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…
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It’s the inaugural ‘Vintage, Retro Items and Collectable Vinyl Fair’ at Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre (NTHC) in Ruddington. As the name suggests, this is not a general ‘boot’ sale as organisers want to offer something a little different and in keeping with the Heritage Centre venue. You can hopefully pick up a much cherished item on Sunday 25th June 2023 from 10am to 3pm. Also open onsite will be The Heritage Cafe, Bric-a-Brac and the bus garage – which will be offering guided tours. Ruddington Model Railway Club will be in operation from 10.30am. Miniature…
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Volunteers at Great Central Railway Nottingham (GCRN) now have some more unexpected and unwelcome work to do after trespassers at the Ruddington site decided to spray graffiti onto one of the 125 Group‘s recently restored MK3 coaches. The Heritage Centre is already facing great financial challenges thanks to the Coronavirus – having been unable to run any passenger services from there since the February half-term last year. Whilst not on the scale of the vandalism in 2019, it’s still very upsetting and disheartening for all those involved. This latest, mindless act was discovered…
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Nottinghamshire Police say they have arrested two boys in connection with the criminal damage at Ruddington’s Great Central Railway site on Monday (29th April). Volunteers at our village heritage centre have estimated that the attack – reportedly involving around half a dozen young people who smashed a total of 112 windows on various items of coaching stock and two diesel railcars – will cost around £80,000 to repair. They were then disturbed by a volunteer and are believed to have fled on bikes toward Rushcliffe Country Park. It has prompted dismay and…
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Ruddington’s Great Central Railway (Nottingham) is appealing for your help to catch those responsible for a relentless campaign of thefts and mindless acts of vandalism at the much loved, village tourist attraction. Director Phil Stanway reveals that, over the past six to eight weeks, their site has been subjected to an ongoing and concerted spate of theft and vandalism attacks – involving multiple break ins to vehicles and buildings and deliberate damage on a large scale. All along the railway, which operates 10 miles from the base at Ruddington, through East Leake to…
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