Category: Museum

Is This The Paddington Train?

Graham Wright

Yes it is! 60163 “Tornado” will be blowing into Ruddington next month – and that’s the locomotive featured in the film “Paddington 2”! It’s coming here as the star attraction during the second weekend in February at Ruddington’s Great Central Railway. You may or may not know that this A1 Peppercorn Class is Britain’s newest steam train, built only in 2008. As part of the celebrations for her 10th year in service she will be appearing in our village for the first time. Despite her young age, Tornado is already iconic as…

Read More

Co-op Shoppers Raise £3k for Museum!

Graham Wright

Staff and volunteers at Ruddington’s Framework Knitters’ Museum say they’re “delighted and astonished” to have received a donation of almost £3,000 from the Co-op Local Community Fund. Earlier in the year, their ‘Hidden Histories’ exhibition project was chosen as one of the nominated causes to receive funds from Co-op members who shop at local stores and use Co-op services in the Nottinghamshire area, including the Ruddington branch. Funding for the project ended in April 2017 and they’ve just found out that they’ll soon be receiving a cheque for an impressive…

Read More

Christmas Fayre Returns

Faye Stenson

Ruddington’s popular Christmas Fayre will make a welcome return to our village on Saturday 2nd December. Taking place from 12 noon to 5pm, the event will boast a wide range of stalls offering delicious seasonal food and drink, Christmas gifts and decorations, and much more! As usual, the High Street will be closed to traffic to make way for outdoor stalls with additional stalls set up in the marquee area at The White Horse Inn on Church Street. Indoor stalls will be set up in the St Peter’s Church and…

Read More

A Dickensian Christmas

Faye Stenson

Ruddington’s Framework Knitters’ Museum is inviting you to join in with some festive fun and celebrate the coming of Christmas in Victorian style! “A Dickensian Christmas” will take place on Saturday 2nd December from 11am to 5pm, running alongside the Ruddington Christmas Fayre. Entry is free. You can toast tea cakes and chestnuts on an open fire, enjoy traditional carols around the Christmas tree and watch as the Maids of Clifton perform their own unique style of Morris dancing. There’ll also be craft stalls in the Chapel (which will be…

Read More

Bank’s Boost for Ruddington Heritage Site

Graham Wright

The Framework Knitters’ Museum has announced major new funding from Barclays to help it achieve an ambitious redevelopment and expansion project. Dennis Jones, Assistant Treasurer at the popular Ruddington tourist attraction, explained: “We’re very proud of our multi-award-winning museum, one of the only places left in the country where you’ll find the framework knitters’ working and living conditions perfectly preserved. However, as the museum has become more popular over the years, we desperately need more space to accommodate our growing visitor numbers and showcase our collections. That’s why, in 2014,…

Read More

Full Steam Ahead at GCRN

Graham Wright

Ruddington’s heritage railway has confirmed it will continue with the rest of its planned autumn and winter events as scheduled. This follows the sudden cancellation of the second half of the much publicised “Superhero Weekend” at its Mere Way site yesterday (Sun 29th October). This Saturday 4th November sees the annual Great Central Railway Nottingham (GCRN) “Firework Spectacular” starting at 7.30pm – with gates open at 5.30pm for hot food, a funfair and miniature train rides. There’ll also be a licensed bar, chocolate fountain and live music from “Firestone“. Cheaper tickets can…

Read More

Be a Ruddington Bus Detective!

Graham Wright

Here’s something for youngsters who fancy a bit of “sleuthing” to get involved with during this half term. We’re delighted to report that Nottingham City Transport has chosen a fabulous destination for its latest “Bus Detective” trail…. RUDDINGTON! It’s a chance to grab your magnifying glass and head out with the kids for a “quizzical adventure”. If you live outside Ruddington all you need to do is hop onto a Navy 3 or Green 10 BioGas bus with a £5.00 Grouprider ticket and hop off again at Ruddington Green to begin the…

Read More

Ruddington Restoration Dedicated to Fallen Soldiers

Graham Wright

A vintage carriage took pride of place yesterday (Sunday 17th September) at Ruddington’s Great Central Railway – in an event dedicated to over a thousand troops who died during the First World War. On display in the open for the first time was the recently restored MS&LR 6-wheel carriage – which took 16 years for five volunteers at our local Heritage Centre to return to its former glory. It was dedicated in a special ceremony by Ruddington’s Vicar, the Reverend Andrew Buchanan, to the many employees who left the Great Central Railway to…

Read More

Loan Loco Saves “Santa Specials”

Graham Wright

Youngsters can breathe a sigh of relief. Father Christmas WILL be able to spend some time in Ruddington in the run-up to the festive season after all! The popular Great Central Railway Nottingham (GCR{N}) “Santa Specials” – which are always hauled by heritage steam – were put in jeopardy at the start of this month. That’s because Stanier 8F-8274 – the only operational passenger steam locomotive based in Ruddington – suffered a serious failure. An inspection revealed the bad news of multiple cracks in the firebox and a very long and expensive journey to…

Read More

Heritage Railway Bridges the Gap

Graham Wright

TONIGHT will see an historic moment for The Great Central Railway – the installation of a new bridge to rejoin two sections of the line divided for almost half a century. Once construction work on the reunification project is complete, this will enable trains to run all the way from Ruddington to Birstall in Leicester for the first time since 1969! Great Central Railway Nottingham {GCR(N)} is reporting that the groundworks are now finished and that contractors are due to lower the two decks of the giant structure into place over the Midland…

Read More