Great Central Railway General Matters

What's the plan for after the bridge is finished and the northern section integrated with, and brought up to the standard of, the southern section?

More double track? extension(s)?

 

I suspect you're a bit premature if you're looking for any detailed plan! It might be a decade before the gap is completely closed unless some kind person offers a few £million to get it done quickly. What will happen to the shed in the long term? I think a track running alongside can only be a 'workaround', not a permanent solution.

Andy

 

not what I'm asking.....

 

So what exactly are you asking?

 

well I'm not asking about the shed or the line proposed to skirt it. Nor am I asking for sdetailed plans. I thought I was quite clear but to put it another way, what does the Railway aspire to for the future even if it's a decade or so away

 

I think that whatever happens future extensions are very unlikely. The infrastructure and right of way into Leicester has almost exclusively been removed and built over so that more or less discounts that.
North of Ruddington the right of way has been taken back into cultivation for a short distance. beyond that it then enters the residential/ Industrial Estate sprawl of the Nottingham suburbs- A less than salubrious environment for a heritage railway.
Once the link is completed, the consolidation of the two railways will take a considerable time. At length there is always the possibilities of rebuilding stations at Ruddington, and or East Leake, plus possibly more double tracking. it's difficult to say at this distance, but lets forget any extensions.

 

I was wondering whether a grand over-all roofed terminus at Leicester North had any legs, there's certainly room for a small Mrylebone there. The station there is obviously on a different site to the original so anything might be possible in time.

 

Wasn't there talk of meeting up with the Nottingham tram network at a "Park and ride " type site?

 

I remember reading about that, but I cannot remember where.

 

It would have to be at Clifton Boulevard, about a mile and a half north of Ruddington. This is the point at which the Nottingham Tram system veers off of the old Great Central formation which it uses from the centre of Nottingham. question is whether it would be worth the expense to the railway of extending yet again to a greenfield site next to the A52

 

New management structure
New Light Railway Order
New SMS

 

New management structure
New Light Railway Order
New SMS

 

I think the only thing to add to extending north is that it is physically possible,but there is a small matter of a nature reserve in a cutting so a deviation would be needed.

On the existing GCRN a southern cord at Ruddington is a must and completion of Ruddigton Fields station. Carriage shed and Diesel shed are also being planned.
Further south Gotham Moor sidings could be reinstated.

Any Marylebone style station at Leicester North is difficult as the new museum will take up the majority of the available space, in fact the architects seem to be having trouble getting a second platform in a sensible and practical position so far. There is also the small matter of a high pressure main feeder main just south of the existing buffer stops.

 

I'm not sure how a southern chord at Ruddington could be achieved without it being very long and expensive in land. There looks to be a significant collection of farm buildings or similar in just the wrong place!

Andy

 

Andy. According to the latest GCRN magazine an 8 chain curve is very feasible. (Not sure wether additional land is needed but the implication is no ), I assume this would involve moving the existing access line northwards to create a bit more space

 

Well, when the Loughborough Gap is soon bridged, it is going to be one of the finest examples of heritage railway to be found anywhere in the entire UK. Apologies if this didn't address your OP, but I do not say this lightly.

 

Would an 8 chain curve suit all needs, and is that to the north-west of the collection of buildings very visible on Google Earth to the south of the existing connection?
Andy

 

Andy. To quote “ any piece of traction and rolling stock from the National Network will go round that radius without difficulty”
As far as I know the location would be as you have indicated. I have seen some sketches indicating possible alignments somewhere, will try and find them ( they are somewhere on the internet)

 

Thanks, I am a member so I must have read that but it's 'gone in at one ear and out of the other'! I don't have the magazine any more as I passed it on to a pal who isn't a member. A sketch would be very interesting as it's difficult to get a scale of the space needed on Google Earth.
Andy

 

Whether it be a direct chord to Ruddington Fields, a small extension north to a proper station, or simply developing the current reversal point, something would have to be done in that area if the "18 mile integrated railway" that appears on all of their publicity is going to have legs operationally speaking. The current operation is a bit too clunky in my opinion. I stress though that these are long term discussions/aspirations, there isn't much wrong with the arrangement with the present needs.

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