Great Central Railway Mainline 155

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE FRIENDS OF THE GREAT CENTRAL MAIN LINE

MainLine Issue 155 | Summer 2013

£2.85

Bridgeto theFuture

The Great Central Railway is ready to bridge the gap!

By reuniting two sections of railway we can create an eighteen mile steam highway between Leicester and Nottingham. It’s one of Britain’s greatest heritage railway visions and now - in full partnership with Network Rail - it can be a thrilling reality. You can help by supporting our one million pound appeal.

Bridgeto theFuture Standby for action! A deal has been struck for Network Rail to build the bridge over the Midland Main Line.

Together, with our new appeal, we can realise one of the most exciting visions in railway preservation. Tom Ingall has the story.

Check the date on the front cover of this edition of Main Line. It isn’t April the first.

After the decades of dreams and the years of hard work, I can’t quite believe I’m sitting down to write this article. The bridge over the Midland Main Line at Loughborough is going to be built. Even better, it’s going to be built by the best possible people, Network Rail.

We’ll be paying one million pounds, a price made achievable through the acquisition of the Caversham Road (Reading) bridges two years ago. In a nutshell, that’s it. Preservation’s Mission Impossible: impossible no more. A Bridge to the Future, which will unlock the rest of the railway reunification project.

You probably have a similar experience to me; every time I talk to friends about the GCR or attend an event for the railway the questions everybody asks are: “When is the bridge happening and how much will it cost?” Finally, we have answers. Right now and one million 2 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

A scene we will see again. BR Standard Class Five No.73010 crosses the Midland Main Line.

T G HEPBURN /RAIL ARCHIVE STEPHENSON

pounds. Keep those points in mind. I’m coming back to them.

First, let’s open up the nutshell. We’re going to have a straight client / contractor relationship with Network Rail. We specify what is required, they, and their contractors, deliver.

Suddenly, many of the complexities which have held back this project disappear. From negotiating the required possessions of the Midland line that will be required, to ensuring the construction meets the relevant standards. Even down details like - do we need to move signals? In a heartbeat those headaches have faded, thanks to Network Rail’s offer to be partners in the project. They see the wider benefits we do and want to be involved. If there is a better way to do this, I can’t think of it. To be bolder still, with electrification on the horizon, in a few short

NOTTINGHAM ROAD

FALCON WORKS A60 LOUGHBOROUGH STATION

BU

RD E

CHORD LINE

RS

RA TC L

T

IFF

ER

PRECI SPARK CAR PARK RA TER ILWA RA Y CE

D MO

RL

A60

EY

MISSING BRIDGE 328

ST PRECI SPARK

FALCON STREET

MIDLAND MAIN LINE

RECYCLING & WASTE SITE

THE MISSING ENBANKMENT

NS

EE AD RO

RD

NC

NIO

RAILWAY TO BE REBUILT

AL

AN

LIFFE

100 m

DU

RNEC

N scale

AN

LOCOMOTIVE SHED

BRIDGE 331

GR

In recent years a lot of new members have joined Friends of the Great Central Main Line so for everyone's benefit it’s worth recapping the seven elements of the reunification scheme.

GCR(N)

QU

years it will be prohibitively expensive to put this bridge in. If we still have the 1969 vision of large steam locomotives rolling their wheels over a lengthy section of preserved main line, we must act. Add in the economic case demonstrated in the last few years plus other recent developments (the National Railway Museum / Leicester City Council museum project at Leicester North) then frankly we should reach out and grab this with both arms and whatever other limbs we can spare. The one compromise we’ll be making, for reasons of cost, is putting back a single, rather than double track link.

WHA

Take a walk north of the EMPRESS RD Locomotive Shed at Loughborough and you'll quickly Based on Ordnance Survey Mapping © Crown copyright - Media 068/13 come to the first one. The bridge over the Grand Union Canal is an above the road is determined by the size of original GCR structure (No.331) dating from the lorries that need to pass underneath it. around 1897. To carry trains again, it requires Meanwhile the angle it crosses the road at significant repairs. Given the style of the depends, in turn, on how the next section is surrounding buildings, the soundings we've tackled. That’s where the line runs behind the taken suggest should we have to replace it, a Preci-Spark factory. The old formation is now similar looking structure will be required. used by the firm as a car park so some Once across the canal, a brand new 300 metre negotiations are taking place. The southern embankment has to be constructed. abutment of the new bridge will be built at Discussions have taken place regarding where the end of this section, so any outstanding the material might come from, and what issues will be resolved before Network Rail roll techniques, (not available to the Victorian up their sleeves.

Navvies) could be used. Next we come to the At last, we're ready to stride across the bridge which crosses Railway Terrace, (the Midland line itself. There's no wonder this has road to Loughborough's refuse depot). This become the “Poster Boy” part of the whole section is pivotal; the height of the bridge MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 3

project - the oft referred to “Gap”. It is after all the most dramatic section. A large steam locomotive hauling a heritage train while modern units hurtle beneath at 100mph? It's 200 years of the railway story summed up in 30 metres of track. The bridge will be in two spans - which will be the ones rescued from Reading. In the centre there will be a pier, just south of Platform No.2 at Loughborough Midland station. At the northern side, another abutment will connect the bridge to the surviving stub of the embankment, which leads to the metals of the Great Central Railway (Nottingham). In the future it is still the intention to create some sort of interchange station here (another cost saving achieved by single track, is only one platform will be required). So far, that's six pieces to the jigsaw; canal, embankment, Railway Terrace, Preci-Spark, Main Line, and reunification. The seventh piece is the road bridge over the A60, just a few yards onto the GCR(N) section. This is another original GCR structure which requires repairs to see it in good shape for the years ahead.

0 A6

FAIRH AM BR

OOK

RUDDINGTON

NOTTINGHAM HERITAGE CENTRE (RUDDINGTON FIELDS)

RUSHCLIFFE HALT

BRITISH GYPSUM

EAST LEAKE STATION KINGSTON BROOK

EAST LEAKE

EAST LEAKE TUNNEL

STANFORD VIADUCT

LOUGHBOROUGH MIDLAND STATION ‘THE GAP’ RIV

LOUGHBOROUGH CENTRAL STATION

R OA

ER S

LOUGHBOROUGH GRAND

UNION

CANAL

MIDLAND MAIN LINE BARROW UPON SOAR

QUORNDON QUORN & WOODHOUSE STATION

A6 MOUNTSORREL QUARRIES SWITHLAND RESERVOIR

BOND LANE HALT MOUNTSORREL MOUNTSORREL BRANCH ROTHLEY

SWITHLAND SIDINGS

scale 1 mile

ROTHLEY STATION

RIVER SOAR

N

ROTHLEY BROOK

A46 BIRSTALL

LEICESTER NORTH STATION

GREENACRES & ‘THE PLATFORM’

After the close up, let’s cut to the wide shot.

The grand map of the eighteen mile line, stretching almost between cities continues to entice. A whole greater than the sum of the parts; an internationally renowned railway.

Even better, the route will be linked into the national network, opening up business opportunities. Together with the newly established Mountsorrel branch line, communities are reconnected, as are the attractions which lie along the way. That’s a vision councils and destination management agencies share. Taking day trippers and giving them enough to become weekend stayers.

The benefits across the East Midlands service sector are obvious.

Before we get ahead of ourselves its important to be clear. This will be an incredible start but we’re not in a position to Based on Ordnance Survey Mapping © Crown copyright Media 068/13

sell you a ticket for the first train between Leicester North and Ruddington Fields yet.

Put the bridge in and we still have the rest to do - the physical work and the fundraising.

However, far from being a bridge to nowhere, our Bridge to the Future is just that. An encouragement to finish the job. We’re not just going to let it stand there! We believe momentum towards a “Golden Spike” will increase once this publicity grabbing element is complete. We’ve already held constructive discussions with other people who’d like to be involved. On the subject of pace, there’s one other revelation to share. This project is already active. A GCR stakeholder has very generously loaned £100,000 meaning a design team is at work, right now. We expect a planning application will be made later this year, with shovels going into the ground early in 2015. All being well, the bridge will be in place just twenty four months from now.

I’ve already invoked the ideals of 1969 in this article. It was the first of many pivotal moments in the modern history of the Great Central. Since then we have come through so much; the early days when James Tawse kept creditors at bay;1976 when the PLC was formed and Bill Ford negotiated and underwrote the purchase of the track from BR;1989 when David Clarke announced his investment in the double track project. As Nigel Harris and GCR Development bring us to this latest major milestone, we stand on the shoulders of all the visionaries who have gone before. Many haven’t lived to see this day but we owe it to their memories to make it happen. It’s a debt to Network Rail too. Their offer is serious; an opportunity that doesn’t come along every day. Failure at this stage would damage our credibility and therefore future relationship with this important partner.

So to come back to the two points I made at the start of the article, we need one million pounds and we need it now. We are launching our Bridge to the Future Appeal.

You’ll find an appeal form and a prepaid

Bridgeto theFuture

envelope with the posting of this edition of Main Line. Fill out the form, stick it in the envelope with a cheque and we’re off! We’ll be spreading the word over the weeks ahead, beyond our core supporter base, into the locality and the wider preservation world. We need strength of numbers, so by all means tell fellow enthusiasts, tell your friends, neighbours and colleagues. Our two recent appeals (for Lovatt House and the Loughborough Central canopy) have been a success which proves we have generous supporters and a fundraising team able to chase down grants. This is different though.

For starters it’s double the sum we’ve ever sought to raise by appeal. We don’t have the luxury of a long timescale either.

However, we do believe it is achievable. It is not an amount of money to be frightened of.

As always, every pound raised, is a pound less to chase. Your standing orders of £5 or £10 a month to The David Clarke Railway Trust or to buy shares in the PLC are very welcome - and please for goodness sake don’t stop them but for this appeal, we need to take a different tack. Here’s a good sum. If everyone reading this first initial mail out was to MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 5

Another scene to be repeated! LNER B17 Class 4-6-0 No.2861 “Sheffield Wednesday” crosses the Stanford Viaduct just north of the Midland Main Line. JOHN P WILSON/RAIL ARCHIVE STEPHENSON

donate just £175 we’d ease past the target.

Once again we’re pushing out into the teeth of a recession and some will not feel able to make a commitment like that. However, we’d still urge you to give what you can. Speaking of DCRT, as ever they are on side, ready to administer your ring fenced donations. That means if you are a UK taxpayer and can make the Gift Aid declaration, the government will top up your donations by 25%. To return to the example above, if everyone gave £175 and could tick the Gift Aid box, we would smash the target for the Midland bridge and have a handsome sum left over to complete another element in the reunification chain.

What an incentive that is!

You will undoubtedly have many questions, for which as yet there are no answers.

Building the bridge will certainly sharpen minds to find the solutions. What time will the first train leave on a Saturday? How will events run? Which stock and from what shed? These 6 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

are the details to come. For both halves of the GCR reunification is the biggest possible change. However, right now we need to focus on the immediate task. Let’s raise this money, let’s keep our side of the partnership. For if we fail, the big vision is over.

So if you've ever furrowed your brow at that small gap in the black line on the map, or dreamed of watching a steam train triumphantly carried aloft above the Midland, then stop wishing and please reach for your chequebook, or go online to donate. We need your help and belief to raise one million pounds. Please make that donation today and let’s build that Bridge to the Future.

Thank you. Our biggest adventure yet is about to begin.

For more information head to www.gcrailway.co.uk/unify/

Reunification- The biggest project in railway preservation

Dennis Wilcock in conversation with Nigel Harris Well Nigel, it is six months since we last met. Is there much progress to report?

There has been major progress and it has all been happening very fast. And we must thank our three non-executive directors Robin Owen, Jim Steer and particularly Prof Andrew McNaughton who has come up with engineering solutions at every turn. It has been five years of intense behind the scenes work which is now coming to fruition.

You say that things are now moving fast. What is forcing that along?

Last Christmas things were in a state of flux.

Negotiations with Lafarge regarding stone traffic reached a conclusion. With the economy in the doldrums, particularly in the building and construction industries, and with potential mergers and takeovers, Lafarge could not commit, at this stage, to bringing out stone along the Mountsorrel Branch. So there was an urgent need to re-configure the project. We were also caught between a rock and a hard place. With the electrification of the Midland Main Line it is imperative to get the bridge in place before that happens. The line could be bridged afterwards but it would be much more difficult and expensive. With Network Rail already doing enabling works along the route and our expectation that the line at Loughborough would be electrified around 2017 we had to move fast.

All this sounds a serious threat to the whole project?

Not at all. The first thing to say is that the reunification team worked extremely hard to find a solution and came up with one that is technically and financially achievable. And we

were driven by the thought that we must realise the dreams of our 1969 pioneers who envisaged a main line between Leicester and Nottingham.

Without the need to accommodate stone traffic the cost of the whole project is substantially reduced. The north curve at Mill Spinney would no longer be required. Our line from Swithland Sidings to Loughborough would no longer need substantial upgrading. So the costs are dramatically reduced.

And the bridge over the Midland Main Line?

We will now use the two Reading bridges to form a single track crossing of the MML. A north and south abutment will be built with the Reading bridges placed end on with a central supporting pier. And we have a firm cost from Network Rail for its installation - £1M! Remember that back in 2008 Atkins assessed the cost of a bridge at £2.3M! We have achieved another massive saving.

And what of Networks Rail’s involvement?

They have been incredibly supportive from the start and from top to bottom of the organisation.

They have a team of three to four enthusiastic engineers working on the project who have verified its feasibility. They have been very thorough and are planning to talk to many parties including Preci Spark who are collaborating on ways that the line might negotiate their car park.

They have examined and surveyed the whole route and access to the building site and they have come up with the £1M price tag. We have passed on all the hard work that Tony Sparks did on the feasibility of the scheme, the Atkins Report, the topographical survey and lots of other MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 7

information we have secured. So they have been given a very professional head start.

the gap. What would our progenitors of 1969 think if we now let them down?

So what will this mean in terms of building the bridge?

The really big news! Network Rail will act as contractors to the Great Central Railway plc and build the bridge across the Midland Main Line!

We have the most experienced contractor possible at a price that we can afford (with the input of all our many supporters) and we have control of the whole project.

With the Midland Bridge underway what are the next steps?

We have talked in the past about the need for a Transport and Works Order and its £2M cost.

Remember that a TWAO includes approval for land purchase, planning and operational procedures. With now no land to purchase we can proceed on a local basis without the need for a TWAO. We will need to obtain planning permission and undergo all the local consultations that are required and then apply for an operational license when that is required. This process reduces costs and allows bite size chunks to be tackled. We have already had discussions with Charnwood Borough Council who advise that we should apply for planning permission for the whole reunification project rather than just for the MML bridge on its own.

This is fantastic news. But what is in it for Network Rail?

Network Rail see this very much as a community project that will benefit the local and regional East Midlands economy bringing in jobs and money to the area. They are very committed to this. But we must realise that they will be doing this on a commercial basis. They will not be putting public money in to this project.

And the timescale for all this?

I have already said that we believe that the MML will be electrified in 2017. The bridge needs to be in and finished well before then. If all goes to plan we might see some preliminary works started later in 2014 and the Reading bridges put in place early in 2015 and with the final completion extending into 2015. Very soon!

So how do we proceed?

The first critical piece in the jigsaw is money.

With a £1M price tag we need to pay a deposit of £100K to seal the contract and get the work started. We have already secured a loan of £100K so we can sign a contract but we now need the input of all our supporters, both Friends and GCR shareholders and others who we bring into the scheme. You will see in the pages of this issue an appeal for funds and an appeal leaflet. This issue of Main Line is being sent not just to members but to GCR shareholders who are not Friends so that we have the widest possible circulation of our supporters. We need to raise that £1M so that we will finally have the prospect of an intercity line between Leicester and Nottingham.

This is a once and for all opportunity and we must not fail. If we miss this window of opportunity it will be much more difficult in the future to bridge 8 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

And do we have political support for all this?

Our local MP Nicky Morgan has been fantastic.

We owe her a great debt of gratitude. As part of being a strong supporter of our proposals she has arranged meetings with the MPs along the line of the route - Ken Clarke at Rushcliffe, Lilian Greenwood at Nottingham South - and all have expressed strong support for our project.

And when we have a bridge over the MML what of the other bridges and embankment Once the MML bridge is underway we will have contractors on site and have built up a considerable physical and financial momentum.

We need to maintain that momentum to start looking at the canal bridge, the bridge over Railway Terrace and embankment. But that is the next stage.

So its all systems go?

It certainly is! We need everyone to step up to the mark and give us the financial support to get the bridge over the MML. With that we have a springboard to the future to the steam powered main line from Leicester to Nottingham. We cannot fail now at this watershed moment. We will deliver the dreams of our pioneers of 1969 and provide a unique asset to the whole of the East Midlands.

FORWARD!

ISSUE 155 SUMMER 2013 ISSN 0264-7028

MainLine From the Chairman Contents Bridge to the Future Reunification From the Chairman Editorial From the Managing Director Leicester Museum Bridge over the Midland Main Line Raising the Roof Friends EGM Notice Friends AGM Notice Stations Report Carriage & Wagon Chronicle Woodworking on the Railway Permanent Way Progress Steam Roller to the Rescue Steam Locomotive News Coal Tank No.1054 Bagnalls “Alfred” and “Judy” No.3 “Sir Haydn” Derailment of No.46521 Diesel Locomotive News “King Richard III” at Leicester Formative Years – A Sequel S&T Report Full Steam Ahead at Greenacres Mountsorrel Branch Closure of the Country Stations News from the Line Through the Letterbox Area Group News

2 7 10 12 13 16 17 20 22 23 25 35 40 41 43 45 54 57 58 59 61 66 67 68 70 72 76 84 91 95

Andy Fillingham, Chairman, Friends of the Great Central Main Line I have been the Chairman of Friends of Great Central Main Line for three years, but this is by far the most exciting edition of Main Line I’ve had the pleasure of introducing. An agreement has been reached with Network Rail to build the bridge over the Midland Main Line. This isn't a flight of fancy. It is a real partnership with the experts and you will find all of the details in this magazine. It's the start of the reunification of the Great Central Railway - and what a place to start - with the part of the whole project that is the most important of them all!

We now need to raise £1 million pounds to build our Bridge to the Future. Friends of the Great Central Main Line are delighted to be completely behind this campaign and we've arranged for this edition of Main Line to also reach any GCR plc shareholders who are not members.

They will still receive their formal invitation to the plc AGM, but this news is too good - and the cause too great to wait. With this magazine you will find a pre-paid envelope along with the Bridge to the Future appeal leaflet. I urge you to please give whatever you can today and, if you are eligible, make the Gift Aid declaration.

Elsewhere, our Railway has enjoyed a positive start to the year with some of our key events performing very well. A new event, the Swithland Steam Gala was a strong performer. Yes, there was an incident with the

FRONT COVER: Bridge to the Future Appeal FRONT COVER INSET: On 10th August, 1963 BR Standard Class Five No.73010 crosses the Midland Main Line with a holiday express from Portsmouth. T G HEPBURN/ RAIL ARCHIVE STEPHENSON MAIN PHOTO: Bagnalls “Alfred” and “Judy” at Swithland on 26th April, 2013. ALAN WEAVER REAR COVER: No.47406 and No.46521 approach Quorn & Woodhouse on 27th April, 2013. STEVE BOTTRILL ©2013. Published on 1st June, 2013 by Friends of the Great Central Main Line, Lovatt House, 3 Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, LE11 1SL www.gcrailway.co.uk/friends Printed in England by Information Press, Eynsham, OX29 4JB. Tel: 01865 882 588

10 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

derailment of the Ivatt 2 locomotive at Quorn & Woodhouse Station, which did cause some disruption, but many of you have written to say how impressed you were with the swift and professional way services were restored and the locomotive recovered. What is clear is the Swithland gala gave you the opportunity to watch the Railway from a new and different vantage point. I am sure we'll be repeating the event next year and having received and acted on the feedback from this year’s visitors, I am sure that next year’s experience will be even better.

A few days before the Swithland gala, problems with the brick arch inside the visiting GWR King Class locomotive nearly forced the cancellation of a major photographic charter.

Rather than disappoint our visitors, a spare brick arch was sourced in Devon at 4pm, driven through the evening and then fitted overnight. The next morning, the locomotive was in steam, on time. Examples like this should make us all feel proud, not only of our railway, but also of the team of people who regularly go above and beyond to make things happen.

When we work together, great things happen!

So that's what we need even more of now: Team Work. Things are happening around the Railway all the time and I hope that you feel as inspired as I do. New partnerships, new projects, new members - and you can read all about it, right here. I cannot recall a time when there was so much to be optimistic about. Your commitment, plus the time and money you give makes all the difference. Let’s get to work and deliver our Bridge to the Future!

Bridge over the Midland

Page 17

Coal Tank No.1054

Page 54

Country Stations

Page 76

Andy MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 11

MainLine is published quarterly on the first day of March, June, September and December Main Line promotes, reports and disseminates information on the past, present and future activities and plans of the Great Central Railway from Leicester North to Ruddington. It provides an informative, educational, entertaining medium and discussion forum on all related issues FOGCML: Members receive Main Line and ensure the continued development of the Great Central Railway.

Please encourage a friend to join.

MAGAZINE INFORMATION: Each quarter 4800 copies are distributed to members and sold to the general public at the Railway’s and Ian Allan shops.

EDITORIAL TEAM: Ian Allison, George Green, Nigel Smith and Dennis Wilcock EDITORIAL ADDRESS: North Cottage, Newton on Rawcliffe, Pickering, YO18 8QA. Tel: 01751 477 012 Email: dennis.wilcock@btopenworld.com ADVERTISING RATES: Advertisements on colour pages carry a 50% premium. Small advertisements are charged at 25p per word (minimum 20 words). Advertising space must be booked and paid for 2 months prior to publication. Orders, copy & artwork and cheques (payable to FOGCML) should be sent to the editorial address above.

SIZE PER ISSUE PER YEAR (4 ISSUES) Full Page £90.00 £324.00 Half Page £45.00 £162.00 Third Page £30.00 £108.00 Quarter Page £22.50 £81.00 ARTICLES, LETTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHS: The editors welcome items of relevance to the Great Central Railway. Articles should be in Word Format and submitted by email or on disc. Letters should be brief and include the membership number. The editors reserve the right to edit material for clarity and length.

Photographic prints should be a minimum of 6’’ by 4’’ in colour or black & white. Digital images, in colour, should have a minimum file size of 1Mb. Individual photographs may be sent by email. Multiple images should be sent on disc or via the ftp website www.wetransfer.com. Please include your name and caption details. Photographs may be used on the web sites or other publications of the FOGCML or any of the GCR companies. Photographers must comply with access restrictions on the GCR. If material is to be returned please enclose a SAE. COPY DATE FOR MAIN LINE No.156 29th JULY, 2013 The opinions and views expressed in Main Line are not to be interpreted as representing the views or policies of the editors, Friends of the Great Central Main Line or any other company associated with the Great Central Railway. No responsibility for the quality of goods or services provided by the advertisers in Main Line can be accepted by the editors or Friends of the Great Central Main Line.

12 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

From the Editor Dennis Wilcock Tremendous, Stupendous, Fantastic!

How else can one describe the news that the GCR has contracted non other than Network Rail to build the bridge over the Midland Main Line and close a Gap that has existed for more than thirty years? And who can fail to give the maximum possible support to the Bridge to the Future appeal described in this issue of Main Line along with the accompanying Appeal Leaflet?

The GCR has always demanded superlatives for the depth and strength of its ambitions and achievements and there could be nothing more spectacular than this. The real prospect is that we can now achieve the vision of 1969 when, in the darkest days of the GCR’s closure, there were enthusiasts who dared to dream of a steam operated main line running from Leicester to Nottingham. Now we have the opportunity to realise that dream and create an 18 mile intercity railway.

It is news that will be blazoned across the whole heritage world in the coming weeks and months but Friends and GCR Shareholders will have heard of it first through these pages. It is a uniquely exciting message to deliver and rests on the back of some extremely hard and skilled work of a small team within the GCR plc and GCRD. It is a privilege for Main Line to deliver this message and one that is contained within our first ever 100 page issue!

This is a chance not to be missed; the major element and standard bearer for the Reunification Project.

The Gap can be bridged by the most competent contractor. And once this task is complete the door is open to the re-building of the missing embankment and the re-building or renewing of the other bridges on the route. Book your place in history and support the appeal with all possible speed. The bridge over the Midland Main Line can be in place within two years!

Can there ever have been, in the days of the preservation of the GCR, a better reason to say – FORWARD!

From the Managing Director of the GCR Bill Ford reveals the performance and plans of the Great Central Railway plc Despite the atrocious weather in February through to mid April, 2013 our turnover figures have increased by £100k in the first 10 weeks of the year, which we simply have to maintain if we are to cover the increasing overheads which are hitting all Heritage Railways. In the last 5 years our insurance premiums have gone up by 25% and our Council Tax by a similar percentage. If you add to that the cost of fuel and coal the picture is not a pleasant one and certainly causes ongoing concern as we continue to battle with infrastructure improvements made possible by major stakeholders, supporting GCR plc.

At critical times the weather has in fact not been as unkind as it could have been. In the run up to the January Gala everyone was snowbound and it looked like a disaster was about to happen.

However, on the Wednesday a thaw commenced and although the North and West Midlands still suffered we were able to run a full gala which resulted in excellent revenue and attendance.

Costs were kept low.

Again with Peppa Pig in early March we had an excellent result although the weather took a turn for the worse early in the week and continued with fog and some rain. This helped the outstations cafés and the overall result was a great success. At the end of the month the Easter Vintage Festival brought us the best two weeks combined Easter and holiday period that we have had. The weather was freezing which helped as our families alternated between station cafés, the steam gallopers and the trains, so where we thought we would have few visitors, in fact, as for the January Gala, year on year the figures went up from £125k to £175k. It is our belief that at last we are beginning to see the benefit of our intended conversion from a ride on a steam train

to a full day out with the family at GCR, now that we have so much more to offer.

As well as continuing to develop the commercial side of the railway we continue our in depth discussions, both with the Leicester Museum Project and Reunification with endless meetings and a great deal of midnight oil by a team of people working with us to ensure that both projects end successfully. During the first week of April we held tripartite discussions between the NRM, Leicester City Council and GCR plc in York. These were highly successful and the Museum project is on schedule with a Project Manager appointed by the time this Main Line comes through your front door! The amount of ongoing work and negotiations is awe inspiring with very little help from our own staff and no possibility of employing more people to help.

As occasionally happens in business it is not always possible to plan development and one has to accept opportunities as they come along and this is exactly what has happened to us, in that after many years of effort by numerous people, the Reunification Project is under way. These notes are being written prior to some very serious and ongoing discussions with Network Rail, which we hope will result in a major breakthrough towards our having 18 miles of main line track available for further development.

We could see a bridge over the Midland Main Line being completed in the first quarter of 2015.

However, this is not the end of the costs as we then have to address the major amounts of money required to join up the North and South and all that that entails to benefit all parties. With this posting of Main Line you will find a Bridge to the Future appeal leaflet seeking donations.

Vital, the exceptionally well run apprentice training company, who already have two of our units at Greenacres for 26 apprentices are in discussion with us for further joint development in several areas which include taking up two more units which will bring the Greenacres area into MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 13

profitability. It also has the added advantage of increasing the apprenticeship intake into other safety critical areas and proving to Sir Peter Soulsby and Leicester City Council that their choice of having GCR plc take on Greenacres was the correct one. The more people we can employ in partnership with Vital the more it benefits the area around Leicester by improving employment with local unemployed having the opportunity to work and learn skills which they would not have had in the past.

In Main Line No.154 there was an excellent article on the Swithland Viaduct written and researched by Dennis Wilcock and Shawn Sanders. The Earl of Lanesborough was a personal friend of mine and of much more importance a tremendous friend of our railway, who deserves to be fully established along with David Clarke, who joined us on the Board in 1978.

These two individuals are icons the like of which will not readily present themselves in the future.

We are in the process of finalising the accounts for last year in preparation for the AGM on 13th July, 2013. The losses have been reduced and

hopefully with the current income figures showing progress we will be able to further improve the balance sheet. We will treat the Greenacres project separately as it is a new venture and we are satisfied with progress.

As always without the tremendous help of staff and volunteers we simply could not achieve anything, but we must remind ourselves how much it would cost the railway if it was fully manned by having to employ paid staff. We have relied on the generosity of volunteers and also by a few stakeholders, without whom this railway could not exist in anything like its present format.

For individuals to have such faith in our continued ability to succeed we must be grateful.

The vision of an 18 mile main line railway connected to a full size museum on the outskirts of Leicester is something that no one could have imagined when the company went public in 1976.

It takes dedication and team work and whilst there is still some way to go we do not have the in fighting which is so destructive and which affects some other Heritage Railways. On behalf of the Board thank you all for all that you have done and do to keep us going FORWARD – together.

No.48624 runs to Kinchley Lane on 27th April, 2013 during the Swithland Steam Gala. CLIVE HANLEY 14 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Forthcoming Events on the GCR

A programme of seasonal festivities on the GCR June

August

2nd - Quorn Swapmeet Another chance to grab that bargain

2nd - Murder Mystery Diner

1st & 2nd - Meet the Moshi Monsters!

Bring the children along to meet the real monsters from the on-line game

7th to 9th - 1940s Wartime Weekend Re-enactors, military vehicles, mock battles, flypasts and, of course, lots of trains. Come along and revel in the nostalgia of the 1940s 8th - Murder Mystery Diner 16th - Father’s Day Sunday Luncheon Dining Train Come on ladies now its dad’s turn to enjoy our luxury dining train as it glides through the Charnwood countryside

1st - Teddy Bears’ Picnic The Teddy Bears are back for more family fun at the school holiday sale.

4th - Toy and Train Fair All the toys and trains will be at Loughborough Central 6th to 8th - Teddy Bears’ Picnic Here come the Teddy Bears for an affordable family day of fun and steam train rides 16th - Murder Mystery Diner 23rd - French Evening Diner

21st - Murder Mystery Diner

24th to 26th - Family Fun Weekend Steam train rides, entertainment and activities for all members of the family

July

September

3rd -

Maharaja Express Diner

6th & 7th - Summer Steam Fayre Plenty of steam action with turntable and mail drop action at Quorn & Woodhouse. View the Carriage & Wagon Workshops at Rothley 12th - Murder Mystery Diner 23rd to 25th - Teddy Bears’ Picnic Meet Billy the Bear and picnic with the Teddy Bears. The GCR’s school holiday sale affordable all weather fun 26th Murder Mystery Diner 30th & 31st - Teddy Bears’ Picnic Another chance to meet the Teddy Bears

1st - Quorn Swapmeet Be there soon to grab that long sought after bargain 7th & 8th - Diesel Gala The diesels are coming out! Intensive service with our home grown fleet. Watch out for visiting guests 13th - Murder Mystery Diner 20th - Pullman Wine Tasting 20th to 22nd - Beer Festival Over fifty ales and ciders to sample at both ends of the line and on the trains. A really great event to enjoy that tipple.

27th - Murder Mystery Diner

GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY

LOVATT HOUSE, 3 WHARNCLIFFE ROAD, LOUGHBOROUGH, LE11 1SL General Enquiries Telephone: Loughborough (01509) 632 323 Fax: Loughborough (01509) 632 366 Internet: www.gcrailway.co.uk email: booking_office@gcrailway.co.uk

The Leicester Railway Museum - A partnership between Leicester City Council, the National Railway Museum and the Great Central Railway - Tom Ingall Reports

With such exciting news elsewhere in this edition of Main Line it would be easy to overlook the other major - and railway changing - project on the go. However, the proposal to create a brand new museum at Leicester North works hand in glove with reunification. What better confidence booster could there be for our partners, Leicester City Council and the National Railway Museum than to know the completed attraction will be a destination not just at the end of an eight mile track, but an eighteen mile main line? Or a lightning rod for charter trains from anywhere on the national railway network for that matter?

While we are still in the early phases (you’ll notice we don’t have artists impressions to share with you yet) great steps forward have been taken in the last three months. Leicester City Council have completed a survey of the land around our southern terminus and started to discuss the vision with the railway’s immediate neighbours. This means physical options for the complex and how it connects to the GCR can be properly appraised in terms of feasibility.

In early April, 2013 the three partners were represented at a brainstorming exercise at the National Railway Museum. Having successfully opened an annexe already, (the popular Locomotion at Shildon) the NRM team have lots of expertise to share; everything from running costs, visitor flow and how to win over the different types of audience who will visit. As set out in the tripartite letter of intent, the key concept which makes the Leicester North project different from other parts of the NRM, is the fact the operational railway will be right alongside. Not only will regular train arrivals and departures create a buzz around the site, but objects can be shown in an everyday context. We can display a stationary wagon, looking pristine and painted - and then present the clanking hardworking reality in a freight train. Operational members of the locomotive fleet can be displayed too.

In the last magazine we appealed for your suggestions for the stories you want to see represented in the museum. Thank you for all your ideas which have been fed back to the project team. Careful thought is being put into the themes that should be covered and how they are directly relevant to Leicester. As well as the arrival of the Midland and Great Central Lines in the city, the impact of the Leicester and Swannington route - and how it gave the pit owners of Leicestershire a competitive edge, cannot be ignored. As part of this process, a Long List of items from the national collection (including locomotive and rolling stock) which could find a home at Leicester North has been drawn up. Combine that with the basic site work already done by Leicester City Council and we can start to design the exhibition spaces and therefore the museum from the inside out. There are many smaller decisions to make too. Should we have space for temporary exhibitions? How can we work effectively with community groups who are around the railway to make the museum feel indispensable to the city?

The result of the brainstorming day was an action plan and a timescale for key decisions going forward.

It is still the intention to bid for Heritage Lottery monies and the closing date this year is the 30th of November, 2013. One important piece of news, is funding is now in place to appoint a project manager to oversee this immediate phase. Besides preparing the bid itself, there are many supporting documents to draw up, business projections, education policies and conservation plans to pick three at random.

There is simply too much to leave to volunteers or existing staff.

Leicester is bidding to be the city of culture for 2017. As such the spotlight is on the areas industrial heritage. The museum project is in the spotlight at just the right time. As the pace accelerates towards the HLF bid - and beyond, the key news about the project will be presented either in Main Line, or on the web at the Great Central website in the Main Line Xtra section. As members, you’ll have a ringside seat for a hugely exciting period of development which has the potential to transform a visit to, and ensure the long term prospects of, the GCR. 16 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

The Bridge over the Midland Main Line The history of the original Bridge No.328 - Dennis Wilcock

for a contract price of £548,835.

This contract included the building of the bridge over the Midland Main Line at Loughborough, Bridge No.328

The completed Bridge No.328 over the Midland Main Line viewed on 21st August, 1897. Note that the embankment to the north (on the left) has yet to be completed. S W A NEWTON /LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

As far as bridges go there was nothing special or splendid about the Great Central Railway’s bridge over the Midland Main Line at Loughborough. In fact the bridge has gained more significance by its absence than it ever did in the almost 90 years of its existence.

The construction of the Great Central Railway’s London Extension was divided into a Northern and a Southern Division. The Northern Division ran from Annesley to Rugby with Sir Edward Parry in charge of the detailed design of the line and its structures and then with its construction.

Within this division three construction contracts were let with Contract No.2 for the construction of the 16 mile 36 chain section from East Leake to Aylestone being awarded to Henry Lovatt of Wolverhampton

Bridge No.328 followed the practise of Sir Edward in being functional with none of the design elaboration often associated with Victorian structures. Perhaps this reflected the need to keep construction costs to an absolute minimum for the cash strapped railway.

The bridge itself was a wrought iron girder bridge of four spans and built on a slight skew across the Midland line. Girders were used as the combination of span and height made brick spans impractical. From the north the details of the bridge dimensions were as follows: Span No. 1 2 3 4

Height Skew Span Square Span 14ft 6in 32ft 6in 27ft 6in 14ft 8in 33ft 0in 27ft 8in 14ft 8in 32ft 0in 27ft 10in 15ft 8in 32ft 0in 27ft 10in

A scene we will see again.

On 10th August, 1963 BR Standard Class Five No.73010 crosses the Midland Main Line with a holiday express from Portsmouth. No.73156 will be able to reproduce this scene. T G HEPBURN /RAIL ARCHIVE STEPHENSON MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 17

Peak No.82 enters Loughborough Midland circa October, 1973.

On the GCR line the north embankment has gone (left), shutters on the bridge stop spoil falling on to the line below, the south embankment still exists and Bridge No.329 over Railway Terrace is visible on the extreme right. NIGEL TOUT

The lines of the Midland Railway ran through spans 2 and 3. Presumably spans 1 and 4 were provided to allow for expansion of the Midland line but these were never used. Had it been a bridge of just two spans the task of rebuilding that is now faced would have been that much simpler. Between the bridge abutments the bridge was supported on three blue brick piers with stone used for the girder beds, the centre one between the Slow and Fast Midland lines being more substantial than the over two. With locomotives reaching a height of 13ft 3in the 14ft 8in clearance over the Midland lines was tight, a fact that was to lead to the demolition of the bridge some 90 years later.

The Parliamentary Bill authorising construction of the London Extension received Royal Assent on 28th March, 1893.

Construction commenced in November, 1894 with the clearance of the route. As was normal practise the structures on the line, bridges, viaducts and culverts, were usually built first and when completed the embankments and cuttings were completed linking the structures together.

the

the bridge was completed by August, 1897 to allow time for the construction of the north and south embankments to be completed. The bridge then came into increased use as the line then progressively opened to goods and passenger traffic with the formal opening at Marylebone by the Right Hon C T Ritchie, President of the Board of Trade to being on 9th March, 1899. Through passenger traffic commenced on 15th March and good traffic on 11th April. Nottingham Victoria, the joint station with the Great Northern Railway, opened on 24th May, 1900. More traffic was generated when the branch to Banbury, departing from the GCR line at Culworth Junction, was opened to coal and goods traffic on 1st June, 1900 and to passenger traffic on 13th August allowing the GCR to expand its services on cross country routes to the South West and South Wales.

No record exists of the stages in building of Bridge No.328 but with the line opening to Bridge No.328 in September, 1977. Grass is coal traffic on 25th July, 1898 growing on the unused track. F R HARTLEY /LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

18 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

On 25th August, 1973 the embankment north of the Grand Union Canal is removed to be used to build the chord north of the Midland Main Line. The bulldozer in the background stands on Bridge No.329. W R SQUIRES

From then on Bridge No.328 led a fairly anonymous existence as one would expect of any railway structure. In the 1950s and ’60s the end of the Midland station platform on the south side provided a good vantage point for train spotters and the occasional photographer where trains on the Midland line and those crossing the GCR bridge could be viewed. Bridge No.328 otherwise led a quiet existence until 1969 when the Great Central’s route finally closed.

The bridge and its embankments north and south then remained untouched for a while. The British Gypsum Works at Hotchley Hill and the MoD Depot at Ruddington continued to be served by rail from Nottingham. However, in 1973 it was decided that the remaining lines from Nottingham should close and be removed. To allow this to happen a new chord was built from the Midland Main Line east of the former Great Central route to join the GCR route north of the Midland Line so that British Gypsum and the MoD would then be served by rail from the south.

Material to build the new embankment required for the chord was taken from the embankment between the Grand Union Canal Bridge (No.331) and Bridge No.328

and the embankment immediately north of Bridge No.328. Unusually, presumably to save cost, the bridge itself was left in situ leaving it stranded. And so Bridge No.328, the bridge over the Midland Main Line, sat in splendid isolation with its embankments north and south now gone.

Such was the situation until the late 1970s when proposals were made to electrify the Midland Main Line. With its small clearances Bridge No.328 presented an obstacle to overhead wires and so it was finally removed in 1980. Thirty years later it does indeed seem that the Midland line will be electrified. Nothing like forward planning!

And so, for the Great Central route to be reinstated Bridge No.328 needs to be put back and its embankments north and south rebuilt. To achieve reunification the Gap needs to be closed.

In the winter of 1979/80 Bridge No.328 stands ready for final demolition. The south span has already gone. NIGEL TOUT MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 19

So nearly there - but with some bills still to pay! Tom Ingall and Tony Sparks report on the progress of the appeal for - and the repairs to Loughborough Central’s grade II listed canopy.... site and out of the limelight. It has involved hundreds of thousands of man hours. We should thank the Operations Department for facilitating the repairs whilst keeping the railway running.

Funding the project has been just as demanding.

It has needed a legacy, large donations, regular smaller Standing Orders and lots and lots of tin rattling. We have also received grants from The Wolfson Foundation, The Pilgrim Trust, Biffaward, Garfield Weston and The Edith Murphy Foundation. Your contribution has been outstanding.

The last trimmer beam being removed from Phase 3b on 19th February, 2013. BRAIN SCREATON

Here’s Tony with the latest news about how the money is being spent… Here we are on the cusp of completing Phase 3b at the north end of Platform No.1. Even the projects team, who by now are getting used to the ups and downs of progressing this great task, are becoming quite excited as the end of the job, quite literally gets closer and closer.

All the dirty work has been completed, all the repair work finished (apart from the huge behind the scenes task of sorting and improving the original hip and ridge timbers), and now we are on the downward slope of getting it all together.

The end of the marathon is in sight. A little over three years since we launched the Raising the Roof appeal, work is all but complete on Loughborough Central’s Canopy making the town's Phase Where crystal palace fit for another Test Platform No.2 century of service. And the 1a Platform north end project has been demanding.

1b Platform south end Enormous credit is due to everyone who has been Southern section Platform 2a involved with the project.

No.2 and central arcade From coordinating the 2b Remainder of Platform No.2 work, through to our 3a First part of Platform No.1 engineers and contractors, plus the volunteers who 3b Second part of Platform No.1 have repaired, manufactured 4 Street level entrance and painted components off

Bays

Status

2

Completed January, 2007

3

Completed September, 2010

6

Completed July, 2011

6

Completed February, 2012

5

Completed July, 2012

6

Completed February, 2013

6

One Last Push!

3

Completed March, 2012

Canopy Restoration Phases at a Glance

20 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Some of the guttering being prepared for reinstallation on 3rd April, 2013. TONY SPARKS

in new wood as necessary, but also in treating and painting them, in addition to the painting of all the new glazing bars, dagger boards, valance timbers and mouldings as well. A really challenging task, for which they must receive recognition.

At the time of writing (mid-April, 2013) we now have most of the gutters back up, with timbers being re-fitted, and following Trades being lined up to ensure continuity of work. By the time of publication, we ought to be seeing the glass going back in.

Gone are all the rusted and delaminated steels, and the nasty surprises revealed when the timbers were stripped. And there were indeed some nasty ones!

So on this last phase, we have completed the sandblasting, the Engineer’s inspection and the repairs to the steelwork, and have painted the framework. Some gutters were past it, and new castings needed to be made copying the existing exactly by making moulds of them and producing new castings. Some explanation is due here on the timberwork. Because of the condition of woodwork encountered at strip-out, we learnt early on that the only way forward was to provide new timbers throughout, except for the hip and ridge members. These special shapes bolt through the cast-iron main members in pairs, forming a flitch or sandwich, and were found, in the main, to be of a repairable state.

This has proved to be a millstone for the David Putt team working away unseen in the station workshops, and the sheer quantity of work has resulted in a great deal of pressure in achieving the deadlines imposed by the project bar-chart.

This team has been responsible for not only repairing and restoring these big timbers, piecing

In the last five years, more than six hundred thousand pounds has been spent repairing and improving Loughborough Central which give visitors a better experience. A thank you event is being planned for later in the year. The railway and The David Clarke Railway Trust will be contacting those of you who are due one of the appeal incentives shortly.

It isn't quite over. There are still bills to pay. If we want to go forward to the next big thing, these have to be settled. DCRT funds have been seriously depleted by the appeal. With more than 800 panes of glass in the project, each costing around £50 it's not hard to see why. Having come so far, let’s finish this off. Please consider giving another £10, online, by post, or through the window of a GCR Booking Office. If you can make the Gift Aid declaration using an appeal form that will make your donation go further.

Don't wait for others to make the difference. Be part of the team who can look upwards at Loughborough and say "I made that happen".

Some of the hip and ridge timbers in place on 20th April, 2013. TONY SPARKS MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 21

NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line will be held at Lovatt House, 3, Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, LE11 1SL immediately following the Great Central Railway PLC Annual General Meeting (scheduled to be held at 10.00am on Saturday 13 July 2013) for the purpose of considering, and if thought fit, pass the following Item 28(a) Resolution:THAT The Constitution of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line be amended as follows: 14. TENURE OF OFFICE (a) The order of rotation shall be determined by the Committee, but each election must renew the mandate of at least two Trustees annually, commencing in 2007.

Delete: “, commencing in 2007”.

20. COMMITTEE MEETINGS (g) (i): A resolution in writing or sent by facsimile or e-mail agreed by a simple majority of all the committee members entitled to receive notice of a meeting of the committee and to vote upon the resolution shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a meeting of the committee duly convened and held provided that: • a copy of the resolution is sent or submitted to all the committee members eligible to vote; and • a simple majority of the committee members has signified its agreement to the resolution in an authenticated document or documents which are received by the Chairman or General Secretary within a period of 28 days beginning with the circulation date.

Delete: “28”’.

Insert: “56”.

21. FRIENDS GENERAL MEETINGS (a) The Friends shall hold an Annual General Meeting every year before 31st August, commencing in 2007.

Delete: “, commencing in 2007”.

By Order of the Committee Lovatt House 3 Wharncliffe Road Loughborough Leicestershire LE11 1SL

S EVANS Secretary

27 April 2013 Admission will be by Membership card.

PROXIES A Member entitled to attend and vote at the above Meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote instead of him and such proxy need not also be a Member. The instrument appointing the Proxy must be deposited at the Lovatt House, 3 Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 1SL not less than 48 hours before the time of holding the meeting. A proxy is entitled to speak at the meeting.

22 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Seventh Annual General Meeting of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line will be held at Lovatt House, 3, Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, LE11 1SL immediately following the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line (scheduled to be held on Saturday 13 July 2013 immediately following the Great Central Railway PLC Annual General Meeting) and for the following purposes:1. To read and approve the minutes of the Sixth Annual General Meeting held on 14 July 2012.

2. Matters arising from the minutes.

3. To receive the Report of the Committee and approve the Independently Examined Accounts for the year ended 31 January 2013.

4. To elect and re-elect persons to the Committee:Messrs Alan Brassey and Andy Fillingham retire in accordance with the Constitution of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line and, being eligible, seek re-election.

The Committee also requests nominations for election to the Committee. Each nomination for election shall be proposed and seconded by Adult Members of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line and shall carry the Candidate’s written consent that they are willing to stand for election. The Candidate shall also provide his/her declaration of any financial interest in the Great Central Railway PLC during the previous financial year. “Financial interest” means an interest in Great Central Railway PLC as shareholder, employee, contractor, supplier or commercial customer. All nominations for election must be delivered to Lovatt House, 3, Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 1SL by Saturday 29 June 2013 at the latest. Nominations received after this date will be deemed invalid.

5. To elect Messrs Grant Thornton UK LLP as Independent Accountant to the Friends of the Great Central Main Line and to authorise the Committee to fix their remuneration.

By Order of the Committee Lovatt House 3, Wharncliffe Road Loughborough Leicestershire LE11 1SL

S EVANS Secretary

27 April 2013 Admission will be by Membership card.

PROXIES A Member entitled to attend and vote at the above Meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote instead of him and such proxy need not also be a Member. The instrument appointing the Proxy must be deposited at Lovatt House, 3, Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 1SL not less than 48 hours before the time of holding the meeting. A proxy is entitled to speak at the meeting.

Note Copies of the Report of the Committee and Statement of the Independently Examined Accounts for the Year ended 31 January 2013, together with the Minutes of the Sixth Annual General Meeting held on 14 July 2012 will be posted on the Friends of the Great Central Main Line pages on the Great Central Railway website (http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/friends/). Should any Member desire a hard copy of the Report and Accounts or the Minutes, they should apply to Friends of the Great Central Main Line, Lovatt House, 3 Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 1SL and a copy will be posted to you.

MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 23

.. the ..

Join

FRIENDS OF THE GREAT CENTRAL MAIN LINE supporting the “Greater” Great Central Railway

JOIN NOW TO SUPPORT THE GCR AND RECEIVE GREAT BENEFITS FOGCML is the supporters group to join if you want to play a part in preserving and operating our remarkable railway By joining us you’re entitled to great benefits like the award winning quarterly magazine, Main Line, a quarterly Newsletter, exclusive offers and ticket discounts. Friends has its own section on the GCR website and through Main Line Xtra you get more news about the GCR, Review Articles, Special Offers and Main Line eLine, an electronic version of Main Line Friends works with Great Central Railway plc and The David Clarke Railway Trust to ensure the railway continues to grow and delight future generations

As a member of Friends you will share one very exciting future Be part of it!

***You can now join/renew on-line at www.gcrailway.co.uk/Friends*** -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I wish to become a Friend of the Great Central Main Line (Please circle membership category required)

Adult Senior (over 65) Student (in full time education) Family (2 Adults + 3 Children) Your details

£22 £17 £15 £35

First Class (enhanced benefits) Youth (under16) Working member (with Work Permit) Overseas supplement

£80 £15 £10 £5

Title......................................First Name.................................................

Last Name................................................................................................

Address..................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................

Postcode................................. Country (if outside UK)...............….….

Telephone No……………….. Email………………………………………

My membership payment is £...............

I include an optional donation of £.................

Please send this form with your membership fee (payable to FOGCML) to: FOGCML, Membership Secretary, Lovatt House, 3 Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, LE11 1SL

For more details about Friends, a list of current member’s benefits, or to see a copy of our constitution please see our website www.gcrailway.co.uk/friends or write to the address above PHOTOCOPIES OF THIS FORM ARE ACCEPTABLE

24 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Stations Report Leicester North played host to the return of the King when the newly re-named GWR 4-6-0 “King Richard III” visited the station hauling a Pullman Diner on 19th April, 2013. CLIVE HANLEY

Leicester North Brian Rowe Well, here we are again, a blank screen in front of me and the very real problem of having to produce a Station Report for Leicester North, when, owing to inclement weather etc, and a winter that seems reluctant to end, nothing much has happened since the last report. However, here goes!

First of all, congratulations are in order to Arthur Hyde and Stuart Riley who recently were passed out as Platform Inspector and Booking Clerk respectively. We wish them both every success in their new positions.

An interesting editorial by Nigel Harris in Rail postulating a Train/Tram connection from our station to Leicester will, I'm sure, prove to be a talking point with many, and might not entirely be beyond the realm of possibility in the future.

Who would have even considered the possibility of an outstation of the NRM being planned for here in the not too distant future? But it is certainly an interesting thought to mull over, so

much so that I have drawn the attention of Sir Peter Soulsby, (City Mayor) and Stuart Bailey (Leicester Civic Society) to the article and await their response with interest.

Mike Dunk, our maintenance team leader has given me the following: “The maintenance team have only been back at work since the beginning of April, 2013 mainly due to adverse weather conditions. Each week we carry out a litter-pick and any logs required for the waiting room fire are prepared. Work on the footpath at the entrance to The Sidings is underway together with treatment to the entrance gate posts, thus making a smarter appearance as you approach the station.

The grass on the hill has been mowed and strimmed, as well as the embankment on the building side of the station. We have started to tidy up the flower beds, and other small jobs have been accomplished. Next we need to catch up on the painting work that we were unable to complete last year.

We welcome David McWilliams who has kindly volunteered to help the maintenance team and the station staff at weekends. He is a willing worker, and we hope that he enjoys working at Leicester North Station.

MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 25

Michael Portillo takes on the role of Stationmaster at Rothley on 13th March, 2013. More information on his visit can be found on pages 85 and 86. EMMA PEASANT

technology to make our visitors’ lives easier. Rothley, along with all the other stations, has now had a hearing loop installed by the Booking Office window. This will enable those with hearing aids to hear the Booking Clerk more easily.

After a bit of boxing in and painting this has been suitably disguised.

There is always plenty of work to do, but it is very rewarding when we receive words of appreciation from our visitors”.

Rothley Colin Dean, Stationmaster I’m sure lots of you have been watching Michael Portillo’s BBC2 programme Great British Railway Journeys over the last few years. Well a few weeks ago that Journey reached Rothley. Mr Portillo was at the station for two hours filming for his next series which is due out in January, 2014. Everyone who met him that day was very impressed with his interest both in the station and the railway. So look out for the programme starring some of our staff along with some retired politician!

When the station was built a house was provided for the stationmaster, and came as part of the job.

British Railways sold these off when the line closed and the one at Rothley has just been sold again. We’ve not met the new residents yet, but hopefully they will be railway enthusiasts! It would have been nice to revive the tradition of the stationmaster living on the job, but unfortunately my funds didn’t stretch to the £250,000 guide price.

Despite being set in the Edwardian era sometimes we have to accommodate new Rothley station‘s period atmosphere on 30th March, 2013 during the Swithland Steam Gala. PAUL CALLOW 26 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

On to my pet subject; gas lights! We’ve just had our friendly gas fitter in to install another batch of refurbished lamps. This time three new ones on the platform, one in the ladies loo and one in the gents loo. The two in the loos were replaced as they were susceptible to being knocked and I was always worried someone was going to set fire to their hair, so the new ones are much safer.

The car park at the station has either resembled a boating lake or the Somme battlefield for most of the winter. Both the drainage and the pot holes have now been rectified with a soak away being installed at the back of the car park and the whole surface being relayed with the help of an exLeicestershire County Council steam roller.

Ironically since it’s been done we’ve not had sufficient rain to test the new drainage. Thanks go to Tony Sparks for getting this sorted out for us. I think we now need to get the pot holes sorted out on the driveway, but with funds being tight this isn’t going to be easy.

some of the staff about the sort of volunteering opportunities available. It’s on Friday 28th June, 2013 between 7pm and 9pm. If you want more details feel free to contact me either via email crd.dean@gmail.com or via Rothley station.

Quorn & Woodhouse Richard Bruce, Senior Stationmaster A busy time at Quorn & Woodhouse station as trains, hauled by As we moved into British No.6023 “King Edward II” and No.47406 pass on 27th April, 2013.

Summer Time the weather got BRIAN BURROWS

Our Thursday maintenance gang have been busy as usual. During the cold weather there have been a number of small inside jobs to catch up on, but now the weather is improving attention can turn back to outside jobs, with quite a bit of painting to catch up on this year after the poor weather last year!

We’ve had three new volunteers at the station in recent months. Ben Anderson has joined the station staff, John Bann has joined us in the tea room and Alan Smith is helping with general site work. So welcome to you!

colder. Our Easter Vintage Festival was busy, even though there were visitors in scarves, hats, gloves and heavy coats on the Gallopers and Big Wheel in the station yard. The tone and success of the event wasn’t diminished, though, and the traction engines and period vehicles made for a very enjoyable weekend.

We are now into recycling waste properly. Green bins have been placed around the station. But, don’t worry, they aren’t plastic and this hasn’t affected our 1940s ambience. We are using old metal trunks suitably worded to re-create the wartime salvage campaigns. Please do use them;

If you’ve been thinking about volunteering at the station but aren’t quite sure where, why not come along to our next volunteers open evening. This gives you the chance to come and have a look around the station and talk to Also on 27th April, GWR King Class locomotive No.6023 “King Edward II” brings its train into Quorn & Woodhouse station and passes the Dig for Victory gardens. ANDREW SOUTHWELL MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 27

it is cheaper for the railway to have taken away recyclable waste rather than general rubbish.

Progress has been made on the painting of seats into the new station colours and we have nearly finished the task of re-painting the fence between the yard and the running lines. One big job just finished has been the replacement of the crossing gates; they blend in so well that many people haven’t noticed! The old ones were very rotten indeed. New leaflet boxes and improvements to event signage have also helped to improve the appearance of the station.

One of the tasks over the next year or so will be the cosmetic restoration of the exterior of the goods shed in our new station colours (LNER 1930s).

We have had a number of compliments at recent events about how well the station is looking, so thanks to the restoration and gardening teams (including the Dig for Victory gardens) for the presentation of the station at the start of the summer season.

I’m glad to report that we now have more volunteers in the NAAFI style tearoom. Bob and Lynne Todd are overseeing the stock, ordering, floats, cleanliness and layout. Do come and visit and enjoy the atmosphere of a wartime air raid shelter and warm yourself in front of the very fireplace All the action at Quorn & Woodhouse on 30th March, 2013 during the Easter holiday period.

Upper: No.47406 brings its train into the crowded station with the Big Wheel and Galloper in the background.

Lower: All the fun of the fair!

Big Wheel, Galloper and traction engines. What more could you want?

BOTH: CLIVE HANLEY 28 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

that the village’s Home Guard used to huddle round seventy years ago. It really is the hidden gem of the GCR!

Loughborough Central David Putt On 28th April, 2013 at around lunchtime Nigel Tout and myself looked around the Loughborough workshop and wondered what to do next! The volunteer element of the canopy rebuild had been completed about half an hour earlier. The glazing bars and dagger boards had all been finished a couple of days earlier; the last of the ridge timbers had been repaired and the gutters all painted. A full breakdown of our achievements will appear in the next issue.

The new foot crossing gates at the south end of the platform at Quorn & Woodhouse station.

TOM CHAPLIN

No sooner had I begun to think I could get some jobs done at home (no, not the gardening) after almost three years of hectic scraping, hammering and painting than I was given 24 hours to provide six restored lampshades for Platform No.1. These are at present covered with factory grease and paint speckles following their salvage some years ago. Then the editor of this fine periodical rang giving me with 24 hours to produce copy. The deadlines were met. Just!

I must also mention Eric and Brian who have carried out a variety of excellent tasks around the site over the last couple of years. These tasks have included assisting in the rebuild of the museum, rebuilding the sheds alongside the station, building bookshelves in the Emporium's stores and fitting bridge plates along the line. Their efforts have gone unrecorded for too long.

Aid sales. I have designed and used an Excel spreadsheet to record all Emporium sales made each month, and to automatically provide current monthly totals throughout the year.

March was the first month we sold any donations made under Gift Aid rules and inadvertently I set the running totals for both Gift Aid and Booking Office sales to run from then. This meant that February, 2012 Booking Office returns were not included. The good news is that instead of £30,500 for the year, we actually made £31,800, still not the hoped for record, but a lot closer.

Two promised updates. We were unfortunately unable to sell the magnificent A3 O gauge model either at auction or while briefly on display in our shop. But it has now been sold and this helped significantly to boost our March sales. With even more made in February from the last successful auction venture, we are already ahead of the sales we made last year for both February and March, and April could well continue this bright start.

Emporium, Loughborough Central Peter Scott Emporium Sales, February 2013 to April 2013 I must begin with an apology for an error in Main Line No.154. I suggested that the overall Emporium profit for the GCR, including cash sent directly to the Booking Office and the Gift Aid sales, once all the Gift Aided items sold had been deposited and declared, would be £30,500, £2,000 of that being the extra return from Gift Loughborough Central Stationmaster Brian Axton, suitably attired to supervise the departure of the King Richard III Pullman diner on 19th March, 2013. IAN LOASBY MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 29

Even with a partially completed canopy the extra light on the platforms is easy to see. The station is seen on 30th March, 2013 at the start of the day. STEVE BOTTRILL

the Gift Aid scheme. The sales from one such new donor, will eventually earn an extra £150 to the £600 already directly received.

The Last Quarter This has been the quiet time of year, yet despite fewer visitors, except on gala days, sales have remained positive thanks to “the fewer” spending more. If “the many” who we hope to see when the prolonged Spring Ice Age eventually thaws, (this has been promised!) also spend a little, or even better, a lot more, we could be on target for another £30,000 plus by January, 2014. Unusual sales have been buttons, (including GCR,) oil cans, a brass topped railway lamp, uniforms, and a chamber pot!

Museum, Loughborough Central Stephen Shaw, Curator

This is, of course, is mainly down to the high quality and variety of the donations we are so fortunate to receive and so, as always, our thanks to all who help in this way. Do please continue to donate to, and of course, buy from, the Emporium. My thanks also, (and Chris’s, who organises the first,) to all the Emporium staff who donate hours running the shop, and not just that, for all help out with many other unseen jobs, such as cleaning, sorting and tidying, to name but a few.

Gift Aid With the late April Swithland Gala taking place close on the deadline for Main Line No.155, April sales are incomplete, but encouraging. For the first two months, (February and March in GCR terms!) Gift Aided sales generated over £2,000.

This contributed to the best Emporium returns for each month achieved, certainly in my time here, (I started by helping Len Barnes for 12 years, taking over from him in 1996,) and quite possibly, for these winter months, an all-time record. We also welcome three new signed up members to 30 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

For well over a year the refurbishment of the museum has been a work in progress. As time goes on we shall no doubt want to make further improvements and change some of the displays occasionally, but it is pleasing to report that the project as originally conceived is now completed.

It is very satisfying to have reached this stage simultaneously with the other splendid achievements at Loughborough Central in respect of restoration and upgrading.

The key to success has been the commitment and dedication of those involved. Offers of help came from the GCR volunteer community outside the museum team and from the wider community of supporters, and gradually a team came together with the range of skills to carry out the practical work. As a result we have achieved a complete overhaul at remarkably low cost for a museum project of this type. I should also acknowledge the help and support of our suppliers. But I won’t mention anyone here – there’s a notice in the museum itself thanking those who have contributed to the success of the project. And simultaneously with the practical work of refurbishment, volunteers from the Loughborough Museums Together Project have

provided valuable help with managing the collection, which made it much easier to plan the new displays.

These new displays use the objects we have selected (over 550 of them) to tell the story of our railway, and the great majority of them do originate from the GCR or its successors in our geographical area. We believe we may now have the largest collection of GCR artefacts on public display in one location. The aim is obviously to enhance the visitor experience, but also to celebrate the achievements of GCR volunteers and the railway traditions that they inherit and are keeping alive. For that reason the displays include posters and photos from the early days of heritage railway operation at Loughborough.

One of the finishing touches to go into the museum is a splendid film called The Great Central Adventure which has been created by Tom Ingall. It plays every few minutes and is well worth a watch for beginners and experts alike.

It’s a guide to the history of the railway, and as such it links beautifully to pictures of key people, places and locomotives that are on display, to the GCR Timeline, and to some of the most

significant artefacts, bringing everything together.

By means of some technical wizardry, old photographs are converted to 3D and brought to life. As an example, take a look at the screen shot on the museum page of the GCR website, then watch the film and see what happens.

In these notes I generally try to highlight at least one specific item to be seen in the museum and say something about it. The idea of links between the objects prompts me to mention two. The first is a photo on the end wall of the second room, taken in 1904 outside the entrance to Loughborough Station. It shows a horse-drawn GCR parcels van and two chaps posing proudly in front of it. But if you study the background you will see a wealth of posters advertising excursions and promoting travel by the GCR generally. One to the left of the doorway is headed England’s Greatest Poet and shows William Shakespeare pointing out that the shortest and quickest route to his birthplace is by the GCR. The second is a copy of that same poster, which can be found in the other room.

The observant visitor might well spot other examples of connections between objects.

At the time of writing the one aspect of the museum displays that we are still working on is the N gauge model railway. The original layout was donated by Bachmann plc and we have Exhibits in a museum! A photo of Loughborough Central in 1904 now adorns the walls (above) while a GCR poster promoting travel to Stratford Upon Avon, not normally associated with the GCR, adds a great deal of colour (below). BOTH: STEPHEN SHAW MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 31

extended it and adapted it to our requirements. It incorporates some sophisticated electronic controls to enable a sequence of trains to operate automatically when you put a coin in the slot.

Unfortunately it’s taking a bit longer than we expected to get everything working as reliably and trouble-free as we would want it to be before putting it into operation, but we are very nearly there.

Rushcliffe Halt Mike Mountford Work has continued on the construction of the shelters on the platforms, the main effort going into the one on the Down platform with the fitting of the roller shutter door, and some internal panelling.

The railings at the rear of the Down platform have been completed, and are currently being de-rusted and painted. The main entrance gate and fencing at the car park entrance is gradually being refurbished (ie the rotten timbers are being replaced!). Consideration is being given to the replacement of the wooden fence that borders the pathway leading down from the road.

Nottingham Society of Model and Experimental Engineers.

Mike Firth Betton Grange/Reunification gala NSMEE members are busily preparing for the forthcoming gala during the Bank Holiday weekend at the beginning of May, 2013. With our Club President, Professor Peter Thomas, also Director of Engineering for the Betton Grange new build locomotive At Rushcliffe Halt the shelters on the platforms are nearly complete. The station has seen major improvements over recent months and the passing loop gives a good impression of a double track main line. KEITH SPENCER 32 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

group, NSMEE will be playing a significant role in ensuring that the gala is a great success.

As well as offering our usual rides to the paying visitors, we are also seeking to offer a number of added attractions to entertain the visitors.

A number of top quality visiting miniature locomotives will be attending, including on the larger 7¼” ground-level railway, an A4, a Britannia with coaches, a Royal Scot and a Black 5. We plan to make our Parkgate branch an attraction in its own right. As well as running the NRM’s “Taw” when visiting locomotives are steaming up, we will also be featuring wagon shunting in the Parkgate yard, and periodic freight trains on both the ground and above ground main lines. There will also be miniature traction engines giving rides around the site.

The gala is a great opportunity for Ruddington to demonstrate the full potential of the site.

With the development of the NRM at Leicester North, Ruddington will have to offer something different when the railways unite.

With the benefit of the adjacent Country Park, there is great potential for Ruddington to become a family orientated activity centre with the miniature railway, model railway, vintage bus rides, traction engine rides etc. in contrast to the Leicester North museum-based attraction. A full report and pictures will appear in the next edition.

The shelter on the Down platform at Rushcliffe Halt with its roller shutter door in place. Much improved facilities for passengers on the GCR(N). KEITH SPENCER

Gauge 1 Event Over the weekend of 13 th /14 th April, 2013 the Gauge 1 model railway Guild held their AGM in the local area, and, as is customary, we extended an open invitation for guild members to bring their locomotives and rolling stock to run at Ruddington. There were a significant number of visitors to the site on the Sunday with an impressive collection of locomotives and rolling stock, including the pictured Britannia hauling a rake of Pullman coaches.

This has now become an established event on the Gauge 1 calendar and it is a pleasure to welcome so many visitors, and encouraging to see the Gauge 1 layout being used more intensively.

Bascule Bridge Not a location on the route of the disposal of the French Aristocracy, but, continuing the Gauge 1 theme, an NSMEE solution to an ongoing access problem with one of our winter projects nearing completion.

The Gauge 1 layout is located on an island in the middle of our running tracks, and access by members carrying stock has always been an issue. Access is adjacent to the signalbox, and has always been controlled by the

signalman, so this was not strictly a safety issue. Nevertheless, the existing arrangements were unsatisfactory, with members having to cross the ground-level running line, and hurdle the above-ground running line to access the island.

When solutions were originally reviewed, there was a desire amongst Committee members to install a replica footbridge. This would not only give access to members, but would also allow escorted groups of the visiting public to access the island, and, importantly, allow us to add another familiar railway structure to our facilities. Although we are a miniature railway, because the footbridge would have had to span two sets of running lines and our above-ground carriage shed, we needed a structure that was similar in length to a full-sized footbridge spanning two standard gauge tracks, albeit a bit lower in height. Detailed plans were drawn up, the design was professionally stress tested and a suitable structure was costed at approximately £15,000. Unfortunately we could not justify this level of expenditure, so, in the absence of a well-meaning supporter to sponsor it, alternative means of access were investigated.

A lift-out section of track would have sufficed, but this would not have represented enough of an engineering challenge, so the agreed solution was a pivoting section of track, giving access to steps at the rear of the above-ground riding car shed.

The design had to take account of a number of different factors including:MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 33

1. Riding car stability. Our above-ground riding cars contain side skirts and footrests that are angled away from the track to avoid fouling on corners. To maintain stability, our track features an anti-tipping guard-rail halfway up the support columns.

We couldn’t incorporate the anti-tipping rail in the bridge, so the bridge length had to be shorter than the riding car to ensure that the front and/or back of the riding car is always in contact with the anti-tipping on adjacent standard track sections when crossing the bridge. (A bit like the arrangement of third-rail electrification conductor rails on crossovers).

2. The raised bridge has to be accurately counter-balanced to ensure that it won’t fall away from the pivot point when raised.

3. When cutting the track at the pivoting end, the cut has to be angled to allow for the rising section.

The bridge is installed and, currently, manually operated under the signalman’s supervision. There are plans to interlock it with the signalling system, and possibly automate the lifting from within the signalbox.

We may not have our footbridge, but we do have a piece of railway infrastructure that is similar to the classic GCR bridge at Keadby near Scunthorpe. Even the most ardent footbridge fan would have to admit that, deep-down, they accept that once the novelty wore off, the Gauge 1 folk would soon have got fed up with carrying their stock up and down the footbridge and would have reverted to taking a shortcut over the running tracks – c’est la vie.

NSMEE Activities Top: Gauge 1 Britannia No.70024 “Vulcan”.

Upper Centre: A selection of the locomotives at the Gauge 1 Gala.

Lower Centre: An impression of the footbridge that was not proceeded with.

Bottom. The Bascule Bridge in the raised position which allows access to the Gauge 1 tracks.

ALL: MIKE FIRTH 34 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Carriage & Wagon Chronicle Outside the Carriage and Wagon Works at Rothley on 9th April, 2013 carriage bogies are being sandblasted. In the background 37255 awaits repairs to air and water leaks.

CHRIS LANG

BCK 21242 - The interior to this vehicle is being repaired as and when time allows. Repairs to ceiling panels and a repaint of the guard’s compartment are recent items attended to.

Rothley Carriage Works Chris Lang SK 24421 - The lengthy repairs to this vehicle are still ongoing but we are starting to see the end in sight with the welding repairs. Once these are complete windows are to be fitted then it is a refit of the interior. The depth of repairs to the vehicle should provide a reliable vehicle.

Arrowvale Saloon - The oven in this saloon has been replaced which meant taking out the window and replacing it. More work is required and a review and possible refit of the interior may be carried out soon.

RB 1962 - Repairs continue and this will see activity increase, as the need to release 1695 for overhaul has become more urgent.

SK 25711 – This vehicle is currently in the yard for repairs due to leaking windows which have now been re-sealed. The damage caused by these leaks has also been repaired.

FK 13313 - The interior repairs are nearly finished, the bogies have been stripped down, shot blasted and are being painted.

TSO 4982 - The bodywork repairs and a full repaint to Western Region colours have now been completed. The attention will now turn to the interior shortly once 13313 has been completed.

The bogie will then be attended to. A spare set of bogies has been shot blasted but is awaiting tyre turning.

The extensive re-plating required on the north end of SK 24421 seen on 23rd April, 2013. This gives some indication of the scale of works required to keep MK1 carriages in service. CHRIS LANG MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 35

Corrosion damage to the roof of TSO 48982 seen on 19th February, 2013. CHRIS LANG

As readers may be able to tell there is a lot of work ongoing and it is a credit to the small team that we have been able to achieve so much. So as always if you would like to get involved with a more hands on approach then please get in touch with us at Rothley.

Railway Vehicle Preservations Brian Hallett Carriage Shed As mentioned briefly in the last issue we have now been granted planning permission to build the new carriage shed at Swithland and fund raising for the shed has now begun.

The shed will cost around £180,000 to build and approximately 30% has been raised or pledged so far. Grant funding is being pursued and indications are looking good that we will be successful in this area provided we can gain some matched funding. We therefore need to raise £50,000 as soon as possible to enable the construction of this much needed building to protect our heritage. Full details can be found at www.rvp-ltd.org.uk/shed/ Gresley Buffet Car 24278 & Pigeon Van 4050 The pair of teak coaches continue to operate both as a couple and on an individual basis, with the buffet car being hired out on several occasions recently for special parties. This not only helps to raise Beavertail ®1719E at the rear of the train on 30th March, 2013. CLIVE HANLEY 36 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

income for both the GCR and RVP but also the profile of both.

Gresley TTO 23981 The vehicle currently resides at Swithland, but should move to Rothley later this year to see a start on its overhaul. In the meantime parts are being acquired as and when they become available.

Funds for the restoration continue to come in and a total of £14,100 has now been raised towards the target of £35,000, so just over another £3,000 should see us half way to the target.

Beavertail ®1719E This vehicle continues to be used on charter work, although on a limited basis pending further attention to is bogies. As you may well know the vehicle had new springs fitted prior to its visit to York last year. Unfortunately these were found to have the incorrect tension (although fit for limited use). The spring manufacturer has offered to correct this defect, but we need to remove the

Nick Tinsley applies some finishing touches to 80401 on 23rd February, 2013. ROSS LOADES

springs to return them, and then refit them once returned. This requires the use of the jacks at Rothley and a lead time of three weeks at the manufacturers. It had been hoped to carry this out during April, 2013 but it has not been possible to achieve this.

LNER TPO Sorter 70294E After a couple of years out of the limelight at Swithland our Gresley sorter made a welcome return to Rothley; originally for a new roof canvas (shed needed again!) and a general tidy up. In a welcome surprise it has instead ended up going on holiday to the Worth Valley! As part of a filming contract it has been quickly repainted, had the roof patched, and has gone off to Keighley. Arranged at short notice we are not sure exactly what it will be used in (something relating to the great train robbery), but it has had the very useful effect of getting some of the work planned done very quickly (and removes the immediate urgency from the rest). It has also earned a significant fee for this filming.

LNER TPO Tender 70268E Arriving at Rothley with its sister (above) this vehicle also needs roof attention and a general patch up, which it is now receiving. This is to make it presentable and watertight so we can re-open the museum within it at future galas.

Motorail Van 96202E This maroon Gresley based van arrived at Rothley for roof attention after a period stored at Swithland. Unfortunately inspection on arrival showed the body to have suffered a significant twist (possibly a combination of poor loading and loss of strength in the roof). Remedial work is planned, and emptying of the interior to allow this to happen is ongoing. In the meantime the roof has been stripped and materials are to hand to allow it to be recovered once the body twist is

corrected. Once again this indicates the need for a storage shed to end this cycle of roof leaks causing damage, which then requires repair delaying other restoration!

Seating Appeal Update Launched last year its aim is simply to purchase seating material for the collection as and when it is produced by other groups. It has not proved very appealing for it is already in deficit (£1,516) and would have failed completely except for two members offering loans to cover purchases. At present we now have in stock material for 23981, 57451, and 18033 (1st class). This leaves 18033 (3rd class) and 62565 awaiting material. This year will see the purchase of material for 18033 (invoice awaited) leaving 62565 for next year. A sum of £3,500 is needed to complete the material purchases TPO Section Report Mick Yates, TPO Train Manager Mark 1 TPO Set With the Swithland Steam Gala only a week away and 80401 back in the set following its recent repaint now seemed a good time to tie up all the loose ends. A concerted effort by the Burton gang aided by Nick Tinsley and Ross Loades saw 80401 have its underframe and bogies sprayed black, the rest of the set had the gutters cleaned out prior to washing the bodywork and the mail exchange apparatus was examined and some small repairs carried out. With the set now at six coaches in 1950s livery it made a fine sight sitting in Quorn & Woodhouse yard in the sun. Only thing to remember was to bring enough bacon with us!

Alas, our first gala with six coaches was not to be.

On the morning of 27th April, 2013 No.46521, which had gone light engine to bring the stock from Quorn & Woodhouse and then head the first run of the day, became derailed on the trap points protecting the down siding. The locomotive was recovered later that same day, the account of MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 37

which is no doubt elsewhere in this issue of Main Line. That was game, set and match as far as the TPO was concerned though. With the subsequent failure on Sunday of the Red 8F No.48624 all TPO runs were cancelled for the weekend.

Disappointing for us of course but the proceeds of the buffet car and beer tent were suitably increased by the redundant TPO crew. And hopefully No.46521 hasn’t suffered too much damaged after its mishap.

LNER TPO Set February, 2013 saw Sorter 70294E enter Rothley works for some very rapid bodywork repairs and a repaint and head off to the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway for a filming contract in connection with the 50th anniversary of the Great Train Robbery. At the time of writing the coach is still away. Sister coach Tender 70268E remains at Rothley under a tarpaulin awaiting bodywork repairs.

Diesel Brake Tender (Project X) Mick Yates This year has seen much work undertaken on this project. Over the course of several weekends the two halves of the underframe, which had previously been temporarily bolted together, were cut and fettled to the correct length and joined together with 20mm thick laser cut splice plates and 20mm diameter high tensile steel bolts. The splice plates had been cut slightly oversize to allow for final trimming whilst the bolt holes were drilled and reamed for a tight fit on the bolts.

With the two halves now finally fixed together this will give us the opportunity in the near future to lift the underframe to remove the bogies for refurbishment, repainting and a change of wheelsets.

Concurrently, brake cylinders will be acquired and the relevant mounting brackets and brake rodding designed and fitted.

The Project X team. Left to right are Brian Hallett (standing), Tony Thompson, Phil Payne, Tony Bennett, Tim Pryce, Mick Yates and Phil Stanbridge (standing). BRIAN HALLETT 38 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Once the brakegear has been fitted and the underframe placed back on its own bogies the next stage will to be load the underframe with redundant concrete sleepers to obtain the correct ride height. These will be accommodated in a specially fabricated framework to prevent any movement of them when the vehicle is in use.

Of course all this costs money, as do all things in preservation, so if anyone wishes to donate to this project please see our Tenner for the Tender appeal on the Project X pages of RVP’s website (http://www.rvp-ltd.org.uk/projectx/).

Wagon Restoration Group Phil Hetherington It doesn’t seem long since I wrote my previous report for Main Line and as the freezing cold weather continued well into March, 2013 hopefully our limited progress this quarter can be forgiven! While Tom Lees and Keith Lloyd have been soldiering on in the great outdoors, I have been focussing mainly on indoor projects and Nick Tinsley and his team have been mainly working on Travelling Post Office vehicles, although they have carried out some maintenance and running repairs to wagons in the Permanent Way train.

A6071 – Shell-BP 20T Class B tank wagon (built by Charles Roberts, 1948) The restoration of this wagon continues to make good progress. Most of the tank barrel is now in

a mixture of primer and undercoat, awaiting warmer weather before gloss top-coat can be applied. New electrification signs have been purchased to replace the faded originals.

The east side brake rigging has been re-assembled, using pins from the west side. New pins will be made for the west side, to replace the missing ones. Two new wooden spacer blocks have been ordered for the east side brake levers. In turn, the west side brake rigging has been dismantled for cleaning and painting, the west side axleboxes and guides have been cleaned up, primed and undercoated, and a start has been made on the wheels.

Tom Lees has created a blog to record progress on the restoration; you can read this at http://gcrwagonrestoration.blogspot.co.uk/.

B462772 – BR 16T Palbrick B (BR diagram 1/026 built at Ashford, 1959) Half of the timber for this wagon has now been ordered. This basically covers everything except the main floor timbers, which will be ordered later in order to split the cost. Unfortunately, there appears to have been no further progress on the side stanchions and vacuum pipe.

Thanks to RVP, new pins have been made for the brake rigging, to replace the missing ones for the linkage to the vacuum cylinder, which of course was not present when the wagon was purchased for preservation. At the time of writing these await drilling prior to fitting.

B769754 – BR 12T Ventilated Van (diagram 1/213, built at Faverdale (Darlington), c.1957) The sorry looking remains of this van have been moved to Rothley where – somehow – it has been squeezed into the shed to allow its restoration to commence.

van to be repaired. It is planned to tackle this, with a view to completing the bodywork restoration, later in 2013.

B901203 - 55T Weltrol EJC (BR diagram 2/750 built at Ashford, 1964) There has been no report on this wagon since Main Line No.144 so you could be forgiven for thinking that we had forgotten about it. However, as it is the first thing we see when we arrive at Swithland, and as it is enormous, there was never much chance of that!

A more sensible sandblasting quote has now been obtained and it is hoped to re-commence the restoration later in 2013.

Two continental label clip boxes have been obtained from Booth’s scrap yard in Rotherham, with grateful thanks to Tom Ingall for collecting them. These came from an ex-BR ferry van from the recent MOD tender. There is something of a mystery about how these are supposed to attach to the Weltrol as the fixing holes don’t line up, and in any case there are rivet heads in the way.

We may need to make some special mounting brackets, but further research is needed to determine what these should look like.

I will close this report by, once again, appealing for more help! Even one or two more volunteers would really help to push our restoration projects along, so if you are interested please leave a message for me on 01727 810 442 and I will call you back. Alternatively, if you can’t help physically but would like to contribute to the Wagon Fund, The David Clarke Railway Trust would be only too happy to receive your donation.

B853841 – BR 12T Shocvan (BR diagram 1/218 built at Faverdale (Darlington), 1957) New marine plywood has now been ordered which will allow three of the doors of this Hopper Wagon B425356 at Quorn & Woodhouse on 26th April, 2013. CLIFF JONES MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 39

Woodworking on The Railway - Doug Atkins Volunteer Carpenter, GCR Rolling Stock Trust

When I retired as an IT Project Manager I went on to get some formal training in cabinet making up to C&G L3 standard. When I could no longer use the excellent woodworking facilities at Basford Hall College, where I took my course, I looked around for somewhere else to use my new skills and came upon Great Central Railway (Nottingham) based at the Heritage Centre at Ruddington. I got in touch with the small team of the Great Central Railway Rolling Stock Trust and I’ve been working there regularly since 2010.

Those of you who may have visited Ruddington on a Sunday may have noticed me working in the Barnum wooden carriage No.228 located in Building No.1 and perhaps wondered what I’m doing? The aim of the group is to rescue, preserve, and restore a few remaining early wooden coaches that used to run on the former Great Central Railway. This is quite a challenge as we are only a small group with limited resources.

Currently, we are working on a Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway 1889 built six-wheeler No.946 and are getting to the point where we can start planning the painting schedule; quite an achievement after more than 12 years work! I use the Barnum as a workshop where I am slowly rebuilding No.946’s 10 doors.

Our aim is to retain as much of the original timber as is possible. The doors are all constructed from teak, and it is quite interesting to note that as the coach was constructed in the late 1880s, the timber would have been produced from trees originating in South East Asia that started life in the early 1700s! When the original teak is cleaned up and lightly sanded it looks like new timber. What an

An un-restored and restored door from MS&LR carriage No.946. DOUG ATKINS

amazing material, and a pleasure to work with.

Fortunately, a while back, Peter Wilson was able to acquire a stock of large teak doors that can be re-engineered to provide replacements for the severely damaged sections. The majority of the wood will be used to repair our Barnums, which are also panelled in teak.

Currently there are three doors installed; four more completed; and three more to restore. These last three are in by far the worst condition, and it takes months to repair each one.

My colleagues are busy caulking joints and finish painting the compartments. We still have the big task of finish painting the roof and exterior with up to 10 coats of paint.

Work progresses on fabricating the hat racking, installing LED lamps to simulate the original gas lights, fabricating the upholstered compartment seating and a myriad of other projects to replicate, as near as possible, the carriage as it would have appeared had you been around in 1900.

If any of you reading this have woodworking/ carpentry, DIY or painting skills, and want a distraction from the endless repeats on daytime TV, then we would be delighted to see you at Ruddington with the hope we could interest you in helping us with the almost Herculean task of restoring the lovely old carriages that used to run on our railway.

A completed door re-hung on the coach with its new drop window.

DOUG ATKINS 40 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Permanent Way Progress Leicester North to Loughborough Central Section Nick Tinsley The PWay Department has had a very busy quarter fitting in its work around the running timetables and charter work and doing the usual work on preparing for and clearing up after galas and shunting stock around. This year the weather, with snow and frosts, has added to the difficulties.

More flailing has been carried out and some larger trees cut back particularly on the approach to Leicester North. After the flailing was completed follow up processes started and the line was tamped. However, tamping by machine has its restrictions as it is not very effective at rail joints and where there are other obstructions such as cables and wires. Such was the case opposite the signalbox at Swithland where the ballast on the Down Main and Loop was dug out by hand.

Other joints had to be tackled by Measured Shovel Packing (MSP). This is an arduous and laborious task but must be done to maintain a good ride. MSP has been undertaken between the station road bridge at Quorn & Woodhouse (Bridge No.342) and Bridge No.341 just north of there. A further 25 pairs of joints were treated on the single line from the bridge over Rothley Brook (No.355) and No.358. 25 pairs were tackled from Rothley station bridge (No. 354) and Swithland Sidings. 26 more pairs were fixed between Bridges 344 and 347 at the end of the Quorn Straight and on the single track Leicester section 21 joints were treated between Park Road Bridge (No.362) and the Fieldings Road foot crossing followed by a further 31 to the Greengate Lane culvert. 11

pairs of joints were treated on the Down Main at Swithland. All in all a very busy and hard time.

12 bullhead rails have been replaced between Park Road Bridge and the Greengate Lane culvert.

The old rails were loaded two by two onto trolleys and towed onto the Mountsorrel Branch. On the branch three days were spent ballasting the track.

5 wooden sleepers have been replaced at Quorn & Woodhouse on the Up Reception trap points.

At Loughborough the foot crossing north of the station leading to the Locomotive Shed has been renewed. Sleepers under the crossing were rotted and 20 had to be replaced on the Down Main and nine on the Down Loop. A length of rail which was buried in the ash ballast had to be renewed as its foot had corroded away.

An unexpected task has been the repairs required to the trap point on the Down Lie-by siding at Quorn & Woodhouse after the derailment of No.46521. At the beginning of May, 2013 the damaged sleepers had been changed, the rails put back and all just awaited levelling, a task that will be completed by the time this issue of Main Line is published.

Regular line patrols have been maintained to ensure that all is correct and proper on the line.

More work for the PWay Department after the derailment of No.46521 which damaged sleepers and required the trap points to be repaired. The damaged track on 27th April, 2013. DAVID TAYLOR MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 41

Anyone interested in the outdoor life should contact Nick Tinsley through the Booking Office at Loughborough Central.

Loughborough High Level to Ruddington Fields Section Mike Mountford A track walkover was carried out mid-February, 2013 which identified some 30 sleepers that needed attention and these have since been replaced. The area just north of East Leake tunnel has been jacked and packed to fix a twist in the track. Dipped rail joints found in a number of areas have been tackled, and an exercise is under way to clear off excess ballast from sleeper ends.

was carried out to improve known and potential butterfly habitat areas.

We are also still looking into the flooding north of the pad at Rushcliffe Halt, and are now certain that this is caused by blockages in the culvert which runs from the pad right up to Bunny Road Bridge. As mentioned previously, given the large volume of water that is present (despite the recent dry spell), we are also pretty certain that it is coming from a burst/leaking pipe somewhere (it's not ours though!). The problem inevitably is in finding the source of the leak – however, if we can get the culvert flowing properly then at least the flooding will go away!

Following the removal of ivy from the east side of the Soar River viaduct, over Meadow Lane, re-pointing of the affected brickwork was carried out during the last week in March, 2013.

Flailing of the lineside vegetation was carried out by a contractor, and at a number of locations along the line south of Rushcliffe Halt, scrub clearance Re-pointing of the brickwork underway on the Soar River Viaduct on 28th March, 2013.

BOB HOLLAND

Photographic Competition at Ellis’s and Butler-Henderson Many of our weekday visitors to the Ellis’s and Butler Henderson cafés do not normally get to enjoy the splendour of the steam experience, as they sample our splendid afternoon teas looking out onto the colourful but quiet station platforms So we have decided to hold a Photographic Competition to encourage the photo enthusiasts amongst you to submit some of your existing or yet to be taken images that you feel best represent the railway within our selected categories.

The photographs chosen will be printed, mounted and sold in the tea rooms as part of our new range of celebration cards There is plenty of time as the closing date for final entries is 10th September, 2013 but we will be running a special category for images from the Wartime Weekend with a submission deadline of 1st July. Competition rules and details of where to submit your entries can be found on the GCR website or at either of the Cafés 42 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Steam Roller to the Rescue - at Rothley Station Car Park! - Tony Sparks Reports Left: Work in progress at Rothley with the Aveling in the background and Caterpillar in the foreground. The new drainage trench is the dark strip in the foreground. The Carriage and Wagon Department are shunting vehicles awaiting restoration.

Below: Typical floods before the work started.

BOTH: BRIAN SCREATON

Rothley station has become very popular with our visitors, and rightly so, as it has won our Best Kept Station award quite a few times, and its layout and rural aspect allows visitors to watch the trains go by or to have afternoon tea on the platform or at the adjacent Ellis's tea rooms.

The problem has been that the station was becoming a victim of its own success with increased traffic wearing the road surface away, so the decision was made to resurface the car park area which had become very pitted, full of pot-holes and prone to flooding.

Two events coincided to make it happen. Firstly we had just completed a Road/Rail event at Quorn & Woodhouse station attended by various steam traction engines, showmans' engines and rollers, and supported by our own locomotives and trains on the railway itself. Michael Stokes, the owner of an Aveling roller, offered to assist in the upcoming works, and this offer was gratefully received. Michael is an active member of the GCR events staff, and organises the

aforementioned Road/Rail event amongst other activities. The roller, built in 1903 by Aveling and Porter, is an R10 model, and is a singlecylinder type. Built for use by Billesdon Rural District Council, it was acquired by Leicestershire County Council in 1931, when they took over responsibility for the County's roads. The machine was sold to a scrap dealer in 1961, but it was then bought by the late and well-known Reverend Teddy Boston of Cadeby Rectory. When he died, his wife hung on to the machine until the early 2000s when the roller changed hands again, later coming into Michael Stokes' ownership. The roller has remained in Leicestershire for virtually all its working life, MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 43

Halfway through the resurfacing project the caterpillar spreads the scalpings while the Aveling does what it was designed for and does best in the background - compacting the material to give a good surface to the car park. BRIAN SCREATON

tackled first before the main regrading work.

apart from when it was built, and the time when it languished in the Cambridgeshire scrapyard.

The second piece of good fortune was that Messrs Caterpillar, the famous international (and local) manufacturer of excavators and dozers, and who have their main offices near Leicester, offered the use of one of their 428F machines, which has a front bucket and backacter as well.

This is an ongoing co-operation between the company and the GCR, and their Product Development Department previously offered machine use when we upgraded Quorn & Woodhouse car park.

With the further support of Messrs Lafarge, the local quarrier, providing us with discounted materials, a start was made on the car park repairs. In order to prevent any further build-up of surface water, a new soak away trench was excavated along nearly the full length of the yard at the foot of the bank, and backfilled with ballast, and this was The job completed! A pot hole and flood free car park for the many visitors to Rothley as seen from the station overbridge. BRIAN SCREATON 44 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

With an expert digger operator plus an experienced roller driver, short work was made of the job which was completed in three days instead of the expected five! In all we used about 45 tonnes of ballast and 170 tonnes of scalpings (mill waste) on the road surface.

News had obviously got around, because the operation attracted numerous onlookers keen to see a steam road roller back at the work it was intended for. A good job carried out in style and Michael said that the job was really good fun.

Certainly the railway benefited from this novel exercise, and many thanks should be extended not only to Phil Kelly and Ryan WainwrightFisher at Caterpillar, but also to Messrs Lafarge, and to Michael for the superb job done. And not forgetting Tom Chaplin and Brian Screaton from the projects department for ensuring no glitches on site.

Steam Locomotive News Loughborough Motive Power Department David Mathews For this issue let us look at the main line registered locomotives first, then the operational ones, both those that travel to other preserved lines and those that stay at home. I will then end up with the restoration scene and visitors.

Most significant main liner is of course BR Standard 4-6-2 No.70013 “Oliver Cromwell”.

What started out as a piston and valve examination, bottom end overhaul, and partial re-tube, has dragged on far longer than we would have liked, consequently missing some interesting main line runs. Actually the re-tube and bottom end part has gone quite well, but the piston and valve examination revealed a cracked left rear valve liner, and it has taken us two goes to replace it.

Then we had trouble with the thin wall copper main steam collection pipe, resulting in this having to be radically reformed. Consequently we are looking at a couple of months overrun, and taking a lot of labour off the other jobs. It should all be finished by the time you read this, and then we have the attractive prospect of bedding in at the GCR before being released onto the main line.

running, whilst being available for main line work when called upon.

Last of the trio is the LMS 4-6-0 Black 5 No.45305 which, after a winter at the NRM, has recently travelled on its own wheels to Ilford for tyre turning, on completion of which it will go back to the Keighley and Worth Railway for local running and main line jobs in the North East. I know it travelled with piston rods disconnected as one of the big end brasses was back at base for replacement, having become a rattling good fit in the rod eye. I presume coupling rods are also removed to make tyre turning easier.

First prize for our most travelled locomotive on preserved railways again goes to the GNR 0-6-2 N2 No.1744, which is in the middle of a long spell at the East Lancashire Railway, as far as we know, with no problems. Standard Class 2 2-6-0 No.78019 visited the North Norfolk Railway to appear in their Standards Gala, where it was attacked in the fog by No.70000 “Britannia”, remarkably coming off the better in the encounter.

I put this down to the fact that the tender dragbox of a Class 2 is stronger than the front end of a Britannia! Anyway our locomotive did not need any remedial work. Whenever we can get our

SR 4-6-0 No.30777 “Sir Lamiel” fulfilled its promised Maunsell get together at the Mid Hants Railway at the second attempt, and has since moved to the West Somerset Railway for some heritage line BR Standard Class 2 No,78019 runs past Woodthorpe on 30th March, 2013. CLIVE HANLEY MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 45

Reincarnation! Having only just had his bones found in the Leicester car park King Richard III, aka King Edward II, made a visit to Loughborough Central on 19th April, 2013. ALAN WEAVER

a manufacturing defect or some extraneous object hands on it, we are fitting to the smokebox the resting on it, which can fret a hole. many parts that comprise a set of spark arrestor screens, the worst and dirtiest bits now being in Now for the overhaul and renovations in no place. This will be followed by a similar set for particular order. On SR 4-6-2 No.34039 LMS Ivatt Class 2 No.46521. LMS Jinty 0-6-0 No.47406 spent a short spell at Ruddington in “Boscastle” refurbishment of the remaining small cab items is all but complete, with work now April, 2013 for a gala performance, and returned turning to the cylinders and motion. The right to the fold in time for the Swithland Gala. Then hand radius rod was badly worn and weld repaired, there is the Ivatt Class 2 No.46521 and the LMS so a replacement has been acquired, cleaned and Red 8F No.48305, and I had initially thought they made up four reliable serviceable locomotives. polished. New piston heads have been machined for the outside cylinders and the inside eccentric That is until the Swithland Steam Gala, when the strap has been fitted to the inside crank axle.

Ivatt regrettably took to the cess all wheels off at Quorn & Woodhouse on the day contributions There are still small jobs required to finish larger closed for printing. So information is scanty, portions of work, among those to be ticked off are the fitting of the new brake blocks and bogie damage is known to have occurred to the brake dust shields. Now that the weather appears to be rods and hangers, hopefully the wheels and tyres settling down we hope to actually start work on are OK as they did not cross a rail head. The the cab structure and anticipate that the boiler and drawbar had to be sacrificed to salvage the tender will finally make their way down to locomotive and tender. Then the 8F developed Loughborough shortly. Further information can what seems to be a failed small tube. This is a bit be found at www.boscastleloco.co.uk. of a surprise, as the tubes are only 5 years old, so we hope it is an isolated failure, maybe caused by 46 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

On the BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 No.73156 work has started on the steel strips required to fill the holes made in each corner of the outer wrapper where cracked metal has been cut away, as activity on the inner copper laps awaits the delivery of some 62 patch screws. When these areas are complete the firebox will be re-stayed in Monel. Meanwhile on the tender in the north yard, work is nearly complete on the axle boxes and manganese steel guides. With luck it will soon be a rolling chassis.

Also out in the cold a set of superheater elements are in the making, to be followed

by a further set for new BR Standard Class 2 No.78018, which is having small and medium bore copper pipework and boiler brackets made.

The other two large boilers in the south yard belong to GWR Modified Hall 4-6-0 No.6990 “Witherslack Hall”, and LMS 4-6-0 Black 5 No.45491. The Hall is currently the subject of a fund raising campaign to purchase several

LMS Jinty No.47406, in the company of BR Standard Class 2 No.78019, is prepared for service under Empress Road Bridge just in front of the Locomotive Shed at Loughborough Central on 30th March, 2013.

CLIVE HANLEY MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 47

yard awaiting assessment.

It doesn't look too bad to me except for an area of the copper crown on the bend to the firebox tubeplate. Behind “Robert” is the Locomotive Maintenance Services boiler area, the first one belonging to Avonside No.1919 of 1924, an ex Staveley Ironworks engine.

This now has its partly new copper box riveted up, with the six roof girder beams bolted to it. When fitted into the outer box, Adding considerable colour to the scene LMS 8F now with its BR number they are held in place 48624 drifts towards Woodthorpe Bridge on 2nd March, 2013 during the simply by inserting two Diesel Wake-Up weekend. CLIFF JONES steel pins through them and through two longitudinal steel plates that drop down from the hundred new stays, many of which can be fitted as soon as they arrive. There is however, wrapper crown; to me a totally inadequate arrangement, but one that has obviously stood the significant other work needed to the firebox on test of time. The new Isaac Newton throat is fixed this locomotive. No.45491 is much nearer the into position. More about the firebox another finishing line, with owner Phil Wainwright time! Next is Buckingham's No.3890 Austerity hopeful that ways around the backhead problems boiler, which now has the new steel inner made can be found and the locomotive be placed into by the South Devon riveted into place. Lastly just service within the year. That just leaves Roger inside the door is David Wrights own Austerity Hibbert's LMS 8F 2-8-0 No.48305, the tender of boiler off No.3809. The front end will need a new which was being vigorously taken in hand before tubeplate, which is well on the way, but the the staff concerned were re-directed onto “Oliver Cromwell”. It should be underway again in May, firebox is the scene of major butchery. On the steel wrapper some 9" of the throat is being as the locomotive is complete except for axlebox replaced, half sides ditto, and most significant of work.

Now for a quick look at the progress on the industrials in the back left corner. Roger Hibbert's 0-6-0 Austerity “Robert” now has the motion fitted between the frames, but he is holding back on the valve gear whilst completing the small bore pipework. The boiler is still out in the south No. 47406 approaches Loughborough Central on 30th March, 2013 and passes the impressive gantry at Beeches Road Bridge. CLIVE HANLEY 48 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

GWR 4-6-0 No.6023 “King Edward II” passes Woodthorpe on 18th March, 2013 with one of the many charters it has operated during its stay at the GCR. JOHN A SMITH

Central Railway. Toby Jennings is a frequent visitor to this sort of event and we spent some time talking about how things were progressing.

all ¾ or possibly all of the backhead. It makes the problems of removing the copper stays from the inner box pale into insignificance. No longer with LMS is Sentinel “Gervase” which departed in April, 2013 after extensive running in of its new axle boxes.

The report cannot be complete without a mention of our most important visitor for some time, GWR King Class 4-6-0 No.6023 “King Edward II”.

After the frantic firebox work reported in the last magazine, we had many days of spectacular running in from the engine, with the new firebox laps performing soundly. We hope that the period of bedding in has been beneficial, and that the owners at Didcot have a reliable engine handed back to them.

No.72010 “Hengist” Robert Ife reports

As a result of the article we have had an upsurge in membership numbers – including our first junior members, the life blood of projects such as this and the railway preservation movement in general.

No young blood, no future volunteers to work the railways in the future.

Over the winter months, some of the parts currently in stock have been taken out, inspected, photographed, cleaned if required and returned to storage. In particular, parts of the frame structure are being identified, ready for when construction of the frames commences. A frame stretcher which was covered in mill-scale from the manufacturing process has been shot blasted by Ian Riley’s and appears to be in excellent condition.

It is hoped to have the frame keeps, which hold the axle boxes in place and help to give rigidity

-

As I hope many of you will have seen, we had an excellent article about The Clan Project in the March, 2013 edition of Steam Railway. A lot of the groundwork for that article was covered at the Winter Gala here at the Great Jeff Morris checks the tool position before a spot of turning at Loughborough on 22nd February, 2013.

IAN LOASBY MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 49

The Swithland

NORMAN BATES

CLIFF JONES

CLIVE HANLEY

STEVE BOTTRILL

d Steam Gala

ALAN WEAVER

ANDREW SOUTHWEL TREVOR FELTHAM

CLIVE HANLEY

L

resulted in steam being rostered to provide train heating in conjunction with diesel haulage. No.56 returned to service after a long break and has performed well, though the very tired condition of the firebox means that once No.63 returns to service No.56 will be standby locomotive and will see long periods of rest and provide opportunity for attention from our fitting staff.

Fireman David Woodward and Driver David Masters stare in amazement as No.6023 “King Edward II” burns another tonne of coal before they have even got off shed!

CLIVE HANLEY

to the frames during construction, ordered very soon. This component, part number SL/DE/21134, can be either cast or forged, and we have not yet decided on which version to acquire.

More news on this and other progress in the next edition of Main Line.

Ruddington Motive Power Department - Mike Fairburn The 2013 season started in mid-February, as has now become customary, with operation of services for both weekends of the Half Term holiday break. Three of the four planned days were rostered to be steam hauled, and a late decision based upon the extremely cold weather, 52 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

RSH 0-6-0 No.63 “Corby” A cold examination was carried out in February, 2013 and two crown girder stay fixing bolts identified as being in need of attention. The crown is attached to the girder stays with 80 such bolts, and repairs previously carried out to the crown have included replacement of around 40 of these bolts together with attendant building up of plate wastage and re-facing by hand milling before fitting new bolts with copper sealing washers.

The services of Loughborough based engineering company Locomotive Maintenance Services was secured to carry out the work which was complete by early April, 2013. By mid-April the boiler was ready for hydraulic and steam tests. Also attended to during this period were repairs to the cylinder gland arrangements, involving the manufacture and fitting of new ball joint rings for the metallic packings together with new white metal packing rings.

RSH 0-6-0 No.56 With a steam test completed successfully in February, 2013 No.56 made a welcome return to service. As well as attention to the inner firebox, the steam heating pipework arrangement has been completed with connections at both leading and trailing ends of the locomotive. Some replacement of steam pipework and fittings has also been completed in the cab.

Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 No.1862 “Julia” Work is progressing on wheelsets and axleboxes in preparation for re-wheeling, and the frame was jacked up in April to enable wheels to be rolled under the frame.

The amazing machine!

Steam powered Sentinel “Gervase” gave brake van rides at Easter after the completion of its renovation by Locomotive Maintenance Services. It is seen just south of Loughborough Central on 30th March, 2013.

CLIVE HANLEY

USATC S160 2-8-0 No.1631 Weather permitting, work has progressed through the first quarter of the year on removing the brake rigging and the leading intermediate wheelsets.

It is very evident that the axlebox and horn clearances are in unworn condition and the work necessary to ready the frame for re-wheeling on the set of driving wheels that have already had tyre profiles turned will therefore be achieved sooner than had originally been thought possible.

With the frame cleaning and painting progressing from both the front buffer beam and the trailing end of the frame, thoughts are turning again to removal of the piston valves and pistons, the fitting of new piston valve liners and re-boring of cylinders.

engineering experience and CAD facilities, joining the project. At the time of writing, frame drawings have been finalised ready for ordering of material, machining and bending, and with funds available to purchase the frames, there will soon be very solid evidence of the progress on the project available for all to inspect. It is planned to assemble the frames during this year as a focal point of further fund raising, and to provide a direct illustration to visitors to Ruddington showing how a new locomotive is built.

Saturdays continue to be the main work day in the steam motive power department. New volunteers are welcome, and the regulars always try to have available a range of jobs for willing participants to get involved with. Please make contact in advance if you are a new volunteer to enable us to arrange suitable work to be available.

GCR Class 2 4-4-0 No.567 Fundraising has continued to progress steadily, with 120 subscribers now signed up.

Work on manufacturing drawings took a huge boost in February, 2013 with a new subscriber having extensive A last minute visitor to the GCR(N)’s May Bank Holiday Gala was SR 4-6-2 No.34007 “Wadebridge” in its Air Smoothed casing seen on 4th May, 2013. In the background is visiting No.78019 from the GCR. TREVOR FELTHAM MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 53

The LNWR Coal Tank No.1054 - Dennis Wilcock They were originally intended for short distance freight work, but were found to be very useful for local passenger trains and were soon at work all over the LNWR system. The early engines were painted plain black, but later engines were turned out in the fully linedout black passenger livery. They were rugged maids-of-allwork and although On 26th April, 2013 during the Swithland Steam Gala the 0-6-0 Webb Coal not as powerful as Tank runs south past Woodthorpe carrying its original LNWR number, 1054. later designs they TREVOR FELTHAM performed well on the work required of them but did develop a reputation for poor The Webb Coal Tanks braking.

The Coal Tanks have their origin in the 17in Coal Engines of the LNWR which were introduced by F W Webb their designer F W Webb in 1873. They were the Francis William Webb, the designer of the Coal classic British 0-6-0 tender locomotive, a general arrangement that was so popular for a general Tanks, followed an illustrious line of locomotive goods locomotive on all of Britain’s railways. engineers which included Richard Trevithick to whom he was articled at the age of 15 in 1851.

They gained their name for the 17 inch diameter He joined the Drawing Office at Crewe in 1856 of there two inside cylinders and for the fact that and became chief Draughtsman at the age of 23 they were mostly to be seen hauling coal trains in 1859. In 1861 he became Works Manager at on the LNWR’s very extensive system. They Crewe and was instrumental in introducing the were described as the cheapest locomotives ever Bessemer Converters for steel making. Webb left built for a main line railway in Britain and were the LNWR in 1866 for the Bolton Iron and Steel simple but very robust and hard working. They were long lived, the last being withdrawn in 1953. Company but returned in 1871 as the Locomotive Superintendent..

To provide an engine with greater operational flexibility over shorter journeys, F W Webb At Crewe he was responsible for the Precedent and Cauliflower classes and the 0-6-0 general produced a tank engine version of the goods purpose goods locomotives that came to be engine. This new design of Side Tank Coal known as Coal Engines.

Engine or Coal Tank, as they became more commonly known, was introduced in 1881 and, being a great success, 300 examples were built Webb is famous, some would say infamous, for his work on compounding in which spent steam over a period of 16 years.

54 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

from a high pressure cylinder is passed to a low pressure cylinder(s) to do additional work before exhausting to atmosphere. Webb alone chose not to couple the high and low pressure cylinders for which he has been much criticised but he persisted and his later compounds were successful. It is also true to say that despite the success of compounding in other parts of the world it was never enthusiastically viewed in the UK. The GCR itself had experimented with compound locomotives when John G Robinson introduced his Compound Atlantics in 1905.

Although displaying a slightly improved coal consumption only four were built.

Webb left the LNWR in 1903 through ill health and died in 1906.

LNWR The London and North Western Railway styled itself as the Premier Line. By the time of the Grouping in 1923 it was the largest company in the world. It had been formed in 1846 by the merger of the Grand Junction Railway from Birmingham through Wolverhampton (via Perry Barr and Bescot), Stafford, Crewe, and Warrington and joining the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway. With further mergers and takeovers it developed into a comprehensive network operating 1500 miles of railway and employing 111,000 people at its peak before the First World War. It established its major works at Crewe, Wolverton and Earlestown.

The LNWR gave Britain the West Coast Main Line running from London Euston to Carlisle where its partner, the Caledonian, took over services to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

But the LNWR was much more than that. It had cross country routes linking Leeds with South Wales via Crewe and a link to Holyhead from Crewe. It also had a secondary route to Nottingham via Melton Mowbray.

No.1054 No.1054 was built at Crewe and entered service in 1888, becoming No.7799 on the LMS Railway after the grouping in 1923, and then carried No.58926 under British Railways after the railways were nationalised in 1948.

It is thought to have worked in the Birmingham area before the First World War, and in North and South Wales before it was withdrawn from service in January, 1939. It was almost scrapped but for the outbreak of war it was overhauled and re-instated to traffic in December, 1940, a consequence of the shortage of locomotives required for the war effort.

No.7799 continued to move around the country.

It operated in the Manchester area working local trains from Bolton, and the Liverpool area from Edge Hill, before moving south to Bletchley where it worked the local passenger service to Dunstable.

LNWR 0-6-0 Coal Tank No.1054 runs through Swithland Sidings on 27th April, 2013. LMS Jinty No.47406 provides assistance.

BRIAN BURROWS MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 55

In 1950 it was at Shrewsbury, again working local passenger trains this time to Craven Arms and, after four years, moved to Abergavenny from where it was loaned to the National Coal Board for 12 months working alongside two of its classmates at Windsor Colliery in Ynysybwl near Pontypridd.

It returned to Abergavenny as the last survivor of its type and, incidentally, the last Webb-designed On 26th April, 2013, the first day of the Swithland Steam Gala, No.1054 locomotive in operation. brings its train into Quorn & Woodhouse station. The locomotive was in It was kept as a spare pristine condition and performed impeccably over the three day gala. engine and fitted with a CLIFF JONES snowplough during the exhibiting the locomotive were limited. After winter months in case of heavy snowfalls on the nine years at Penrhyn, and with the growth of line. It is doubtful, however, if it was ever railway preservation groups providing improved utilized in this role. facilities, some of the locomotive's original After working the last train on the Abergavenny trustees arranged for the engine to be cared for to Merthyr line with 0-8-0 Super D No.49121 it by the Bahamas Locomotive Society at their ended its days at Pontypool, where it was finally former GCR single road engine shed at the withdrawn for scrap in 1958, having travelled Dinting Railway Centre near Glossop. over one million miles in 70 years of public In 1980 the engine was overhauled, put into service. working order, and restored to the LNWR There the story might have ended, but for a group condition in which it would have appeared just of determined enthusiasts headed by Max Dunn. prior to the First World War. In May that year it Mr Dunn, the former Shedmaster from the attended the great exhibition at Rainhill held to locomotive depot at Bangor, was persuaded by a celebrate the 150th anniversary of the friend to organise an appeal to raise the £666 Locomotive Trials won by George Stephenson's required by the British Transport Commission to famous Rocket in 1830. buy No.1054. The appeal was successful, and he then arranged for it to be repainted in LNWR In the years since, No.1054 has performed livery at Crewe, following which it went to reliably and well.

Hednesford in Staffordshire for safe storage by the Railway Preservation Society.

No.1054 was taken out of service in 1999 for its During 1963, Mr Dunn and his supporters arranged for No.1054 to be transferred into the ownership of the National Trust for display at Penrhyn Castle in North Wales, not far from where the engine worked in the 1920s.

Although Penrhyn provided public access in safe and secure surroundings, facilities for effectively 56 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

third and most extensive overhaul since it was bought for preservation. This was completed, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, during 2011.

Its expected that No.1054 will be at the GCR for about a month, leaving at the end of May, 2013.

Bagnalls “Judy” and “Alfred” - Dennis Wilcock Bagnalls “Judy” and “Alfred” are dwarfed by the BR Mk1 coach they are hauling on the GCR on 26th April, 2013. NORMAN BATES

The Great Central Railway experienced a visit from two unusual and diminutive locomotives for the Swithland Steam Gala held over 26th to 28th April, 2013. Both were Bagnall 0-4-0 saddle tanks built to essentially the same design. Apart from their very short wheelbase, five feet, they are extremely low being only seven feet six inches tall. To accommodate the train crew the cab floor is lowered between the frames.

They were built to such restricted dimensions to work at Par Harbour near St Austell in Cornwall where tight curves dictated the wheelbase and a bridge under the GWR’s Cornish Main Line gave rise to the very restricted headroom. Both locomotives use the valve gear developed by the locomotive builders, the Stafford company W G Bagnall, and have outside cylinders which allowed them to be maintained without the use on an inspection pit.

“Judy” was built in 1937 as Works Number 2572.

Initially she was not named but finally received her nameplates in 1960. “Judy” was withdrawn in 1969 as boiler repairs were deemed too expensive for the limited amount of rail traffic then handled at the harbour. She remained in the locomotive shed at Par until 1978 when she went to the china clay museum near St Austell where she was displayed as a static exhibit.

“Judy” could be moved to Bodmin General railway station a specialist had to remove the asbestos insulation around the boiler. A grant was made from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards her restoration. Part of the firebox had to be renewed and one of the four axle journals was found to have suffered water damage.

Heavy and specialised repairs were undertaken by contractors, but much of the work was done at Bodmin by volunteers. The boiler was steamed in June, 2008 and she moved under her own power on 31st October, 2008 for the first time in nearly 40 years. She is now fitted with a vacuum brake so that she can operate passenger trains, “Judy” entered service on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway in April, 2009.

“Alfred” was built in 1953 as works number 3058.

Its working life was spent at Par Harbour having spent a short period at Ponts Mill in 1955.

“Alfred” was withdrawn in 1977 and went into preservation at Bugle in 1978. In 1987 it had to move and found a new home at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway. Restoration, including the fitting of a vacuum brake to allow it to pull passenger coaches, was completed when it steamed again in 2002.

While at the GCR both locomotives have been used on the Mountsorrel Branch giving shunting demonstrations contrasting sharply with the giants of steam roaring past on the double track main line.

In 2004 she was given to the Cornish Steam Locomotive Preservation Society. Before “Alfred” at Par in June, 1971. MICHAEL ALDERMAN MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 57

Narrow Gauge Talyllyn Railway No.3 “Sir Haydn” at the GCR - Dennis Wilcock No, the GCR is not planning to build a narrow gauge railway alongside its standard gauge double track main line! So why, do you ask, has two foot three inch gauge No.3 “Sir Haydn” from the Talyllyn Railway been visiting the GCR? Before we answer that let’s take a brief look at the locomotive and its builders.

No.3 was the third of three identical 0-4-0s built in 1878 by Henry Hughes at the Hughes’s Locomotive and Tramway Engine Works Ltd in Loughborough, (Works Nos. 322-324). They were for the 2ft 3ins gauge Corris Railway, being rebuilt as a 0-4-2s in 1900 when they returned to Loughborough. No.3 continued to serve the line until it closed in 1948. In 1951 it, along with Corris No.4, was purchased for the grand sum of £30 by the embryonic Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society for the Talyllyn Railway where it has worked ever since, although it has returned to the Corris on two occasions in the last few years. It was named “Sir Haydn” on the Talyllyn after the long-time owner of the line, Sir Henry Haydn Jones, before it was preserved, but often appears as its alter-ego “Sir Handel” from the Skarloey Railway as one of the locomotives in the Thomas the Tank Engine stories. No.3 returned to Loughborough again in 1978 to take part in a Brush Works Open Day. Henry Hughes of the company Henry Hughes and Co., the builder of No.3, was a timber merchant and engineer who began building horse drawn tramcars at a site on Derby Road in Loughborough, roughly on the site of today’s Willowbrook Park. In 1863, as the company’s work began to concentrate more on steam locomotives they moved to a more logical site next to the Midland Railway Station. The site was about 7 acres and the move was completed in 1867. To raise more capital to expand into the manufacture of steam tramways the company was sold and became the Hughes Locomotive and Tramway Engine Works Ltd with Hughes himself staying on as Works Manager. In 1882, because of financial difficulties, the company re-formed as the Falcon Engine & Car Works 58 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

No.3 at the GCR. CLIVE HANLEY

with Hughes soon departing for New Zealand.

The works by the station then became the Falcon Works where they continued to build steam locomotives of their own design and as subcontractors to other locomotive builders.

During the same period Charles Francis Brush an America, born in Ohio in 1849 was looking to expand his Anglo American Brush Electric Light Corporation which was based in Lambeth in London. He soon found the Falcon Works in Loughborough in 1889. The combination of the two companies was ideal as the Hughes steam engines could drive the Brush electrical machines. The combined company became the Brush Electrical Engineering Company and through the 1890s Brush continued to move from Lambeth and the Falcon site expanded with new engineering sheds and offices making the site a major industrial manufacturing concern.

Since then the Falcon Works has gone through many guises and ownerships with the Rail Traction company now owned by the American company Wabtec. It has produced products from steam locomotives and cars to aircraft. More recently and more directly associated with the GCR it has built diesel locomotives some of which, D5830 and D1705, are now on the GCR. So why has No.3 “Sir Haydn” been to the GCR? The locomotive’s boiler certificate expired in 2012 and the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society wish to raise funds for its overhaul. And what better location than the place of its birth in the company of two other products of that famous Falcon Works?

Derailment of No.46521 The derailed No.46521 with the TPO set. CLIVE HANLEY

On the morning of 27th April, 2013 at approximately 10:00 during the Swithland Steam Gala, Ivatt Class 2 No.46521 suffered a minor shunting accident when it was derailed on the trap points leading from the Down Lie-by siding at Quorn & Woodhouse station. The locomotive was in the process of leading the TPO set out of the sidings.

Thankfully no one was injured and there was no danger to passengers as the main line was not obstructed as the trap points directed the locomotive away from the running line.

Immediate action was taken to secure the line and give attention to the staff involved who, although not injured, were shocked and upset by the incident. One of the staff involved has commented that the attention to staff could not have been better or more professional with all of them being checked for injury, their wellbeing being cared for and cups of tea being supplied to calm nerves. Replacement staff were rapidly put in place and after some further re-planning the gala was up a running again in an hour.

Following the immediate aftermath of the incident plans started to be laid for the recovery of the locomotive. A team of twenty people were involved throughout the afternoon. This involved the staff of the S&T and PWay Departments, Signalmen and the Re-Railing Gang and other railway staff. Firstly the steam operated 45 ton crane was prepared for use. D123, as the breakdown train locomotive, was started and brake vehicles assembled. The breakdown crane was placed on the Down Main adjacent to No.46521 which necessitated the introduction of

Single Line Working over the Up Main line between Rothley and Quorn & Woodhouse. Down trains regained the right line by means of the crossover north of the station.

The process of re-railing then began. Water was drained from the tender to reduce its weight and with the aid of the crane it was back on the rails at 20:50. For the locomotive part of the cab roof had to be removed to allow the lifting shackles to be attached to the lifting chains. Working under emergency lighting the locomotive’s bogie wheels were first put back on the tracks followed by the driving wheels, the locomotive being back on the rails at 00:02 on the 28th April, 2013.

Visitors to the railway have already commented on the thorough professionalism, resilience, tenacity and sheer hard work of all the GCR staff involved in getting a locomotive re-railed in the midst of one of the busiest galas that any railway is able to run.

The damage to No.46521 will have to be assessed but it was still able to be towed back to Loughborough at about 02:00.

Everyone involved behaved in a way that does the GCR proud and enhances its reputation throughout the railway world and a heartfelt thanks is given to all concerned.

The crane alongside No.46521 in preparation for the re-railing. DAVID TAYLOR MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 59

Diesel Locomotive News Loughborough Motive Department - John Pepper

Power

Well the spring has arrived and by the time that you read this the Diesel Gala will have been and gone. Before the event most of the regular home fleet were in working order but we are still not certain what, if any, visiting locomotives we will have available to tempt in the crowds.

All being well, one will be here for most of the season and another will be here for a month.

Class 07005 (D2989) Tony Naylor is still waiting to get the Class 07 on to the shed front so that he can burn off the engine mounting bolts and then lift the engine out so that it can be rebuilt. This does not, however, mean that nothing is happening. Tony has been busy refurbishing the parts that have already been removed. He has also purchased most of the parts that he needs to rebuild the diesel engine. This will not be a quick job; it is expected that it will take possibly four years to complete but the end result should be worth waiting for.

Class 08 D3101 Nothing to report

injector has been removed, professionally overhauled and re-fitted, and No.1 fuel pump has been changed for a spare. These repairs now await testing.

The radiator header tank continues to cause concern; 53 years of rusting from the inside have left it paper-thin in places. After several attempts to weld patches onto the outside, only for more holes to appear elsewhere, a decision was made to take a more drastic approach. An access hole was cut into the roof of the tank and a new floor welded in from the inside. This work is ongoing.

Two further leaks have appeared, on the pipework to and from the cab heaters. One of the offending pipes has been removed for repair, but the other is going to be extremely awkward to get at so the cab heater will be isolated for the time being.

Cosmetically, the cab end has been repainted, with a little work still required to finish it. Paint for the rest of the locomotive has been purchased, although the colour will remain a secret for the moment!

A new top lamp bracket has been fabricated for the cab end, by modifying a spare bottom one.

This awaits fitting. Ladders for the nose end have

Class 08 08694 Since the report in Main Line No.151, restoration of this locomotive has continued.

On the power unit, cylinder No.1 had a slight mis-fire which was most noticeable when the engine was cold – judging by the staining on the side of the engine block, this is an old problem from EWS or even BR days. In an attempt to cure this, No.1 Class 31 D5830 runs off Swithland Viaduct on 22nd March, 2013. CLIVE HANLEY MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 61

been purchased from the Dean Forest Railway, although these will not be fitted initially.

Conduit and two marker light housings have been fitted at the nose end. Once the cab end repaint is complete, the bottom three marker lights will be fitted to that end. The marker lights and conduit have been restored at home over the winter. New lamp holders came from Wilkinsons, and new toggle switches from a company in Wales who specialise in rally cars! The remaining three marker lights will not be fitted initially, due to sheared off studs in the fixing holes. Also, the top lights require their covers modifying, for which the services of a tinsmith are required – any volunteers?

The marker light wiring (along with the conduit) was removed with a hacksaw prior to preservation.

New wire has been purchased and the marker light circuits have been re-run from the electrical cubicle. All of the other lighting circuits have been tested.

The batteries have been serviced and three defective cells replaced.

Finally, the coupling rods have been removed to allow the bearings to be overhauled by locomotive shed staff. One phosphor bronze bush requires complete replacement; material for this has been purchased and, at the time of writing, machining is in progress.

Class 10 10119 (D4067) The Blackstone engined Class 10 is generally in operation. It does however, have a strange problem with one of the vacuum exhausters. The unit runs normally but the motor draws far more current than it should. It was then discovered that the crank case was being pressurised which was equally unusual. The likely cause of this is a sticking exhaust valve that is turning our exhauster into a compressor. The exhausted air that should be blown out to atmosphere is being compressed instead and is then leaking past the rings and causing the crank case to be pressurised in turn. It should not be too difficult a fault to fix – it is just the usual one of arranging the time to do it.

Network Rail Class 37 37198 powers out of Quorn & Woodhouse with The Breakfast Express on 2nd March, 2013. CLIFF JONES

62 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Class 45 D123 “Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry” provides tail end assistance as the train arrives at Quorn & Woodhouse on 2nd March during the GCR’s Diesel Wake Up weekend. CLIFF JONES

Class 20 D8098 As part of planned maintenance work, the traction motors on the bogie under the cab end of the locomotive have had their carbon brushes replaced.

This locomotive and the Class 37 still have the old type carbon pile automatic voltage regulators.

Although these units are fairly simple in their operation, they do become a little crotchety in their old age. To resolve any charging issues going forward, both locomotives are having brand new electronic AVR units manufactured by the engineer who originally designed them. Once they are on hand the locomotives will be taken out of traffic for a couple of weeks in order to have them fitted and set up.

Class 25 D5185 “Castell Dinas Bran” The traction motor blower is still sat in the workshop with the fans fixed firmly on to the motor shaft. Try as I might, they are still refusing to budge. As time is now pressing I have decided to clean the motor to the best of my ability without stripping it using a spray gun to force the cleaning

solvent into the windings from the access holes.

It does mean that only the accessible parts will get re-varnished. This should greatly improve the readings but will not be up to the same standard as the other machines. Once the locomotive is running again we will have a proper go at the spare blower in order to have that one fully overhauled as a replacement unit should we need it at a later date.

The whole of the engine room floor on the B side has now been cleaned and painted and by the time this issue of Main Line arrives on your doormat the wiring work should be under way.

Class 27 D5401 The Class 27 is now working reliably and starts from the start button in the cab. Now that may not sound very momentous but it is something that has not been possible for a few years now without an hour on the battery charger and even then a local start from the control cubicle was the preferred method.

MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 63

repaired by Locomotive Maintenance Services. The No.1 end driver's straight air brake valve that had been blowing by and had caused the locomotive to be withdrawn from the Mini Gala has been overhauled. As a result the locomotive is now back in traffic and being used by the PWay Department.

Class 45 45041 “Royal Tank Regiment” Class 47 D1705 “Sparrowhawk” at The group has been working Woodthorpe on 2nd March, 2013.

D123 is on the rear. CLIFF JONES on the blue Class 45 and are progressing well. The engine was run up recently and stayed running for three Sometimes these faults hang around for a long hours without shutting down. A test run was due time before getting fixed and it is nice to tick one to be arranged to confirm that the problem is now off of the list of things to do. Unfortunately once resolved. All being well the locomotive will be you knew what the answer was the fix was fairly in traffic in time for the gala. obvious! Hindsight is a very useful tool – I must keep my eyes open for a crystal ball at a car boot Class 45 D123 “Leicestershire and Derbyshire sale this summer, it might come in handy next time we get one of these difficult faults to deal Yeomanry” Available for traffic with no issues. with.

Class 31 D5830 The Class 31 is running well this season with no issues to report. As part of ongoing regular maintenance work two of the brake cylinders have been overhauled and had their piston seals replaced.

Class 33 D6535 “Hertfordshire Railtours” The Class 33 was still being worked on during April, 2013 with a view to having it operational during the May Diesel Gala. The 5305LA have finally bitten the bullet and purchased a new set of batteries as the originals are now all but useless.

Some more body work has been undertaken along the lower edge of the sides and above the cab doors. Tom Tighe is adamant that the locomotive will be running for the gala and to that end it even has a booked day in traffic the week before the event. That will hopefully bring out the visitors.

Class 37 37198 (D6898) The main air pipe that had been leaking was recently removed from the locomotive and 64 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Class 47 D1705 “Sparrowhawk” The Class 47 went out on a Sunday diesel diagram in April, 2013. All went well until it got to Leicester North. Having detached from its coaches and run forward into the release neck the crew changed ends to run round the stock ready for the return journey. The locomotive then refused to take power in either direction. They went back to the other cab but it would not work from there either.

The driver declared a failure and requested assistance. Assistance protection was laid at the prerequisite distance to await the arrival of the assisting locomotive. Meanwhile the driver continued to work on the fault. By the time that the assistance had arrived the Class 47 was working again! Eventually the train set off back for Loughborough. Upon arrival, much to the surprise of the passengers, D123 then moved off into the sidings under its own power.

Unfortunately this sort of thing sometimes happens when complex machines are only used occasionally.

Ruddington Motive Power Department Class 25 D7629 The good news is that this remarkable locomotive has survived another winter remaining serviceable throughout. Like all of us, it has had days when start-up has been a little sluggish but standing outside and unprotected it is not surprising! However, on a diet of oil, antifreeze and meths along with a generous helping of TLC the locomotive has done very well and not let us down.

We have just spent a day in the engine room, giving several heads a re-tighten, attending to several minor oil leaks and a small fuel leak.

Also, in the light of a couple of recent engine failures, we also took the opportunity to carry out a brush check on the electrical motors/ generators within the locomotive.

fetching livery of Green and Pink! The one remaining large task which was the preparation work on the roof which has now been completed.

Now all this work is complete, and the weather is warming up, it will not be long before the repainting can begin in earnest. All that is needed now is time!

Hopefully, it will not be too long before 47765 is back in service and doing what it does best!

Model Railway Weekend - 3rd & 4th August, 2013 The plans for our annual Model Railway Weekend are now well under way. We have at least twelve visiting layouts to add to our splendid selection of permanent layouts both inside and outside, along with quality trade support.

Finally a bit of a clean-up inside the engine room makes things look better and means that you can see where the next leak is coming from!

I guess we have an advantage over some model shows, which is space, and as such it allows us to invite some larger layouts and this time we have managed to book Norman’s Crossing which is G scale and some 42ft long. We are looking forward to seeing that.

As result of the above D7629 remains serviceable ready to support our railway and we are particularly looking forward to being part of the Gala weekend at the beginning of May, 2013 which of course, will be over by the time you read this article.

We are grateful for the support of everyone at the railway to make these weekends a success. In particular everyone who contributes to the annual shed clearance, as well as sorting services and general crowd control, which, of course, is a nice problem to have.

Class 47 47765 This locomotive has over-wintered in No.5 Building and remains part way through its programme of body repairs and re-paints.

We are now looking forward to another great weekend in the GCR(N) calendar, and trust that we can give a great family day out and raise valuable funds for the further development of GCR(N).

Some jobs have been done during this period, in particular, repairs have been made to the roof and body sides with some areas / panels being cut out and replacement sections welded in. These have then been cleaned up and prepared for painting. Many areas have required filling and sanding to complete the bodywork to a better standard than when it made a rather hurried appearance last October for the Nene Valley Gala in a rather 56097 in operation on the GCR(N) on 4th May, 2013 during the May Bank Holiday Gala. TREVOR FELTHAM

MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 65

King Richard III returns to Leicester

Catering staff Olivia Penman, Katie Hutton and Liam Tinsley, Joe Jarvis and Keith Shou look after the guests who were entertained by the Medieval Dancers. On the footplate Graham Dryden from Didcot and John Neal.

LOCOMOTIVE PHOTOS: CLIVE HANLEY. OTHERS: IAN LOASBY

On 19th March, 2013 King Richard III returned in style to Leicester in the form of the GCR’s luxury Pullman dining train. No.6023 became long lost stablemate No.6015 “King Richard III” to haul the special train. Guests were welcomed by by Medieval dancers and a champagne reception before boarding the train for a Medieval Banquet.

66 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

The Formative Years - A Sequel - Malcolm Law That was an interesting article (well, perhaps for the more ancient supporters amongst us!) about The Formative Years by Stuart Smith in Main Line No.154.

Stuart confesses to embarrassment at never having used the former GCR route prior to 1969 but he need not worry since I suspect he was in the majority. I was born and bred in Leicester and occasionally train-spotted in my youth at Leicester Central. Nevertheless, I have to confess that, as far as I can recall, my first trip on the line took place on the day the line closed!

Sadly, the ravages of time have played havoc with either Stuart’s or my memory of certain events from yesteryear. At the risk of inflicting terminal boredom on the general readership, may I offer a couple of historical corrections to Stuart’s recollections. According to Stuart that first meeting at Leicester Central appointed Graham Oliver, me and Stuart as, respectively, Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary. Well, he got his own appointment correct! The chairman after that first meeting was in fact John Kirby and the treasurer was my work colleague and friend, Roger Holmes. The job I got was that of Membership Secretary (quite separate from Stuart’s post of Secretary).

Roger, who died in 1990, tends to be the forgotten man of those early days. He and I would scan the returned membership enquiries for evidence of new talents that we could harness.

There is nothing new in the concept of a Skills Audit and it was this that led us to recruit, as volunteers rather than just members, the Lovatt family, who are now recognized in the name of the GCR’s Head Office. Roger and I would also go on Main Line Preservation Group railtours to distribute leaflets and spread the word. On one such occasion I recall the very rare event of Roger being embarrassed: one young trainspotter, realising he was in the company of THE Roger Holmes, MLPG Treasurer, asked him for his autograph! (I’m not sure he wasn’t confusing

him with either Karl Marx or John Lennon!)

Being only the mere Membership Secretary I was nobody and did not qualify for such a request.

Shortly afterwards, following an altercation with Roger and me about the perceived quality of the first newsletter, John Kirby stood down as chairman and, by the next meeting, Richard Willis had been approached and had agreed to take over this position. It was while Roger and I were riding the line between Leicester Central and Nottingham Arkwright Street on that last day of operation that we spotted a dodgy looking character with a notebook who was immediately approached as a possible supporter. This turned out to be Graham Oliver, who should be properly remembered as the father of this superb publication Main Line. In those days we were desperately short of expertise in so many areas and Graham, single-handedly, took a week off work in order to spend time at a local printer learning everything he needed to know to produce a quality magazine rather than a duplicated news-sheet. Back then, printing’s greatest advance since typesetting was the recent arrival of Letraset – everything was still crude, complicated and time consuming and it is to Graham’s great credit that he was able to create the prototype of this magazine. Some years later Graham passed the baton to Dennis Wilcock, who has carried this magazine to even greater heights and who will be an even harder act to follow when he gives up the editorship next year.

At the end of his article Stuart lists the extremely small number of those he thinks are still survivors of that very first meeting of Main Line Preservation Group. I have good news for him: it can be extended by one. The original meeting was called, I believe, by John Kirby and Philip Wainwright. Certainly, Phil was there at that first meeting and, since I spoke to him only a couple of weeks ago, is still alive and kicking and can be added to the list. And for younger readers, yes, that is the same Mr Wainwright who has a Black 5 under restoration at Loughborough.

MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 67

Signal & Telegraph Report Malcolm Freckelton (left) and Simon Jenkins, Chairman of the National Trust, at the presentation of the NRHA award for the Swithland Signalling Scheme. DAVID TAYLOR

at Loughborough. A great deal of planning for the Work Week has taken place.

Work has started on the refurbishment of Loughborough Signalbox – this is in the early preparatory stage.

Leicester North to Loughborough Central Section Steve Evans A start has been made this quarter on clearing vegetation and spoil from the wideway at Swithland between the Up Main and Down Main running lines. A troughing route is being laid in this area to provide a parallel alternative route for cables running north from the Relay Room as the existing ducting is full. The route will include an under track crossing (UTX) from the Relay Room to the wideway, troughing in the wideway up to The Ridings bridge then another UTX to join back into the existing route. Also at Swithland the new upstairs and downstairs doors to the signalbox have been painted. Some electrical work has been done on the 240V supply around the workshop and containers, including fitting some new cabling.

Compensators, cranks and fittings have been refurbished ready for installation during the S&T Work Week. This included drilling out centre pins and putting in new centre pins in the compensators and cranks – a considerable amount of machine work has been required. The refurbished equipment will be used on renewals 68 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

A Great Central Railway ground signal has been donated to the railway.

A company has been located to make patterns from this so that replica GCR ground signals can be made. A set of Railway Signal Company signal fittings has been sorted out, including front and rear spindle castings, adjustable down rod, spectacle plate, weight bar with casting and vertical wheel. These are for GCR lower quadrant signals which will be used for future re-signalling work at Rothley.

The Railway Signal Company was the contractor for signalling on the London Extension.

A l2 lever GCR frame from Barnetby, part of the National Collection, has been allocated to the railway by the National Railway Museum and a lever frame from Mouldsworth – Cheshire Lines Committee – will be going to the Plym Valley Railway.

The Telecoms gang has been undertaking preparation work on the new exchange building at Rothley – the Relocatable Equipment Building (REB). This has been jacked up off the ground and a cable termination frame has been installed.

Ducts have been laid to manholes for cable entries – thanks to Tony Sparks for arranging this building work. Thanks are also due to Mike Lang for providing the power supply.

A major transmission fault occurred between Rothley and Leicester North. The 2 Meg link was

running a very high error rate which manifested itself as a failure rate of about one in three calls.

The link was taken out of service and the Rothley end transmission kit brought to Leicester North so that BER testers could be put on. It was found that the issue was a software problem with the Rothley end transmission kit. This was reprogrammed and bench tested using the BER Testers to make sure that the kit was functioning correctly. The transmission kit was replaced at Rothley and tested again. The exchange was then connected up and a number of successful test calls made.

Cables have been tidied on Platforms Nos.1 and 2 at Loughborough. Preparatory work has been

undertaken for the S&T Work Week. The intention is to re-cable the whole of Loughborough with fibre optic cable, which will carry a data network for swipe card machines and CCTV. The usual faulting and maintenance has been carried out.

As can be seen from the above, the department is progressing its considerable and varied workload, but is always on the look out for additional volunteers to help ease the burden. If you are willing and able to assist, please contact Graham Bannister either at the railway or on 01332 881 412.

Leicestershire Area Group - Members Evenings Come along and enjoy an excellent series of presentations on railways The first Meeting of the 2013-2014 Season is as follows: To address the lamentable fact Friday September that there are only two ex-GCR locomotives in preservation, a group was formed to build another representative of that Company in the form of a 4-4-0 express type. Andrew Horrocks-Taylor, Chairman and Project Manager of the Group describes the history and progress so far, including plans for a vintage coach to compliment it.

13th

All meetings are held at St. Bartholomews Church Hall, Church Lane, Quorn, near Loughborough, LE12 8DP commencing at 7.30pm on the Second Friday of the month from September to March inclusive Refreshments should be available during the interval. Admission is free, although a collection is held to defray costs. Any surplus is used to fund various projects on the GCR

For further information contact John Calton on 0116 267 6909, Keith Satterly on 0116 253 0990 or Peter Hack on 01509 261 094

Everyone is welcome

Northants Area Group - Members Evenings Come and join us for our first show of the 2013-14 season Wednesday 4th September – Main Line - Dennis Wilcock presents an illustrated talk on the past, present and future of the GCR from the comprehensive collection of photographs in the Main Line collection – many unseen before.

All our events are on the first Wednesday of each month starting at 7.30pm at the Weston Favell Parish Hall, Booth Lane South, Northampton, NN3 3EP All are welcome so bring your friends and family and help make this a success.

Refreshments will be available

For more information contact Tony Hemmings on 01536 514 341 MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 69

Full Steam Ahead for Greenacres -

Lesley Allardyce, Greenacres Manager, outlines the latest developments

The facility held its first Vintage Fayre recently which was very well attended; the calibre of goods on the stalls was very high and The Harmony Bells along with BellaUkalele where brilliant; we are already looking forward to next year’s fayre!

We are all getting nervously excited about this year’s Wartime Weekend with Greenacres being turned into an American Base.

BellaUkalele in full swing at Greenacres.

The Greenacres facility has been open for a year now and has gone from strength to strength, with all but two of the units being leased as Vital has recently taken on the last two large units for more apprentices, who we are looking forward to meeting soon. Anyone interested in renting one of the two small units left (approximately 12m2) please email lesleyalla@yahoo.co.uk.

We are currently looking into a couple of new developments at Greenacres and The Platform Café, I hope to be able to tell you more in the next Main Line issue!

The Platform Café is also available for private hire and has secured bookings through till December, 2013 for birthday parties, christenings, conferences, wakes and public group talks. Any enquiries please ring Lesley on 01509 633 870.

Or if you are a local community group looking to meet and chat over coffee and cake why not pop in and have a look round.

The Platform Café will be holding a Swing Night on Friday 7th June from 7pm to 11pm, providing food and entertainment from Ricky Hunter and The Harmony Bells plus Major Swing will be DJing the night away.

If you fancy good food and a toe tapping ‘40s swing style night, tickets are going fast so please get in touch quick! Or, if you would like to come after the meal for the entertainment only please ring Lesley on 077785 12285 for further information.

Over the Wartime Weekend we will be welcoming singer Fiona Harrison and Ricky Hunter will be back. There will be American re-enactor displays, vintage trade stalls, Punch & Judy, plus the café will become an Easy Diner providing American style delights, so the Land Girls at Greenacres look forward to meeting you soon!

Also, in June look out for The Platform Café’s new menu.

This issue’s special offer for Main Line readers

2 for 1 on all main meals every Tuesday in June for all readers that bring along their copy of Main Line To make a reservation please ring 01509 633 870 70 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Dates for you Diary Sunday 16th June – A tasty Father’s Day at The Platform Café with full English Breakfast and the Sunday papers, or treat Dad to a lovely lunch and a pint of real ale. Please ring 01509 633 870 to make a reservation.

24th, 25th & 26th August – Family Fun Weekend. Lots for families to do at Greenacres over this weekend, let’s hope the sun shines!

To keep up to date with all the news, offers and events please follow us on Twitter @TheSidingsLE3, Like Us on Facebook at Greenacres or log onto www.gcrailway.co.uk, you will find us under Stations and Cafes.

The Mountsorrel Railway Project

Steve Cramp leads the team of volunteers working on the project, and sets out the latest progress

16th February, 2013 marked a huge milestone for the project as the final panels of track were laid taking us up to the site of the proposed Mountsorrel Halt at the end of the line. We had a fantastic turn out of 76 volunteers who wanted to help lay the final panels of track and representatives were there from Mountsorrel Parish Council, the local newspapers and Central TV who ran a feature on the evening news that day.

Based on Ordnance Survey Mapping © Crown copyright - Media 068/13 Even though track laying is complete there is still much to do to ready the line few weeks packing and lining the track ready for for trains to run. The team spent the following top ballast to be dropped. Lift plates were fitted to bring the rail heads into line on sections of track with uneven rail wear, and 150 check chairs were fitted to the first of our tight curves at Wood Lane.

On 5th April, 2013 the GCR ran Class 37 37198 up the line with a Mk1 full length carriage to test the clearances at the Wood Lane bridge.

Volunteers enjoy a well earned celebration on 23rd February, 2013 after completion of track laying. Five years ago who would have thought that we would be in this position so soon. STEVE CRAMP 72 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Successful clearance testing underway at Wood Lane Bridge on 5th April, 2013 with a Class 37 and Mk1 carriage.

Right: Class 37 37198 emerges from the bridge.

Below: Under the bridge the Class 37 has sufficient clearance to allow for the running of passenger trains.

BOTH: STEVE CRAMP

the line, it did give a tantalising taster of things to come!

The bridge is very narrow and although on paper a coach should pass through with ample clearance to satisfy the safety rules laid down by the Office of the Rail Regulator, we all breathed a big sigh of relief when the carriage passed through with plenty of space to spare! This was followed the next week by ballast trains dropping top ballast over all but the final 200 yards of track, which will be ballasted later in the spring. Watching the Class 37 with its train winding through the S bends at Wood Lane was an impressive sight!

Films of both the clearance test and the ballast laying have been uploaded to the project's YouTube channel. Just search on YouTube for "Mountsorrel Railway".

All the hard work became worth while when steam trains ran onto the branch line during the GCR's Swithland Gala over 26th to 28th April.

Tank engines “Alfred” and “Judy” had to work hard to push their trains, with the Mountsorrel Granite wagons, three Windcutter wagons and a brake van, up the 1 in 61 gradient towards Mountsorrel, which made a powerful sight looking out from The Ridings. Although the trains only ventured as far as the farm accommodation crossing a quarter of a mile along

Our volunteer Ecology Group has continued to make outstanding progress with the Nunckley Trail footpath close to the line at Swithland Lane.

The half mile path itself is almost complete. A picnic and viewing area for the railway is nearing completion, Our volunteer tree surgeon has made seven benches from the trunk of a tree felled during the clearance of the line five years ago.

These really are a work of art. Sadly the first was stolen from the site over Easter before it could be concreted into the ground. The rest have since been very well secured indeed!

Toyota at Derby have sponsored 200m of fencing materials so we can fence the section of the path that runs alongside the railway. The hope is that the trail will be open for the public to use free of charge on the days when the branch line trains are running.

Our Wildlife Warriors group have run two very successful events over the last quarter. The first was in February, 2013 when local children undertook an archaeological dig of the Dob Hall ruins that stand next to the branch line at Swithland Lane. The derelict building dates back to 1780 and within minutes of the dig starting the first signs of the building's stone and tiled floor were uncovered. The children also painted almost 60 bird boxes which have gone up around the railway.

MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 73

Below: During the GCR’s Swithland Steam Gala on 27th April, 2013 Par Harbour Bagnall “Alfred” brings its train across the farm accommodation crossing. STEVE CRAMP

Above:On 9th April 37198 brings a ballast train towards Wood Lane Bridge.

Below: Volunteers at Dobb Hall.

BOTH: STEVE CRAMP

are in the process of sourcing the remaining 100 check chairs we need.

Check rails then need to be fitted and a tamper will need to be hired in to line and pack the track. Setting out and preparing for the tamper will take many weeks in itself. Finally we will be installing a buffer stop and sand drag at the end of the line. We are still hopeful of the first passenger trains being able to run before the summer is over. Watch this space!

In late April, 2013 the group ran a badger watch evening in conjunction with Charnwood Borough Council's Wildlife Officer Tim Adkin who came along to lead a very interesting evening which was attended by over 65 members of the public.

We are very grateful to Tim for doing this and we are pleased to say that he'll be back with us on 8th June, 2013 to run a dry stone walling demonstration session, so if you fancy trying your hand at this ancient skill, why not come along.

Wildlife Warrior sessions are sponsored by the Mercury Newsagents on Leicester Road, Mountsorrel. They are free to attend although donations towards the project's ecology work are very welcome.

Looking ahead, the railway still requires much work before it is up to operational standards. We 74 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Our attention is firmly focused on Mountsorrel Halt. We are very nearly ready to apply for planning permission to build the halt at Bond Lane together with a small car park in the corner of the field above.

This will enable passengers to be able to get off the train to visit Stonehurst Family Farm and Motor Museum, another very popular tourist attraction nearby.

The cost to build Mountsorrel Halt is likely to be around £60,000. The Edith Murphy Foundation based at Birstall has very kindly kick started our fund raising campaign for the halt with a generous £5,000 donation. We are hopeful of attracting sponsorship from local businesses to reduce the overall costs but we still have a considerable amount of money to raise. Thank you very much if you have supported the project over these past five years. If you would like to donate please send your donation cheque made payable to DCRT

One of the newly created benches on the Nunckley Trial. STEVE CRAMP

is after getting up at 6.30 to do his paper round! He gets stuck in with whatever tasks are thrown at him and often goes home with his clothes, face and hands looking more like he has been down a coal mine than at a railway, a clear sign of a hard day’s graft!

(The David Clarke Railway Trust), with Mountsorrel Railway written on the back, to 112 Balmoral Road, Mountsorrel, Loughborough, LE12 7EW. If you are a UK tax payer please also download a Gift Aid form from the project website www.mountsorrelrailway.org.uk and send it with your donation. This way the tax man will add a further 25% to your donation at no cost to you.

Young Volunteer of the Year 14 year old Daniel Bowler, a Mountsorrel volunteer, has been recognised as the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire’s Young Volunteer of the Year. He received his award from Lady Gretton at a Young Person of the Year 2013 ceremony at County Hall on the 11th April, 2013.

Daniel, from Mountsorrel, has volunteered on the project almost every week continuously over the last three years and is always there at the start of the session and stays till the very end and this

Daniel now helps to develop subprojects behind the scenes, as well as helping on the recognised volunteer sessions. Alongside the heavy, physical work involved with reinstating the railway, Daniel plays an important part in the Project’s Wildlife Warriors ecology initiative.

Daniel designed the group’s logo and helps his mother Caroline run the Warrior sessions.

In addition, Daniel has helped as a young leader at 1st Mountsorrel Cubs every Wednesday night and goes on camp with them, helping to cook and serve the meals and helping with activities. Not content with that, he also designed their web site and now looks after it, keeping it up to date.

Below: Daniel Bowler receives his Young Volunteer award from Lady Gretton on 11th April, 2013.

Right: Daniel in more familiar surroundings at work on the Mountsorrel Branch. Very well done to Daniel.

MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 75

The Decline of the GCR’s Country Stations - Dennis Wilcock

The South Yorkshireman from Bradford to Marylebone hauled by LNER B1 Class 4-6-0 No.61380 at Great Missenden. MIKE ESAU

It is now fifty years since, along with other country stations on the Great Central Railway’s London Extension, the stations at Belgrave & Birstall, Rothley, Quorn & Woodhouse, Rushcliffe Halt and Ruddington closed to passenger traffic on 4th March, 1963.

East Leake and Loughborough Central were left to soldier on to the end with East Leake surviving at the request of British Gypsum for use by its workers and Loughborough surviving because of the amount of traffic it generated. The line and its stations seemed doomed forever until the small band of enthusiasts got together to form the Main Line Preservation Group. That story has been told many times within the pages of Main Line.

This time we take a look at the period that led up to the closures but restrict attention to those stations on the preserved railway.

After the 2nd World War and the battering that all railways received it is commendable that as early as 1947 new express services from London Marylebone to Sheffield and An extract from the 1956 summer timetable when the former Great Central was still within the Eastern Region of British Railways.

76 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

LMS Black Five No.45333 at East Leake on a Nottingham to Marylebone parcels in March, 1965 one of the survivors of the 1960 cuts to express services. GERALD SIVIOUR

Manchester began to be introduced. The process continued after Nationalisation on 1st January, 1948 and things seemed set fair for the former Great Central Railway.

Initially the line had become part of the Eastern Region of British Railways and was largely controlled by the former LNER men. On weekdays there were seven Down expresses from Marylebone - the 01:45 Newspapers to Nottingham Victoria; the 10:00, 12:15 and 17:20 to Manchester London Road; the 16:50, The South Yorkshireman, to Bradford; the 18:18, The Master Cutler, to Sheffield Victoria and the 22:00 mail train for Manchester and Liverpool.

In the Up direction there were six services - the 07:40, The Master Cutler, from Sheffield Victoria; the 8:30 from Manchester London Road; the 10:00, The South Yorkshireman, from Bradford; the 14:10 and 16:05 from Manchester London Road and the 21:30 mail train from Liverpool. While none of these services stopped at our country stations they do give an indication of the vibrancy of the line as these expresses swept through the countryside of rural Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

to Swansea and Barry. There was also the Aberdeen to Penzance! In the 1950s the route was used by York (Newcastle) to Bournemouth (Poole) and the overnight mail trains from York, to Sheffield, Swindon and Bristol.

These express services were supplemented by the local services stopping at all stations including those on our preserved section of line. With so few connections to other railways these services mainly plied up and down the London Extension.

As with all railways they radiated from the principle stations - Nottingham Victoria and Leicester Central for our purposes. During weekdays there was a service of six trains each

The Great Central had always taken advantage of its connection with the Great Western Railway via the line from Culworth Junction to Banbury opened in 1906. Routes included the Manchester, Huddersfield and Halifax to Bristol; York, Bradford and Manchester to Bournemouth; York to Southampton and the Ports to Ports service from Newcastle and Hull The Master Cutler and The South Yorkshireman timetables from the summer of 1956.

MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 77

1956 with the York Bournemouth cross country trains using the link to the Great Western system at Banbury.

from Grimsby, express goods and parcels trains and goods trains emanating from Immingham and running on to the Great Western system via Banbury. There were also the famous Runners or Windcutters running on an extremely tight schedule from Annesley to Woodford.

The GCR’s London Extension was indeed a busy railway.

So what caused its decline?

way between Nottingham Victoria and Leicester Central. In addition there were a further six trains a day on much longer stopping services known to Great Central men as Ords. These included Nottingham to Rugby; Nottingham to Woodford; Sheffield to Leicester; Leicester to Chesterfield and Leicester to Manchester.

And, of course, there were additional holiday excursion trains and specials running as well.

While here we are concerned with the passenger services, the Great Central was also a major freight route with the famous Fish Trains Class 47 D1799 on return York Bournemouth at Ashby Magna in 1966. The M1, almost devoid of traffic is on left. The motorway pointed to the future and the decline in railway travel.

MICHAEL MENSING 78 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

After the 2nd World War the country was in a parlous state and was definitely not a land fit for returning heroes. The human tragedy of so many deaths and injuries played very heavily on families and many of those that did survive found the jobs that had been theirs before the war no longer existed. While we often refer to the very poor state of the railways, much the same can be said about other infrastructure and industry. Factories that had been so busy in the war making munitions had to return to the manufacture of civil goods. It was not an easy process.

And food rationing, introduced during the war to eek out meagre supplies that were threatened by war on Britain’s trade routes, was still in place.

Indeed it was not until 4th July, 1954 that rationing finally ended. Above all this was the major financial crisis. The 2nd World War coming so close on the heels of the first had basically bankrupted the country. There were huge debts to be repaid to the USA and Canada so that money

phrase taken from the 1952 US presidential election campaign.

While this might be said to be the typical politicians glossing of the reality it did reflect a growing belief that things were getting better.

Unfortunately for the railways MacMillan’s g o v e r n m e n t , particularly through its Minister of Transport Ernest Marples (who On 28th June, 1961 LNER V2 No.60815 pulls away from Belgrave & Birstall held that post from with the 18:10 Nottingham Victoria to Leicester Central local. The signalbox 1959 to 1964), saw and lamp hut are still in place. M MITCHELL/transporttreasury.co.uk road transport as an engine for growth and of allowing people to was in very short supply and priorities had to be express their new found prosperity and freedom faced. And the Attlee government of 1945 was by ridding themselves of the restrictive travel perhaps the most revolutionary government in arrangements offered by the railways for the modern history. It established the National Health complete flexibility and freedom of choice Service, the Welfare State and nationalised major offered by the motor car and the roads. Car assets including the coal and steel industries and ownership and production boomed as did road the railways. building under the direction of Marples, a director of Marples Ridgeway a civil engineering It is therefore not surprising that the railways contractor which he had helped establish. would not command much money although initially this was not a problem as they actually Britain’s first motorway, the eight mile Preston made a profit. However, the situation changed by-pass was opened on 5th December, 1958. The rapidly. Government efforts to boost prosperity and a greater feeling of wellbeing led to the M1 motorway between Watford and Rugby Festival of Britain in 1951, echoing the Empire opened on 2nd November, 1959. Going north the Exhibition of 1924/25 in being a shop window motorway was progressively opened from 1965 for the world. The Coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953 also boosted morale and a feeling that things were indeed getting better started to take hold. Indeed in 1957 Harold MacMillan, the Prime Minister, uttered the famous phrase “most of our people have never had it so good”, a LMS Black Five No.44830 in relatively clean condition at Belgrave & Birstall with the 13:30 Nottingham Victoria to Marylebone long distance stopper on 4th November, 1961. What GCR men would call an Ord. M MITCHELL/transporttreasury.co.uk MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 79

Rothley station with the 17:30 Nottingham to Rugby service in the platform the on 9th July, 1960. Note the coal staithes on the other side of the station. M MITCHELL/ transporttreasury.co.uk

to 1968 the earlier sections being right alongside the former Great Central Railway.

In the context of the times, the railways had started to lose substantial sums of money and so came the Modernisation Plan of 1955 with its introduction of diesel and electric traction to replace steam. It was not a success as there was a multiplicity of diesel engine designs

commissioned, many of them built by former steam locomotive builders and still using steam age technology. In addition the locomotive depots would have to be re-equipped and staff trained to deal with the new technologies. All a considerably expensive process.

In the case of the Great Central route the first indications of cost cutting came in 1957 with the transfer of the A3 locomotives from Leicester shed back to the East Coast Main Line. The impending changes to the regional structure came to fruition on the 1st February, 1958 when the route was transferred into the Midland Region.

It has always been a strange feature of railways that rivalries are long remembered and vendettas settled with ruthless vigour with scant regard for overall benefit. The former Great Western Railway managers decimated the Southern Railway routes to the West Country once those routes became part of the Western Region of British Railways. When the former Great Central routes came under the control of the rival Midland men the outcome was inevitable. The Midland had opposed the existence of the Great Central from the very

Part of the 1962 timetable with the semi fasts now in operation. The railway was now part of the Midland Region.

beginning and the two railways remained bitter competitors. As the fight for the dwindling number of passengers became ever more urgent in the 1950s railway management adopted the strategy so clearly identified later by Prof E R Hondelink - cut out and neglect rather than seek ways to simplify operations and manning and recover the traffic. For two routes that were said to duplicate each other from Leicester to London, the Midland and Great Central, the latter is often criticised for running through sparsely populated countryside when is went south from the very poorly located Rugby Central station. But the same can be said of the Midland route. Having left Leicester it first passes through Market Harborough, hardly a major centre of population, before it too runs south through open countryside.

17:15. They had numerous stops, including East Leake making the journey time from London to Nottingham a very un-attractive three hours. The 08:38 and 12:25 return was operated by a DMU. Supplementing these services were two return trips a day from Nottingham to Banbury and one from Nottingham to Rugby. Only the Rugby trains stopped at East Leake, at 07:54 in the Up direction and 13:32 in the Down direction. With these introductions the long distance locals were also withdrawn leaving only the Nottingham to Leicester locals although the cross country York (Newcastle) to Bournemouth survived to the end.

Even so the line remained busy. David Holmes, the stationmaster at East Leake in 1962/63, recorded 130 trains passing the station in a 24 hour period.

But such considerations were irrelevant. The Midland men had control. The Midland route had to be protected by transferring traffic from the Great Central and there was no culture of trying to win back traffic. So the Great Central had to go. No time was wasted in this process. On 2nd January, 1960 the express passenger services were withdrawn leaving only the newspaper and mail through expresses. In their place was put a semi-fast service between Marylebone and Nottingham consisting of three return trips a day.

With minor variations in timings the Down trains left Marylebone at 08:38, 12:40 and 16:30. The Up trains left Nottingham at 08:40, 12:25 and

It is often said that if you cut off the roots and branches of a tree the trunk will die. In the case of the Great Central route it was a case of cutting out the trunk so that the roots and branches died.

With the expresses gone the role of the locals in making connections to the smaller stations also went and the decline of the country stations accelerated. And so the inevitable happened on 4th March, 1963 when the country stations were closed leaving only Loughborough Central and East Leake on our stretch of line.

Peter Skinns, a Parcels Clerk at Leicester Central station recalls “On Saturday 2nd March, 1963 the final day of services (there being no service on Sunday, the closures were with effect from Monday 4th March) I had been on the counter at Leicester Central that afternoon and there was a derailment at the north end of the station which blocked the line in both directions.

Very soon the relief lines on both the Up and Down sides filled up with freight trains from the south and all passenger trains from that

BR Standard Five No.73156, now being restored on the present day GCR, pulls into Quorn & Woodhouse on the 09.30 Leicester to Nottingham local on 24th July, 1961. The many posters on the station still advertise such destinations as Plymouth and Southend on Sea. There are plenty of wagons in the goods yard and the PWay is well maintained. M MITCHELL/transporttreasury.co.uk MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 81

BR 9F No.92113 at Woodthorpe on a Windcutter in March, 1965 shortly before the withdrawal of freight services. GERALD SIVIOUR

direction were terminated and buses laid on to take passengers northwards presumably to Nottingham.

Freight trains from the north were presumably stacked up on relief lines back to Nottingham and passenger trains terminated there. The Up main line must have been left clear as the breakdown train eventually arrived from Colwick behind a Class 02 2-8-0, the only time I ever saw one in Leicester .

Prior to the line being cleared there were 12 engines in the station, the most I had ever seen at one time. The line was re-opened by the time I left work at 18:15. It almost seemed like some supernatural force had intervened in protest to the stations closing.

Later that evening I caught a train to Nottingham to visit some friends and as it passed through the now closed stations I can still remember seeing the dull glow from the gas lights and thinking that when the glow finally disappears they would be in darkness forever. l could never have imagined that they would still be alive and well 50 years on.”

With the failure of the 1955 Modernisation Plan it was clear that something more had to be done.

On 1st June, 1961 Dr Richard Beeching, the Technical Director of ICI, was appointed as chairman of the new British Railways Board and was tasked by Ernest Marples with finding a way of returning the railways to profitability. It is said that the first draft report by Dr Beeching proposed further investment in the railways but that this was rejected by Marples.

Then on 27th March, 1963 came the first Beeching Report The Reshaping of British Railways. The report proposed the closure of some 5000 route miles of railway. Amongst these the passenger services from London Marylebone to Leicester Central and Nottingham Victoria were proposed 82 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

for closure. To rub salt into the wound the cross country service from York to Sheffield Victoria, Nottingham Victoria, Leicester Central to Banbury was also to be a casualty. The Great Central route was doomed.

The Beeching Report report proposed the closure of 2363 stations and halts. Of these 235 had already been closed, including those on our preserved line, and a further 200 where already under consideration for closure. The closure of the route meant that those stations remaining after the 1963 closures, Loughborough Central and East Leake would now be closed.

The proposals were very vigorously opposed not least by The Great Central Association whose President was none other than the Rt Hon The Earl of Lanesborough, TD later to become President of the preserved Great Central Railway.

The Association commissioned a review of the Beeching Report by Prof E R Hondelink who concluded that the report was one sided in that it did not consider a similar exercise on roads and the costs bourne by rate payers and tax payers.

He estimated that the road deficit would be £300 to £600M against the £170M deficit on the railways. He further found that railway management rooted out loss making lines and then failed to examine how they might be made profitable by, say, simplifying services and manning. Such lines had then been subjected to a deliberate policy of neglect. Similarly full length trains needed for peak travel times had then been used throughout off peak periods adding to costs and maintenance. And finally that the process of reducing branch lines did not

The final timetable.

Trunk Routes. But by then it was already too late for the former Great Central. In retrospect Dr Beeching cannot really be blamed for the closure of the GCR route. That had already been set in train by the transfer of the route to the Midland Region, the removal of the express passenger services and the closure of the country stations.

The route had been deliberately run down and neglected so that by the time of the Beeching Report there was no turning back.

recognise their contribution to the main line - cut off the root and branches and the trunk will die.

Lord Stonham, a Vice President of The Central Railway Association and a member of the National Council on Inland Transport, put the case in the Lords but as we all know it was to no avail.

The run down of the Great Central route was inexorable. In 1962 Neasden Motive Power Depot closed. At Leicester the Motive Power Depot’s role in servicing the express locomotives had gone so in 1964 that depot also closed. Freight traffic was withdrawn from the route on 11th June, 1965.

The inevitable came on 3rd September, 1966 when the line was severed south of Rugby and the line closed as a through route. At the same time access to Nottingham Victoria station ceased and Nottingham Arkwright Street, virtually derelict since its closure in 1963, was re-opened as the Nottingham terminus for Great Central trains (Nottingham Victoria, a joint Great Central and Great Northern station, finally closed on 4th September, 1967). A DMU service was provided between Arkwright Street and Rugby. The weekday service consisted of six return trips a day with an additional Leicester Central to Arkwright Street service departing at 07:10. The services called at the now un-staffed stations at Loughborough Central and East Leake. The services were badly timed and there was to be no reprieve for the country stations. Final closure came on 5th May, 1969 when the remaining stations at East Leake and Loughborough Central succumbed.

So ended the line of Sir Edward Watkin so excellently built by Sir Edward Parry, so valiantly promoted by Sir Sam Fay and so magnificently equipped by John G Robinson.

On the 16th February, 1965 came the second Beeching Report The Development of the Major Railway It’s all over. The last Up service on 3rd May, 1969 passes the closed Belgrave & Birstall station. PETER SKINNS

MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 83

News from the Line OBITUARIES

As a compromise he started an apprenticeship with family friends at Meeks Boat Yard in Marlow where he helped build the RAF’s WW2 fast rescue boats. He liked it so much he twice ran away to Portsmouth to join the Royal Navy but was hauled back by his father after collecting him from the dockyard police. In the end his father relented and Maurice joined the Royal Navy.

ill health he considered the pinnacle of his career to be the firing of “City of Truro” on the GCR.

Richard Minifie We are all very sorry to hear of the death of our colleague and fellow DCRT Trustee, Richard Minifie on Thursday 25th April, 2013. He was a deeply respected and regarded Trustee and advisor and will be sadly missed.

Richard was a solicitor by After the War he did indeed join profession and worked in a law the GWR at Swindon and the firm in Loughborough for many fact that he was a genuine Great years. He was also a Notary Western man meant a lot to him. Public and would swear He had been brought up with the affidavits for statements for the Maurice Gibbs It is with great sadness that we GWR and GCR Joint line at the due process of law. report the death, on 18th bottom of the family garden in December, 2012, of Maurice High Wycombe. There he could I met Richard back in the days Gibbs as a result of Leukaemia. watch the GWR locomotives of the ground work to merge the thunder past his bedroom two Charities from MLST and Maurice worked on the GCR as window. As the GWR became DCRT into one supporting a volunteer fireman until a the Western Region of British charity for the Great Central couple of years ago and was a Railways he graduated to the Railway. He was charming, man of strong, and sometimes footplate and chose to work on erudite and had a wonderful dry embarrassing, opinions but was freight and heavy coal trains in sense of humour and was good company. He was a listener and one of the railway’s true South Wales. a very clever thinker and characters. He had a particular preference for the products of As Ten Pound Poms Maurice, became a trusted advisor. We Swindon which caused heated now married, took the family to spent many hours working with Malcolm discussions on the mess room! Australia but flu on arrival together He had an intimate knowledge prevented him getting a job on Freckelton and Bill Ford lawyers and of the workings of steam the railways. He became a consulting accountants and it was Richard locomotives and any questions toolmaker for Qantas. who could – and did – interpret would certainly be answered probably supported by a book On return to the UK, Maurice the legal jargon so we could became a Time and Motion man understand what was advised – on the subject. and then went back to sea as an and perhaps more importantly As a young man he had wanted engine room officer with the what was NOT advised! to join the GWR but his parents, Shaw Savill Line sailing around Richard’s gentle humour was being owners of two furniture the world several times a year. factories, had not envisaged that Shortly before he was unable to infectious and he would lighten kind of job for their eldest son. continue his firing duties due to the tasks in hand with a twinkle 84 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

in his eye behind his trademark rimless spectacles. He once proudly announced that his firm possessed a snooker table – but also added that they hadn’t actually got any balls!!

Due to illness Richard stepped back from professional and business life to spend more time with his family and will be sadly missed by family, colleagues and friends.

The is a magnificent GCR SHARE APPEAL At the beginning of May, 2013 achievement and thanks go to the GCR Share Appeal had all those who have supported reached a grand total of £76,360 the railway and given the GCR from 363 supporters with a a more solid financial base. We further £937.50 per month, are now just short of the £80K £11,250 for the full year, being target so one final push will see us get there. subscribed by 85 supporters.

Our condolences go out to Richard’s widow Yvonne and family.

Bob Stephens On 13th April, 2013 Michael Portillo, during filming for his tv series, stands with Rothley station staff prior to his trip to Loughborough Central. From left to right are Michael, Dave Allen, Geoff Shaw, Gordon Debenham and John Price. KATE TILLEY CAPTION COMPETITION! Polite suggestions to the editor on what might driver Richard Todd be saying to fireman Robin Britten. Photo: CLIVE HANLEY

?

MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 85

Before embarking on his train ride to Loughborough Central behind No.6023 “King Edward II”, Michael Portillo, in suitably colourful garb for which he has become famous, enjoyed a cup of tea and a chat to visitors at Rothley station while proudly wearing his stationmasters hat. LEFT: EMMA PEASANT, BELOW: KATE TILLEY

The Share Appeal remains open and all the necessary information and forms can be found on the GCR website under the Support Us button.

THE AGMS The AGM’s of the GCR plc and Friends will be held on 13th July, 2013 in Lovatt House. The official notices for Friends are on pages 22 and 23 of this issue.

This year the Annual Report of FoGCML will be posted on the Friends page of the GCR website. Any members wishing to have a printed copy should contact Friends on 01509 632 323. The minutes of last year’s

SPRING RAFFLE The Grand Spring Draw run by Friends on behalf of The David Clarke Railway Trust has This process should save already broken records for the Friends several hundred pounds. amount of money raised. At the end of April, 2013 ticket sales had totalled £9,595. meeting will also be on the web so members are invited to read those prior to the meeting.

2000 Club

Winners of the draws to March 2013 were:January 2013 1st £73.26 No.1250 M A Lewis, Thrapston 2nd £30.52 No. 230 K A Porter, London 3rd £18.31 No. 96 J D Speed, Strumpshaw February 2013 1st £73.08 No. 917 D Thompson, Mansfield 2nd £30.45 No.1409 P R Bexfield, Luton 3rd £18.27 No. 443 F A Siddaway, Sheffield March 2013 1st £70.38 No.1314 C B Talkes, Chilwell 2nd £29.32 No.1430 E Lloyd, Sutton Coldfield 3rd £17.59 No. 152 M F Wood, Leicester K M Lloyd DCRT 2000 Club Promoter 86 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Clearly support for the restoration of No.6990 “Witherslack Hall” has been very strong and the amount raised will enable the stays required to finish the boiler and firebox to be purchased.

The raffle will be drawn on 25th May, 2013 at Loughborough Central, after copy deadline for this issue, so the list of winners will be posted on the Friends section of the GCR website.

Thanks to everyone who has supported this raffle. The support is much appreciated.

Great Central Railway Vintage Vehicle Club

The GCR intends to establish a database of vintage vehicles and their owners to form the Great Central Railway Vintage Vehicle Club

Owners will be invited to bring their vehicles to special and dedicated events organised by the railway and principally based at Quorn & Woodhouse station yard where there would be watering facilities provided for steam powered vehicles and where refreshments are available at the Butler-Henderson Café

No fees or subscriptions are required to join the club

Owners are invited to provide contact details, vehicle details and any special needs for their vehicles Please contact Michael Stokes on 07710 934 788 or at michael.stokes@gcrailway.co.uk Canopy Appeal has now sold addition the window and door MICHAEL PORTILLO out raising much needed funds frames were re-pointed and a VISITS THE GCR On 13th April, 2013 Michael for Loughborough’s Crystal freshening coat of paint applied.

Portillo visited the GCR for Palace. So if you didn’t buy one Repairs have been carried out to the staircase with broken glass filming of his very popular BBC you have missed a treat. replaced. At street level, even tv series Great Railway Journeys.

The lesson is that when we the postbox received attention Michael first arrived at Rothley produce another limited edition with the old and blistered paint station where he met Richard DVD make sure you order your removed and new applied.

Patching to talk about the copy straight away!

There has been considerable history of the line. Whilst there he found time to chat to some of L O U G H B O R O U G H electrical modernisation behind the volunteers and surprised CENTRAL’S WASH AND the scenes, made easier by the provision of ducts under the fellow passengers before BRUSH UP boarding the train, hauled by an With the canopy hogging the platform, so that the plethora of immaculate No.6023 “King limelight, it is easy to overlook dangling cables could be Edward II”, for a trip to other tasks that are being removed. There was even a Loughborough Central. While undertaken to improve the mains supply cable looping with us Michael got into the station and its surroundings in from beam to beam, and this spirit of Railway Preservation order to create a finished look was replaced when new by donning a Stationmasters hat to the place. This will electrical sub-boards were complement the earlier installed. There were so many and checking tickets! improvement works when the cables that it became difficult to The new series of Michael’s disabled access upgrade took know which was which and if programmes is expected to start place. This provided a new lift they were live, but by careful in the early part of 2014. As in the old vacant shaft from detection the offenders were and removed. information becomes available street level down to the identified about the transmission date with platforms, and the provision of Dangerous cables under the the GCR input it will be posted a less-able WC at platform level. platform edges were also We have gone one stage further removed. The station lighting on the GCR website. now by providing ramped has been upgraded with seven access to every door on the lights per platform in place of GREAT CENTRAL station, removing cracked or the original six, and a new PA RAILWAY PILGRIMAGE The excellent DVD produced by sunken pavings and repairing system is being fitted with new Tom Ingall to support the frost-damaged coping stones. In authentic speakers. The core of MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 87

The outside broadcast van of the University of Bradford at Swithland Sidings on 27th April, 2013 for the filming of the new DVD. Behind the van is the Friends stand at which several new members were recruited over the weekend of the Swithland Steam Gala. BRIAN BURROWS

a new station-wide CCTV system is also going in. Not to be outdone, the north water tower has been repainted since it was felt that a rusty edifice next door to an upgraded station did not really look the part.

We have now entered the station and canopy in to the National Railway Heritage Awards, in the hope that we will gain some recognition for the fabulous results achieved.

Tony Sparks.

SWITHLAND GALA DVD Visitors to the Swithland Gala on on 27th April, 2013 can't have failed to notice the large truck parked in the yard at Swithland Sidings. This was an outside

broadcast vehicle belonging to admirably, creating spectacular the University of Bradford who sequences of trains passing committed their time and down the line, all cut together manpower in support of the live. The production has been event so we could create a DVD organised by Tom Ingall and of the day’s proceedings. With sponsored by Friends and our six cameras, some mounted on deep gratitude goes to the scaffold, the plan had been to University and the students, cover the shunting of freights who really put their all into the and the passing trains. After project. several weeks of detailed planning and analysing The DVD will come out later timetables, in the end the this year and there will be more filming schedule had to be details in the next Main Line. abandoned due to other events, but the team rose to the NEW GCR MODELS FROM challenge of ad-libbing BACHMANN Following on from the excellent models of the GCR O4s in various liveries, which are still on sale, Bachmann have followed up the GCR theme with models of the D11/1 Improved Directors and the D11 /2 Scottish Directors. Again both models are in various liveries. Still to come is a model of the GCR J11 Pom Pom 0-6-0 goods locomotive in various Inside the outside broadcast van with the screens showing the input from a range of cameras.

Many thanks go to the University and the students who gained a valuable experience of television broadcasting. TOM INGALL

88 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Totally Chuffed is a new newsletter from the Great Central Railway’s Marketing Department and will bring you special offers on dining services and items from the shop together with news on forthcoming special events and additional information!

If you would like to sign up and receive copies of the newsletter on publication please visit http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/newsletter/. liveries and incorporating a range of variants.

reading in addition to Main Line and the Quarterly Newsletter.

But the story does not end there. Main Line eLine is the As part of the Scenecraft range electronic version of Main Line of buildings the models of with all the latest issues that you Rothley and East Leake station can view from your smart phone, will be followed by a GCR tablet or computer. So you need signalbox, goods shed and water never be without your magazine! tower. The signalbox is based on that at Loughborough If you haven’t used these pages Central, the goods shed on that yet then you are missing treat. at Quorn & Woodhouse and the It is easy to sign up with the water tower based on that on the information on the website platform at Loughborough Central. With these models VOLUNTEER LIAISON expected to match the quality of In our most recent Friends previous models the GCR Newsletter, and also on the Main Line Xtra page of the modeller is in for a real treat. website, we advertised for help NEW GCR WEBSITE AND in developing our Volunteer Liaison Office. Given that the MAIN LINE XTRA Members are reminded of the GCR operates successfully only comprehensive and exclusive through the efforts of its services available through the volunteers, this has to be one of dedicated Friends Main Line our main objectives.

Xtra pages on the GCR’s new As a result of the advert, the website. good news is that it The News page provides items generated much interest in a which are exclusive to members very short space of time and we and give further background to have had some fruitful developments on the railway. discussions already. Further These pages are achieving over news will follow as to how the GCR will build up its strengths fifty hits a day. on volunteer recruitment and including The Features page provides development, extended articles about the GCR individual appointments. It is and related topics for further vital that we build an appropriate structure now, as

this can only improve the GCR's credibility in seeking third party funding for future projects.

EDITOR OF MAIN LINE The advert in Main Line No.154 has produced two expressions of interest. Discussions are ongoing. Further information should follow in the next issue.

IT SYSTEMS MANAGER Paul Taylor has been appointed the GCR’s IT Systems Manger.

ONLINE TICKETING AND BOOKING SYSTEM Our new online booking system will be live when you read this edition of Main Line. Over the past few months we have been working on providing a way for our customers to buy travel and dining tickets online. Working with Salesforce and PatronManager, we now have a solution which allows customers to buy print at home tickets for travel and special events, and also buy seats on our dining services. You can select your seats on the diner and also are able to select your menu choices whilst making the booking.

To access the booking system, visit www.gcrailway.co.uk and visit the ticketing or dining pages.

MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 89

No.6023 “King Edward II” passes the end of the Mountsorrel Branch at Swithland on 21st March, 2013 while operating a photographic charter. PAUL GILDERSLEVE

of the gala. Mike Bancroft returned for further punishment on the Sunday and we were joined by Main Line editor Dennis Wilcock who showed excellent sales techniques.

Perhaps a new career beckons?

Saturday, thanks to Tom Ingall’s organisation, was top notch with our tent being used Friends of the Great Central FRIENDS RECRUITMENT Main Line will be able to use the The now famous Friends tent on to show a live feed via a TV link booking system towards the end its second outing at the from three camera sites on the of the year to receive discounts, Swithland Gala helped recruit line showing all the action. please call the Booking Office EIGHT new members, from Visitors were most interested in New Malden, Chorley, signing up as potential in the meantime.

Tamworth, Sutton Coldfield (2), purchasers of the forthcoming I would like to thank Hilary Glen Parva, Anstey and DVD of the event which Tom Cooper and the Booking Office Leicester. Sales of GCR Guide intends to have on sale very soon. team for their help and also Books and past issues of Main James McIntosh and the Line made a grand total income Anyone who would like to help Catering team in driving this of exactly £200 for the two days. promote Friends membership at these special events please A fine effort indeed. forward. contact Richard Kinton on The Salesforce system is the Our grateful thanks go to our 01509 812 759 or mobile 07890 largest customer relationship stalwarts Mike Bancroft and 034 666. It is enjoyable, management system in the Frank Thompson together with rewarding and of great help. world and is used by large Mike Priestley on the Saturday Volunteer, you will not regret it, companies such as Virgin, Boots, Dell, and O2. Their Salesforce Foundation Scheme allows charities to apply for licenses to use the system free of charge. Through the DCRT we applied and were accepted onto the scheme, giving us a system worth £10,200 a year at no cost.

Paul Taylor No.6023 on another photographic charter, this time on 18th March, 2013, running past the award winning Swithland Signalling Scheme. JOHN A SMITH 90 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

Through the Letterbox

The Editors welcome brief letters, sent to the address on page seven, on topics of relevance to the Trust and the “Greater” Great Central Railway. Contributors should include their Membership No. The Editors reserve the right to edit contributions for clarity and length.

Formative Years

In the article in Main Line No.154 Stuart Smith seems to have a failing memory or he has not done his research thoroughly. Roger Hibbert was certainly at the meeting at the Central Station, Leicester and of course he is still alive and taking a full part in the life of the railway. I can also add two two further names to that list; David Cheney of Rugby and myself.

The name Main Line Preservation Group had already been chosen for the group. This was to distance itself from the Great Central Association (GCA) a pressure group which had been formed to fight the closure of the Great Central Main Line to London. As such it had been a thorn in British Railways side.

The item which had appeared in the Railway Magazine had stated that several sections of the main line in the East Midlands were likely to become available, the former Midland line from Nottingham to Melton Mowbray also being earmarked for closure. This again had been deliberately worded to avoid specific mention of the Great Central.

The originator of that article was John Kirby who I had met through a friend of mine, Irene Taylor who was John’s sister in law. She knew

that we were both enthusiasts and wanted to preserve at least part of the GCR. Later I introduced David Cheney and Geoffrey Turner, who lived on Fosse Road, South Leicester, into the group. Like myself, David and Geoffrey had been active members of the GCA. We were later joined by a Geordie, whose name escapes me.

The only section of track that we were really ever interested in was that between Ruddington and Abbey Lane Sidings in Leicester. The section south of Blackbird Road (near Abbey Park) was dismissed as impractical owing to the maintenance costs of the structures beyond.

Phillip Wainwright, Birstall

H G Banyard

I was so pleased to see in Main Line that the museum is now exhibiting a restored departure indicator. Many thanks to Stephen Shaw and his team for making this important and evocative relic available for public viewing.

It seems to me the photograph of the ticket examiner is an example of Sidney Newton’s work at his best: he was particularly sensitive to the inherent interest and dignity of people in their working environment.

I have a greatly enlarged copy of the ticket examiner hanging in my hall. The date 18th October, 1902 is clearly shown on the newspaper hoardings behind the bench. One of the main news topics of the day was the passage of the Education Bill, which resulted in primary schools being taken under the control of local education authorities for the first time. This was fiercely opposed because H G Banyard at the Leicester Central Train Indicator and clock in 1902. S W A NEWTON/ LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 91

Leicester Central station staff in the early 1900s. It is believed that the gentleman standing on the right hand side is H G Banyard.

therefore it seems safe to surmise he was recruited to the staff of the brand new railway station at Leicester Central. At retirement he claimed to be the oldest station inspector in the city and the only remaining employee of the LNER to have been present at the opening of the London Extension. many people considered the state had no business interfering in children’s education. It is likely that hundreds were briefly gaoled for refusing to pay education rates.

The examiner was indeed Henry George Banyard. Some years ago I contacted his great granddaughter who sent me some newspaper cuttings reporting his retirement.

My informant’s grandfather was Sidney Banyard, Henry’s second eldest child, who was born in 1906 and therefore four years after the Newton picture was taken. She told me Sidney believed his parents resided in a railwayprovided house. I would guess this was on the new estate at Newfoundpool to the west of the city off Fosse Road, designed by Sir Edward Parry and built by the GCR. The railway policeman PC Milburn also lived there: it is he who is portrayed in another Newton photograph taken at Leicester Central. She believes her great grandfather lived in the Braunstone in the Blaby district of Leicestershire following retirement, which would be consistent with the area where his eldest son lived.

Henry George Banyard was 22 at the time of Newton’s picture. He came from a family of agricultural labourers and appears to have been born in 1880 at Fulbourn, a few miles to the east of Cambridge. He died in February, 1963.

According to the Leicester Mercury he had been at Leicester Central for 47 years, of which 30 were spent as an inspector. His working life began at the Midland Railway at the age of 13 in 1893. He transferred to the GCR in 1899 and 92 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

He had four boys: Percy, Sidney, Edward and Harold.

Sidney commenced his working life on the GCR line as a booking clerk at Lutterworth but must have soon changed employer since he concluded his career in the offices of London Road station in Leicester following 46 year’s employment with the LMS. I have a copy of his retirement testimonial dated 27th November, 1967.

Evidently Percy became an engine driver.

Sidney’s granddaughter believed he drove the “Flying Scotsman”. Many years ago another correspondent informed me that Percy commenced his railway career in 1920 at the GNR station in Leicester as a part-time assistant at the station bookstall. I suppose he would have been about 13 years old at the time.

Stephen C Corbett, Trowbridge

Swithland Viaduct

Many thanks to both you and Shawn Sanders for the excellent article about the Swithland viaduct in the latest Main Line. I do hope this might mark the beginning of a series of lengthy, fully researched pieces about various aspects of the railway which deserve closer examination.

Your observation on page 78 that "it would seem that this photograph was taken in late 1895 or early in 1896" ostensibly appears well-founded in the light of all the evidence. And after all, despite his admirable enthusiasm and knowledge, it couldn't reasonably be expected that Tom Rolt would always be correct in his attribution of dates and locations, and Newton himself may have erred from time to time.

However, to my mind there's a conundrum. In the Newton picture you print on page 79 it seems the toe of the embankment in the foreground is only covered with grass to halfheight. Moreover, the boundary between grassed and non-grassed is a clear horizontal line. The only condition which could account for the fresh-looking but grassless lower half would be that it had been submerged in water for some time. It would be difficult to believe the contractors seeded only the top half with such precision.

Therefore, if Newton took the picture in 1897 the reservoir must have been empty and Newton's/Rolt's dating correct. If on the other hand it was taken before the reservoir was filled in the summer of 1896 how should we account for the demarcation between mud and greenery?

I'm afraid I can't think of a satisfactory answer!

Stephen C Corbett, Trowbridge Thanks for the kind comments re the article on Swithland Viaduct.

In relation to the Newton picture on page 79 of Main Line No.154 the central point is proved – the reservoir was not drained to allow the building of the viaduct. The picture itself is not of the best quality. However, on close examination there are a couple of salient points.

Firstly there is no sign of puddles in the reservoir, something one would expect had it been filled and then emptied. Secondly the base of the reservoir is the same texture as the upper part of the embankment indicating that the base is covered with grass and small plants, not something that one would expect after 12 to 18 months under water. The finishing of construction works always shows a pristine appearance so a straight line for the edge of the grass would not be unusual and the water board would certainly have insisted that there would be no planting below the normal water level.

An empty reservoir would seem improbable in 1897. Rainfall in the years 1894 to 1897 was only slightly below average. There was no drought on the scale of 1976 when the Bill Squires photographs were taken. And it is unlikely that the reservoir would have been

deliberately run dry so soon after completion when potable water was in such high demand.

Back to the Newton photograph. When the photograph was requested the conclusions of the article were put to the Record Office. They weren’t able to say where the date of 1897 had come from as staff involved in the project to put The Last Main Line on the web had left. Newton recorded his photographs in pencil in a booklet but these notes are not complete and are not comprehensive (many locations are not listed). I have sent a copy of the magazine to the Records Office so will see if that illicit any comments or new material.

Dennis Wilcock, Editor

Leicester Central Parcels Office

Leicester Central station despatched over 1000 parcels per day with another 1000 from Wolsey Ltd. A lot of the large companies had agreed flat rates but these were applied by the Centralised Accounts Office at Braunstone Gate so we did not know what they were.

The cheapest parcel rate was about two shillings (10p) and the price range was based on weight and distance, although in later years this changed and higher rates were charged for out lying places and lower rates for large towns and cities.

If we assume a mid price average of say five shillings (25p) times 2000 parcels times working days of 250 per year this would give an annual income of about £125,000. From this there would have been around £30,000 per year in wages costs plus other overheads at the station.

There would also have been the delivery costs at the receiving end and the cost of running the trains.

Arriving parcels would have been in excess of 1000 per day but the revenue from these would have been received by the sending stations, on the same basis as above. This would have amounted to over £60,000 per year against a total van drivers wage bill of less than £10,000 per year but there would have been the vehicle costs, the overheads at the despatching stations and the costs of the trains themselves.

Peter Skinns, Former Parcels Accounts Clerk, Leicester Central Station MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 93

“Boscastle” as at that time we were not permitted to use locomotives in steam outside of the Loughborough station area!

“QWAG” at Loughborough Central on 7th August, 1973. W R SQUIRES

QWAG

I am extremely concerned at the whereabouts, condition and future plans for the Ruston Diesel No.1 “QWAG”. In 1972 I approached the Directors of Frederick Parker Limited in Leicester, my employees at the time, to see if they would be prepared to let their redundant diesel locomotive move to the railway. They subsequently agreed for a donation of £50.00 which was then passed on to a charity. The £50.00 was raised by the members of the Quorn & Woodhouse Action Group. Before leaving the works it was given a coat of paint by Barry Nurcombe and myself and it was delivered to Quorn & Woodhouse in December, 1972.

Subsequently it was named “QWAG” and, as it was the first locomotive to arrive, given the number 1.

On the eventful day when No.34039 “Boscastle” arrived in January, 1973 little “QWAG” was on hand to try and propel the rusting hulk over the crossover and on to Loughborough. Despite the best efforts of Pat Jackson and myself “Boscastle” became stuck on the crossover and “QWAG”, riding up the buffers, finished with burnt out clutch plates. Fortunately “Robert Nelson No.4” was delivered a few days later and it was able to propel both “QWAG” and “Boscastle” to Loughborough at walking pace.

For a long while many people believed that “QWAG” had pulled “Nelson” and propelled 94 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

After a replacement engine had been obtained for £250.00, after another whipround, “QWAG” gave tremendous service in the early days of running to Quorn & Woodhouse where it was used to enable the steam locomotive of the day to be positioned at the front of the train.

As the railway developed and larger motive power arrived “QWAG” became redundant.

The point of this letter is that the Great Central Railway and The Friends are supposed to be in the business of preservation yet someone/ somebody without the knowledge of its history made the decision to cast aside the first locomotive that played such an important part in the early days of the railway. The first item that could move on its own, the Wickham Trolley, donated by a Malcolm Ballinger and the five tons capacity Smiths of Rodley Steam Crane which helped erect the locomotive shed saving many pounds have both already been cut up by the railway.

Before it is consigned to the breakers yard “QWAG” should be put on a plinth at Quorn & Woodhouse Station with a suitable plaque to denote its valuable service in the early days.

Let’s act now before it is too late. We do not want the railway to be a laughing stock for destroying a valuable part of our heritage.

Lionel Blower (Hon Life Member) Formerly Station Master (Quorn & Woodhouse) and Director/Chairman of GCR and MLST, Sileby

Area Group Reports comprehensive coverage of the varied motive power north of the Border.

The final evening featured another splendid slide show from Les Nixon, when he carried through a single theme of steam hauled trains working through snow covered landscapes both in Britain and overseas. Particularly featured was his own territory around Sheffield and the picturesque Hope Valley, including the arduous climbs through Chinley to both Cowburn and Dove Holes tunnels. The show concluded with spectacular images of multi-steam-hauled freight trains in China, photographed in temperatures constantly well below minus 20°C! (And we moan when it drops to plus 10°C here!) It was an excellent finale to this season’s programme.

Diners on the King Richard III Pullman train on 19th April, 2013 were entertained by medieval dancers before embarking on their journey.

IAN LOASBY

Leicestershire Area Group John Calton Chris Banks was the presenter for the penultimate meeting at Quorn for the 2012-2013 season of Railway Evenings, when his subject was the final leg of an excellent four part tour of Scotland. As in the previous three presentations, the quality of the photographs, coupled with the informative and humorous narrative, made for a memorable evening, as we travelled from Perth, through Fife to Edinburgh. (Here, of course, there had to be shots of Calton tunnel!). The final part of the journey was through the rugged but sparsely populated Border country, travelling along the lamented Waverley Route through Hawick and over the summit at Whitrope, then down to the outskirts of Carlisle. This was a superb tour of both industrial and scenic Scotland, as well as

We trust that all of you who came to our Railway Evenings enjoyed what was on offer, and we hope that we can continue to entertain you in the same vein for the next season. The opening meeting is detailed below. Have a good Summer and we will see you all in September.

The first Meeting of the 2013-2014 Season is as follows; Friday 13th September - The GCR Class 2 No.567 Project.” - To address the lamentable fact that there are only two ex-GCR locomotives in preservation, a group was formed to build another representative of that Company in the form of a 4-4-0 express type. Andrew Horrocks-Taylor, Chairman and Project Manager of the Group describes the history and progress so far, including plans for a vintage coach to compliment it.

All meetings are held at St. Bartholomews Church Hall, Church Lane, Quorn, LE12 8DP near Loughborough, commencing at 7.30pm, on the second Friday of the month, from September to March inclusive. Refreshments should be MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 95

available during the interval. Admission is free, As beforea collection all our meetings held costs. at Weston although is held toare defray Any Favell Parish Hall, Booth Lane surplus is used to fund various projects onSouth, the Northampton NN3 3EP and start at 7.30pm.

GCR. Admission is free but donations to cover costs welcomedEVERYONE as usual. AllIS areWELCOME welcome.

You don’t have to be a member attend - but For further information, contact to John Calton onit helps!267Bring along Satterly family,0116 friends and 0116 6909, Keith 253 0990, acquaintances and let’s or Peter Hack 01509 261make 094. this new group the great success that it deserves to be. For more information contact Hemmings on 01536 Northants AreaTony Group 514 341

Tony Hemmings New Area Groups Since the publication of Main Line No.154 we

After the great success of theseason new Northants have completed our second with the Group the Friends committed colour slide show Committee on the last remains five years of BR to establishing more An Area Groups.

Anyone steam

by Roger Jones. excellent evening for interested and willing should contact Dennis all.

Wilcock (01751 477 012) in the first instance.

Confirmed bookings for our third season so far Tony Hemmings (left) of the Northants Area are:

of the GCR from the comprehensive collection of photographs in the Main Line collection – many unseen before.

Wednesday 2nd October - Narrow Gauge Railways – a slide show from Peter Johnson Wednesday 6th November - LMS classes that passed to BR Ownership – A slide show by Brian Benford showing the many LMS steam locomotives that survived Nationalisation in 1948.

Wednesday 4th December - Steaming through Britain/Heritage traction 2013 – A welcome return of GB Productions with another spectacular DVD show.

As before all our meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month at Weston Favell Parish Hall, Booth Lane South, Northampton NN3 3EP and start at 7.30pm. Our Catering Dept will be on hand to provide refreshments during the break.

Group hands over a cheque for £150 to Bill Ford

on 22nd April, 2012. A very– commendable result Again, as before admission is free but we request Wednesday 4th September The GCR through theofgroup one year of operation. your donations to cover costs and hopefully make thefrom pages Mainafter Lineonly - Dennis Wilcock presents APPLETON a little profit to make a donation to the GCR. anALAN illustrated talk on the past, present and future

Putt Ad

96 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 88 | Main Line | Issue 151 | Summer 2012

FRIENDS OF THE GREAT CENTRAL MAIN LINE LOVATT HOUSE, 3 WHARNCLIFFE ROAD, LOUGHBOROUGH, LE11 1SL COMMITTEE: Andy Fillingham (Chairman & Treasurer), Steve Evans (General Secretary), Alan Brassey (Membership Secretary), Dennis Wilcock (Publications Secretary), Andy Bennett, Richard Kinton, Bob Stephens Internet: www.gcrailway.co.uk/friends

GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY plc

Authorised Share Capital £5,000,000 Registered Office GREAT CENTRAL STATION, LOUGHBOROUGH, LE11 1RW Registered No.1257394 England Patron: The Countess of Lanesborough President: M Gregory Vice President: M J Sheppard DIRECTORS: D T Morgan (Chairman), K Byass, W J C Ford (Managing Director), R Patching, (General Manager), A C Sparks, M J Sheppard, E Smith Company Secretary: P T Morley General Enquiries Telephone: Loughborough (01509) 632 323 Fax: Loughborough (01509) 632 366 Internet: www.gcrailway.co.uk Email: booking_office@gcrailway.co.uk

GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY (NOTTINGHAM) LTD

Registered Office NOTTINGHAM HERITAGE CENTRE, MERE WAY, RUDDINGTON FIELDS, RUDDINGTON, NOTTINGHAM, NG11 6NX Registered No. 2481338 England DIRECTORS: B O’Hanlon (Chairman), J Wragg (Secretary), M Fairburn, M Fowler, R A Hull, R A Kemp, D Morris, A S Newcombe, R Whalley, P D Wilson General Enquiries

Telephone: Fax: Internet:

Nottingham (0115) 940 5705 Nottingham (0115) 940 5905 www.nthc.co.uk

GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT LTD

Registered Office LOVATT HOUSE, 3 WHARNCLIFFE ROAD, LOUGHBOROUGH, LE11 1SL Registered No. 07359237 DIRECTORS: N Harris (Chairman), M Fowler, G J Hanson, R A Kemp, A G McNaughton, A S Newcombe, B O’ Hanlon, R J V Owen, J Steer Company Secretary: M J Firth

THE DAVID CLARKE RAILWAY TRUST Incorporating Main Line Steam Trust Ltd

A Registered Charity supporting the Great Central Railway Registered Charity No.1104839 LOVATT HOUSE, 3 WHARNCLIFFE ROAD, LOUGHBOROUGH, LE11 1SL TRUSTEES: C I Baines, W J C Ford, M Freckelton, K M Lloyd, R J S Stephens Internet:

www.gcrailway.co.uk/dcrt MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 97

GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY (NOTTINGHAM) 2013

MERE WAY, RUDDINGTON, NOTTINGHAM NG11 6NX Tel: 0115 940 5705 Miles Station 0 3.5 9 9 3.5 0

Timetable A (Blue)

Ruddington (Dep) East Leake (Rushcliffe Halt) (Arr) East Leake (Rushcliffe Halt) (Dep) Loughborough† (Arr) Loughborough† (Dep) East Leake (Rushcliffe Halt) (Arr) East Leake (Rushcliffe Halt) (Dep) Ruddington (Arr)

† = There are no passenger facilities at Loughborough to board or alight from trains.

The services are operated by Great Central Railway (Nottingham) Ltd (GCR(N)), to whom all enquiries should be addressed.

At special weekends and some Bank Holidays these timetables may be suspended and services run as required – see our “Special Events” page.

Note: While every effort will be made to maintain the above services and times, GCR(N) does not guarantee that trains will depart or arrive at the time published and reserve the right to cancel, alter or suspend any train and/or service without notice and will not accept any liability for loss, inconvenience or delay thereby caused.

GCR(N) accepts no liabilities for inaccuracy in the information published here.

11:00 11:20 11:25 11:41 11:49 12:09 12:15 12:35

13:00 13:20 13:25 13:41 13:49 14:09 14:15 14:35

Timetable B (Yellow)

15:00 15:20 15:25 15:41 15:49 16:09 16:15 16:35

10:30 10:50 10:54 11:10 11:12 11:28 11:32 11:52

12:15 12:35 12:39 12:55 12:57 13:13 13:17 13:37

14:00 14:20 14:24 14:40 14:42 14:58 15:02 15:22

15:45 16:05 16:09 16:25 16:27 16:43 16:47 17:07

Special Events 2013 GCRN April 21 May 3, 4 & 5 June 8 & 9 June 15 & 16 July 14 August 3 & 4 August 11 August 24, 25 & 26 September 8 September 28 & 29 October 5 & 6 October 13 October 26 November 9 Saturdays & Sundays November 30 to December 22 December 24 December 28 & 29

Road Transport Event 3 day Steam Spectacular Spring Diesel Gala Miniature Traction Engine Rally Trent-Barton & East Midlands Buses gathering and running day Model Rail Extravaganza Phoenix Summer Gathering GCR(N) 20th Anniversary Mixed Traction Event TVRCC Pre 80’s Extravaganza Autumn Diesel Gala Miniature Traction Engine Rally Road Transport Event GCR(N) Halloween Special GCR(N) Firework Spectacular Santa Specials GCR(N) Christmas Eve Steam Specials Winter Holiday Trains

GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY (NOTTINGHAM) M

January ’13 W Th F 2 3 4 9 10 11 16 17 18 23 24 25 30 31

7 14 21 28

Tu 1 8 15 22 29

M 1 8 15 22 29

Tu 2 9 16 23 30

W 3 10 17 24

M 1 8 15 22 29

Tu 2 9 16 23 30

W 3 10 17 24 31

M

Tu 1 8 15 22 29

7 14 21 28

Sa 5 12 19 26

Su 6 13 20 27

April ’13 Th 4 11 18 25

F 5 12 19 26

Sa 6 13 20 27

Su 7 14 21 28

July ’13 Th 4 11 18 25

F 5 12 19 26

Sa 6 13 20 27

Su 7 14 21 28

October ’13 W Th F 2 3 4 9 10 11 16 17 18 23 24 25 30 31

Sa 5 12 19 26

Su 6 13 20 27

M

Tu

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

M

Tu

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

M

Tu

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

M

Tu

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

February ’13 W Th F 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 21 22 27 28

Sa 2 9 16 23

Su 3 10 17 24

May ’13 Th 2 9 16 23 30

Sa 4 11 18 25

Su 5 12 19 26

August ’13 Th F 1 2 7 8 9 14 15 16 21 22 23 28 29 30

Sa 3 10 17 24 31

Su 4 11 18 25

November ’13 W Th F 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 21 22 27 28 29

Sa 2 9 16 23 30

Su 3 10 17 24

W 1 8 15 22 29

F 3 10 17 24 31

W

All services operated by historic Steam or Diesel trains from our collection.

98 l MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013

M

Tu

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

March ’13 Th F 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 21 22 27 28 29

M

Tu

W

3 10 17 24

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

M

W

Sa 2 9 16 23 30

Su 3 10 17 24 31

7 14 21 28

Sa 1 8 15 22 29

Su 2 9 16 23 30

Tu

September ’13 W Th F

Sa

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24

4 11 18 25

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

Su 1 8 15 22 29

M

Tu

December ’13 W Th F

Sa

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24 31

4 11 18 25

7 14 21 28

June ’13 Th F 6 13 20 27

5 12 19 26

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

Su 1 8 15 22 29

Special Event timetable

GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY 2013 BRITAIN’S DOUBLE TRACK MAIN LINE STEAM RAILWAY GREAT CENTRAL STATION, LOUGHBOROUGH LE11 1RW M

A

M

dep 9:40 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 dep 9:48 10:09 11:09 12:09 13:09 dep 9:58 10:20 11:20 12:20 13:20 arr 10:08 10:30 11:30 12:30 13:30 dep 10:10 10:45 11:45 12:45 13:45 dep 10:21 10:57 11:57 12:57 13:57 dep 10:29 11:08 12:08 13:08 14:08 arr 10:36 11:15 12:15 13:16 14:16

13:15 13:15 14:15 14:24 14:35 14:07 14:05 14:45 14:20 14:15 15:00 15:12 15:23 14:47 14:47 15:30

15:15 15:24 15:35 15:45 16:00 16:12 16:23 16:30

15:45 15:53 16:03 16:13 16:25 16:30 16:38 16:52

dep dep dep arr dep dep dep arr

Griddle Car - Hot and Cold Refreshments Restaurant Car - Advanced ticket holders only - Limited non-dining passenger accommodation Runs in March and November only Saturdays Only - The Charnwood Forester Hauled by a heritage diesel or multiple unit Runs April to October Special Event - Enhanced timetable my apply. Contact GCR for details Santa Special and Santa Deluxe - Contact GCR for details Winter Timetable

Weekends

D

March to 10th November Loughborough Central Quorn & Woodhouse Rothley Leicester North Liecester North Rothley Quorn & Woodhouse Loughborough Central

D

D

Midweek Loughborough Central Quorn & Woodhouse Rothley Leicester North Leicester North Rothley Quorn & Woodhouse Loughborough Central

10:30 10:39 10:50 11:00 11:15 11:27 11:38 11:45

12:30 12:39 12:50 13:00 13:15 13:27 13:38 13:45

14:30 14:39 14:50 15:00 15:15 15:27 15:38 15:45

M SO D A

M SO

SO 16:15 16:23 16:33 16:43 16:55 17:00 17:08 17:23

M SO

19:00 19:00 20:20 20:03 19:28 20:47 20:25 19:40 21:00 21:46 20:06 21:46

GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY 2013 M

January ’13 W Th F 2 3 4 9 10 11 16 17 18 23 24 25 30 31

7 14 21 28

Tu 1 8 15 22 29

M 1 8 15 22 29

Tu 2 9 16 23 30

W 3 10 17 24

M 1 8 15 22 29

Tu 2 9 16 23 30

W 3 10 17 24 31

M

Tu 1 8 15 22 29

7 14 21 28

Sa 5 12 19 26

Su 6 13 20 27

April ’13 Th 4 11 18 25

F 5 12 19 26

Sa 6 13 20 27

Su 7 14 21 28

July ’13 Th 4 11 18 25

F 5 12 19 26

Sa 6 13 20 27

Su 7 14 21 28

October ’13 W Th F 2 3 4 9 10 11 16 17 18 23 24 25 30 31

Sa 5 12 19 26

Su 6 13 20 27

M

Tu

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

M

Tu

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

M

Tu

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

M

Tu

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

February ’13 W Th F 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 21 22 27 28

Sa 2 9 16 23

Su 3 10 17 24

May ’13 Th 2 9 16 23 30

Sa 4 11 18 25

Su 5 12 19 26

August ’13 Th F 1 2 7 8 9 14 15 16 21 22 23 28 29 30

Sa 3 10 17 24 31

Su 4 11 18 25

November ’13 W Th F 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 21 22 27 28 29

Sa 2 9 16 23 30

Su 3 10 17 24

W 1 8 15 22 29

F 3 10 17 24 31

W

M

Tu

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

March ’13 Th F 1 6 7 8 13 14 15 20 21 22 27 28 29

M

Tu

W

3 10 17 24

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

M

W

Sa 2 9 16 23 30

Su 3 10 17 24 31

7 14 21 28

Sa 1 8 15 22 29

Su 2 9 16 23 30

Tu

September ’13 W Th F

Sa

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24

4 11 18 25

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

Su 1 8 15 22 29

M

Tu

December ’13 W Th F

Sa

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24 31

4 11 18 25

7 14 21 28

June ’13 Th F 6 13 20 27

5 12 19 26

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

Su 1 8 15 22 29

The Great Central Railway cannot accept any responsibility for any consequences arising from the late running or cancellation of any of the advertised services.

Contacts: General Enquiries 01509 632 323 www.gcrailway.co.uk MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 99