires soil/bank strengthening in places where the footprint is narrower. The new MML bridge is slightly to the East of the old bridge centre line, due to some modern signals. There is a sewerage outflow, part way along the embankment route....etc etc.
Another complication is that, although the engine shed was placed to allow for a route North around the West side, it would have an awkward dogleg. The SH shed is 40 years older and needs extensive work..... A new shed is being considered,12m to the west of the existing shed, which would make the route North much easier.

[mcdjl]

Flying Phil said:

That picture is taken from behind the engine shed.
The tip/recycling centre has had quite an effect on the plans, as those high lorries will have to go under the new line. Fortunately the GCR has two, relatively new, SH bridge decks from Reading when Network Rail did some work there. These will be used to cross part of the PreciSpark car park and the Railway Terrace road.
The plans are well developed but are having to take account of various factors ie the embankment is alongside a brook and there are access and flood plain considerations. The extra height requires soil/bank strengthening in places where the footprint is narrower. The new MML bridge is slightly to the East of the old bridge centre line, due to some modern signals. There is a sewerage outflow, part way along the embankment route....etc etc.
Another complication is that, although the engine shed was placed to allow for a route North around the West side, it would have an awkward dogleg. The SH shed is 40 years older and needs extensive work..... A new shed is being considered,12m to the west of the existing shed, which would make the route North much easier.

Those would be the bridges that were stored on the old good yards next to the station thats now houses...
Is the engine shed staying at Loughborough? Long term wouldn't it make sense to move the main hub to somewhere with parking/space eg Ruddington/Leicester North?

[Flying Phil]

mcdjl said:

Those would be the bridges that were stored on the old good yards next to the station thats now houses...
Is the engine shed staying at Loughborough? Long term wouldn't it make sense to move the main hub to somewhere with parking/space eg Ruddington/Leicester North?

Yes about those bridge decks and Yes, the new engine shed will stay at Loughborough as it is central to the whole line and is an established site. I know other locations have been considered, but had to be ruled out for very good reasons. Leicester North may well see a museum complex as "Plan B" evolves, following the dropped HLF plan A.

[silverfoxcc]

Looking good Phil

[Shakermaker]

Sounds good.

The work done to extend the Bluebell Railway down here faced similar issues, but has seemingly been a grand success getting it rejoined to East Grinstead, giving it mainline access if need be! Though I haven't actually been on the Bluebell Railway since 1992...

[irocfan]

Shakermaker said:

Sounds good.

The work done to extend the Bluebell Railway down here faced similar issues, but has seemingly been a grand success getting it rejoined to East Grinstead, giving it mainline access if need be! Though I haven't actually been on the Bluebell Railway since 1992...

went there a couple of weeks ago and was hugely disappointed to realise that I needed to spend a lot of time there - time I didn't have

Going back for a proper visit very soon - both Mrs Iroc and I loved our little 'taster (may also have to try the Pullman 'experience')

[Flying Phil]

There has been more work done at the North end of the new bridge, all the spoil, which had been on a paddock, has been moved to the end of the embankment - not yet in its final position, there is more work to do for the base of the new embankment, as it will be very close to the brook there.

[toastyhamster]

Good stuff, am a "friend" and watching developments closely. Also a registered volunteer with GCRN but finishing the pre-reqs coincided with more work so not had chance to actually do anything, hopefully join the cutting edge or similar in the future.

[dhutch]

Good work, did some volunteer work for them way back in 2005 ish as a student scrapping much of sir nigels wheel set and the like. Didnt stick long as the times they where there (6am till mid-dayish) tended to clash with the student life style, but a good place one the less.


Daniel

[Flying Phil]

There is a new page on the GCR website announcing the new Engine Shed funding appeal - so action soon on that project as they tend to only announce things just before they happen.
I also went to see the "tidy" embankment that is to the North of the new bridge.

[Flying Phil]

To put the "Gap" project into context, there is a good "N" gauge model that the "Friends of the GCR" use as part of their event stand. This picture shows where the new bridge over the Midland Main Line is situated and where the next bridges/arches will be built.

Edited by Flying Phil on Sunday 14th April 10:34

[davebem]

Looking good Phil, also thanks so much for the engine shed tour yesterday!

[Flying Phil]

davebem said:

Looking good Phil, also thanks so much for the engine shed tour yesterday!

Glad you enjoyed it...and the rest of your visit I hope.

[rs1952]

I am, I suspect, one of the few posters around here who has actually been on trains across what is now the "missing link." The last time was in the very small hours of Sunday 4th September 1966 on the 2222 York to Swindon.

The ticket still survives

https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/1991380...

[mcdjl]

Flying Phil said:

To put the "Gap" project into context, there is a good "N" gauge model that the "Friends of the GCR" use as part of their event stand. This picture shows where the new bridge over the Midland Main Line is situated and where the next bridges/arches will be built.

Edited by Flying Phil on Sunday 14th April 10:34

Is the plan to only build a single line link to the north? Will there be space or a possible double in the future?

[Flying Phil]

Nice set of tickets rs1952! and a First day to Leicester North or just an early trip?

mcdjl - There was talk that the double track would run from the Station, over the canal, along the embankment and then single over the viaducts and bridges, certainly there are only single track bridge decks.
Now only one side of the canal bridge is to be a running line and I suspect that the embankment will be built as a single track as it is close to the brook, needs to be higher, and is a few metres to the East due to the slightly repositioned MML bridge.
So a single line only to the North for the likely future. There will be two tracks North from the station up to the canal bridge though.

[mcdjl]

Flying Phil said:

Nice set of tickets rs1952! and a First day to Leicester North or just an early trip?

mcdjl - There was talk that the double track would run from the Station, over the canal, along the embankment and then single over the viaducts and bridges, certainly there are only single track bridge decks.
Now only one side of the canal bridge is to be a running line and I suspect that the embankment will be built as a single track as it is close to the brook, needs to be higher, and is a few metres to the East due to the slightly repositioned MML bridge.
So a single line only to the North for the likely future. There will be two tracks North from the station up to the canal bridge though.

I can see that makes sense but on the other hand will almost certainly preclude it happening in the future. It would be nice to see double track over the canal....its almost there through the shed anyway.