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Site last updated: 21st June 2008. See the change log for details.
This page is intended to give an overview of current progress on Bridging The Gap.
See the statement on the introductory page.
On Thursday 6th December the railway was visited by a number of stakeholders from right along the Great Central corridor. In a way, they were the first people ever to experience the "Greater Great Central" starting at the transport heritage centre travelling all the way to Leicester North - albeit with some 'bustitution' in the middle.
The party included members of the East Midlands Development Agency, various councils and other key local stakeholders. Directors from the Great Central plc and the Great Central Nottingham were able to present key proposals for the line as the journey progressed.
This was a key meeting and the GCR directors were able to underline how important the railway could be to the East Midlands in ways far beyond a traditional tourism role. Naturally it's hoped this meeting will lead to further cooperation and forward steps in bringing the Greater Great Central to reality.
WORK BEGINS ON THE CANAL BRIDGE!
The first wheeled vehicle for 30 years rolled onto the canal bridge north of Loughborough Shed on Monday 26th March 2007. Shortly after that people walked on the tarmac membrane of the bridge deck for the first time in many many years.
True, it was a mechanical excavator parked up on the bridge, not a steam locomotive, but what an inspiring sight!
As work begins to prepare for the lifting of the canal bridge, the top soil which has covered the bridge since the track was lifted in the mid seventies was scrapped away.
Initial indications are the bridge is in better condition than expected, though a full survey is required. The work with the excavator took the best part of two hours and a final brush off will still be required to get the deck completely clean. This is the first real tangible sign of work, not only on the "bridging the gap project", but also the route to the new shed site.
It will be some good while yet before the bridge can be lifted as a myriad of paperwork remains to be completed, but a visual inspection of the condition of some parts of the steelwork can now begin.
Visitors are reminded the bridge remains out of bounds. Please appreciate this exciting development from the pictures only.
Loughborough Loco Works project gets going!
Of great interest and joy to followers of not only Great Central Railway (Link) Ltd, but also those with a passionate dedication to all things GC, comes the announcement that has been patiently waited for - that Charnwood Borough Council (CBC) has accepted the notion of the Loughborough Loco Works Project (LLWP) being located on the old tip site bounded by the Midland Main Line to the north, the 'Link' line to the west, Littlemoor Lane to the east and the Grand Union Canal to the south.
CBC's decision allows the LLWP team five years in which to set up a viable project for final approval by the Council. As can be seen from the Gap scheme drawings, LLWP has common infrastructure with the link in the areas known as Contracts 1 and 2, the canal bridge no 331 and part of the embankment that leads up to Railway Terrace. (see the Work involved, or the Site plans of the Gap sections of this website).
LLWP is now working on all aspects of the project including funding sources, ground surveys, environmental aspects, scheme drawings, business plan, etc etc, in order that a final and acceptable scheme can be tabled to CBC. GCR (Link) Ltd is playing its part in these investigations, and contributing the knowledge already gleaned together with information existing on file to expedite the common areas of the project.
This news and the work associated with it gives a strong boost to many aspects of the GCR locally, not least the environmental side with the removal of the old shed to a location away from local housing, improving air quality and noise levels. In forming the access to LLWP, it also provides a ready-made springboard for the Link when it also gets the go-ahead.
Many people have asked us what progress has been made on GCR (Link) Ltd in the past year or so, and we have always replied that the planning takes time. Also, both GCR plc and GCR (N) have had major changes to contend with, so it will be realised that there needs to be a viability from both sides to enable physical progress. Certainly with the plc's recent change of management resulting from financial concerns, Directors have been more than occupied in the long haul back to stability. This is ongoing, but the fruits of the task are beginning to show, LLWP being just one of these buds that are springing forth.
So the work already done in the background by the Gap team now stands us in good stead with the southern access to the proposed sheds. We are currently re-examining the project to lift out and refurbish bridge 331 over the canal, which entails the clearance of the area immediately behind the present Loughborough loco shed, together with the temporary relocation of the fragile fibre-optic cable route that runs up the line of route. Also under review will be the area of the old railway embankment north of bridge 331, where the access line to LLWP will diverge.
It is the common aim of both the Link and LLWP projects that major materials will enter the site by rail, with the consequential environmental benefits to the locality, so once the bridge is refurbished and replaced in its original position, track will be laid across it connecting to a temporary line down the side of the existing shed, thus connecting back into the GC route. These are all what are called 'enabling works' to allow construction of the main project, but like the main scheme, actual work will not start until the assessment has been made and approval given.
So we are revisiting all the documentation and setting up method statements, up-dated costings and drawings for the two areas. Exciting news indeed!
The LLWP group is now meeting regularly to guide the new scheme towards the ultimate goal of acceptance by CBC, and the construction of a locomotive centre of excellence. GCR (Link) Ltd is proud to play a small part in this work, helping us to further the ultimate aim of a Greater Great Central between Nottingham and Leicester.
Tony SparksVisitors to the Great Central Railway at Loughborough Central who have ventured round the back of the shed and walked up to look at the bridge over the Grand Union canal may have noticed that some holes have appeared in the ground. Don't worry - we don't have really large moles; these are exploratory digs by Alan and Nigel from the shed team. The holes are intended to allow the edges of the bridge deck plate to be located so that the full extent of the bridge is known prior to lifting. They also allow us to get a feel for the state of the deck plate and so far it is looking surprisingly good. Many thanks to Alan and Nigel for the effort they've put into this for us.
We are currently playing a waiting game along with the Loughborough Loco Works folk whilst Charnwood Borough Council consider their options for use of the old Loughborough tip site. Various members of the railway are in regular contact with the council trying to progress this as fast as possible but of course we have to work to the council's timetable.
We had a successful stand during the two days of the GCR Autumn steam gala on October 8th/9th. A large number of visitors stopped to chat with us, ask questions and look at the video and display boards. People were very enthusiastic about the project and wished us all the best. More than one promised a percentage of their winnings should their numbers turn up on the lottery. We wait with fingers crossed! The video was shown several times to a good reception. A new version of this presentation, specifically focussed on the benefits a "bridged gap" can bring to our rail industry partners, has been completed.
As well as the gala we've done a spot of "outreach" over the summer by attending the Market Harborough railway group's meeting and presenting our vision (and video!) for the future of the Great Central. This presentation followed one outlining the past achievements of the GC preservation movement so formed a "past, present and future" session. It seemed to go down well and the group were talking of attending the GCR plc en masse one weekend this Autumn.
Meanwhile the Leicestershire group of the Main Line Steam Trust - one of the railways principle supporting charities - were treated to a double presentation from the Gap team and the Loughborough loco works project team. With a good power point presentation and a video in tow we can really put on a show now. If you have a group you would like us to present to, please get in touch. We are extremely grateful that the MLST group donated £1000 to the cause, which will be used to enable early work on the canal bridge (number 331) as it is common to both projects. That "early work" is likely to be building a small pipe bridge to carry the fibre optic cable. So - we'll build a small bridge so we can move a big one! Drawings for the pipe bridge have been completed and the work is likely to be undertaken in house and soon. It will mark the physical start of works albeit in a very quiet understated way.
The stand at the recent gala was also the first time that Tim Barrett's new signalling draft plans have been shown in public. This plan is a draft document that will be used as the basis for discussion between the Gap team, the S&T departments at both the GCR plc and GCR(N) and other interested parties such as Network Rail. Signalling across the Gap is going to be quite interesting, especially as it will potentially involve the interface between the Greater Great Central's signalling systems and those of Network Rail. Much still has to be done though and these plans are intended to help crystalise and inform debate on what S&T issues there are and how they should be tackled.
Naturally enough our regular liason meetings with all interested parties (internal and external) continues along at a good pace with no stumbling blocks being found so far.
The Great Central Railway is fully aware of the campaign to save the Western Boulevard Bowstring Bridge and supports its objectives. We have been - and remain in consultation with the authorities in Leicester regarding the bridge as it is an important structure built more than one hundred years ago. As preservationists it is important and responsible that we register our concern for its future.
While an approach was made to investigate if the bridge could be rebuilt or reused our current financial resources do not permit a feasibility study or business case to be prepared in the timescale permitted.
Neither are we able to contribute towards its upkeep or refurbishment. In its current location does it figure in any plans for an extension to the railway. It size and condition also rule out any prospect of it being dismantled and used to join together the Great Central Railway with its sister operation based in Nottinghamshire. A smaller structure with a known maintenance history is still the preferred and most cost effective option for bridging this gap.
We wish the campaigners every success and hope the bridge will remain a distinctive part of the skyline in years to come.
The last two months have been a time of momentous change at the Great Central Railway PLC which is one of the GCLink's "client" companies. Link - that's us - exists purely to provide the physical formation between the two halves of the GCR (North and South), an arrangement which protects all three partners, should one fold. However, changes to the PLC have had a positive affect on Link's work and priority. The most important headlines are that GCR Plc now views the 18 mile railway as much more important in the MEDIUM - rather than long term. That might appear to be just a change of words, but it does mean from now on bridging the gap will take on more urgency than before. What's the actual physical impact then? For starters, better communications between the three companies and a view that even if the bridge is still five years away, planning for the bigger future (for example, operating policy etc) starts here and now. In turn that could yield through ticketing and a regular bus link between the two halves sooner rather than later.
The changes have also had a positive affect on the Loughborough Locomotive Works project. Regular (weekly - if not daily) liason continues between Link and the team driving this project. At the back of the current shed, a space has begun to be cleared in preparation for the lifting of the canal bridge. There is no date for this important first step. It is still hoped we will be able to use volunteer labour in the inspection and overhaul of this bridge, and again, as it is part of the gap project shared with the Loughborough Locomotive Works project then it is a joint venture of high priority.
The gap publicity team attended the "Cab-it" event at the National Railway Museum in March. A small publicity stand was purchased in February and this was the first time it has been used. Expect to see it a lot more over the summer. The display has a selection of maps and plans for the various stages of the project. However it is the fourteen foot long scale drawing of the plan which continues to attract most attention! Many favourable comments were received, and the chance was taken to promote a visit to both halves of the railway as a full weekend attraction.
In our last update we mentioned the promotional film project. We're delighted to say this is well underway and should be finished by the end of June, ready for the "summer gala circuit". The film has been funded by a grant from MLST, but thanks to some generous donations of time and effort is being put together for very little money but at full professional standards. Some effort is also being put in to ensure that the film is entirely our copyright and can be exploited and distributed (maybe even sold?) as we see fit. The final presentation will run to approximately 7 and a half minutes. The video will be a key tool for promoting the project to sponsors, supporters and relevant authorities, so its completion is a key early milestone.
One of the key sequences is a computer graphic breakdown of the 6 contracts needed to bridge the gap. See this page of our website if you've not visited it before. The computer graphics have now been completed (we'll be posting either screen grabs or the full length clip here as soon as we can) and show the various bridges and embankments being built, followed by a handsome looking van train crossing the completed formation. So the first train (albeit virtual) has now leapt the 500m between Great Central North and South.
Exciting times indeed, and a scene which will one day be a reality. With the changes at the top of GCR Plc, sooner rather than later.
We're moving forward all the time! The project team are delighted to report some positive small steps towards the Greater Great Central.
Following the award of a £2,000 grant from the Main Line Steam Trust we've been able to get cracking on several fronts. As always, work is focussed on further fundraising, making people aware of the project and detailed design for its elements, including of course the bridge over the canal at Loughborough.
Turning first towards fundraising, work continues to investigate what sources of grant aid are available and what we have to do to qualify. There are government pots of money which are given to projects which can generate real benefits in terms of local regeneration and creating jobs for the long term unemployed. Getting access to them is another matter - and it's a specialist area. As such, our thoughts are turning towards employing a professional fundraiser. This can often be a contentious area as commission is paid to the fundraiser on the grants awarded. We take a pragmatic view that having almost all of a grant is better than having everything of nothing.
Raising money and our profile is obviously very important. Some of our grant money has gone towards buying a display stand for the large number of corporate presentations, enthusiast events and Great Central galas we have ahead. The next event we're heading for is the National Railway museum "Cab it" weekend in early March. We will have a full stand, appropriately enough next to Butler Henderson. The hosting of stands at this event is by invitation only so we are delighted to have been selected to be there. We hope this reflects the growing anticipation and excitement in the heritage world regarding the project.
Turning to raising awareness of our plans, in future we will need to communicate our message quickly and effectively. To this end a short promotional film has been commissioned from professional sources. Thanks to our contacts the film is being made at a vastly reduced rate with much of the labour thrown in for nothing. A key sequence in the film is a computer animation which shows how the gap breaks down into six contracts and emphasises the whole project is quite possible. The animation sequence will be based on the 14 feet long working plan (see previous news updates). The chance to promote the benefits of a greater Great Central will not be missed. Work is already underway and the film should be ready by June. Sections of it will be made available on the website if possible. Once complete the film can be sent to interested parties, official bodies and sponsors.
We also have sufficient funds to enable us to place a large sign, announcing the project, on the embankment to the north of the Midland Main Line (Contract 6). This will be visible from the A60 and Loughborough Midland station, further raising the profile of the project.
So what else will we be spending our grant on? Certainly a good proportion of it will go towards the Environmental Impact study. This is one of the very first pieces of official paperwork we need to have completed to push ahead. It will be central to all our future applications for planning permissions, a Transport and Works Order and funding. We must have it in place before proceeding with detailed design.
An early drain on our pocket could be a £17,000 bill payable to BT Wholesale. That's the charge for moving the fibre optic cable away from bridge 331 (that's the bridge over the canal) and onto it's own separate pipe bridge. Until that's done we can't lift out bridge 331. The bill is in addition to the costs of building a small pipe bridge and then physically moving the cable. Sticking with this bridge, we'll shortly be using an excavator to take the earth off the top of it. Then we'll get our first look at this deck on the bridge to assess its condition. We're looking at organising this task as soon as we can (the added impetus from the shed re-location project being one of the main reasons for pushing ahead) but rest assured we will be looking for volunteers.
Hello again to all our regular readers and to people joining us for the first time. Has it really been four months since our last update? Well, unfortunately yes, so to everyone hungry for "gap" news, sorry it has been a little while coming.
Not unnaturally the summer holidays have slowed our recent progress. As the task ahead begins to unfold in greater detail our early break neck pace has become a steady trot. There's more in this bulletin about what we have actually been up to.
To continue the theme started in the last update about raising awareness of our plans, this summer has seen the "gap roadshow" on tour! Post Railfest we attended the Great Central Railway's steam gala in July. For the first time the scale drawing of the project was unveiled. That's the right word because fully unrolled it extends to 14 feet long! It's a motivating sight for our supporters. Suddenly we've got "the picture on the front of the jigsaw box". Everyone can see how it all fits together, and has a little more understanding of how difficult the puzzle itself might be.
And we don't just come with pictures! During the gala we ran bus tours of the project site. Thanks to everyone who came along to ask questions, and show interest. As much as anything else - the level of support is further motivation for the gap team to forge ahead!
Speaking of the drawing - well that has now been issued to our client companies, that is the Great Central Railway PLC and the Great Central Railway Nottingham. In turn the permanent way and signal and telegraph departments have had their copies so their valuable experience can be sought at an early stage. Nothing is set in stone yet, and the earlier potential pitfalls can be identified the better.
Ove Arup are our Engineering consultants. Another meeting with them has brought them up to date with our design requirements and the progress so far.
And GCR (Link) Ltd are now regularly meeting with all the important local authority partners. There are 5 of them in total! Charnwood Borough Council, Leicester City Council, Leicester County Council, Rushcliffe Borough Council and Nottinghamshire County Council. Phew! Seriously the chance to keep them up to date and wave the flag for the project through the fundraising stage is vital. Their understanding and support is much appreciated.
Closer to home, just to north of the engine shed to be precise, is bridge 331, the span that carried the railway over the canal. Regular readers of the update will know we have decided to lift this bridge out of position so we can refurbish it on dry land in our own time. There is no news on a date for this yet, which is likely to be the first physical sign of progress. Behind the scenes we are still looking at costs and options for this part of the project.
The engine shed relocation scheme is a sister project. The new loco facility is pencilled in for a site next to the councils refuse tip between the canal and Railway Terrace. This scheme also requires the railway to reach northwards - over the canal - to connect it to the rest of the system. The project team at the shed are continuing to work hard behind the scenes and are hoping for important developments in the near future.
So how will we pay for the first physical works, not to mention the inevitable paperwork costs that go with them? We have submitted applications for funding to both the Main Line Steam Trust and the LNER (GC) Heritage Trust. These were seeking up to £50,000 to pay for consultant engineers to produce a detailed design and to carry out the various assessments that need completing before work can start. The LNER (GC) Heritage Trust has not as yet replied to our application. We have just learnt that the Main Line Steam Trust has granted us £2,000 subject to final confirmation by the Board of the MLST, and this will allow us to make limited progress in advancing the environmental aspects of the project.
In previous updates we've also talked about the work going on to build a credible Business Case for the gap project (and therefore the "greater Great Central") and to this end we have held a meeting with Annette Mitchell, the GCR Commercial Manager. The objective of the session was to make her aware of our thinking and to pool ideas. This was a productive meeting and together the work on the Business Case is progressing.
It's worth just spending a moment explaining what that bit of jargon means. A "credible Business Case" is required to persuade potential donors and sponsors that they would be committing resources to a project that will have a meaningful, positive and sustainable outcome. And also one that has been thoroughly thought through, and is deliverable. This is particularly important for this project because it's outputs are less obvious and tangible than those of most heritage railway projects, such as restoring an engine or coach, or putting up a new building. Furthermore attaining the benefits from the bridged gap will be operationally challenging.
Take a moment to think about it; an 18 mile railway is the goal - but what do you actually do with an 18 mile railway? How does it work? How does it make money to ensure its survival? Why is one 18 mile railway better than two separate ones of eight miles and nine miles? These are the questions we have to answer now. None of the answers can be, "We're doing it because we want to do it!" It is time to put head over heart.
Putting it back into business speak - this is what our case has to demonstrate:
Those are the financial concerns at least. However with an 18 mile railway and therefore a significant piece of transport infrastructure on our hands, it would be selfish if we didn't think beyond the pounds and pence. How can what we're doing benefit the community? Can it bring regeneration to the area? Will it create jobs? Any benefits we can identify (and justify) will all go into the business case.
Compiling this document is a time consuming process, it's going on in offices which are remote from the railway and have nothing to do with putting down the rails in front of a northbound express. But if we don't do it - there'll be no northbound express or a greater Great Central.
The potential sources of increased revenue that we have been able to identify so far are as follows:
Some of these ideas are obvious and offer a clear financial or social benefit. Others require detailed investigation to establish their merit or otherwise. If you have further ideas for developing our potential or should you wish to add to an area above, now is the time to let us know!
It is a further reality that any funder will have a requirement, either formally or informally, that both of the operating companies that will make use of the combined railway will be operationally and financially viable. We have no doubt that the comments raised at the recent GCR PLC AGM about redundancies and the necessity for economies will only be temporary, and indeed we are advised that the PLC is now turning the corner. Like all other supporters of the Great Central we are pleased that the situation is being rectified. But until such time as things return to normal, it will clearly has knock-on implications for the Gap project.
Right now, while the paperwork goes on, it's time to be patient. The heritage railway world has done great things and this project is more than achievable. It took the Ffestiniog Railway almost thirty years to run trains back to Blaenau.
Like those pioneers, we're ready for long climb to the top of our mountain.
Our work at the moment is best summed up as "The Three P's: Publicity, Preparation and Partnerships."
Lets start with publicity. First of all a warm welcome to anyone who has come to our site after meeting us at Railfest. It s good to have you with us; please visit us often for all the latest news on this exciting project. We feel our Railfest stand was a great success. We were part of the Greater Great Central - the pet name for the big vision of an 18 mile heritage railway. Of course we only reach that incredible goal by bridging the gap. The model and latest drawings of a double track link attracted a lot of comment. So many people passed on their best wishes for the project. We certainly know railway enthusiasts and preservationists like to think big, but even we were bowled over the positive reaction.
Publicity raises the profile of the project, helps us make important contacts and lets people get hold of us so they can share their ideas this is all very important. We don't want to be a secret society, and don't claim we know all the answers to every question. Our next important events will be at the Great Central Railway (PLC) Summer Gala at the end of July and the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) Gala in August. On both days we hope to run vintage bus tours of the site of the project, so our friends can see for themselves what's involved. Telephone 07767 610029 if you would like to book onto one of these tours.
We are also considering commissioning a short video presentation to see us through exhibitions, meetings and briefing sessions in the next two years. It will be an ideal way of communicating the big picture quickly without getting into too much technical detail. To help us with this do you know of anyone with moving archive footage of the original bridge of the Midland Railway? Please contact us if you do.
The Second P - Preparation. Let's begin with what will be contract 1 in the overall scheme. The refurbishment of the canal bridge (bridge number 331) immediately to the north of Loughborough locomotive shed. We've begun to change our plans. After meeting with several crane companies a bridge lift has been confirmed as feasible. Instead of closing the canal, suspending scaffolding and all the expense and hassle that entails, GCR PLC have generously offered a piece of land that the lifted bridge deck can be deposited on. The refurbishment can now be carried out on dry land, far simpler and cheaper than the other option. There's no date for the lift yet and we can't be sure how much work the bridge requires until it out of it's hole so to speak! We need to take a close up look at the metalwork and the masonry to determine how much the refurbishment will cost.
A small complication is the fibre optic cable which crosses the bridge as part of a national telecoms network. The owners have met with us on site and see no reason why the cable can't be temporarily moved when the bridge is lifted. Provided the cable is not broken or services disrupted this is not an expensive job. We will need volunteer assistance prior to and after the lift, and we hope this will be a chance for our supporters to roll up their sleeves and make a difference in the cause of the greater Great Central.
Further preparation has seen the completion of an eleven foot long drawing which encompasses the whole scheme from the south end of Loughborough Central to the far north of the A60 road bridge and beyond. Complete with possible track layout and all to scale it is an impressive realization of the job in hand, and helps us meet with other interested parties, be they council planners, potential funders, or indeed yourselves our supporters. Of course, our bosses the north and south companies will be studying their own copy in detail. We've previously stated that the project is possible with no major obstructions, however fitting the link through the crucial middle section is proving to be a shoe-horn job. It seems there will be a deviation of some 14 metres to the south from the original alignment, which should still leave the requisite access for British Waterways to Hermitage brook. We've also improved our understanding of the Environmental Impact Assessment that we need to carry out, and how we should go about it. There are issues of ecology to consider, but fortunately there are experts who are willing to help us.
The Office of the Railway Regulator are to be contacted. They will have to give consent for us to carry out the work as we will be building brand new railway, which didn't exist at the time of privatization.
The last "P" is perhaps the most important. Without partners inside and outside the organisations that make up the Great Central Railway we'd get nowhere. We've been especially busy forging new ones. Signalling engineers are coming on board to help us work out how well interface a double track 18 mile railway with the single track chord which brings Network Rail traffic onto our metals. Currently GCR (N) as far as Rushcliffe Halt is operated by Leicester Power Box as a siding when trains run onto it from the MML, and only returns to GCR (N) control when a train returns to the mainline from this section. There is currently no direct operations interface between the two railways other than in the planning of train movements. The completed, linked Great Central will have to be in operational contact with Network Rail with the two offering and accepting trains from each other. This will be a fascinating interface between modern signalling systems and the heritage equipment used by the GCR.
Meanwhile our good friends working on the shed relocation project have also made progress over the last few weeks. Test boring of the tip site (where it is proposed Loughborough's new locomotive depot will be situated) has now been completed by Charnwood Borough Council. We understand that the results will show that no nasties have been found. It is anticipated that the council will now organise a round table meeting in the next few months to formalise a plan for the tip. This will require all interested parties to present thorough proposals, which include a cost breakdown so the shed team are updating their plans accordingly.
A positive financial step was a useful meeting with the Leicester and Shire Economic partnership. This group will be a way for us to apply for funding from government and European sources. Now they can see what we are planning, we hope they will be able to help. We're keeping our fundraising low key at the moment, so as not to spoil the impact of a planned big push in future. We still need your help though. You can make a cheque payable to Great Central (Link) Ltd and send it to Loughborough Central booking office.
Finally a special team have been formed to work on the business case for the greater Great Central. This isn t quick or simple work, but vital to persuade individuals, companies and agencies to support and hopefully fund us. Invisible and challenging work, involving a new spreadsheet which we can use to calculate financial benefits and extra costs. It is becoming increasingly clear, if we don t do it, we might as well give up now. We have to put a clear, viable case together that this is something worth doing for the benefit of the railway, the community and the local economy.
Its time to put our heads over our hearts. Or should that be one last P? We've got to be practical!
Working with five other
organisations associated with the
preservation and study of the Great Central Railway, we have organised
and staffed a stand at RailFest 2004, at the National Railway Museum.
The project to bridge the Gap has proved to be the major point of
interest that visitors wanted to discuss, and our presence has really
helped to raise the profile and understanding of the project.
April 2004 has been a month of meetings, questions asked and answered and partnerships forged! There's been no let up in the pace for the team, and good progress has been made.
The most important meeting took place with key officers from Charnwood Borough Council. Building five hundred metres of new railway will involve several departments from the authority, and isn't just a question of lodging a planning application. We brought the council up to date with our intentions and our current progress. Meanwhile they've helped draw up a list of their requirements from us.
They confirmed that the line of the proposed new railway is protected in the local plan. We then moved on to more detailed considerations including environmental impact, the likely timing of the scheme and most immediately the refurbishment of the canal bridge (number 331) still likely to be the starting point for actual physical progress. The meeting concluded successfully and it seems there are no insurmountable obstacles in terms of the councils needs.
Many people have rightly asked us how the project will be funded. There are three aspects to raising the money required. Firstly more detailed construction plans are required to enable a reliable cost forecast to be drawn up. Secondly we are casting the net wide to identify every potential source of funding and what their criteria for awarding grants are. We have identified eight different ways of raising capital. However with each one, there is always an element of being in the right place at the right time. This underlines the importance of approaching a wide range of sources, and of not taking anything for granted!
Finally we have to develop a compelling argument as to why we deserve support. While we all have our own emotional arguments this third aspect will involve developing a strong and clear business case. The business case will be an acid test. Bridging the gap tugs at heart strings but not necessarily at wallets.
So we will need to clearly and credibly identify the operational and revenue benefits that will be generated by the bridged gap. Identifying new products, experiences and sources of revenue that the Greater Great Central can create is an important job, and certainly not a simple exercise. GCR Link will naturally be working closely with GCR plc and GCR (Nottingham) Ltd. to develop the business case.
Then there have been our partnerships forged:
We have been facilitating the co-ordination of a number of other organisations connected with the Great Central to organise a joint display stand at the forthcoming RailFest display. Each of these organisations will have a section of the stand for their own use. We are planning to use our section to display information on the benefits of the scheme, its construction aspects, the funding considerations, and how people can help us. We also plan to show a model of the bridged gap.
The biggest journeys start with a smallest step and for the GCR Link that step is across the derelict bridge over the Grand Union canal. Its always nice to have a traveling companion so the bridging the gap team have joined forces with engineers from Loughborough Locomotive shed project.
The loco shed team, headed by David Slack and Tom Tighe, have been examining the possibility of relocating the locomotive depot to the old tip site to the east of the Link line. We have held some useful and fruitful discussions with them, and have exchanged existing plans. This scheme has certain common parts with the Link project, namely the canal bridge number 331 and the embankment to the north of it. Thus the approach roads to the shed will utilise both of Contracts 1 and 2 of the gap project. With this commonality in mind, the two teams are working together on these aspects, although it is stressed that each project will remain as separate entities. As well as having practical implications, this linking of the two projects may also impact on the sources of funding that can be accessed to help finance the gap.
It had originally been intended that a single line would run around the existing loco shed to bridge the gap. Moving the depot altogether opens up the possibility of a double track line to the north, not to mention providing a purpose built modern facility away from neighbouring houses for our historic locomotive fleet.
While the two projects remain separate, combining expertise should help both of them push forward. Drawings for the 500 metre link line between north and south are now being prepared to incorporate access to the proposed new shed. They will soon be displayed on this website.
On the construction and engineering side the main focus over the last few weeks has involved looking in more detail at the practicalities and costs of the refurbishment of bridge 331. It appears that the best option for how to do this will be to hire in a large mobile crane for a day and lift the bridge right out of its location. This would be similar to what was done at Swithland but on a rather larger scale! This would create a spectacular photo opportunity right at the start of the Link construction works.
It might only be March, but 2004 has already been a very busy year for the gap team with plenty of progress made, albeit behind the scenes and not readily apparent!
The very first piece of paperwork is the Project Initiation Document. This is a grand title for "what it is we intend to do". In it we formally state what our objectives are and what we hope to deliver (completed embankments, viaducts and / or bridges, but not trackwork or signalling), some outline principles of how we'll set about the job, who we are working with, what constraints we operate under and how we'll organize ourselves.
A project as large as this isn't without its risks - from financial through to physical. We've started a register to ensure we can anticipate and resolve any potential problems before they become major headaches. Once again each member of the gap team will be involved in managing a particular area.
One question many people ask us is, "When will it be ready?" Well at the moment the answer is a deliberate, "We don't know". There are many factors, not least of which is the money to do the job which will impinge on the timescale. However, certain tasks need to be completed in a certain order. To this end a Project Critical Path has been developed to keep things in order and on track. The first part of this document is the feasibility section (where the project is at the moment) and is highly developed with an action plan to cover the next year in detail.
Investigations are underway into what level of environmental impact study will be required for the project. Several proposals from different consultancies are being obtained.
The design and construction members of the gap team have made two visits to the launch of a large (90 metres long and 2,000 tonnes) clear span bridge over the approach to Kings Cross that will carry the Channel Tunnel Rail Link into St. Pancras. This bridging technique looks like it will be appropriate for our project. It's great benefit is that the launch can be so quick (the one at Kings Cross moved at one metre every thirty seconds) that we will only require a short possession of the Midland Main Line, which will be very expensive. To be able to see this launch in action (we had a Board member on site at 5 am on Christmas Day!), and then also to see it being finally slid into place, has provided us with a much better understanding of what this technique involves and requires.
We've also spent a lot of time, meeting with and talking to many people and companies who might or will be involved in the scheme including;
Then there has been the issue of financing the project.
We have started to investigate potential sources of funding. Our initial investigations suggest that some sections of the gap may not qualify for either Heritage Lottery Funding, or for funding from the European Commission. The former is because we need to be either restoring an historical artifact, or providing covered storage for some, or improving public access to historical or cultural features. The latter is because the area through which the greater Great Central runs does not qualify for "Area 2" status.
Accordingly, although we will investigate these two sources in more detail, we will also need to be more wide ranging in identifying potential sources of funding and providing them with persuasive reasons why the project justifies their support. If there is one lesson to be drawn from the history of railway preservation, it is that substantial sums can be raised for well thought through and motivating projects that will produce clear benefits.
What is becoming increasingly clear is that funders of the size we will need will require evidence of a high level of project management expertise. This is in line with our expectations and underlines the importance of doing all the preparatory activities properly. One area that we will be investigating is the potential to obtain sponsorship support "in kind", by which we mean materials, equipment, products or services supplied either for free or at discounted rates.
In terms of actual physical progress we have investigated an idea put to us from the Great Central discussion group about placing some large signs on the area of the gap to publicise what we are doing. One attractive suggestion was to place a banner on Bridge 331 over the canal. Unfortunately we have not yet worked out how we could make this sufficiently vandal proof. However we do intend to install large signs overlooking the Midland Main Line and the A60 from the embankment to the north of the Midland Main Line. Designs for these have been created and we are currently obtaining quotes for the vinyls. If anyone can get these and the signs themselves made for free, please let us know.
Survey of Midland main line and
adjacent levels November 2003. taken from GCRN property looking south.
This was also a further meeting by the Link Ltd's board to review
latest documentation. Photo by Steve Hallam.
Site visit by Link Ltd Board members on special DMU train to view the Gap.
The embankment on the north side of the MML has been raised in height slightly using crushed rubble from Birse Rail's rebuilding of the A60 bridge over the slow lines earlier this year. The Bridging The Gap project was also the cover story in Heritage Railway magazine, with a six page spread explaining the current plans inside.
As part of the recent work to improve the A60 road
bridge over the Midland Main Line, a quantity of spoil was used to
raise the height of the embankment that forms part of Contract 6
towards its required level. This was achieved for zero cost. The
photo, taken during the recent site survey, shows the area where this
infill was placed. Note the chord line from the Midland main line on
the right. Photo by Steve Hallam.
