Great Central Steam Railway

The Great Central Railway (GCR) is a heritage railway in Leicestershire. The Southern section goes 81/2 miles from Loughborough to the nortern outskirts of Leicester (Belgrave and Birstall) and is the only preserved railway to have double track. North of Loughborough is the Nottingham Heritage Centre, a smaller railway. It is hoped in the future to connect the two railways.

History

The Great Central Main Line was built in 1899 connecting Sheffield to London via Nottingham and Leicester. It was the last main line to be built in the country, and was built to a continental loading gauge, with flat gradients designed for speed.

The line was transferred to the London Midland Region of British Railways and listed as duplicate of the Midland Main Line, and was closed as part of the Beeching Axe, apart from the most Southern section into London. The line closed in 1966.

In 1976 a shortage of funds saw a public limited company, the Great Central Railway (1976) plc formed with the intention of selling shares in the line, which would be bought by enthusiasts and former railwaymen, and thus generating revenue. The charitable body the Main Line Steam Trust (MLST) supports the GCR with grants for specific projects, etc.

In the 1990s, a campaign to launch the double track. Apart from aesthetic benefits, the double track enables good timekeeping.

Nottingham Heritage Centre

The line North of Loughborough, to Ruddington on the southern outskirts of Nottingham, was kept intact with a spur built with spoil from the embankment between the Grand Union Canal and the MML connecting the MML to the GCML. This was to enable access to a Ministry of Defence base there, and later