Great Central Railway General Matters

Reputable railways have often done it

Tom

 

Here is another locomotive emerging from the GCR engine shed....


Boscastle going to Quorn for display to celebrate 50 years since it arrived on the GCR back in Jan 1973. Of course it was running from 1992 to 2000.
There is an intensive timetable for this Winter Gala, the first of several 50th Anniversary events.
Details on the GCR website.

 

New reunification video update

 

Lots of action at Quorn for the first day of the Winter Gala. The visiting locomotives are very popular.

 

An interesting item from the GCR website. This will be a good opportunity to gauge how successful the GCR will be in gaining the next generation of volunteers. It should provide a busy railway without the crowds of a Gala.

Firing School Weekend
On the 18th and 19th February we are holding our Firing Training Weekend.
At the GCR we are always working hard to train the next generation of volunteers to keep trains moving for generations to come.

Across the weekend we are running a number additional goods and empty passenger trains as our trainees work to qualify under the guidance of our trainers and inspectors. Look out for these special trains at Loughborough, Quorn and around Swithland Sidings throughout the weekend.

The 3:45 Loughborough service will also be Double Headed.

Interested in Volunteering? Maybe you could be on our next training weekend!

 

I hope they can also recruit someone to update their website (Thats a hint chaps. . . ) as I was just looking to see when they are running in March, but their Timetables page (https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/timetables-and-fares/) only shows February 2023. I trust they do plan on running the rest of the year too, but you wouldn't know it from their website (Although to be fair the website does list special events later in the year).

 

Agree it's not the clearest for the everyday services running, but the March timetables are online tucked away through a link on the special events page: https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/march-bridge-repairs/

 

Posted without comment:

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2023/0...-injury-at-the-great-central-railway.html/amp

 

First and foremost let's hope the injured person recovers quickly and fully. Beyond that, let's let the RAIB get on with their investigation.

 

The train/platform interface is well recognised as potentially one of the most dangerous places on a heritage railway. It is one reason why the ORR do not like train lengths that exceed platform lengths.

 

Hopefully the GCR is pleased with it's passenger loadings this year. This weekend is half term and rather than run the DMU and one steam loco, the railway is hosting 78019, 48305 and the DMU.

Additionally, 78018 will be hauling an ECS rake for crew training purposes. Some good news at last .
Firing School Weekend | Great Central Railway – The UK's Only Main Line Heritage Railway (gcrailway.co.uk) <BJ>

 

It was busy today on the GCR with most seats taken on the steam hauled service train. The Windcutter rake was out on the training/induction runs, with the mixed freight set also appearing ready to run.
In the engine shed there were 8 boilerless chassis (Oliver Cromwell, Boscastle, Witherslack Hall, 04, Black 5, 8F, 777 Sir Lamiel plus Thornbury) and the Ivatt 2 being worked on to start its overhaul.

 

It is Paw Patrol on the GCR for the last three days of running the length of the line (Feb 22- 24th). At the end of the week the two bridges either side of Quorn are to be replaced, taking five weeks. There will still be a service though, at weekends, running the DMUs between Leicester North, Rothley and Mountsorrel.

 

Rothley car park was totally full today with passengers for the first day of the DMU service Leicester North to Mountsorrel.

 

And I was surprised to arrive at Mountsorrel for the 1st train of the morning, and find more than a dozen cars had beat me to it - and then that Iris was full and standing by Rothley.

 

I just love these QTF productions. As a promotion for the GC, they are inspirational:

 

Agreed, one to be watched on the big telly rather than on my phone

 

That film is inspirational, to think that it was filmed in 2022 is amazing. The GCR is certainly delivering on its mission "recreating the experience".
A huge "Well Done" to Jack Shaw and the whole team.

 

The operations at the GCR and Mountsorrel Heritage Centre yesterday got a rather glowing report on an independent Facebook site that has been reposted onto the GCR FB page..........
https://www.facebook.com/gcrofficial

 

Apparently one of the Quorn bridges has....nearly... been lifted out already. A lot of work is going on in the worksite at the South end of Quorn yard.
Edited as that bridge has only had its lattice bits taken of so far.