Phased reopening will see diesel hauled shuttles along branch between Ruddington’s Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre and 50 Steps Bridge.
It’s a moment that’s been four years in the making. For the first time since the pandemic passengers will be able to board trains at the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) Ruddington site and travel towards the main line.
After lengthy repairs, maintenance and volunteer training a Class 08 locomotive and carriages will run an hourly shuttle from the platform at Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre to 50 Steps Bridge close to Asher Lane and back, a journey of around a mile. ’50 Steps’ is the site of the junction where trains will one day join the Great Central Main Line and run towards Loughborough.
The trains will run on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 of September as part of the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre Road, Rail and Ale festival which will showcase local real ales, vintage busses and now vintage locomotives too.
Andy Fillingham of Great Central Railway (Nottingham) said:
“This is a huge moment for us. Running trains is something we’re excited about as well as visitors.
“It will add another attraction to the busy Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre and it’s a prelude to running trains along the full length of the Great Central Railway in Nottinghamshire. It’s taken some time and a lot of effort to get to this point so we’d like to thank everyone for their support.”
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The locomotive chosen for the honour of reopening the line is number 08694. When first built it was allocated to Annesley shed in Nottinghamshire on the original Great Central route. To mark the moment it has been named after the shed, cementing its connection with the GCR. It has never operated passenger trains before.
In March 2024 the Great Central in Nottingham and Great Central in Leicestershire teamed up to mark the 125th anniversary of the original opening of the GCR. One day the two railways will be physically reconnected.
The railways are joining forces again for this really big moment. In Leicestershire the Great Central Railway is hosting a diesel gala and enthusiasts are invited to take a vintage bus from Quorn and Woodhouse station to Ruddington, to ride on the reopening services in Nottinghamshire, plus enjoy the Rail, Road and Ale festival.
Tickets sold for the diesel gala in Leicestershire will include admission to the festival, the vintage bus connection and a train ride at Ruddington. Tickets are available at www.gcrailway.co.uk
Tickets will also be available at the Ruddington Station ticket office on both running days which cover both ends of the line.
“As we move towards reunifying the two halves of the Great Central Railway, creating an eighteen mile heritage line across the East Midlands, this combined celebration gala is another big step forward, as the two lines work closely together” concluded Andy. “For the first time in a long while, we look forward to welcoming rail passengers to Ruddington!”
Meanwhile, repair works are steadily advancing on a bridge on the main line. When completed, it will be possible for trains to run between the Heritage Centre and Rushcliffe Halt.
Ruddington Platform at the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre is located in Rushcliffe Country Park at NG11 6JS.
