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Loughborough is a thriving commercial centre and also boasts it's own University. Close to the railway is the famous Taylor's bell foundry which has a museum open to the public. The market place and shopping centre are about 15 minutes walk. Slightly further there is the Grand Carrillon situated in Queen's Park, and the Rectory museum.

At LOUGHBOROUGH CENTRAL you will find a Museum, Gift Shop, Refreshments room, and a second-hand stall (the Emporium), situated on the platform. By taking the footpath from the platform end you can easily reach the signal box and engine sheds. To view all the facilities you should allow at least an hour. On leaving Loughborough look out for the new signals. After passing through a bridge, houses have been built on the site of sidings provided for Tuckers brick works. The works itself has beem landscaped and developed as an amenity park known as Charnwood Water. The line passes under the main A6 trunk road as it begins to climb up to Quorn. It is easy to imagine the old steam expresses racing along at 80 mph. Just before Quorn Station you will see the tennis courts at the rear of the Manor House Hotel, which was opened with the coming of the railway and saw many hunt visitors.

QUORN AND WOODHOUSE station is of the typical Great Central main line country type, and is similar to Rothley, although it was partly modernised during the 1940's. At this time the goods yard was greatly extended to accommodate war traffic for the nearby army camp and prisoner of war camp. Note the restored signalbox from Market Rasen. Today the yard is used for special events, rallies and to demonstrate the exchange apparatus for use with. the travelling post office train. The Permanent Way Depot is based here and you may see an intersting selection of equipment. A picnic site is situated adjacent to the station. Close to the station is the Whatoff Lodge farm park and trail. The line from Quorn to Rothley gives panoramic views of' Budden Wood to the east, and the Charnwood Forest area to the west.

The railway crosses Swithland Reservoir via Brazil Island. using two viaducts. Thr reservoir which is for standby use is not accessible to the public, and has become the home of many wild birds. the line crosses a road at the site of the proposed Swithland Station, which was never completed. The station was to be provided at the insistence of the Earl of Lanesborough whose land the railway passed through. He was resident at the nearby Swithland Hall which can often be seen through woods to the west. The large area of land was once a busy goods yard from where a branch line went to the Mountsorrel granite quarries. This has now been re-built as sidings, much as it might have been earlier.

ROTHLEY station, which was once derelict has been painstakingly restored by volunteers to give the atmosphere of a bygone age. Spend a while here if you can and step back in time. Complete with working gas lamps and parcels office all the rooms have a historic theme. Old fashioned posters and signs adorn all the buildings. The station is officially listed as a haunted site. The present signal box has come from Blind Lane near Wembley in London, the original box (demolished by BR) once had an eccentric signalman who bathed nude in the water trough. The area around the station boasts some ancient sites including an Anglo-Saxon burial ground and Rothley Temple (13th Century) now known as Rothley Court Hotel.

Leaving Rothley towards Leicester you past the new carriage maintenance shed and sidings before crossing Rothley brook on a high bridge. In Roman times this natural waterway was used as a canal. The line borders the exclusive Rothley Park Golf Club to the east, and to the west the famous hilltop Leicestershire landmark of "Old John" can be seen. Thurcaston village runs parallel to the line, which on an embankment passes by Breech and Fox Covert spinneys. The new Leicester North relief road crosses over here. The route passes through a deep cutting at Birstall village. The line ends at the site of the former Belgrave and Birstall station, where the new terminus is called Leicester North.

LEICESTER NORTH station forms the southern terminus of the railway. A new station building has recently been completed with waiting room, toilet, refreshment and ticket office facilities. The station is situated on the northern outskirts of Leicester, approximately 1 mile from the new Space Centre and the former steam operated pumping station which now forms part of a museum. There is a pleasant 3 mile walk to the city centre alongside the river Soar and Grand Union canal. For those with more modern tastes, there is a Macdonalds approx half a mile away.
The route of the former Great Central Route can be seen as you look across the footbridge.

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