[Introduction] [History] [The Work Involved] [Progress] [Gallery] [F.A.Q.] [Loco Works] [Video]
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Site last updated: 21st June 2008. See the change log for details.
Photo by courtesy of Nigel Harris
Remembering Richard Lovatt
died July 14th 2007
Director of GCR (Link) Ltd
and GCR plc
Committee member Friends of GC Main Line
and friend to many
The time for an up-date on this site is well overdue, and we must apologise for not having brought you any news for quite some while. In truth, both GCR railways have been quite busy, as there has been much to do in the reversing of the fortunes of the GCR plc. We hope you will agree that the fruits of this exercise are now beginning to show.
At the same time, much has been going on in the background of the 'Gap' project, much of it has been confidential, so we have been unable to impart any detail to you. This has entailed negotiation with potential commercial partners along with all enterprises that could potentially be stakeholders in the Gap scheme.
What has been realised for some time is that while bridging the gap on its own might not be a cost-effective project bearing in mind the cost, it would be many times more so using the whole combined Great Central Railway as a basis. From this was born the notion of the Greater Great Central (GGCR) and which has been promoted heavily to all these stakeholders.
This 'Heritage Corridor' has taken the form of showing the whole 18 miles in context with all the adjacent touristic attractions which could be reached via a journey on the GGCR.
Thus the Gap scheme has become Link 1, with a future line to Leicester Abbey denoted as Link 2, and the extension northwards from Ruddington to meet the Nottingham tram (NET) as Link 3. This longer enhanced GCR would then give access to all sorts of other attractions - Nottingham city centre, the Heritage Centre, the framework knitters museum at Rudd, a linear park along the line, facilities for walkers and hikers, the Loughborough bell foundry, Loughborough loco works, GCR museum, Stonegate Farm at Mountsorrel, Leicester city centre, the Space Centre and many others.
Many will have seen that there is a planning threat to Link 2 and we hope that you will join with us in objecting to the Rally Bank Ltd plan for removal of the former GCR embankment to give way to 97 homes and open space. Once gone we have no options at all. If the present state in maintained we can at least find out whether or not we can find funding stakeholders. The Planning Application no is 20072141, Case Officer is Sue Baker at Leicester City Council.
It is this GGCR that we have now promoted with increasing success and understanding, and recently all potential stakeholders and commercial partners, affected councils and development agencies were invited to a journey along the GGCR starting at Ruddington with a presentation and tour, then a ride down to Loughborough stopping at Rushcliffe Halt, transferring to a coach at the Brush works, finally entraining on a further journey to Leicester North stopping off at the Mountsorrel branch in the outward direction and Swithland reservoir on the return for a buffet lunch.
The outcome of this was a renewed awareness of the potential of the GGCR and hence the need for the Gap scheme. As a result of this presentation, a survey carried out by Scott Wilson for East Midlands Toourism, funded by the East Midlands Development Association (EMDA) denoted the GGCR as "A potential flagship project for the East Midlands". This recognition brings funding.
As has been said before, the engineering case for the construction of the Gap has been proved as being completely achievable, and the methods to realise this are standard construction techniques.
Thoughts have now turned to the operation of the combined railway and how, practically, this can be achieved. With Leicester power box on Network Rail (NR) controlling the entrance to the GCR from the Midland main line, concentrated attention is being given to how handover to GCR metals can be achieved, and the way that Loughborough Central signalbox enters the equation, not to mention the future Hotchley Hill box as well.
Other factors here are that the gypsum traffic is set to increase markedly, and that Leicester NR box will disappear under the East Midlands resignalling project. As a result, discussions involving GCR, GCRN and NR signalling departments have already started. The results of this exercise will then determine how the line is actually operated, and the integration of priorities of heritage traffic and commercial freight properly considered and resolved. Like it or not, we can only continue to enjoy the heritage that we continually strive to maintain by the welcome income that commercial traffic brings us.
The Bridging the Gap project is a top priority supported by the Directors at both ends of the GCR. Although it has appeared that not much was happening, the reverse is actually the case. We realise that unless some actual digging or concreting is happening, then some observers will say that the Gap is in limbo! Planning of the project and that work still nevetheless has to await the funding go-ahead.
Once the current confidential negotiations are concluded, we hope that we shall be able to announce some interesting news.
Tony Sparks
June 2008
In late February 2007, Charnwood Borough Council gave consent, subject to final approval of plans, to the use of the Allsopps Lane tip site for the erection of the Loughborough Loco Works Project (LLWP). This exciting scheme will enable the erection of a new loco shed with all associated facilities, branching off the projected main line north of the existing loco shed. Not only will this project give great environmental benefits to local housing, but will clear the way for the future bridging of the Gap, with resolution of many works to the north of Loughborough station. Works for LLWP share infrastructure with the Gap scheme, and is therefore a benefit all round. See the up-date in the 'Progress' section, and follow the links to the LLWP website.
Loughborough has a rich railway history. At one point it was on three railway lines, was the home of the world renowned Brush Falcon Works and boasted two main line stations both with crack expresses to and from London. Beeching era cuts in the 1960's saw one of these main lines, the Great Central, close. The part of this line from Loughborough south to Birstall became the famous Great Central Railway (GCR) preserved line, operating heritage trains so that new generations can experience the thrill of steam. North of Loughborough, the line was still used until the 1980's to carry freight for the British Gypsum works at Hotchley Hill just outside of East Leake. This section of line is now also preserved in the hands of the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) (GCR(N)) and once again sees freight trains and passenger services.
Unfortunately these two preserved lines are currently separated from
one another; the bridge that carried the original Great Central
Railway over the Midland Main Line was removed by British Rail as late
as 1980, along with the embankment up to the Grand Union canal,
although trackwork was removed by the 1970's. The two preserved
railways aim to reinstate this missing link and bridge "The Gap" as it
has become known. To that end a new company, Great Central Railway
(Link) Ltd., was formed with the intention of investigating the
feasibility of such a project and, if possible, executing it.
Initial studies and costings were drawn up in 1996 that showed that the scheme was technically viable. However it was also likely to be expensive and at the time both preserved railways already had many costly projects underway. The GCR(Link) company was put on hold until such time as it was felt that the two railways might be able to move forward with the project. This reactivation occurred in 2003 when it was decided to seek sources of funding for the link and update the original feasibility study.
Whilst we would all like to see the Link in operation as soon as possible, we are under no illusions that there is a huge task ahead in planning, funding and construction. The completed scheme, whether single or double track, is a few years away yet.
This web site is intended to provide some background history of the Great Central and the The Gap, presentation of possible plan of works for bridging the Gap and news of progress. We also have a gallery of images, past and present, of the line and the missing bridges. If you wish to know more or wish to get involved with the project, please contact us.
The achievement of our objective will have far-reaching effects on the railway itself, the experience that we can provide for our visitors, the local community and economy, and for tourism.
It will transform the two preserved sections of The Great Central Railway into one 18 mile long main line. This will provide a uniquely suitable stamping ground for larger preserved locomotives, both steam and diesel. As access to the Network Rail system becomes increasingly modernised and classic steam and diesel trains becomes less compatible with new generation stock, this facility will grow in value. The existing chord line to the national system will enhance the travel possibilities even further.
The greater Great Central will also be able to provide a more varied and thorough immersion into what large scale railway operation used to be like. So, for the railway enthusiast the historian and anyone interested in an aspect of our past that was commonplace 40 years ago but has now almost vanished, this project offers the prospect of a truly unique experience.
For the general tourist and day tripper, the bridging of the gap will provide an experience greater and more varied than either of the two presently separate railways will be able to provide. By creating a destination on the scale of the completed main line, the project will generate many journey opportunities not previously possible. Running through the heart of the East Midlands, the greater Great Central will attract visitors from a large area who will be able to access the line in a variety of ways.
The scale, ambition and novelty of the scheme will attract local and national media attention, and become a focus for heritage railways in general. This will have spin off benefits for this part of the East Midlands, raising its profile and providing a direct boost for the local economy, most significantly through building up tourism in an area not traditionally connected with that industry.
The regeneration of the rail corridor will open up new attractions into Leicestershire for the people of Nottinghamshire, and vice versa. It will encourage employment on and off the railway. Similar schemes on other heritage railways have been proved to have an upward effect on local house prices and security generally, and to deter vandalism.
To mark the launch of Great Central Railway (Link) Ltd. and the reactivation of The Gap project, the two arms of the preserved Great Central Railway made the following public statement:
The Directors of Great Central Railway plc at Loughborough, and Great Central Railway (Nottingham) Ltd. at Ruddington would make the following joint statement. GCR plc and GCR(N) Ltd. feel that conditions are now right to press forward with a full and detailed assessment of the viability, design and costs of the physical link between the two presently separated lines. Great Central Railway (Link) Ltd. was formed for the specific role of Bridging the Gap, and it has been authorised by both railways to move ahead. With an augmented Board of construction and financial professionals, GCR (Link) Ltd. has already met to review the earlier work done, and to map out the prospects for the scheme. It is the intention to produce a full assessment of the project for presentation to both operating Companies, and regular meetings will now be held.
Chairman of GCR (Link) Ltd. Tony Sparks said,
This is a great opportunity to get this prestigious and exciting scheme assessed, and with the blessing of both operating Companies we can now really get to grips with realising the dream of the Greater Great Central. If we can prove the viability, then we would have an 18-mile heritage railway in the top league.
Tony Sparks started in railway civil engineering in 1956, when he joined British Railways at Kings Cross. Projects worked on in those days included the London Tilbury and Southend line electrification, Temple Mills Yard and various other schemes within the Eastern region Bridge and New Works departments. Married and with a grown-up family, he was until recently a Director of GCR (Nottingham) Ltd., and now works in the construction industry co-ordinating multi-million pound projects from inception to completion. He is 63 years old, and has ONC and HNC in Civil Engineering.
Peter Morley is a Chartered Management Accountant with a lifelong interest in railways. He studied Chemistry at London University and he trained in accountancy the 1980s with OCL (now P&O Nedlloyd) and then in 1988 joined Deloitte Haskins + Sells. Since 1991 he has been a Director of Insight Management & Systems Consultants Limited which is a niche specialist financial consultancy which works mostly with UK central government departments. He lives in Westcliff-on-Sea and enjoys the sea view.
Tom has been volunteering at the Great Central Railway for 17 years. He is actively involved in the operating of the railway and the restoration of DMU's. Professionally he has worked in television as a reporter for around ten years. He currently works for the BBC in Yorkshire, based in Sheffield, filing for the city's radio station and the 6.30 local magazine programme.
We welcome your comments and questions about the Bridging the Gap project. We do not have all the answers at the moment, and this will remain the case for some time. However, we will be happy to answer any queries you have as best we can. Neither do we have a monopoly of good ideas or wisdom. So if you have any thoughts or views about how the project could be progressed, please take a moment to let us know. In either case, please send us an e-mail.
This website designed by Steve Hallam and Tony Sparks, and constructed by Jon Knight. Header design by Ian Wilson. Scanning and CAD work by Chad Gray.
Some of the images on this site are scanned from non-digital sources, and therefore may not reflect the quality of the original photo. If any photo has an incorrect or missing acknowledgement, then we apologise for the error, and would be pleased to hear from you so that we can correct it.
