Trains – Page 2 – RUDDINGTON.info

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…

Record Breaking Train Reaches Ruddington

16th July 202117th July 2021 Graham Wright

In October 2019 RUDDINGTON.info reported that two former Midland Mainline Inter-City 125 Powercars would be coming to GCRN – Great Central Railway (Nottingham) on a permanent basis thanks to leasing company Porterbrook. As planned, high speed trains 43048 and 43089 were both duly handed over The 125 Group at the end of their careers with East Midlands Trains to be based in Ruddington – with the intention of running passenger trips between the Heritage Centre and Loughborough (eventually to Leicester North). We understand they are still in storage. Meantime, their eventual arrival here has been trumped…

Forward Thinking at Ruddington’s Railway

9th July 202110th July 2021 Graham Wright

A brand new fund to develop one of Nottinghamshire’s leading heritage attractions has been launched in our village today (Friday 9th July). ‘The Forward Fund’ aims to provide new visitor facilities, including a new station building at ‘The Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre’ in Ruddington. It will also raise money to upgrade tracks and bridges on the nine mile section of the historic Great Central Railway through the county. Guest of honour for the launch was Rushcliffe MP, Ruth Edwards – who is a patron of The East Midlands Railway Trust (EMRT), the…

Heritage Railway’s ‘Money Match March’

20th March 202113th May 2021 Graham Wright

Whilst villagers and visitors eagerly await the reopening of Ruddington’s Great Central Railway (Nottingham) attractions post ‘lockdown’, which is due to start on April 12th, there’s a major fundraising drive this month to rejoin the tracks between Ruddington and Leicester North. As the Reunification Appeal continues, during March, every pound you give, either online, by existing or newly established standing order – or by cheque through the post – will be matched pound for pound, up to £100,000, by a mystery donor. Railway volunteers are reporting that already tens of…

Ruddington Railway’s ‘Roadmap’

4th March 20217th March 2021 Graham Wright

One of our village’s main tourist attractions has announced it will begin to re-open some areas of its Mere Way site just after the Easter holidays. Although this means Ruddington kids will miss out on the Easter Bunny for a second year running – having also been deprived of a festive train trip with Santa – at least we can now see a light at the end of the (metaphorical) tunnel. Heritage services last ran at Great Central Railway (Nottingham) during the February half-term last year before all trains were cancelled and…

Heritage Centre Reopens – But Without Trains

10th August 202022nd August 2020 Graham Wright

Directors at Great Central Railway (Nottingham) have announced that no vintage steam or diesel trains will be running from Ruddington until Easter 2021 at the earliest. Passenger services last ran from our heritage site during the February half-term before all trains were cancelled and the centre closed to visitors due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak. The charity reveals that, over the last couple of months, The Office of Road & Rail and The Heritage Railways Association have been working with heritage railway groups up and down the country to determine ways…

Canal Bridge Completed

7th July 20207th July 2020 Graham Wright

From Loughborough comes news that a major two-day operation at the start of this month has ‘all but’ finished the overhaul of the elegant Victorian railway bridge which spans the Grand Union Canal in the town. The relevance of this restoration for our village is that it marks another step forward for the eighteen mile heritage line vision between Ruddington and Leicester North by reconnecting the currently separate sections of tracks operated by volunteers from our own Great Central Railway – Nottingham (GCRN) and Loughborough’s Great Central Railway (GCR). Built in the…

‘Factory Flyover’ Continues Railway ‘Reunification’

7th March 20208th March 2020 Graham Wright

Volunteers from Ruddington’s heritage railway are celebrating reaching another milestone in its ‘reunification’ project to create an 18 mile train line all the way between our village and Birstall on the outskirts of Leicester. The tracks comprising Ruddington’s Great Central Railway – Nottingham (GCRN) and Loughborough’s Great Central Railway (GCR) are set to be rejoined once the 500 metre gap in the middle is bridged – meaning services will then be able to run between the two for the first time since 1969. So far RUDDINGTON.info has told you about the installation…

Heritage Railway Bridge Work Begins

13th July 201713th July 2017 Graham Wright

It seems the time when regular trains begin to run again between Ruddington and Leicester is getting ever closer – as construction work for an exciting rail project proceeds in earnest. Great Central Railway Nottingham {GCR(N)} is reporting that the development of an eighteen-mile heritage railway across the East Midlands is on track as contractors prepare to build a key bridge. The 30-metre structure will one day carry Great Central Railway trains over the Midland Main Line and should be in place by late autumn this year. Contractors are now preparing the ground for…