Bridge that Gap: Great Central Railway News

Martin1656..........with my brake van on the back!........or somewhere.....

 

Either/ or would be glorious. Just as the light is falling, and the station lamps come on. A whistle, the blur of glints and steam, and the sharp tattoo of wheels over rail joints as the "express" hurries through, accelerating hard towards Leicester. I'd cough up a fair bit to experience something like that.

 

Well that’s not going to happen, given that the latest published plans show both roads going *through* the shed (through parts labelled as “Restoration Area” and “Area for Maintenance”) before they pass over the canal bridge.

It doesn’t look very much like a layout that is designed for the running of trains to Ruddington to me. In fact it looks very much like a layout designed for occasional access to the main line, and nothing else.

https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/wp-cont...at-Central-Railway-Locomotive-Shed-Appeal.pdf

 

Had a moment like that at Quorn in 2012 whilst waiting for my train to Loughborough, rather magical with the Jinty rattling through with a freight whilst waiting for my old friend 46521 to take me home.

 

There was a discussion earlier on here about that diagram and the general feeling is that it was only to show the desire to have those elements in that area.
There is, in fact, space to have a three road engine shed right up against the Western boundary and two lines running North along side, on the Eastern side. However the precise details have not yet been made public, probably still being worked on, but delayed due to other priorities.
There is a lot of input from the S&T dept because, obviously, there will be major changes to the North of Loughborough Station. The fact that Both sides of the canal bridge have been restored is a Clear Indication of the intention to have a properly connected railway to the North.

 

Speak for yourself. The general feeling elsewhere is that it confirms the previously expressed interest of the plc as being principally in achieving a main line connection.

And the canal bridge was fully restored at the insistence of the DCRT. It is well known that the plc only wanted to restore one side.

 

Out of interest Phil, as you are clearly very interested in the subject, can you point at one recent definitive statement from the plc (that’s an official press release, or an attributable quote) where they have clearly confirmed their intention of reunification with the GCRN?

That’s any statement in the last three years from the GCR plc, rather than the DCRT.

 

It’s also utterly useless as a main line connection if you have to move the dismembered remains of Boscastle* every time something comes in off the main line.

(*Other broken engines are available. Though not as consistently.)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Hi Drop_Shunt

I hope the GCR Website is official enough?

"Welcome to Reunification

It's one of the most exciting projects, not only in UK railway preservation but internationally too. We're putting together two surviving halves of the Great Central Railway to create an eighteen mile heritage main line, stretching across the East Midlands.

Far from being an impossible dream, work has started, and at www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify we'll always keep you to date".

Obviously the PLC has a slightly different emphasis to the DCRT. It is legally bound by Company law whereas the DCRT has its charitable aims and responsibilities. The PLC can see the commercial possibilities of the main line connection - charters, visiting locomotives and testing contracts, filming etc. We enthusiastic supporters of the GCR can see the operation of a longer Main Line, with a significant length of double track. The gradual realisation of a dream. The achievement of so many volunteers and paid staff over the past 50 years.
I do not see how these are mutually exclusive. The DCRT and PLC obviously work very closely.....and successfully.... together. I do not believe that I am the only one with this impression.

pmh-74 ......... Don't worry, Boscastle will not be in the way...In fact it could be pulling the first train across the Gap!

 

or to put it another way - Drop_shunt - you seem to be very well connected, can you produce any evidence to back up your statements?

 

I cant be bothered to read thro 64 pages of posts but I do wonder if a deal could be made with HS2 to get the material to rebuild the missing embankment, after all they are going to be moving spoil by the trainload to Rugby and filling in a disused quarry that is right against the remaining spur of the Rugby to Leamington line.

 

A couple of sweeping statements there. Any evidence?

 

Perhaps if the gents on here especially drop_shunt do a bit of research and read the GCR plc latest accounts, to quote “ To work towards the long term goal of reunifying the northern and southern remaining sections of the Great Central Railway. In doing so , provide a connection to the mainline rail network”
Seems to me that the PLC are very interested in reunification and the mainline connection is an added bonus not the other way round.

 

I'm old enough to remember as a teenager travelling on a non stop night time run from Loughborough to Leicester pulled by Butler Henderson circa 1992

 

What will happen when the train gets to Nottingham as it’s a bit silly where it has to shunt backwards and push it round to the station. It’s ok at the moment but if a proper train comes from Leicester it will have to go backwards to get to the final stop? The visitors will notice a difference in the quality of the stations to but they might send the complaints to the wrong gcr. I can see it being very confusing and not many trains crossing the border. It will be like in the welsh highland line where they don’t really like going on each other’s railways but do it occasionally as the people that paid for it are then kept happy

 

There may be ways round the problems at Nottingham?.
Getting more passengers from Nottingham to Loughborough and Leicester will increase revenue and viability?.

Does seem putting the new Loughborough shed on the site of the old shed also has pros and cons?
The origanal plan of putting it in the field on a spur past the now restored Canel bridge made sense as it would not restrict the line and allow the new shed to be built without distruption to the shed operation.
Guess the cost will be more as land will need to be brought and access will be harder for staff and visitors?

 

I thought that scheme had been rejected because the ground isn't strong enough, being a former tip?

 

Hi DcB
I think that there is no firm decision yet as to exactly where the new shed will be built, but it will be, almost certainly, still to the North of Lbro station, most probably very slightly to the West of the present shed where the present roadway/path is.
Although the land to the North East of the canal bridge looks possible, it has been investigated and is not suitable ground (an old tip, contaminated, too soft???).
There is a long term plan to have a "South Chord" to give easier access to Ruddington and I'm sure the increased passenger numbers will see improved facilities on the Northern section when the "gap" is closed.

 

I wonder how ticket revenue will be shared if/when the two lines are connected?
GCR(N) issued tickets to the GCR(N) and vice versa, but then again what if the passenger boards at the North end, alights at the south then spends money in the catering facilities etc - would GCR(N) take a share of that revenue?

Lots, and lots of issues to be ironed out which will require a solid relationship between the two lines, I for one cant see much if any benefit to the GCR(N) other than potential ticket revenue share, the main benefits are wholly with the South end and the increase in mainline charters, mainline testing and a mainline registered loco stabling / servicing point.

Also where does the maintenance boundary sit, who pays for the increased wear from heavy locos on the north end if they enter on the GCR(N) portion of line?

 

The EMRT website is worth a browse, though it still seems to be a "work in progress".....
https://emrtrust.co.uk/