Tag: Coronavirus

Key Bridge Repair Should Get ‘Big Trains’ Back Soon!

Graham Wright

It’s now over four years since full-sized trains carried passengers on our once popular heritage railway line south of Ruddington. The tough restrictions at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 brought a halt to all activities at Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre on Mere Way, including the weekend steam and diesel services operated by the volunteers at Great Central Railway (Nottingham) (GCRN). Other setbacks since have meant these trains still haven’t restarted. One of these setbacks is a small bridge on the Nottinghamshire section of the railway which…

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Railway Reunification Planning Application Submitted

Graham Wright

An ambitious railway reconnection project to allow trains from Ruddington to once again run all the way to Leicester is now another step closer to achieving its goal. The Great Central Railway (GCR) has just submitted a planning application to Charnwood Borough Council to continue with the next stages of its ‘Reunification Scheme’ for which permission is required. As regular RUDDINGTON.info readers will know, GCR has already raised millions of pounds and already finished three parts of the scheme. Once completed, the project will reconnect the two separate heritage railways currently operated…

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Twixmas Roundup from our Railway

Graham Wright

With Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre now closed until 2024 (3rd January) here’s a quick progress report as we reach the end of another busy year at Ruddington’s popular railway. Firstly, Great Central Railway (Nottingham) (GCRN) reports that all the main building work on its new carriage shed here in Ruddington is now complete. Not only will this substantial new structure protect four, 1950s-built carriages from the elements and damage, but also the planned flat floor means it will be suitable for indoor events, and there is also a small workshop.…

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Milestone Moment for Ruddington’s Railway

Graham Wright

Despite the less than ideal autumn weather, it’s being reported that construction of a brand new building at Ruddington’s heritage railway is proceeding well – with new roof beams recently lifted into place {top photo by Tom Ingall} and the halfway point of the fundraising target now reached. As we reported in the summer, £40,000 was awarded to the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) Ltd (GCRN) ‘Carriage Shed Project’ from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF). This money, combined with match funding from East Midlands Railway Trust and LNER…

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Carriage Shed Takes Shape

Graham Wright

Volunteers at Ruddington’s heritage railway report that work has got underway on schedule to finish building the long-planned covered storage area for its vintage carriages. This will complement the existing locomotive shed and engineering works at Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre on Mere Way. Great Central Railway (Nottingham) Ltd (GCRN) reveals that contractors have been onsite at building number 4, their new ‘Carriage Shed, for about two weeks now. Work completed to date includes the installation of new rear security door, marking out the position of the new steelwork and necessary work…

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Cash Boost for Ruddington’s Railway

Graham Wright
The carriage shed interior as it looks now

Volunteers at Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre on Mere Way have revealed one of their projects has been awarded significant grant funding by Rushcliffe Borough Council to help them complete it. The £40,000 being given to the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) Ltd (GCRN) ‘Carriage Shed Project’ comes from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) – part of the UK Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ agenda providing funding for local investment. The money, combined with match funding from East Midlands Railway Trust and LNER (GC) Heritage Trust will allow the already…

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What’s Happening with the Old Youth Centre?

Graham Wright

If you’ve walked, cycled or driven past The Green in the last couple of days, you’ll almost certainly have noticed the metal security fencing and scaffolding just erected at Ruddington’s former Youth & Community (‘Young People’s) Centre. Originally owned and maintained by Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) it has lain empty and disused since December 2016, with the main building having to be boarded up in 2018 following repeated acts of vandalism. In December 2019 Ruddington Parish Council (RPC) announced it had purchased the facility from NCC to refurbish it and put it back into use…

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Ruddington Shops Update

Graham Wright

Earlier this month we revealed how a new ‘Farm Shop’ has opened at The White Horse Inn on Wednesdays to Saturdays. There are now further, exciting Ruddington shop changes to report – and some still to come. Firstly, ‘ASDA On The Move’ which RUDDINGTON.info reported a year ago would be coming to Euro Garages’ expanded Ruddington Service Station premises along Loughborough Road, has finally arrived!  It stocks up to 2,500 ASDA own brand, premium own-label ‘Extra Special’ and branded products – including bakery, fresh, chilled and ‘ambient’ groceries – along…

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Ruddington’s ‘Big Trains’ Could Restart Soon!

Graham Wright

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 in and out of Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre. Since RUDDINGTON.info published the news piece ‘What’s Happening at our Heritage Railway’, back in January 2022, it’s continued to be one of our most searched for items – as villagers and visitors alike seek the elusive answer! In particular, the legendary ‘Santa Specials’ in the run-up to Christmas have been…

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New Rail ‘Reunification’ Bridge Arrives!

Graham Wright

Reaching the stage when trains will once again be able to run all the way from Ruddington to Leicester has got another step closer this week – with the lowering into place of a replacement Great Central Railway (GCR) bridge over the A60. As RUDDINGTON.info reported last month, this brand new structure was needed to replace the old bridge (number 326) near the Brush factory, on the outskirts of Loughborough, which was in such poor condition that the line over it needed to be closed on safety grounds back in September…

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