What’s Happening at our Heritage Railway?

For almost two years now a most familiar weekend sound drifting across Ruddington has been sadly missing – that of the distant whistles and gentle chugging of steam trains making their way in and out of Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre.

Please find our January 2023 update >>HERE<<.

In fact, heritage passenger services last ran at Great Central Railway (Nottingham) (as it was then known) during the February 2020 half term – before all trains were cancelled and the centre closed to visitors due to the initial Coronavirus outbreak. Whilst other attractions at the Mere Way site managed to reopen in August 2020 in the wake of the first ‘lockdown’ – and then most of the regular events restarted last year – ‘big’ trains running passenger services – both steam and diesel – have remained conspicuously absent. The railway charity reached that “difficult decision” initially because of the challenges of introducing the required social distancing and cleaning regimes and also because it depends entirely on volunteers – many of whom fell into the groups most at risk from COVID-19. There was a pledge to try to get trains running again by Easter 2021, however that never happened.

Failing this, and after missing out December 2020 completely, Father Christmas did make a few ‘static’ appearances at the Heritage Centre last December. However, his ‘Santa Special’ steam services – usually the most popular trains among villagers and visitors each year – have been cancelled for the last two Christmases. What’s more, there is no immediate prospect of full sized locomotives returning. So what’s actually happening?

Well, much work has gone on ‘behind the scenes’, including essential site maintenance, the installation of new security gates across the tracks to deter trespass and vandalism, and the arrival of both a Class 144 DMU Railcar and two retired Intercity 125 High Speed Train Class 43 Power Cars for restoration and eventual heritage rail operation.

Unfortunately, following the rebranding of GCR(N) to Nottingham Heritage Railway (NHR), there was also a rather public ‘spat’ between those running the big trains and the owner of the site, the East Midlands Railway Trust (EMRT). At the high profile launch of its ‘Forward Fund’ last July it was clear it wished to return to the original branding for ‘The Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre’ to reflect all the groups operating on the Mere Way site, not just NHR.

Shorty afterwards, NHR accused EMRT of forcing it to “surrender running rights” to EMRT from a point just north of Rushcliffe Halt to the mainline connection, making it not viable for them to continue. In response, EMRT said it was “very concerned about the increasingly neglected condition of the line” especially the “major repairs required to one bridge which crosses the A60 road”.

An inspection in September 2020 had found the bridge (pictured below), adjacent to the Brush site in Loughborough, was in such a poor state that the line over needed to be closed on safety grounds. This bridge has remained shut ever since – also depriving our heritage railway of the usual income generated by it from freight trains accessing the British Gypsum site.

Now, the multi million pound ‘Reunification Project’, to join up the still severed 18 mile section of the old Great Central Railway line between Ruddington to Leicester North, has just been extended to include repairing this bridge, too. It seems all sides have settled their differences and come together to promote “2022: The Year of the A60 Bridge”. Another £110,000 is needed to fix it* – and fundraisers hope they can achieve this without dipping into cash raised for a brand new bridge across Railway Terrace in Loughborough and a short new section of railway to cross a factory car park.

Andy Fillingham, Chairman of the Friends of the Great Central Main Line (FoGCML), says: “This is an incredible chance to move our Reunification scheme forward quickly. We launch this appeal with the aim of finding the funds as soon as we can, so in turn contractors can get to work on the bridge.”

He adds: “The bridge over the A60 is unique in the Reunification project. It’s the only structure which already has track on it. Not only is it vital to reconnect the two separate sections of the Great Central but it also connects the GCR to the national railway network. However, it’s 120 years old and often struck by careless lorry drivers whose trucks are too tall to fit underneath it. It’s currently closed to trains and the bridge decks are life expired. A programme of work over the next year will ensure it can be back in business and fit for another century of service.”

If you wish to make a donation to the A60 bridge overhaul fund you can do so >>HERE<< or send a cheque through the post made payable to the ‘David Clarke Railway Trust’, to DCRT, Lovatt House, 3 Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough, LE11 1SL. You’re asked to write “A60/Reunification” on the back of the cheque. How your money will be used is explained in the video below.

*UPDATE 13th FEBRUARY 2022:

It’s being reported that the A60 bridge appeal has got off to a cracking start – with more than forty thousand pounds being donated in just the first three weeks.

Barry Lycett of FoGCML reveals: “This includes £10,000 from the Friends of the Great Central Main Line and £10,000 in match funding from the LNER GC Heritage Trust. Such a strong start gives us great confidence we will reach our £110,000 target allowing the work to go ahead on the A60 bridge. In this appeal, every pound is making a difference. Thank you for your support as always.”

Whilst this fundraising continues, Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre is set to hold numerous events in Ruddington throughout 2022 to encourage villagers and visitors to enjoy its other attractions.

These include monthly Classic Car Gatherings, a Miniature Traction Engine Meet on April 9th & 10th, Road Transport Show on April 24th, HGV Gathering on May 15th, Barton Bus Day on May 22nd, Brass Band Concert on June 4th, Blue Lights Event on June 19th, Model Railway Event on July 9th & 10th, Nottingham Area Bus Society Rally & Bus Running Day on July 17th and an event at Rushcliffe Halt on July 31st. Find full details and further updates >>HERE<<.