Great Central Railway - News and "Stuff"

[mcdjl]

Flying Phil said:

It has been announced that the A60 bridge is to be replaced by a new concrete decks (as a bridge North of Quorn was replaced last year).
This might have been more expensive in the short term but may give a bit more clearance underneath and will need much less maintenance in the future.

Theres a way to go: https://platform.nationalfundingscheme.org/FORWARD...

I'm surprised network rail/ British gypsum aren't funding it to be honest.

[Flying Phil]

I think the funding will be coming from a variety of sources, but the bridge is not part of NR as they only own to the top of the Chord line from the Midland Main Line.
The bridge falls under the responsibility of the East Midlands Railway Trust who are no doubt busy trying to get it all sorted with the highways dept, County Council, British Gypsum, GCR, DCRT etc etc!!

[mcdjl]

How far up do EMRT own then? As far as gypsum/East leake, or all the way to ruddington?

[Rich1973]

The North and South GCR feels a bit east and west Germany to me.
Must admit I feel more inclined to support the North at the moment, but as a whole both sides can create something great if they work together.
The only way to get an 18 mile GC is to help the North meet their needs in terms of infrastructure and competence.
Everything the individual teams are doing at the moment North and South such as the hotchley Hill signal box, the line side clearance, the vehicle works at quorn etc etc is fabulous but the perception of the politics and the true aim of the South senior management is less so.

[Flying Phil]

mcdjl said:

How far up do EMRT own then? As far as gypsum/East leake, or all the way to ruddington?

EMRT own all the GCR(N) track, so from the top of the chord line at Loughborough through to, and including, the site at Ruddington. Both the DCRT and EMRT have the stated aim of re-unification....as has the GCR and GCR(N). Obviously there will be problems to sort out along the way....but we will achieve the 18 mile railway!

[Condi]

Though I'd post this here as might be of interest, but Bo'ness and Kinnuel in Scotland have been having a new steam shed built, as far as shed's go, it's pretty sexy. 30t overhead crane should be enough for most jobs!

[Flying Phil]

That's an impressive shed! Particularly when you notice the size of the man in the last picture. The GCR is to build a new shed and hopefully we will find out more at the AGM this weekend.

[mcdjl]

Flying Phil said:

That's an impressive shed! Particularly when you notice the size of the man in the last picture. The GCR is to build a new shed and hopefully we will find out more at the AGM this weekend.

Let us know where they're going to build it this time! i think Quorn must be feeling left out i don't think I've seen them suggest building it there.

[toastyhamster]

mcdjl said:

Flying Phil said:

That's an impressive shed! Particularly when you notice the size of the man in the last picture. The GCR is to build a new shed and hopefully we will find out more at the AGM this weekend.

Let us know where they're going to build it this time! i think Quorn must be feeling left out i don't think I've seen them suggest building it there.

Anybody think that's a good idea? Quorn is the only place on the line with enough outdoor space to hold events, plus they might have to move that white elephant of a turntable that's sitting unused (is it still bust?). The preliminary plans had it in Loughborough but there's been a lot of design work since then so maybe it's been ruled out.

I reckon the crossing the bridge project could be done and dusted before the A60 bridge (and all the others that need work) is fixed.

[Flying Phil]

The new shed will be very close to where the old engine shed is so there are "Grandfather" rights and it is an industrial zone. Quorn is residential, so no place for a working shed.
The A 60 bridge is part of the "Bridging the gap" project, so it will all need to be done to get the 18 mile railway.
The AGM should be very interesting....

[RoverP6B]

What happened to the site identified for the abortive Workington shed project?

[Flying Phil]

RoverP6B said:

What happened to the site identified for the abortive Workington shed project?

This was to the NE of the present shed, on land adjacent to the Council Recycling depot. I believe that when detailed ground investigations were completed it was found that the land was contaminated and would be too expensive to build on. In fact, comparatively little of the Workington shed was able to be saved but it does still exist in storage somewhere.

[RoverP6B]

I'd thought that the site identified for the shed was near the junction with the Mountsorrel branch.

[Flying Phil]

Hi P6B
There has been a large - and recently lengthened, shed built there (the back edge of Swithland sidings) - which is used for carriage storage jointly with the Rail Vehicle Preservation group. Again it is a planning condition that no restoration/heavy power tools are used as it is a residential area.

[Flying Phil]

By way of a change for us, the Ops dept were able to bring 6 wagons from Swithland for "Fitness to Run" examination. The shed staff were needed to check the brakes and had to replace the odd hose(4) and seal (5), but all now ok. We did the pad exams, so 24 axleboxes were split or opened. All journals smooth and two poor pads needed replacing. Only another 16 wagons to do......

[mcdjl]

Your wagons seem to feature heavily here https://fb.watch/7fcYpgdO-y/

[Flying Phil]

mcdjl said:

Your wagons seem to feature heavily here https://fb.watch/7fcYpgdO-y/

Thanks mcdjl but that link won't open for me as I'm not on fb.....
But there will be lots of action on the Great Central this weekend for the "Railways at Work Gala".

[mcdjl]

Try

[Flying Phil]

I was able to prepare a door today......


Then paint it in primer....

[Flying Phil]

Great News
Confirmation in the latest issue of "Main Line" no 188 that "Fundraising for the Factory Flyover section of Reunification has reached the magic seven figure sum".
I must say that I am surprised that it is such a low key announcement.......£1,000,000+ raised - despite a pandemic, in just over 18 months!!!