Extra special event announced 2nd June 2009. Updated 26th June.

BIG NEWS!

REFURBISHED AND OVERHAULED ‘4 BIG’ UNIT TO STAR

IN ITS OWN GALA WEEKEND (4th and 5th JULY)

Looking splendid in all over green, the Great Central Railway's ‘4 BIG’ unit is to star in its own special weekend. On the 4th and 5th of July the four carriage unit which has recently had a complete cosmetic interior and exterior overhaul will make several runs along the line.

On Sunday the 5th of July we're delighted to be welcoming Helen Ashby from the National Railway Museum and Tim Shoveller of East Midlands Trains. At a short ceremony the 4BIG will be reintroduced to traffic. The ceremony will take place around 11.15am

The unit arrived in 2005, fresh from finishing its days on the national network. In 2006 it was able to run for the first time in full 'push pull mode' with the National Railway Museum's class 33 (D6535). The GCR doesn't have a third rail so the locomotive is set to become synonymous with the unit as its main motive power.

When it arrived at the railway the unit was a ‘4 CIG’. Its buffet car having been removed and replaced with a modern CEP coach. This carriage was sold to another owner and an appropriate buffet car was sourced to replace it. Now a BIG once more, it is ready for passenger traffic although it will be a while before the buffet car is open for anything more than light refreshments.

Normal fares will apply for the weekend (£12 adult runabout tickets), with a special intensive timetable. The 4-BIG could cover up to 66 miles each day - further than London to Brighton! Two steam engines and a further diesel locomotive will also be in action making the weekend a mini gala. More details are available on the GCR website at www.gcrailway.co.uk

A special timetable will be in operation. The steam service will run to its normal clockface (15 minutes past the hour from Loughborough) and the 4BIG unti will be running additional shuttle trains to Rothley. Please see the timetable attached.

Normal fares will apply - so enjoy a great value day out full of steam and diesel action!

The '4 BIG' unit in its new all over green livery on a test run at Kinchley Lane cutting. The class 33 is at the rear of the train. This photo (c) Paul Biggs. Check out Paul's other images at http://paulbiggsgcrailway.fotopic.net/

THE GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY. CELEBRATING FORTY YEARS OF PRESERVATION IN 2009