GCRN – RUDDINGTON.info

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

17th July 202418th July 2024 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…

Railway Reunification Planning Application Submitted

13th July 202413th July 2024 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…

Ruddington’s Railway Celebrates 125 Years

11th March 202423rd March 2024 Graham Wright

Did you realise that 2024 marks 125 years since the opening of the Great Central Railway ‘London Extension’? That included the two sections of line now preserved by heritage railway groups between Ruddington and Birstall in Leicester – which are soon to be reconnected in Loughborough, if all goes to plan. Meantime this weekend those two groups, Great Central Railway (Nottingham) and Great Central Railway (Loughborough), are holding a joint celebration for the first time, and encouraging visitors to enjoy what’s on offer at their sites. On both Saturday 16th March…

Twixmas Roundup from our Railway

30th December 202331st December 2023 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.…

Milestone Moment for Ruddington’s Railway

16th November 202316th November 2023 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…

Carriage Shed Takes Shape

23rd September 202323rd September 2023 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…

Cash Boost for Ruddington’s Railway

10th August 202310th August 2023 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…

Ruddington’s ‘Big Trains’ Could Restart Soon!

30th January 202330th January 2023 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…

What’s Happening at our Heritage Railway?

23rd January 202230th January 2023 Graham Wright

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…

Trouble on the Tracks!

28th July 202118th August 2021 Graham Wright

Just as everything seemed to be moving forward very nicely at Ruddington’s transport heritage centre, it’s emerged that the two groups responsible for running the site – and the services from it – are at loggerheads over a section of track. After the Board at GCRN decided to rebrand its railway as NHR – Nottingham Heritage Railway “with immediate effect” just a week ago, this morning it has issued a terse public statement saying it will not “surrender running rights” to East Midlands Railway Trust (EMRT) from a point just north of Rushcliffe Halt…