Great Central Railway News and Updates

[AndyW33]

Isn’t BR Lined Black as inaccurate as BR Green for 92214? (And yes I know it carried lined black at the start of its current ticket under its previous owner)

You're quite right that painting a 9F into lined black would be inaccurate. That's why the GCR has repainted theirs into unlined black and the post saying otherwise is either inaccurate or a typo.

 

[Dave S 56F]

Does not 92214’s boiler ticket expire this year? Hence a longish spell out of use is looming!

Next year 2024 according to national preservation on heritage railway news G.C.R. General matters thread. (not sure what month)

 

[Flying Phil]

Boscastle is being moved for display, at Quorn for this weekend's "Winter Gala", as part of the 50th Anniversary of running on the GCR, this year. Highly appropriate as Boscastle arrived at Quorn from Barry in Jan 1973.

 

[Cowley]

Boscastle is being moved for display, at Quorn for this weekend's View attachment 127744 "Winter Gala", as part of the 50th Anniversary of running on the GCR, this year. Highly appropriate as Boscastle arrived at Quorn from Barry in Jan 1973.

Were you involved with the railway in the early preservation days Phil?

 

[Flying Phil]

Were you involved with the railway in the early preservation days Phil?

Yep! I was member #10 of the Main Line Preservation Group and my Father was #9. He was elected as Vice Chairman in about 1969 for two/three years but I was off to University so only paid odd but regular visits to the Early GCR. Then I started playing with cars and got back into trains in early 1990's. I'm really old!

 

[Cowley]

Yep! I was member #10 of the Main Line Preservation Group and my Father was #9. He was elected as Vice Chairman in about 1969 for two/three years but I was off to University so only paid odd but regular visits to the Early GCR. Then I started playing with cars and got back into trains in early 1990's. I'm really old!

That’s fantastic. You should write a bit about the early days because I bet it was really interesting.

I think I first went on the line in about 1987 and it’s changed so much even in that time.

 

[D6968]

That’s fantastic. You should write a bit about the early days because I bet it was really interesting.

I think I first went on the line in about 1987 and it’s changed so much even in that time.

Seconded! I found the recent piece on YouTube about some of the early days of the Mid Hants rather interesting,
Going back to the GC I believe there’s a rather interesting story about a certain Norwegian Mogul making a little trip further south than the current terminus is…
Be interesting to hear about some of the other nefarious activities that happened around the same time

 

[Skymonster]

Seeing as the dedicated NHR topic is now locked I’ll post this here….

Seems like the north based at Ruddington is now to be known as GCR(N) again!!

Ruddington’s ‘Big Trains’ Could Restart Soon!

For almost three years now, a previously familiar weekend sound drifting across Ruddington has been sadly missing – that of the distant whistles and gentle chugging of steam trains making their way…

ruddington.info

Now East Midlands Railway Trust (EMRT) says there’s been a new agreement… – with ‘Nottingham Heritage Railway’ again being referred to by its original ‘trading’ name of Great Central Railway (Nottingham) Ltd [GCR(N)] – which is preparing the way for heritage trains to restart from Ruddington.

I’m delighted that common sense has returned and I hope that this does indeed herald a move towards trains running on the northern section again.

 

[Gostav]

I think GCR is one of a few heritage railways open in winter?

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Seeing as the dedicated NHR topic is now locked I’ll post this here….

Seems like the north based at Ruddington is now to be known as GCR(N) again!!

Ruddington’s ‘Big Trains’ Could Restart Soon!

For almost three years now, a previously familiar weekend sound drifting across Ruddington has been sadly missing – that of the distant whistles and gentle chugging of steam trains making their way…

ruddington.info

I’m delighted that common sense has returned and I hope that this does indeed herald a move towards trains running on the northern section again.

That is good to hear.

 

[Flying Phil]

A couple of pictures from the Winter Gala. It was a Very busy event with standing room only on several trains on Friday and Saturday (Timekeeping went to pot which didn't help). Sunday was a bit quieter and timekeeping was very good. 30+ departures from Lbro on Sat and Sunday!

 

[railfan99]

Flying Phil, given those of us overseas keep reading how the UK economy is 'stuffed' and many consumers are allegedly unable to pay electricity/gas bills, what do you put the excellent numbers down to?

I'm delighted for your preserved railway, as experiencing your previous Steam Gala a few months ago was amazingly good.

 

[Speed43125]

Flying Phil, given those of us overseas keep reading how the UK economy is 'stuffed' and many consumers are allegedly unable to pay electricity/gas bills, what do you put the excellent numbers down to?

I'm delighted for your preserved railway, as experiencing your previous Steam Gala a few months ago was amazingly good.

I think the custom for heritage railways tends to be older people less affected by the current economic climate. It's mostly younger people and those with very little disposable income who seem to be affected most. And they tend not be regulars are heritage railways really.

 

[railfan99]

I think the custom for heritage railways tends to be older people less affected by the current economic climate. It's mostly younger people and those work very little disposable income who seem to be affected most. And they tend not be regulars are heritage railways really.

Wouldn't 'older people' face huge heating costs for their homes and apartments in the UK winter? Surely many of this age group spend much time at home.

 

[Speed43125]

Wouldn't 'older people' face huge heating costs for their homes and apartments in the UK winter? Surely many of this age group spend much time at home.

Maybe experiences vary, but from visits to the Bluebell and Bo'ness, the most common 'type' of visitor - in my experience - tends to be something along the lines of upper middle class retirees. As a demographic, over 65s tend to possess greater wealth than say millennials or Gen Z.

 

[railfan99]

Maybe experiences vary, but from visits to the Bluebell and Bo'ness, the most common 'type' of visitor - in my experience - tends to be something along the lines of upper middle class retirees. As a demographic, over 65s tend to possess greater wealth than say millennials or Gen Z.

Given your large population, would five million of 67.33m be considered 'upper middle class'?

 

[Flying Phil]

Hi Railfan
As ever it is a complex situation. What is being read in the "news" media is often heavily skewed by definition. If the majority of the population is in a reasonably comfortable condition they are not going to be in the news, the very well off and the very poor are the "News". There are obviously a lot of people in the UK (and elsewhere) who are suffering real economic hardship.
But a lot of older people, who own their own homes (No rent or mortgage payments), have savings earning some interest and have not had a holiday for two years due to covid. They are having a significant energy subsidy from the Govt. Many have private pensions in addition to the state pension. They are keen to get out locally and so the few Heritage lines that are open at this time are benefiting. Also people "Working From Home" are often financially better off...and can have a day off at the railway relatively easily!
I did look at the visitors during the GCR Winter Gala and there was a big spread of age range present. The good weather helped.

 

[D Williams]

Maybe experiences vary, but from visits to the Bluebell and Bo'ness, the most common 'type' of visitor - in my experience - tends to be something along the lines of upper middle class retirees. As a demographic, over 65s tend to possess greater wealth than say millennials or Gen Z.

Is this why on a visit to the Bluebell last year I noted that the platform was full of what appeared to be jovial old ex colonels and lantern-jawed young ex-officer types dressed in tweeds and flannels?

 

[Gostav]

Maybe experiences vary, but from visits to the Bluebell and Bo'ness, the most common 'type' of visitor - in my experience - tends to be something along the lines of upper middle class retirees. As a demographic, over 65s tend to possess greater wealth than say millennials or Gen Z.

I don't think major heritage railways such as GCR will have much problem, for example "the only heritage railway with double tracks in the world" such big names have some influence. The ones that will really struggle to survive will be the tiny heritage railways which only have short lines, no attractive elements and in locations that are hard to reach by public transport especially rail.

 

[Paul Hitchcock]

I don't think major heritage railways such as GCR will have much problem, for example "the only heritage railway with double tracks in the world" such big names have some influence. The ones that will really struggle to survive will be the tiny heritage railways which only have short lines, no attractive elements and in locations that are hard to reach by public transport especially rail.

Who knows? There may be a guide in which lines have done well since lockdown and those who have not. Dartmouth seems to have done well and they are neither lengthy nor double tracked.

 

[1Q18]

I don't think major heritage railways such as GCR will have much problem, for example "the only heritage railway with double tracks in the world" such big names have some influence. The ones that will really struggle to survive will be the tiny heritage railways which only have short lines, no attractive elements and in locations that are hard to reach by public transport especially rail.

The smaller lines may not bring in anywhere near so much revenue as the GCR and the other ‘top tier’ lines, but they also have far smaller costs to cover, in particular not having the substantial wage bills that much of the big names need to cover, and generally far less infrastructure and rolling stock to maintain.

 

[Cowley]

We’re starting to drift a little off topic here. Some of the above discussions might be a better fit in this thread:

If one of the major preserved railways failed?

This is a subject that’s come up frequently over the last few years and I think it’s probably worth talking about. The majority of us (I’m 50 this year) have grown up and got older with all of these railways not only being a part of our lives but let’s be honest, we’ve probably all taken for...

www.railforums.co.uk

If anyone wants me to move some posts over then I’m happy to do that, but I think as far as this thread goes we probably need to get back onto the subject of the GCR.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Swimbar]

Looks like the GCR could have some answers to find

[Withdrawn] Serious injury to a passenger alighting from a train at Loughborough Central station, Great Central Railway

Investigation into a serious injury sustained by a passenger alighting from a train at Loughborough Central station, Great Central Railway, 14 January 2023.

www.gov.uk

At around 11:49 hrs on 14 January 2023, a passenger lost their footing and sustained a serious injury while alighting from a train at Loughborough Central station on the Great Central Railway.

The Great Central Railway is a heritage railway and the passenger train involved was formed of historic rolling stock. The accident occurred just after the train had stopped and as the passenger was alighting from the leading door of the train’s leading coach. The train stopped in a position which meant that this door was adjacent to the ramped part of the platform, which is not intended for public use. The passenger lost their footing and sustained their injuries while they were stepping down from the coach and onto the platform ramp.

 

[12C]

Looks like the GCR could have some answers to find

[Withdrawn] Serious injury to a passenger alighting from a train at Loughborough Central station, Great Central Railway

Investigation into a serious injury sustained by a passenger alighting from a train at Loughborough Central station, Great Central Railway, 14 January 2023.

www.gov.uk

Sadly this doesn’t completely surprise me.

I once nearly had a fall myself on the GCR under the same circumstances, the first coach door was slightly down the ramp and I misjudged how big a drop it was. I blamed myself, and just came away feeling silly but unfortunately in this day and age such things that were once a case of ‘use common sense’ on the railway such as a train being not quite fully platformed are taken a lot more seriously now.

 

[railfan99]

Sadly this doesn’t completely surprise me.

I once nearly had a fall myself on the GCR under the same circumstances, the first coach door was slightly down the ramp and I misjudged how big a drop it was. I blamed myself, and just came away feeling silly but unfortunately in this day and age such things that were once a case of ‘use common sense’ on the railway such as a train being not quite fully platformed are taken a lot more seriously now.

Surely the passenger involved still has a duty to exercise due care and to 'look before they leap.'

Contributory negligence, especially when right round the world, only a minority of rollingstock completely aligns with platform heights.

UK residents only have to cross the Channel to see huge evidence of that.

If a fuss is made about this incident, perhaps the solution is to have a volunteer (TTE?) at that door at all times should it be necessary to have the loco off the platform but the first car partially on the ramped section from the platform to level ground.

 

[38Cto15E]

Yes, this has been an accident waiting to happen for along time, we've all had to move down a coach at some stage. I thought that the GCR were planning to extend the platforms so it could accommodate longer trains.
I expect it is a case of too many vitally important bridge jobs, plus coal, light and heating, low season etc emptying the coffers.

 

[D6968]

Yes, this has been an accident waiting to happen for along time, we've all had to move down a coach at some stage. I thought that the GCR were planning to extend the platforms so it could accommodate longer trains.
I expect it is a case of too many vitally important bridge jobs, plus coal, light and heating, low season etc emptying the coffers.

Absolute rubbish! If your door of choice isn’t aligned with the platform you simply move down to the next one that is, is it really that difficult?

 

[railfan99]

Absolute rubbish! If your door of choice isn’t aligned with the platform you simply move down to the next one that is, is it really that difficult?

Completely agree: it's our responsibility to check where the platform is.

In Western society these days, too much discussion of 'rights' but 'responsibilities' are not discussed.

It's just commonsense.

 

[Skymonster]

Absolute rubbish! If your door of choice isn’t aligned with the platform you simply move down to the next one that is, is it really that difficult?

An presumably the same applies to the “real” public-service railway? No need for trains to be fully platformed, no need for central door locking, etc. because the public should look before they leap. No, preserved railways are just as capable of injuring customers as is the big railway, and they should be held to standards. If GCR can’t find the time or funds to extend platforms, it should shorten its trains.

 

[Paul Hitchcock]

Every railway has a duty of care and whether the GCR has met this duty will be covered by the investigation. Highly desirable to avoid too much comment before publication.