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Great Central Railway General Matters

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Reading General, Nov 11, 2017.

  1. LNERandBR

    LNERandBR New Member

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    I note the September trains now include one Diesel turn. Offering a daily total of 4 round trips from Quorn to Leicester North if one is willing to pay 4 fairs.
     
  2. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

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  3. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    [​IMG]

    From S A Smith Facebook page. That's an impressive bit of fibreglass!
     
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  4. marshall5

    marshall5 Well-Known Member

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    46256 lives.....but in disguise!
    Ray.
     
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  5. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

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    According to the GCR website, their Griddle Car is being re-introduced (albeit for pre-booked customers only) on trains from this coming Saturday (26th Sept).
     
  6. 8126

    8126 Member

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    I was thinking it's very reminiscent of a Britannia: the general layout of wheels, motion and cylinders (with a roller bearing cover on the return crank), the AWS battery box, boiler and injector pipework, whistle position, smoke deflectors...
     
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  7. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

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    The piece in Steam Railway about it says that it was constructed using Britannia drawings, which is a bit odd, considering it is presumably supposed to be a French loco. Strange "numbering" system as well (shouldn't it be 231 something..).
    Will be interesting when details of the film it is going to feature in are announced.
     
  8. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Shows how much attention I pay to such things: I thought it was a Britannia, and @5944's comment about “an impressive bit of fibreglass” was a reference to the valance ...

    Tom
     
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  9. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

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    Found this (Public) FB page when doing a search for the loco name " Le General Rive-Reine"......
    https://www.facebook.com/pg/SASmithTheSpecialists/posts/?ref=page_internal
    As somebody else has spotted on there, Rive-Reine is the fictional town where one of the main scenes in the film "The Train" (1964) was set.
     
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  10. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

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    The beer festival this weekend is still going ahead, but it will be table service only in line with the latest rules....

    Further to the goverments announcement this week, we will be operating at the Tin Shed as follows:

    On arrival please register at the registration point using your smart phone to scan the QR code for NHS Track and Trace or by completing the Track and Trace form. Please then find a table where a member of staff will take your drinks order. All drinks will be served at your table. A maximum of 6 people are allowed at any one table. Please wear face masks except when enjoying your beverage.

    Last orders will be at 9.00pm and you must leave the site by 10.00pm when the site entry gates will be locked

    That seems to indicate that you won't be able to wander around the display of vehicles/traction engines with your pint in your hand though.

     
  11. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    There is a change, it is an "At seat service" this weekend. The griddle car is now starting a week later on October 3rd......I've missed my GCR breakfasts!
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2020
  12. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    It was reassuringly busy at Quorn today but people were keeping to their family groups. There was a Lot of steam with full size and scale model traction engines in abundance.
    Johann - The beer tent was quiet but it was, as stated, Table Service. However it was possible to carry your drink outside and wander around..;)
     
  13. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

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    Actually I was there myself today from about 13.30, followed by a ride on the 15.30 service! The 13.50 train behind the Peak had very few passengers on it, but the 15.30 had a fairly decent load.
    Beer festival was busier than they were expecting, as yesterday was apparently quite dead there - though the weather didn't help. At least one of the beers had sold out by the time we arrived today.
    Managed to fit in visits to Ruddington and Mountsorrel as well and had quite a good day of it, apart from the weather being totally different to that forecast first thing this morning! There was a visiting steam roller & living van at Mountsorrel today, plus an old Leicester Dennis fire Engine - both from Abbey Pumping Station museum.
     
  14. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

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    The "First Hurrah" event for November has now appeared in the Special Events list....
    https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/special-events/first-hurrah-2020/
    Not a lot of info on there as yet, but at least trains appear to be returning to the full Loughborough-Leicester North route for it, though everything is still starting from Quorn! The dining train observed yesterday lunchtime appeared to operate the full length of the line as well.
    The listings for the October operations is a "cut & paste" of Septembers, still with the September dates!
    There are a couple of diesel running days mentioned for October too.
     
  15. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    I believe the Dining trains do start at Loughborough and the passenger get on and off there. It must be easier to maintain spacing with that operation as the flow is always one way, i.e. they are all getting on to start, and off at the end, with no other passengers waiting to board etc.
    Certainly the GCR are doing all they can to make the operations as safe as possible. The "Santa" and "Winter Wonderlight" services in December are being advertised as well.
     
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  16. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    The diesel running days mentioned by Johann are on Fridays 9th and 23rd with five round trips. All day travel in a compartment for 6 is £60 or a table for two at £25. Which seems to be excellent value. There is a Fish and Chips offer on one trip!
    More details on the GCR website.
     
  17. Wagoniester

    Wagoniester Member

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    I assume they have a second such coach, and that 1100 hasn't gone through a very fast and thorough restoration in the last few months? This is assuming it is still there; last I heard, it was for disposal and under offer.
     
  18. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    I had an enjoyable trip yesterday - complete with bacon bap! The griddle car was on the set, but there was only a limited menu this weekend.
    However, I did catch a glimpse, of what looked like, an HST power car sitting in the loop at Swithland. It was at the end of the van train and a sort of "mid blue" colour. Unfortunately, it was on my return journey, so I have not been able to confirm the details.......Was I dreaming?
     
  19. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

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    Its a DVT in what I take to be Arriva blue and was there last week when I travelled past on the train. Think it's there for some contract or other with a couple of other items of rolling stock, as I have seen its presence reported somewhere else on the internet, but I can't remember where....

    EDIT: It was mentioned on WNXX (by 35B of this parish) as being 82306. There is a supposedly another one there somewhere along with possbly 2 ex Anglia coaches.
    Something to do with this lot..

    https://www.datsltd.com/

    .
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2020
  20. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    I see on the GCR website, that they are running 3 days of midweek trains Oct 21st,22nd and 24th. with 4 services each day. Activities in Quorn Yard for children as it is Half Term.
     

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