NOW WITH FIVE VISITING LOCOMOTIVES!

ORIGINAL GCR CONTRACTORS LOCOMOTIVE SIR BERKELEY JOINS THE LINE UP

An incredible event, with a one off line up of vintage motive power. The main line goes back in time! Look out for Rocket and Planet passing on the double track - just like the early days of the railways.

Watch machines (or replicas) from the early days of steam in action on the double track. We have FIVE confirmed vintage visitors.

• Furness number 20 was built in 1863. It's the first time it has visited the Great Central Railway. It's one of the oldest working steam locomotives in the world and features an open cab.
• The 'Planet' replica from the Manchester museum of science and industry is confirmed visitor number two. The original planet was an 1830 locomotive built by Robert Stephenson for service on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. It has a 2-2-0 wheel arrangemet. Come and experience a ride in its open to the air carriages which are visiting with the engine.
• The third visitor is Beattie Well Tank number 30585. This tiny 2-4-0 dates from the 1870s.
• The fourth visiting engine is the National Railway Museum's ever popular replica Rocket. It will visit with its open carriages.
• The fifth visitor is Sir Berkeley, built in 1890 returning to the railway it helped build for the first time! On Friday 28th, you can drive this engine in the Loughborough station area for just £5.

It's a strictly one off four day bank holiday event not to be forgotten. Two of the older resident engines at the Great Central, O4 number 63601 and N2 number 1744 will be in action running trains the full length of the line, meaning we have a spread of locomotive design from the 1820s to the 1920s.

If you count the replica machines as being the age of the original machines, the age of the locomotives appearing, added together is close to 1000!

On Saturday, Sunday and Monday Rocket and Planet are timetabled to pass in section between stations around 1.50pm

Sir Berkeley will be posed with the Mountsorrel liveried freight wagons.

On Sunday, look out for a toy and train collectors fair at Loughborough.

A special timetable has been devised to respect the limitations of the older engines so please be advised all attractions appear subject to availability. Please note, the Rocket and Planet replica locomotives may emit smuts from the chimneys which land in the open carriages.

A NOTE ABOUT FARES FOR THIS EVENT:

The runabout fares will permit travel on any train hauled by the N2 / O4 locomotives which will travel the full length of the line. These tickets will also permit travel on a shuttle train top and tailed by the Furness 20 locomotive and the Beattie Well Tank. This train will run between Loughborough and Rothley.

Travel in the open carriages behind either Rocket or Planet will be subect to an additional fare of £3 for adults and £2 for children. (There are no further discounts). This will permit a single journey between stations. You must be in posession of a runabout ticket (not a platform or admission ticket) to buy a single journey behind one of the replica engines. In the event of high demand we may have to restrict the number of journeys behind the replica engine.

Short hop tickets and one return journey tickets will not be sold during this event.