Great Central Railway General Matters

Rudd, I agree with you that it has to be thought out, and that the Members need to be advised and organised before the 'Public Announcement'

 

Looking 'Forward' to being able to visit both railways again this year, I didn't think that the 2019 Autumn Gala would be my last visit to a preserved line for the best part of two years.

 

21st June would appear to be the proposed date for allowing passengers to board/alight at Loughborough Central according to the e-newsletter that appeared today.
There was quite a list of various special events on there, including a Bus Rally suggested for 9th October, which, presumably will involve Leicester Transport Heritage Trust as for the "usual" April event of that type held at Quorn.

 

Another, rather good,"Retro" film about Quorn station has been posted on YouTube....

 

What an excellent film! Well Done to all concerned.

 

+1

 

+2 what a cracking film! Someone’s used Lockdown well

 

Quite like the goods yard one as well...

 

Just stunning! Deserves a much wider audience!!

 

Last night there was a good Zoom talk on GCR Signal and Telegraph matters. It was recorded and will probably appear on the GCR website soon. It has also raised more money for the Gap project - This month nearly £100K has been raised, with match funding, this will bring the total in just over a year to about £750,000 - a Fantastic achievement by all donors.

 

This appears to have been posted on the GCR website yesterday...

https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/2021/03/lottery-heritage-award-update-31-03-2021/

.

 

...and today on the GCR website more excellent news!
Published April 2, 2021 | By GCR Admin
Great Central Railway to receive £515,700 from the second round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund

• GCR are among more than 2,700 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund

• This award will hugely assist the Railway to recover from the devastating impact of Covid closures and ongoing restrictions

 

Some trial trains have been running and "Witherslack Hall" was in light steam today at Lbro. The 8F boiler has been moved from the front of the shed but Oliver Cromwell's boiler has not yet gone to Tyseley.

 

There is an updated view of the front of the shed in the Steam traction 70013 thread, but the view to the South shows the yard to be surprisingly empty......
I know the Std 2 78018 has gone to Swanage "for a few weeks" but they must have done a major move around. The service train was out with 8F 48305 and the Std 5 73156 was on show in Quorn yard.

 

You really get a feel of the gentle sweep of a mainline curve from that vantage point. If you cropped that photo at the bottom so as not to show the ashpits people could be forgiven for thinking that the line carries on behind the photographer.

 

True J Rob't.........and of course in a few years time that will be true as the "Gap" is bridged.

 

I visited Rothley yesterday and it was really good to see the car park full and the Ellis cafe open again.
It was also interesting to see a large gang of S & T volunteers at work on the siding to the South of the station. This is being re-modelled so that it no longer is accessed by a ground frame from the South. It is being lengthened and will be accessed from the North, controlled from the signal box.......of course this will make it easier to install double track to Leicester North...I would think.

 

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2021/05/blackbird-lays-eggs-inside-cab-of-black-5-steam-locomotive.html
I wonder how many times before a loco has had to be withdrawn from traffic because it's become a bird's nursery?
I also wonder how recently it would have been that some railways would have just forcefully ejected the new residents in order to keep their fleet at full strength...

 

Isn't there a Rev Awdry story with Duck (?) and a Duck.

A Black 5 used to be Magpie, so maybe there ought to be a Blackbird.

 

Donald’s Duck in Oliver the Western Engine (amazing what you can still remember from childhood )