In 1893, the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway received the Royal
Assent for the construction of the new mainline from Annesley, 12 miles north
of Nottingham, to London Marylebone. It's incredible that the newly opened Channel
Tunnel comes almost 100 years after Edward Watkin's original vision of connecting
England with the continent, ironically, 28 years after the demise of his remarkable
Great Central Railway. Just think if the whole line survived today passengers
could be making the journey from Loughborough Central all the way to Paris.
The line opened for coal traffic in July 1898. The following March, the Great Central Railway ran its first passenger train from Marylebone Station, and soon lived up to its slogan, `Rapid Travel in Luxury'. However, the motor car began to have a serious effect on the railways in the 1950's and long stretches of the line were closed in 1966.
In 1969, a group of enthusiasts decided to recreate for future generations the
magic and nostalgia of the great British age of steam. From small beginnings,
the Great Central Railway is now one of the region's top tourist attractions,
providing an unforgettable day out for all the family. Visitors can step back
in time and enjoy the charm of steam travel as it once was. Loughborough Central
Station is typical of the 1960's. Quorn & Woodhouse Station recreates the
1940's. And Rothley Station captures the Edwardian period.
The Great Central Railway now boasts over 20 steam locomotives and an extensive selection of rolling stock, passenger carriages, wagons, first class dining cars and kitchen/buffet vehicles. In fact, being a mainline railway means that the largest, heaviest and most impressive of British steam locomotives can be operated. In addition to the home-based fleet, famous guest locomotives visit the line on a regular basis. Double track is being re-laid from Rothley to Loughborough Central to allow the passing of trains and the re-creation of true main line operation.
All in all, the Great Central Railway offers you a feast of unique experiences.
Travel through the beautiful Leicestershire countryside passing over picturesque
Swithland Reservoir. Steam through the night. Savour the atmosphere of days
gone by at any of the restored stations. Visit the museum at Loughborough. See
the working signal boxes from which train movements are controlled. Marvel at
the magnificence of the steam locomotives. What's more, the Great Central Railway
was the first preserved railway to offer a regular dining service and has gained
a superb reputation for the excellence of its culinary standards and service.
2001 marked the silver Jubilee of the formation of the Company.
Ambitious plans are afoot to connect the recently reopened Nottingham Heritage Centre at Ruddington to Loughborough Central, the present start of the line.
With 9 more miles of track in the pipeline, visitors to the Great Central will, one day, be making a 17 mile steam train journey between Nottingham and Leicester.
At Nottingham Heritage Centre you'll find Britain's newest collection of vintage road and rail transport housed in nearly 300 acres of country park. Visitors to Ruddington can look forward to seeing a Nottinghamshire bus collection, model engineering exhibits and a three track miniature railway.
© 2001-3 for the Great Central Railway PLC.