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Great Central Reunification.

Reunification - January 2024

Talking about planning!

How do you link together two heritage railways?

It starts with a vision - but structures need to be designed and contractors engaged. Also before spades go into the ground, you need planning consent. We're on the case with getting our planning application together. Here's Reunification project board member Larry Greenwell to explain more





Reunification - December 2023

We've got four key developments to share with you as the curtain comes down on 2023. Firstly, the incredible news that the funds banked towards the next phases of the project have now crossed the £2m mark. A total we couldn't have reached without you, your faith, patience and excitement for Reunification.

It won't stay at that level for long as the newly formed project board (that's piece of news number 2 by the way - it's filled with rail industry professionals giving their time for free because they share our passion for the project) have commissioned and received the results of some final design work.

Why do we need this? Well the next big step is to apply for planning permission. We need official consent before we can build anything else, and to get that, we need to have more answers about the shape of the project, how it integrates with the local environment and so on. In the New Year, as we move toward the planning application we'll have more news about the studies, plans and reports that are going on. The funds raised are unlocking this essential 'enabling work'. Your donations continue to arrive, so that helps us replace what we spend.

Development number 3? Work is now going on at the A60 bridge to relay track on it. You'll remember last year the rails were lifted so it could be demolished and replaced. Taking out the track severed the link to the national rail network which the Nottinghamshire side of the Great Central Railway uses. On the bridge, ballast has been laid on one deck (this is the side which will carry the new ‘link line' between the two halves of the Great Central. The other bridge deck is now being prepared for track. Getting trains running from the national network onto the northern section of the GCR is an important immediate aim.

Talking of which, the final key piece of news, a formal Memorandum of Understanding has now been signed between Great Central Railway PLC who operate the line through Leicestershire and the GCR(Nottingham) which looks after the line north of Loughborough. The MOU commits the two to working ever more closely as the Reunification project accelerates. It covers a wide range of areas from publicity to operating standards.

We'd like to thank you for your interest, support and donations. It may seem like things are not happening - and yes we all want to see people back at work building things - but to get there, we have to work through the details and get things right. The work is underway and with your support the funds continue to build so we can move forward with confidence.

Here's to 2024!



Reunification - August 2023

Once again we have an incredible new fundraising total to report thanks to your continuing generous support for Reunification. We now have £1.9m banked, ready to spend on building the Factory Flyover and the fund continues to rise all the time.

We're all waiting patiently for the same thing - the moment we can press the button on more construction and as soon as there is news to report we'll shout it from the rooftops. One very positive development is work has begun on a memorandum of understanding between GCR PLC and GCR (N) on joint working towards Reunification.

In the meantime, a new leaflet has been produced (with thanks to Friends for the sponsorship) and the Friends stand team are getting to more galas, fetes and exhibitions than ever both on and off the railway. Such is their commitment they've recently been able to attend multiple events on the same day, a boon to the GCR and the project.

Finally, the new Friends Calendar is out. Featuring some brilliant photographs from very talented who give their time for free and fully sponsored (with grateful thanks) by Moore Insight every penny of the £10 price goes to Reunification. Email Barry Lycett (blycett.gcr@gmail.com) to order your copy now.

Donate to the Reunification appeal






Money Match March - What a result!

It's totaliser time. Your incredibly generous response to our Money Match March fundraising drive towards the Reunification project has seen our available funds swell substantially.

We had £1.4m before we started the promotion. Our match funding was fully subscribed, so now we have a jaw dropping £1.78m banked and ready to spend on building the next phases of the project. To everyone who rattled buckets, manned stands, presented talks, funded and distributed flyers, banked the donations and sent out the 'Thank You' letters to donors, an enormous 'congratulations and thank you'!

Likewise to everyone who was able to support the campaign, another heartfelt thank you. We can go Forward only because you support us. More news to follow in due course.



Donate to the Reunification appeal





Reunification Update!

26th January 2023

Welcome to the first Reunification update for 2023. There's lots of good news.

First, three parts of the project are now ready for track laying, representing millions of pounds of investment. Next, as our fundraising campaign for the A60 bridge replacement last year went so well, we didn't need to dip into any funds we'd already raised. That means we now have an incredible £1.4 million banked and ready to spend.

Even better is the return of Money Match March for 2023. Every pound donated in March (online, via cheque, standing order, by text of at a Friends of the GCR stand) will be matched by a donor up to an incredible £150,000. If Money Match March is already fully subscribed, by the start of April this year we'll have £1.7 million for the work ahead.

We're going to concentrate on the Factory Flyover this year. We want to start building again as soon as possible so your money goes into bricks, metal and concrete, rather than just fighting inflation. You'll remember the Factory Flyover is actually 2 phases in 1. We have to cross Railway Terrace Road and then the car park of a factory.

We currently expect it to cost just under £3 million, so we're around half way in fundraising terms. Our to do list then is, (i) keep raising money (ii) secure planning consent for the work and (iii) begin building again hopefully towards the end of the year.

We'll go as far as we can afford. The more you can contribute this year, the more we'll be able to finish.

As always, your donations count. We've only come so far because you've made it happen. It's a real people power project and we hope even though we live in economically tight times you will still be able to help. Setting up a standing order is a fantastic way of giving a little every month and that becoming a huge donation. It also helps us budget our cash flow and get building sooner bringing forward the day we have an 18 mile heritage railway stretching across the East Midlands.

We hope to see you soon at the railway for an exciting year. Thank you for your amazing support!

Donate to the Reunification appeal






Reunification Update!

25th November 2022

Another moment when the railway landscape of Loughborough changes.

Over a two day operation the new bridge decks and collision protection beams for the A60 road crossing were craned into place.


As you know at the start of October the old bridge was removed but most of the original abutments have been retained and repaired. On top, two new concrete blocks, specially cast to receive the decks and beams have been fitted.

A five hundred tonne crane was required for this weekends work. On Saturday evening as darkness fell the first of the decks - the one which will carry the GCR 'through line' was fitted. On Sunday morning the second deck which carries the line to and from the national rail network was installed.

In due course the existing line will be relaid over the bridge. The handrails were then fitted and two large crash protection beams were craned in. These weigh 20 tonnes. They are separate to the bridge decks and being filled with concrete will no doubt deal very effectively with over height lorries.

The new height restriction signs have also been installed on the bridge confirming there is now an extra three inches of headroom over the tarmac. In due course the main road signs will need to be replaced as they have the measurements for the old bridge.

We'd like to thank our main contractor VolkerLaser for their hard work delivering this latest piece of the Reunification jigsaw. Save for some finishing off work the new A60 bridge is all but ready to play its part in bringing two halves of the Great Central together. It's not too late to make a difference with a donation. A quick and simple way to do this is by Texting the word UNIFY to 70970 to give £5. Your gift means the A60 bridge can be completed without dipping into the other funds saved for future phases of the project. Thank you for every donation you make. This project is only happening because of your goodwill and generosity.

We hope to outline plans for the next phases in early 2023. Together we delivered on the promise that 2022 would be the Year of the A60 bridge!

Donate to the Reunification appeal






A60 bridge update

5th November 2022

The brand new bridge over the A60 road - essential for Reunification - is making good progress.

As you know, the old bridge has been removed and will be replaced by a brand new structure.

While we're reusing as much of the original abutments as we can, the new bridge deck will be supported in a different way. This means there will be an extra few inches of headroom between the tarmac and the bottom of the bridge.

The old abutments have been reduced in height. Two new specially designed and manufactured preformed concrete pieces (each requiring 44 tons of concrete) have been lowered into place, one on the northern abutment and one for the southern abutment.

They will carry the new bridge deck, due to arrive in a fortnight and also the bridge collision protection beams - in other words, two big bits of metal which will take the force of any strikes from carelessly driven lorries.

Your donations are making this work happen and driving forward Reunification.

Please consider a donation because every pound means progress.


Thank you for your generous support.

Donate to the Reunification appeal



A new Reunification update film, including details of the weekend works, has also been released...





Reunification Update!

1st October 2022

We're delighted to report, some two years after the last work to the canal bridge we're back building again!

2022 is the year of the A60 bridge and after your magnificent response to our appeal, on the 1st of October 2022 the heavy plant was on site.

The first job has been to remove the original Great Central Railway bridge. It's stood the test of time, and more than a few strikes from over height lorries, for 125 years. However it's life expired and is going to be replaced with a modern structure. In recent weeks some preparatory work has taken place to widen a small access road by the side of the bridge. This included adding a new concrete retaining wall to the GCR railway embankment. This work was required to allow the machinery to reach the site.

The busy A60 road was closed so the workforce could get cracking at 5am. By midday by the original decks had been removed and some scrap metal removed from site. The two original abutments will be used again for the new bridge but to accommodate a new design, are being lowered. Excavators on top of the embankment removed the bricks and ballast while the bridge was being demolished.

This piece of the Reunification jigsaw is unique in that its the only one to already have track on it. This allows freight movements from the adjacent Midland Main Line to join the northern half of the GCR. The poor condition of the bridge has meant halting that traffic.

When the two halves of GCR are finally reconnected, both bridge decks will be in use. One will carry this connecting line to the Midland Main Line, the other will carry the through line for heritage steam and diesel trains.

The work will continue through October. There will need to be some more road closures. However, it's likely to be only one carriageway at a time to allow further work on the abutments. The new bridge is expected to be in place by late October / early November. We're sorry for the disruption to road traffic. However, the new bridge will be very slightly higher above the road surface which should reduce the number of impacts from large lorries and the disruption this causes. The new bridge will also have crash protection built in.

Reunification is funded by your donations and the new A60 bridge is no exception. We placed the order for the bridge in April to beat inflation but still need to raise a few thousand pounds more to complete the work. Please consider a donation. We're at the stage where every pound really does help move the project forward. Thank you as ever for your incredible support and we hope you're as inspired as we are to see orange jackets back at work on the biggest heritage railway project in the UK.

Donate to the Reunification appeal





The future, now with pictures! New Great Central Railway Reunification bridge visualised for the first time.

28th June 2022

Vital step in ambitious project on course for October 2022 build.

The Friends of the Great Central Main Line is offering supporters of the award winning heritage line a glimpse into the future! A brand new bridge over the A60 road in Loughborough is set to be built in October as part of the GCRs ambitious Reunification project.



Thanks to sponsorship from the Friends group, high quality computer visualisations of the new bridge have now been produced, by HBPW of Retford, the consulting engineers for the scheme. VolkerLaser are the lead contractor for the construction.

Andy Fillingham, Chairman of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line said, "Friends has driven forward the fundraising for the Reunification project. As a thank you to everyone who has donated money for the work to replace the A60 bridge, we're delighted to have these images produced. They show the brand new bridge, which is sure to become a local landmark."

The existing 120 year old structure has been struck many times by over height lorries. Replacing it with a twin track structure, will allow freight trains from the national rail network to use the line again as well as paving the way for heritage trains to run between Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire as part of the Reunification project. This will reconnect two halves of the GCR to create an eighteen mile heritage line for steam and diesel tourist trains with far reaching benefits for the East Midlands economy. Two parts have already been completed, the new A60 bridge is the third.

The new bridge will cost more than a million pounds and has been part funded by public donations and the David Clarke Railway Trust, the charity supporting the Great Central Railway.

An appeal, launched by Friends at the start of the year raised £220,000 towards the A60 bridge replacement, with more donations still being received from well-wishers all over the world.

"With costs of raw materials rising, we were delighted to receive such strong and timely support from so many people," continued Andy. "Their generous donations helped close a funding gap between what we had available and the total cost of the new structure. The Reunification project has captured imaginations. We said 2022 would see another piece of the jigsaw in place. The superb images show what it will look like!



We hope that will inspire others to support this part of the project, or find out more the rest of the Reunification scheme and contribute. The more of us getting behind the plan, the sooner it will be completed and we'll unlock the economic benefits."

Donations for the A60 bridge replacement can be made online here or via cheque through the post made payable to the 'David Clarke Railway Trust', to DCRT, Lovatt House, 3 Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, LE11 1SL.

Please write on the back of the cheque A60 / Reunification.

Donate to the Reunification appeal





A60 Bridge - Press release!

7th April 2022

The Great Central Railway PLC's Board are pleased to announce that they have today given approval for the work on the replacement of Bridge 326 crossing the A60 adjacent to the former Brush Works in Loughborough to commence with immediate effect.

A purchase order has now been placed with VolkerLaser who are the preferred main contractors. Fabrication of the two new steel and concrete U decks will commence as soon as the final design work is completed by HBPW Consulting of Retford and the steel (which has already been design-specified) arrives at the fabricators, Carver Steel in Harworth, Doncaster. Volker will be ready to demolish the old bridge deck and install the new twin decks from the 1st October, as well as making good the existing bridge abutments.

This will enable both the track to the midland mainline chord and the future line from GCR south to pass over the newly-constructed bridge. Two tracks over the bridge are essential to secure a future connection with the mainline.

This project represents the next major step in the reunification of the Great Central Railway Loughborough with the northern section which leads to Ruddington in Nottinghamshire.

Work, in the first instance, to investigate a possible repair to the, more than 120 years old, deck rather than replacement proved that too much original section had been lost to corrosion and thus replacement proved to be the only financially viable option.

This major project will cost in excess of £1 million in total and is projected to complete at the end of October this year. The bridge replacement will be funded by supporters and the Railway's charitable trust and will therefore be cost-neutral to the PLC.

Commenting on the announcement, the Railway's Managing Director, Michael Gough said; "This project represents another major step in the drive for reunification of the two GCR sections and in the return of the currently-disused northern section of line back to traffic. This is a 120-year old structure which is certainly life-expired and cannot be repaired and we are pleased once again to be able to work with the team at Volker who have proven to be trusted partners on two previous bridge projects for the Railway that have both gone incredibly well.

With only 4.3 metres from the underside of the deck to the road, the old bridge has frequently "seen action" in terms of bridge strikes from high-sided vehicles trying to pass underneath and we are designing the new structure to achieve maximum additional headroom as well as building collision protection measures into the new structure.
"





A60 Bridge - March appeal update!

22nd March 2022

Money continues to flow into the A60 bridge appeal at a substantial rate, so we're really grateful for everyone's contribution.

We're well over the seventy thousand pounds mark now. We hope to raise £110,000 so work on this vital bridge can proceed as promptly as possible.

Thank you for your superb support!

You can make donations via this website by clicking here



A60 Bridge - Appeal update!

27th January 2022

FIRST £10,000 RECEIVED FOR A60 BRIDGE APPEAL. MATCH FUNDING MAKES IT £20,000!

Just two weeks after we launched the A60 appeal its incredible to be able to report back ten thousand pounds has already arrived through online, postal and text donations. We can only say, thank you very much indeed for supporting this latest step forward in the Reunification campaign.

This appeal is being supported by groups north and south of 'the gap' between the two halves of the railway. To that end, the LNER GC Heritage Trust (which raises funds and organises the membership club for the northern end of the line) offered to match the first £10,000 pound for pound. So we're now at £20,000!

And there's more good news. Friends of the Great Central Main Line from the southern end of the line has offered a further £10,000 - bringing the total up to £30,000 and the amount we still need to raise to £80,000. All that in a fortnight!

Once again, we deeply appreciate your support for the project. We'll bring you up to date totals for the A60 bridge and the Factory Flyover sections as we move forward.

Please watch our film below, and you can make donations at via this website by clicking here



2022: YEAR OF THE A60 BRIDGE

15th January 2022

Want to get another piece of the Reunification jigsaw in place in 2022?

So do we! We need your help to raise £110,000 to get the A60 bridge ready for its new role in an 18 mile railway.


The A60 bridge is the only part of the Reunification project which currently carries trains. However, it's in a very poor state, not only due to its age but because it is frequently struck by lorries. As a result, it's closed to rail traffic. It's a critical bridge. Not only will it help link the two halves of the Great Central but also it connects the GCR to Network Rail. Both sides of this bridge carry trains in the future.

The good news is, a substantial sum of money is now available for the job - but we need to raise £110,000 towards the cost of the work. A contractor has been approached and as soon as we have the money we'll make a start. With your help, the work will be done by the end of the year!

This is an appeal specifically for the A60 bridge. If you're already giving to the Factory Flyover phase of Reunification via a standing order, your donations will continue to flow into that "pot".

We want to protect the Factory Flyover funds we've raised, so we're asking now for a one-off donation / new Standing Order for the A60 bridge work. Every pound will make a difference. Download an appeal leaflet here. You can also donate online by clicking here.

Or make a £10 donation by texting the word Unify to 70191
For full terms and conditions, see http:// platform.nationalfundingscheme.org/ terms- and-conditions

Thank you for your generous support. If we pull together, the A60 bridge will be REUNIFICATION READY in a few short months.



Great Central Reunification.

Art print – "Look! There's Dad"

12th November 2021

FoGCML are now offering a quality art print of an original pencil and watercolour painting by GCR volunteer signalman Alan Godber.

A rebuilt Royal Scot Class 4-6-0 heads north over Loughborough viaduct in the summer of 1963 with a train for Nottingham Victoria. A cyclist crossing the river below on the road towards Stanford on Soar returns a wave from someone travelling in the first coach.

The full story of Alan's inspiration for this picture is told in the Autumn 2021 edition (No. 188) of Main Line magazine.

Printed in archival quality pigment inks on acid-free cotton paper, the printed area is approximately A4 size and is supplied in a card mount which will fit most commercially available 16" x 12" frames. Priced at just £25 or £30 including postage and packing (signed for delivery), all profits are going to DCRT and are ring-fenced for the Reunification Project. Order now, via email to blycett.gcr@gmail.com (payment by bank transfer available). Also available from the FoGCML stand.


Reunification update - September 2021

5th September 2021

A million pounds has now been raised to fund a further two stages of the Great Central Railway's ambitious Reunification project. The money has come from the local community and rail enthusiasts acrossthe country who want to see the two separate halves of the award winning East Midlands heritage line reconnected.

There are seven phases of work to complete the link. Two have been completed including a new bridge has to carry trains over the Midland Main Line at Loughborough and the full refurbishment of an existing bridge over a canal. The money being raised will go towards completing two more - the crossing of a road called Railway Terrace and a factory car park.

Andy Fillingham, Chairman of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line said, "Raising one million pounds is an incredible achievement by everyone involved. To everyone who has supported the appeals and got involved, a heartfelt thank you. This is a real people power project, putting back a railway which so many didn't want closing in the first place.

Meanwhile Reunification has received an usual boost from an unlikely source. The brand new High Speed 2 rail line is currently being built between London and Birmingham. It's crossing the site of the original GCR station at Finmere in Oxfordshire. During the work, some masonry has been recovered, including eight handsome Victorian bridge coping stones. They will be used in the construction of the Reunification scheme, giving the new project a real connection to the past.

Donations can be made online here.

Now you can also donate by text if you prefer.

Text UNIFY to 70970 to give £5
Text UNIFY to 70191 to give £10


For full terms see http://platform.nationalfundingscheme.org/terms-and-conditions

Thank you again and we look forward to seeing you back at the railway and bringing you up to date in person.

Donations can be made online here.


Reunification update - June 2021

1st June 2021

There's plenty of good news to share with you, not least of which is the current amount raised for the Factory Flyover phases of the project. With your generous support we're now up to an incredible nine hundred and five thousand pounds - so the next million is tantalisingly close.

Even better, the estimated cost of building the bridge across Railway Terrace road and then cross-ing the factory car park has actually fallen slightly - down from three million pounds to two and a half million pounds! That means these two phases are now more than a third funded.

Pre planning application discussions have begun with landlord Charnwood Borough Council which will lead to the planning application itself in due course. With a smooth process and provided the fundraising can keep up its current pace, we could be on course to build The Factory Flyover in Summer 2023 which gives us a clear target to focus on.

If we reach two and a half million pounds we unlock the Factory Flyover, reach three million pounds and we unlock the work on the short embankment on the north side on the new (and already constructed) Midland Main Line bridge.

There's a new project film to bring you right up to date at the GCR YouTube channel here.

And you can download the latest project brochure here. Any support you give can really make a difference. If everyone who reads this news item was able to set up a standing order for a few pounds every month, we'd race forward. You can use the project brochure to get a standing order underway.

Now you can also donate by text if you prefer.

Text UNIFY to 70970 to give £5
Text UNIFY to 70191 to give £10


For full terms see http://platform.nationalfundingscheme.org/terms-and-conditions

Thank you again and we look forward to seeing you back at the railway and bringing you up to date in person.

Donations can be made online here.


Money Match March success and a new grand total.
8th April 2021

We've now finished counting up your incredibly generous donations from Money Match March. We had half a million pounds banked before the fund-raising drive - and now we have seven hundred and fifty five thousand pounds in the fund!

It's a massive leap forward - we now have 25% of the amount needed to build phase three and four of Reunification, 'The Factory Flyover'.

Donations came from around the world, with every contribution being matched pound for pound up to one hundred thousand pounds. You can see the 'matching fund' was more than exceeded, with a late flurry of donations arriving in the post in the last few days. Excitingly, more standing orders have been set up too. Hundreds of people are giving a small amount every month, which will keep pushing the total onwards and upwards. We would like to thank each and every one of you who has contributed for your generosity.

Even though Money Match March is behind us, we have someway to go before we can begin building the Factory Flyover. If you're new to the scheme, take a look around the website and please consider a donation. Everything given towards the fund, can only be spent on Reunification. Your gift makes a huge difference.

HOW TO DONATE TO THE REUNIFICATION PROJECT
Donations can be made online here.

Cheques for the appeal can be made payable to The David Clarke Railway Trust (with the work REUNIFICATION written on the back) and posted to DCRT, Lovatt House, 3 Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 1SL.


Money Match March outcome
1st April 2021

Good news everyone. With your generosity we have not only reached the one-hundred-thousand-pounds match funding offer for Money Match March but achieved it by some margin.

We had a flurry of donations both through the post and online over the last few days of the campaign with people seeking to beat the deadline. For your support, best wishes and donations, a heartfelt thank you. Together, we are making great strides forward.

So what's the new total? Well, we're going to have to keep you in anticipation a little longer, but with good reason. We have been receiving donations online, through the post and directly into the dedicated bank account and we've also got new standing orders to set running too. Please bear with us while we get to and from the bank, get standing orders in the post and complete our tallying up. It's going to take a few more days to process the latest figures and bring you right up to date. However, we had half a million pounds in the ring-fenced Reunification Fund before we launched Money Match March and comprehensively beating the one-hundred-thousand-pound barrier in donations releases the full matching amount of another one-hundred-thousand-pounds. When we can finally announce where we have got to, its going to be a big push towards Reunification.

Naturally, although we have released all the matched funding, the overall Reunification Appeal is still very much open, so if you would still like to contribute, or start a Standing Order, the same routes to donate are still open (you can make an online donation here). We still have more to raise!


Money Match March Update
16th March 2021

Your incredible generosity has seen tens of thousands of pounds arrive in the Reunification fund in the last two weeks.

That will all be matched and added to the new appeal total. We'll try and publish that as soon as we can at the end of the campaign. Meanwhile, there are lots of exciting things happening behind the scenes on the project, all of which bring us closer to building again. Crucially we are now in formal pre planning application consultation with our landlords Charnwood Borough Council - a step we need to take before we move forward with an application for planning permission to build the factory flyover section.

As always, we want to have the money in place to show we're serious. Remember, every pound received as a donation in March 2021 will be matched by a pound - up to one hundred thousands pounds.

You can make an online donation here


Money Match March!
1st March 2021

We've new plans to share with you for phases three and four of Reunification - the Factory Flyover. Civil Engineering consultants Cass Hayward have revised the plans for this section of Reunification and we can share them with you.

While one of the reclaimed Reading bridge decks will still be used to cross Railway Terrace road, the remainder of the new sixty metres of formation are expected to be created using pre stressed concrete bridge beams and decks. Cass Hayward believe this approach will be more economic, simpler to build and in the long term simpler to maintain.

We're now using these plans to obtain detailed cost estimates and continue our discussion with Charnwood Borough Council as we work towards a planning application.

Exciting enough but we've even more good news.

Our fundraising has now passed the half a million pounds mark, towards our estimated three million pound cost for these next two phases. Thank you so much for your support. However you have donated, it all counts and means we are really building momentum.

As you know, we need to wait until we have most of the money in place before engaging contractors. But here's a way of superheating our fundraising to get us building again even sooner. It's the return of Money Match March.

During March, every pound you give, either on line, by existing or newly established standing order, or by cheque through the post will be matched pound for pound, up to one hundred thousand pounds by a donor. What a great way to start the year! If Money Match March is fully subscribed we'll have another two hundred thousand pounds in the pot. Please help us seize this opportunity. Whatever you give, can be matched. Give five pounds and it becomes ten. Give ten and it becomes twenty. Make your gift go further and we'll be getting closer to building and through trains between Leicester North and Ruddington.

Download our Money Match March brochure here which you can use to make a one off donation or set up a standing order.

We're really hopeful you'll chose to set up a standing order donation. A small amount of just £12 a month can really make a difference over a year. With enough of us giving like that we'll build up the fund all the sooner.

Or make an online donation here.

Thank you for your support. It really counts and will help us move forward with Reunification.



Reunification appeal film
Posted on 1st March 2021

Here's our latest film about our Reunification project, with the latest information on this exciting appeal...






February 2021 update
Posted on 10th February 2021

With grateful thanks for all your support the funds available for building phase three and four continue to climb. Coming on the 1st of March we'll have some major news about the fundraising total so far and plans for the future of the Reunification project and a remixed project film to enjoy!

In the meantime our focus remains on fundraising and after the very successful talk about the locomotive Boscastle, as they say, it's time for something completely different...




FIFTY THOUSAND POUND GRANT FOR AMBITIOUS RAILWAY LINK UP PLAN
Posted on 4th December 2020

'The ideal Christmas present' say fundraisers.

There were pre-Christmas celebrations at the Great Central Railway when a fifty thousand pound grant arrived for the line's ambitious Reunification project.

The generous grant came from a charitable trust based in the Midlands. It will support the award winning Leicestershire line's scheme to connect with the national railway network - and reunify with another preserved part of the Great Central to create an eighteen mile heritage railway.

Building the railway link requires new bridges and the rebuilding of an embankment. Already millions of pounds have been raised and spent delivering two phases of the project. Fundraising is now underway for the third and fourth phase which have an estimated cost of three million pounds.

Andy Fillingham, Chairman of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line - the membership club of the Great Central Railway leading the fundraising effort said "At the start of December we had raised three hundred and seventy five thousand pounds towards the appeal total. This latest phase of our Reunification appeal began in March, so to have already reached more than ten percent of the funding required is extraordinary. Then we were amazed to receive this kind and generous grant. After a year which has curtailed a lot of our planned fundraising work, this is a most welcome Christmas gift which has surprised us all!"

A brand new book detailing the progress so far on the Reunification project has sold hundreds of copies already, including to America and Australia. Showing just how much interest there is in completing the link up donations continue to arrive from around the world, boosting the amount raised even further. Connecting the Great Central Railway to the national railway network will bring economic benefits to the line and the wider East Midlands economy.

"We want to carry on building as soon as we can," continued Andy "but we must have most of the money in place for the next two phases before we can appoint contractors. However we have been able to commission consultant engineers to help design the rest of the scheme for us. They're already at work and we hope to have more news early in 2021. Meanwhile we can't thank the people who have given us this grant enough. It gives the whole scheme a tremendous boost and takes us another step towards completing the vision."

To order the Reunification book for £10 (plus £2.50 postage and packaging) please email blycett.gcr@gmail.com




December News Update!
Posted on 4th December 2020

We're really pleased to be able to say our fundraising has continued at a great pace. We've reached £375,000!

Your donations are making such a difference as we move towards the estimated total of £3,000,000 for the next two phases of Reunification.

As this year has shown life can move quickly. Not only does Reunification unlock an eighteen mile railway just as importantly for the Great Central Railway in the south it allows access to the Midland Main Line, opening up the possibility of incoming charter trains, more frequently visiting large locomotives and easy access for companies who want to test vehicles and train staff. All of those bring a more secure future for the railway, all the better to withstand tough economic shocks like the one that has been thrown at us this year.

We want to say a heartfelt thank you for being part of the journey with us. It really is making a difference.

In the meantime, if you need to sort a Christmas present out, allow us to recommend our Reunification book which is selling really well. Full of colour pictures, telling the story of everything completed so far - at just £10 (plus £2.50 postage and packing) it's an ideal stocking filler! It even includes a foreword by Sir Peter Hendy, the Chairman of Network Rail. The books production has been sponsored by the Friends of the Great Central Main Line so every penny goes to the appeal.

Email blycett.gcr@gmail.com to order.




October News Update!
Posted on 4th October 2020

Great news on the appeal front! We have now raised £320,000 in hand towards the next two phases of the Reunification project, thanks to your unstinting support.

That means we've crossed another fundraising milestone - we have more than ten percent of the estimated costs of building phases three and four in place. While we have commissioned consulting engineers to help guide us towards spades going back into the ground, we will not build until we have the majority of the funds in place.

Having come so far we thought the time was write to look back and celebrate what we've done. Broadcaster, journalist and long time GCR supporter Tom Ingall has written a book chronicling our story so far. It's sixty pages, full of previously unpublished colour photographs and untold stories from the project. Production has been sponsored by the Friends of the Great Central Main Line so every penny from the £10 cost goes to pushing Reunification forward! Needless to say it is an ideal Christmas present. Order them now via email to blycett.gcr@gmail.com

We've called the book 'volume one' and if we sell enough we can be writing volume two all the sooner!

We'd like to thank you for your continued generous belief in the project. New donations arrive all the time and following the recent appeals in Main Line magazine, Heritage Railway, Steam Railway and Railway Magazine, new standing orders are being set up too. The funds available climb all the time. Every time a new standing order donation is established, the pace of the project picks up. The more of us giving a small amount of every month, the sooner we'll build not just the 'Factory Flyover' phases but the rest of the project too.

Don't forget, you can see our physical progress by watching our YouTube films, search GCROFFICIAL on YouTube to subscribe.


Reunificaction appeal tops a quarter of a million!
Posted on 7th September 2020

We've got great news to share. The appeal for phases three and four of the Reunification project has now raised a quarter of a million pounds. What a milestone! Thank you very much for your support.

Work on the canal bridge has all but drawn to a close with contractors laying water proof coverings on the decks and completing repairs to the brick work.

"Seeing the completely refurbished canal bridge has given us all a huge psychological boost" said Andy Fillingham, chairman of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line who are leading the fundraising effort. "It seems to have had a similar effect on everyone.

The recent magazine articles and appeal leaflets in the national press have brought in brand new donations and new supporters giving by standing order. On behalf of everyone at the GCR, we can't thank you enough. It all takes us ever closer to constructing the next phases and ultimately to trains running on an eighteen mile heritage line.
"

Phases three and four, which involve crossing a road and a car park will be constructed together to save costs. It's estimated three million pounds will be needed to complete them. The money raised by the appeal so far will be used to complete planning work and obtain permissions so construction crews can begin immediately when the fundraising target is reached. We'll have more news about the progress of this work as soon as possible.

To support the appeal and make a donation online here.

To download a standing order form and set up a regular monthly donation click here.

Just £12 a month - or £3 a week can make all the difference with enough of us taking part.


Canal Bridge parapets return!
Posted on 6th July 2020

This isn't strictly Factory Flyover news but we know you'll be pleased to hear it anyway. In a two day operation at the start of July, the two elegant side panels of the canal bridge were first lifted and then bolted into place.

The two side panels with their distinctive criss cross metal work were the first pieces of the bridge to be removed when repairs to the bridge began in December 2018.

They were taken off site to the Welsh workshop of our contractors Centregreat Engineering. They have been shot blasted, repaired and repainted. The actual criss cross elements themselves required relatively little work, the main repairs being carried out to the bottom flange where the panels attach to the bridge beams themselves.

Each panel was brought back to site in two halves and then bolted together into a single piece weighing six tons. Once lifted upright and moved into place the crane then held them while they were bolted onto the east and west side beams. A team worked from the top - and from underneath using a pontoon and scaffold tower on the canal.

The coping stones were put into place on the restored brickwork and a temporary scaffold brace installed on each side panel. This will be removed in due course.

While the bridge appears all but complete, there are some finishing off works including adding the waterproof layer to the top side of both decks. There is also a small amount of painting to do, plus the small matter of all the paperwork, so it can be signed off for use.

Overall though, the impression is of a wonderful GCR bridge restored to 'as built' appearance. Constructed in the late 1890s, it last carried a train above the water in 1972. One day it will carry heritage trains again and is sure to be a much photographed location. Want to help us keep building? Every donation you give us helps on the way. We need to raise three million pounds to build the factory flyover section. Thank you for your support. Together we'll reunify the two railways.

The first picture shows the east side panel in place and being bolted down. The west side panel lies in the down formation waiting for its turn.

The second picture shows the new ballast retention plates installed on the west (down) side of the bridge to keep the formation in place and stop debris falling onto the beams or into the canal.

The third picture shows the moment the east side panel was offered up. The scaffold team on the pontoon will help install the bolts which secure the panel.


New update video published....
Posted on 6th July 2020

Great news and a major step forward for Reunification. The work to the canal bridge is almost complete.

The original GCR structure hasn't seen a train since 1972 but has now been fully overhauled ready to play its part in relinking the two halves of the Great Central Railway.

In early July the elegant metal lattice sides were lifted into place, 20 months after they were removed at the very start of works.



Fundraising is continuing for the Reunification programme which will create an eighteen mile heritage railway. Two bits are now finished and hundreds of thousands of pounds have been raised for the next section. Join the adventure. Just by watching our films you're helping to raise money. If you want to donate, please consider a small monthly standing order.

If you'd like to donate, please see the details below. You may be interested in an online talk later in July which gives more details on the project. Please see the details below.

Thank you for your support.


Our exciting project appeal...
Posted on 24th June 2020

Welcome to readers of Steam Railway, Heritage Railway and Railway magazine. Whether this is your first visit to the Reunification mini-site, or if we're a regular stopping off point for you, we hope you'll find plenty of interest as the biggest project in railway preservation moves 'Forward!''.

Our latest total is one hundred and seventy thousand pounds, towards a latest target of three million pounds to build the factory flyover section. Bringing the two halves of the GCR back together will guarantee a home for large locomotives, operating heritage trains with heritage infrastructure right in the heart of the country.

Thank you for all your support. Every donation helps. You can make a single donation by downloading and completing this form. You can give online here. What we'd really like is a commitment to a small monthly standing order gift. Give as little as twelve pounds a month and it adds up to a significant donation over a year. To set up a regular donation, please fill in this standing order form, send it to us and we'll do the rest.

If everyone who read the magazines each month joined the campaign, we could fund Reunification in a year! Thank you for all of your support.

You are making this happen!


Reunification with Rail Riders.
Posted on 4th June 2020

Remember Rail Riders, the British Railways loyalty club for kids back in the 1980s?

Well it's been reformed with hundreds of former members rejoining the 'happiest club in the land'.

The first edition of the new club magazine carries a full colour feature about our Reunification project, so we'd like to say a huge thank you to the new team at the club for helping to spread the word.


Factory Flyover - Latest news
12th May 2020

Appeal reaches £150,000.

The latest phase of the Great Central Railway's Reunification appeal has reached one hundred and fifty thousand pounds. The award winning Leicestershire heritage line is raising millions of pounds to re-connect with its sister railway in Nottinghamshire and create an eighteen mile route across the East Midlands.

The chairman of The Friends of The Great Central Main Line Andy Fillingham explained, "Our Reunification project is one of the biggest schemes on any heritage railway in the UK. We've already raised millions of pounds towards it which delivered one brand new bridge and paid for another to be fully overhauled. In early March we set out to fundraise for the next stage which will see another two new bridges built. It's going to cost around three million pounds. We began with one hundred thousand pounds and thanks to the incredible generosity of supporters around the country we've reached one hundred and fifty thousand pounds."

The project - particularly the construction of the brand new bridge - has captured the imagination the world over and drawn plenty of support from local stakeholders.

Andy continued, "We're living in difficult and extraordinary times. Even though we can't meet our supporters face to face we're doing our best to keep in touch on social media, including premiering a brand new film all about the Reunification project on YouTube. We're deeply humbled that our friends are still supporting the appeal even when priorities are changing on a daily basis. We're determined to remain on the front foot and look to the future. As soon as we have the majority of funds for the next phase of the project to hand, we'll resume construction."

How can I help?
If you'd like to help we would ask you to consider donating by standing order. A small gift every week (say £3 - the price of a coffee) adds up to £12 a month. Over a year that's a very special contribution.

You can download a standing order form here. Fill it in and post it back and the David Clarke Railway Trust will do the rest. (The trust are managing the finances for Reunification).

You can also give online using a credit card or debit card here, or you can make a one off donation cheque through the post, using this form.



Factory Flyover - New promotional film.
30th March

Fresh out of the works is our new Reunification promotional film.

To be honest we'd hoped to share this with you in person at our programme of talks and events - we had planned a UK tour in 2020!


At some point it will get shown on the wonderful Friends of the Great Central Main Line stand which is often seen at GCR galas. We'll also reschedule all our talks. One day we'll be back in person - but until then you can watch the film now!



We'd like to thank everyone who has donated so far. Even if difficult times you are clearly thinking about the future. One plea from the appeal team; we can't easily get to the post box or the bank at the moment. If you have donated by cheque in the post please bear with us while we process your donation and write a thank you letter. For the same reasons it might take a little while to get standing orders running too. We appreciate your generosity, patience and understanding.

If you're considering donating, (or if you'd like to pass some time!) now is a good time to read the new booklet that went out with Main Line and fill in the forms. We can also accept donations online if you're staying inside.

Once again thank you. You're thinking of us and we're thinking of you.

Until we can meet again face to face, enjoy the new film and stay safe.



Changing times...
19th March

We'd like to thank everyone who has contributed so far to the next phase of the Reunification appeal. These are very difficult and uncertain times. It's heartening to know we're in your minds even as ordinary life is turned upside down as we've had new standing order commitments and one off donations both through the post and online.

When we planned the appeal launch many months ago we were also preparing to deliver a number of talks for societies across the country - and of course we were hoping to see you in person at the GCR gala events. Naturally, we've stood down all activity for now and we look forward to getting back on the road again when we can.

In the meantime, a special thank you to the Burton Railway Society. We had hoped to be there in person at their recent AGM to collect a donation of £650, which they had raised during this year for Reunification. While the event was postponed, they've still been able to make the very generous donation. We're very grateful.

For now, stay safe and again, thank you for your support.


Factory Flyover.

1st March 2020.

We've now finished two sections of the Reunification project, creating an eighteen mile heritage railway across the East Midlands. If you're new to the idea, find out more about the ambitious scheme here.

The next piece of the jigsaw is the section across a factory car park. It's right next to the new bridge over the Midland Main Line bridge we've already built.

Factory Flyover - the next phase of Reunification If our fundraising goes well, we'll build the bridge over Railway Terrace road at the same time - it will save on construction costs to do both together. It's about fifty metres of new railway in total but a vital part of connecting the two halves of the Great Central Railway. We hope to incorporate the two bridge decks recovered from Reading into this phase.

Far from being impossible, Reunification is a developing reality.

Make a donation online...This section will cost approximately three million pounds; roughly the amount we have already raised and spent on Reunification. The good news is, as we begin fundraising for this Factory Flyover section (as we're calling it) we already have one hundred thousand pounds in the kitty! That's because many generous people like you are still contributing every month towards Reunification. If you are giving to the Bridge to the Future or Crossing the Canal campaign your standing order will now go towards the Factory Flyover.

If you'd like to help you can give online using a credit card or debit card here, or you can make a one off donation cheque through the post, using this form.

However we'd really urge you to consider donating by standing order. A small gift every week (say £3 - the price of a coffee) adds up to £12 a month. Over a year that's a very special contribution.

You can download a standing order form here. Fill it in and post it back and the David Clarke Railway Trust will do the rest. (The trust are managing the finances for Reunification).

Any donation you give takes us closer to the day the first train runs along the full length of the railway. We can't start building the next section until we have the vast majority of the finance in place. If you want to see this happen, now is a great time to get on board. Thank you.

Don't forget to bookmark this page for updates to fundraising and to subscribe to our YouTube channel GCROfficial where we post videos of our progress.



Donate to the Reunification appeal


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